Prepare for the March 6 SAT in a team of four.

Why it works: five research-backed advantages

Compared with a big class, a team of four lets the instructor work with every student. Compared with one-on-one tutoring, your student has teammates to practice with and to keep each other on track. Each part of Rope Teams follows well-tested findings from education research:

1. 1Small group, professional instructor

   What we do: Teams of 4 or fewer, with Hilltop’s lead instructor teaching all 18 sessions.

   The research: A review of randomized experiments by Nickow, Oreopoulos and Quan (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2020) found that one-on-one and small-group tutoring raised achievement by 0.37 standard deviations on average, roughly from the 50th to nearly the 66th percentile. Programs led by teachers and paraprofessionals had larger effects than those led by volunteers or parents.Source

2. 2Spread over 9 weeks, not crammed

   What we do: Two sessions a week from Jan 5 to Mar 4, with online practice modules in between, so the work is spread across 9 weeks.

   The research: Psychologist John Dunlosky and four colleagues compared 10 study methods students commonly use (Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013). Only two earned their highest rating: spreading practice out over time, and practice testing. Rereading and highlighting rated low.Source

3. 3Practice tests in the real testing app

   What we do: All 4 full-length practice tests are taken in Bluebook, the College Board app students use on test day. The first is a diagnostic that sets the starting point.

   The research: The same review rated practice testing, meaning working problems and taking practice exams rather than rereading notes or answers, as one of the two most effective methods, with gains across many kinds of tests.Source

4. 4Explaining to teammates

   What we do: In a team of four, every student gets the chance to explain their reasoning to teammates and ask each other questions, with the instructor checking their work.

   The research: In experiments by psychologists Logan Fiorella and Richard Mayer (2013), students who taught what they had learned to others scored best on a later comprehension test, ahead of students who only studied or only prepared to teach.Source

5. 5Weekly updates for parents

   What we do: Weekly progress notes tell you what your student has covered and what to work on next.

   The research: In a field experiment by Matthew Kraft and Todd Rogers (2015) in a high school credit-recovery program, one-sentence weekly notes from teachers to parents cut the share of students who failed to earn course credit from 15.8% to 9.3%, a 41% drop.Source

These studies show the methods work on average. They don’t promise the same score gain for every student.

• Team AIn person at our Jack Rabbit Rd studio · Tue & Thu, 6:00–7:20 pmSeats open
• Team BOnline · Tue & Thu, 7:30–8:50 pmSeats open
• Team COnline · Sun & WedOpens when 3 students sign up

A seat counts once its $200 deposit is paid. All times are Eastern.

How a Rope Team forms

1. 1

   Lead a team

   Pick a time slot and sign up. Your team code comes with the deposit invoice.

2. 2

   Invite up to 3 friends

   They sign up with your code, and their seats are held for 7 days.

3. 3

   Pay the $200 deposit

   A seat counts once its deposit is paid, within 48 hours of signing up.

4. 4

   Team confirmed Dec 14

   Teams with 3 or 4 paid seats start Jan 5.

No team yet? Choose “Please place my student on a team” on the sign-up form, and we’ll place your student with students from the same school or at a similar score.

What’s included

• 24 live hours: 18 sessions of 80 minutes, twice a week
• Teams of 4 or fewer, with Hilltop’s lead instructor every session
• Online practice modules to work through between sessions
• 4 full-length practice tests in Bluebook, starting with a diagnostic
• Session recordings to catch up on a missed session
• Weekly progress notes for parents

Price

• A $200 deposit holds each seat and counts toward the price. Pay it within 48 hours through the emailed invoice, by bank transfer or card.
• The balance is invoiced Dec 14 and due Dec 18. Two payments, Dec 18 and Feb 1, are available on request.
• The full terms are on the sign-up form.

Key dates

1. Fri, Dec 11Team rate ends at 11:59 pm
2. Mon, Dec 14Teams confirmed
3. Fri, Dec 18Balance due
4. Sun, Jan 3Diagnostic test due, orientation
5. Tue, Jan 5First session
6. Sat, Mar 6Summit day: the March SAT
7. Fri, Mar 19Scores released

Questions families ask