The Playbook – Go-to strategies for beating tests at their own game.

Learn go-to strategies and shortcuts for every question you’ll see on the brand-new SAT.

THE DIGITAL SAT IS HERE.

LEARN HOW TO ACE IT.

EMOJI-WORTHY RESULTS, One Student at a time

At The Playbook, our success stories speak (and text) for themselves. We’re proud to have the highest satisfaction rating of every test prep and admissions firm on TrustPilot, a reputation we continue to build one student at a time.

We provide tutoring and prep courses for the SAT and ACT and guidance on all aspects of college admissions, from helping students discover schools that match their unique preferences and aspirations to crafting application essays designed to linger in the minds of admissions officers.

Every member of our team is a subject matter expert with that rare combination of enthusiasm, emotional intelligence, and empathy that separates mere tutors from teachers capable of insiring students to reach their utmost potential.

Whether you’re looking to ace the new digital SAT and PSAT, dramatically improve your performance in SAT Reading, or enhance your chances of admission to your first-choice college, we have a proven playbook to help you achieve your goal.

WEEKEND BOOT CAMPS

Efficient, effective and engaging. Our weekend Boot Camps are the most popular way to learn how to ace the SAT or ACT or perfect your college applications essays.

ONE WEEKEND. EVERY STRATEGY YOU NEED TO KNOW.

SAT Boot Camp

Shortcuts for tricky Math questions. Strategies for uncovering hidden clues in Reading passages. Techniques for avoiding sneaky trap answers. March into the SAT with confidence, momentum, and every key strategy fresh in your mind.

ONE WEEKEND. EVERY STRATEGY YOU NEED TO KNOW.

ACT Boot Camp

Strategies for Reading faster without sacrificing comprehension. Techniques for deciphering confusing Science passages and graphs. Shortcuts for math problems that stump 95% of test-takers. March into the ACT with confidence, momentum, and every key strategy fresh in your mind.

ELITE COURSES

Specialized programs for highly-ambitious students targeting perfect or near-perfect scores.

ADVANCED VERBAL STRATEGIES FOR A.P. STUDENTS

Aiming for 800

The ultimate course for ambitious students who wish to go from a very good SAT Reading and Writing score to a truly elite score. Ideal for A.P. students who are gifted in STEM and capable of earning a top score in SAT Math but have yet to achieve an SAT Reading and Writing score of 750 or higher.

The average years of teaching experience for our instructors and admissions advisors.

260

The average SAT score-improvement for our students during the 2021-’22 academic year.

4.9

The average student rating, out of 5, for all of our courses – the highest rating of any test prep and college admissions firm on Trust Pilot.

The average number of naps taken by our students during our courses and programs.

LOCALLY SOURCED. ECO-FRIENDLY.
AND 100% NON-GMO.

From an engineer who plays the banjo to a linguist who leads mission trips to Haiti, our instructors are creative, conscientious, intellectually-feisty, and—above all—committed to you.
Meet the mighty minds who call The Playbook home.

Ryan

Northwestern-educated. Ingenious at improv. And kinda sorta friends with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Kelly

Columbia-educated. Virtuosic with voiceover acting. And equally obsessed with yoga and musical theater.

Leonard

Yale-educated. Crazy about chess. And hoping to carve out time to try indoor rock climbing.

Adam

University of Michigan-educated. Handsomely bespectacled. And gifted with any instrument capable of being strummed.

Corrine

Duke-educated. Super into skiing. And head over wheels for roller derby.

John

Northwestern-educated. Devoted to data. And keen on anything relating to writing, performing, and live music.

Rowen

Rutgers School of Engineering-educated. Mad about math. And utterly passionate about the art of teaching.

Rachel

University of Washington-educated. Dedicated writer, performer, and teacher. And always first on the dance floor on every occasion.

Mike

Yale-educated. Devoted father of two. And capable of making anything from Beef Wellington to radish kimchee in the kitchen.

Ryan

Northwestern-educated. Ingenious at improv. And kinda sorta friends with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Kelly

Columbia-educated. Virtuosic with voiceover acting. And equally obsessed with yoga and musical theater.

Leonard

Yale-educated. Crazy about chess. And hoping to carve out time to try indoor rock climbing.

Adam

University of Michigan-educated. Handsomely bespectacled. And gifted with any instrument capable of being strummed.

Corrine

Duke-educated. Super into skiing. And head over wheels for roller derby.

John

Northwestern-educated. Devoted to data. And keen on anything relating to writing, performing, and live music.

ADAM

University of Michigan-educated. Handsomely bespectacled. And gifted with any instrument capable of being strummed.

CORRINE

Duke-educated. Super into skiing. And head over wheels for roller derby.

ADAM

Northwestern-educated. Devoted to data. And keen on anything relating to writing, performing, and live music.

The average years of teaching experience for our instructors and admissions advisors.

260

The average SAT score-improvement for our students during the 2021-’22 academic year.

4.9

The average student rating, out of 5, for all of our courses – the highest rating of any test prep and college admissions firm on Trust Pilot.

The average number of naps taken by our students during our courses and programs.

“We’re so thankful to have The Playbook as our exclusive prep partner. Jared and his team have been beyond dedicated to our school, even helping students outside of class with free academic support and admissions advice. And our average SAT and PSAT scores have soared. The Playbook’s Future National Merit Scholars program doubled our number of National Merit Scholarship winners, and the vast majority of our juniors improved by 100 to 300 points over their previous SAT score.”

Holly Barbarossa
The Mary Louis Academy
Jamaica Estates, NY

ACTUAL STUDENT TEXTIMONIALS

“Ivy League Tutors is awesome! I love studying SAT algebra every Saturday morning!”
– Billy B., Hamilton High School

Oh, come on. Do you think that any high school student in the history of teenagers has ever said anything that glowing about an SAT prep class – even one of ours?

At The Playbook, we don’t fabricate reviews or pay people to proclaim their love for us. The testimonials and textimonials you see throughout our site are all real, all recent, and all from actual students just like you.

LATEST ARTICLES & ADVICE

We can’t tell you how to achieve a flatter tummy or the 11 secret superfoods you should be eating (though we at The Playbook are pretty fond of Goji berries, for what it’s worth).

However, we can tell you all about college admissions and testing, so check out our latest articles for up-to-date information and advice, from the questionable value of being well-rounded to COVID’s impact on the SAT and ACT.

COVID’s Impact on the SAT

The pandemic has affected the role of standardized tests in college admissions, but don’t throw away your No. 2 pencils just yet.

How to Get into Med School While You’re Still in High School

Way back in the early ‘90s, when we, the non-Millennial members of The Playbook, were in high school, there was a popular TV show, Doogie Howser

The PSAT: A Very Important Test That Doesn’t Really Matter (Except When It Does)

Does the PSAT actually count for anything or is it simply practice?

We’re proud to have the highest rating of every test prep and admissions firm on TrustPilot. Here are recent reviews from students, parents, and schools.

EMOJI-WORTHY RESULTS, One Student at a time

WEEKEND BOOT CAMPS

Efficient, effective and engaging. Our weekend Boot Camps are the most popular way to learn how to ace the SAT or ACT or perfect your college applications essays.

ONE WEEKEND. EVERY STRATEGY YOU NEED TO KNOW.

ONE WEEKEND. EVERY STRATEGY YOU NEED TO KNOW.

ELITE COURSES

Specialized programs for highly-ambitious students targeting perfect or near-perfect scores.

ADVANCED VERBAL STRATEGIES FOR A.P. STUDENTS

LOCALLY SOURCED. ECO-FRIENDLY.AND 100% NON-GMO.

From an engineer who plays the banjo to a linguist who leads mission trips to Haiti, our instructors are creative, conscientious, intellectually-feisty, and—above all—committed to you.Meet the mighty minds who call The Playbook home.

ACTUAL STUDENT TEXTIMONIALS

“Ivy League Tutors is awesome! I love studying SAT algebra every Saturday morning!”– Billy B., Hamilton High School

Oh, come on. Do you think that any high school student in the history of teenagers has ever said anything that glowing about an SAT prep class – even one of ours?

At The Playbook, we don’t fabricate reviews or pay people to proclaim their love for us. The testimonials and textimonials you see throughout our site are all real, all recent, and all from actual students just like you.

LATEST ARTICLES & ADVICE

THE HIGHEST-RATED

We’re proud to have the highest rating of every test prep and admissions firm on TrustPilot. Here are recent reviews from students, parents, and schools.

LOCALLY SOURCED. ECO-FRIENDLY.
AND 100% NON-GMO.

From an engineer who plays the banjo to a linguist who leads mission trips to Haiti, our instructors are creative, conscientious, intellectually-feisty, and—above all—committed to you.
Meet the mighty minds who call The Playbook home.

“Ivy League Tutors is awesome! I love studying SAT algebra every Saturday morning!”
– Billy B., Hamilton High School