Bara Sapir

Tests do not only measure what you know, they also measure how well take tests. I've been empowering students to perform their best on the SAT and ACT since 1992, first as a tutor at The Princeton Review (6 years), then as a solopreneur, until 2005, when I founded my company City Test Prep. Early on, I learned early that how a student's performance and score, can be compromised when they feel under pressure and timed conditions, feel anxious, have negative self-talk or beliefs, or aren't provided the tools to meet or exceed their expectations. To help students succeed, I drew from my own experience of getting into the zone as a trained artist and musician. When I'm in that liminal space, I produce the best work, perform the best on tests, and am able to create with ease and enjoyment. This 'secret sauce' has helped students score hundreds of points higher when they take tests because they're able to feel comfortable and assured in their knowledge and skill sets. I've amassed a robust toolbox to help students show up as their best test-taking selves: calm, focused, clear-headed, and confident. I draw from mindfulness, visualization, integrated life coaching, Neuro-linguistic programming, bilateral stimulation, hypnosis, growth mindset, positive psychology, sound therapy, and other tools. The work I do can be understood as that which trainers and sports psychologists offer high-performing athletes, for my work addresses the needs of test takers. Beyond being a problem solver and someone who delights in empowering others, my qualifications include an MA in education, 30+ years working with students on content mastery, test-taking strategy, mindset, and speed reading for tests. I am among the first to combine mindful and holistic practices into education and test-prep. I have taught students test prep and fine art at middle and high school as well as college levels. Contributions I've made to the field include the 'Full Potential Manual' (author), The GMAT Sentence Correction Intensive (co-author) (both published by Nova Press), The Full Potential Audio series (including titles for the ACT and SAT). Since time management is also a problem for students, I developed the MindFlow workshop and recently launched it as an online program. MindFlow is a mindful speed reading training system for SAT, ACT test takers, and high school students. Students who work individually with me typically achieve the results they seek in 3-5 hours. When not working, I'm active in dog rescue and in raising and releasing monarch butterflies. I still create art (google me!) and music and lead life-cycle rituals as an ordained kohenet. I live with my rescue pup, Chata and typically a foster dog.