* Being a korean american student who had almost no knowledge of the korean language, i was extremely scared of how i would fit in a korean hakwon;however, these fears were totally dissolved when i entered Stanford Academy's doors for the first time. The staff was extremely nice and understanding of my unique situation and made the process i thought would be daunting a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
In the classroom, teachers Kay and Jason clearly exhibit extensive control of the the testing material, teaching how to be absolutely sure you get an answer right and emphasizing the process to success, not hastily rushing students as to not understand the concepts fully.
I have been positively effected by my experience at Stanford Academy. Not only did the course raise my SAT score by about 400 points and helped me achieve perfect scores on the critical reading and writing sections, but it also helped me develop important study habits and knowledge that is omnipresent in one's education.
* Like all high schoolers, i was stressed about standardized tests and what future college would have in store for me. Being a korean who primarily speaks english, i wasnt really sure what to expect from a hakwon in korea. Daunted by the alien nature of the environment, i was extremely nervous on my first day;however, i was quickly assuaged when i actually started classes.
The teachers and staff are helpful and caring, always open to questions and conversation. Instead of showing a student the answer and explaining why its right, Stanford Academy teaches students how to effectively eliminate incorrect choices and find context clues to clearly decipher the correct answer. That is to say, they emphasize the process of getting the right answer more than just for the sake of getting it. Ultimately, this method yields stellar results and is very comprehensive.
When i started at Stanford Academy, i was afraid. But by the end, i had made so many new friends, experienced countless activities and parts of apgujeong, and most importantly, skyrocketed my SAT score about 600 points.
