“My ACT score jumped from 24 to 32! 
I got into my dream school with a merit scholarship!”
Learn proven test-taking strategies 
to maximize your score.
Preparing you for College and Beyond 
Expert 1x1 test prep and on demand learning for ACT, SAT, AP Exams, ISEE, and more.
“AR Academics is our #1 choice for 'Excellence in Education' on the West Coast.”
Vanity Fair
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Meet The Founder
Amanda Rubenstein
President/Owner
A lawyer by trade and Ivy graduate, Amanda has been coaching students to academic success for over 15 years. She discovered her passion for teaching at Corona del Mar High School, where she earned perfect SAT and ACT scores and started tutoring her classmates. Amanda went on to earn her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude. In 2011, she earned her J.D. from USC Law on full scholarship as the Rothman Scholar and graduated top of her class.
Learn MoreThe AR Method Gets Results
Question Recognition
Outsmart the test-makers. As standardized tests, the ACT and SAT are highly predictable. We teach our students to recognize patterns in answer choices and key phrasing in questions to know exactly what concept they're being tested on and which strategy to employ. They know what to expect.
Conceptual Mastery
Everything tested on the ACT/SAT is highly teachable. Our instructors are subject-matter experts who make sure that students know all of the material that could show up on test day. Through AR’s targeted instruction and curated curriculum, students are trained to master each exam’s limited series of concepts.
Pacing Strategy
Beat the clock with AR's proven test-taking techniques and shortcuts. Down to the second, our students are taught to properly pace each passage and section so that they finish on time, maximizing the number of questions they answer correctly with limited time. No question left behind.
Practice, Practice…and More Practice.
Success is not a cram session the night before the test. By structuring a consistent schedule of weekly homework assignments, practice exams, and customized sessions, AR gradually builds students' knowledge and skills so they retain material and are ready to perform at their best when they take the exam. AR students feel confident and fully prepared.
Success Stories
“Amanda and the AR team are beyond incredible. I never would have thought I’d score a 1520 on the SAT (a 220 point jump!). Thank you!”
"With AR’s help, I was able to stand out in the college admissions process and get accepted to Harvard. I wouldn’t be where I am today without AR!"
“With AR, I earned an ACT score that made my mom proud! I’ll be heading to UCLA in the fall and I couldn't be happier.”
“I scored a perfect 36 on the ACT, and I could not have done it without AR.”
"The one thing standing in the way between me and playing college football was my ACT score. After two months of prep, I got the score I needed. Big thanks to AR."
"AR helped me increase my SAT score by 180 points and I got into my dream school. Thanks AR team. I couldn’t have done it without you!"
“Perfect 36 and perfect 800 on my SAT™ Math II Subject Test! Thank you to all of my amazing tutors at AR and Isabelle for juggling my very busy schedule. I'm Dartmouth bound! "
"180 point score jump on her SAT! From our initial consultation to the morning of the SAT, we were guided every step of the way."
"I highly recommend AR. The team is absolutely fabulous and each member wants you to improve. My ACT score overall went from a 26 to 33. I am so grateful to the team and Amanda for creating this all for me."