Experience You Can Trust
At Novella Prep, we deliver results. Our expert team of Teachers and Advisors is dedicated to your holistic success, going beyond simply improving grades or getting you into your Early Decision college (as any good advisor should). We provide personalized support in crucial areas, from study skills and executive function coaching to college application guidance, ensuring you thrive throughout your academic career and beyond.
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Optimizing Student Engagement and Learning
Give your educators and counselors the tools to better support students—whether high-performing, uncertain, or neurodivergent. Backed by experience from top universities and work across 40+ school districts, Novella Prep’s professional development programs help schools enhance outcomes and student well-being.

About the Founder
With 20 years of experience working in admissions, development, teaching, and researching, Novella Prep founder and educator Dr. Di Giacomo brings a depth of relevant knowledge to families.
“An application is not a stand-alone exercise that a senior completes. The application should harvest a series of decisions that goes back many years.”
Upcoming Events
5 Proven Tactics to Help Your Student Study Better
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 7:30 pmOnline Webinar
Success in school is attainable while reducing stress. This presentation focuses on actionable strategies families can implement to enhance learning outside the traditional classroom setting.
Top 5 Must-Know Takeaways from College Admissions 2025
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 - 7:30 pmOnline Webinar
Did you know that students who begin college planning early have an over 30% higher chance of college admission? This presentation breaks down the essential elements of navigating the college admissions process, offering five key takeaways for the 2025 application cycle.

Novella News
Novella Prep Featured on NBC New York’s “Better Get Baquero”
We are thrilled to announce that Novella Prep was recently featured on NBC New York’s popular segment “Better Get Baquero”! This segment highlights a recent college test scam, and our advice to protect yourself from these fraudulent phone calls. We are honored to have been recognized for our commitment to helping students achieve their college dreams.
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To schedule your phone consultation, complete the form below or call or text us at (914) 222-3514.
While there is no strategic benefit to taking the SAT or ACT in terms of admission, there are some differences to the format and item types. Novella Tip: Take a free practice SAT and ACT to see what feels like a better fit for you.
Many students are applying to ten colleges, which means starting with a list of 20 makes sense. Consider some schools, initially, that take into account family and friends’s recommendations, but ultimately, use your results from Naviance, PSAT score, GPA and major to refine your list. Make sure it is balanced in terms of how select. For more information, here is a helpful video.
As of January 2021, The College Board announced they will no longer be offering SAT Subject Tests to U.S. students in an effort to streamline the application process for colleges and prospective students alike. Instead, your student should focus their efforts on the Reading and Writing & Language components of the SAT, and look to utilize subject-specific AP courses and exams to demonstrate mastery in a discipline’s core competencies. For more guidance on the advantages of AP tests, here is a helpful video on this topic.
If study skills is like cardio training, and tutoring is like the skill to play a sport, we know that the foundation is endurance and the fundamentals. Same with school. Start with an evaluation of your study habits, routines, and results from your current level of effort, and then consider tutoring only if still necessary. Otherwise, tutoring without fundamentals is a costly bandaid that creates dependency. See this video to learn more.
The best way to start college planning is right after receiving your PSAT score, particularly for sophomores, and of course for juniors. The reason? The PSAT provides an early indication of your future SAT or ACT score, and coupled with GPA and potentially AP scores, provides a powerful tool for admission officers to utilize for admissions decisions, and therefore, for you as well! But, planning in the 10th grade means becoming aware of longer term goals and mindsets, approached at a pace that is comfortable for the student as a means toward both personal growth and planning practicality. Plus, you will need to know what requirements you will need to fulfill while there is still time to meet those needs! For tips on the visits, watch this video.

Making the Most of The Essential Eight™
At Novella Prep, we have found that The Essential Eight™, a term we coined in 2022 to describe the second eight hours of a student’s day, is the single most significant opportunity in American education to improve student outcomes, such as academic achievement and social-emotional learning enrichment.
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