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Novella Prep

Novella Prep

College Planning | Test Prep | Academic Tutoring | Rye New York | Stamford Connecticut

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Expert Academic Guidance You Can Trust | About | Novella Prep

Expert Academic Guidance 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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Empowering Students Beyond the Classroom | About | Novella Prep

Empowering Students Beyond the Classroom

Each of our highly trained, credentialed educators bring years of relevant experience and insight, positioning them as experts in the field that are prepared to implement our Novella enrichment and college preparation programming in support of your student. Our focus on what we have coined as the “Essential Eight” focuses on a student’s life, and time, spent in the second eight hours of the school day (first 8 being school, and final 8 being sleep). We see the Essential Eight as the single largest opportunity for healthy student growth in formal education.

F. Tony Di Giacomo, Ph.D. - 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 students, families, and education professionals.

Dr. Di Giacomo pursued education-focused degrees, first At Boston University, where he majored in Secondary English Education, mastering the domain of English and was trained in teaching. Following his undergraduate degree, Dr. Di Giacomo obtained a masters degree (M.Ed) in Policy, Planning, & Administration where he learned about the intersection of the classroom with leadership and policymaking. Throughout his undergraduate degree and following his masters degree, Dr. Di Giacomo worked for the Boston University Office of Undergraduate Admissions in a number of key roles, where he gained a unique insight into the operations of the admissions program. Following this experience, Dr. Di Giacomo worked for the University of Virginia supporting their growth initiatives and working directly with students.

These experiences prepared Dr. Di Giacomo for his Ph.D. in International Education Policy at the University of Maryland, where he studied comparative and international education as a foundation for supporting U.S. and international education reform efforts.

Concurrent with his doctoral degree, he worked for an education consulting company founded by a former U.S. Secretary of Education. Dr. Di Giacomo then worked at the College Board, a non-profit that owns and operates, the PSAT, SAT, and Advanced Placement (AP), where he broadened his network in the higher education community. He met and collaborated with most university and college admissions directors and staff, and gained insights into the ever-evolving admissions field. in addition to presenting at numerous conferences, he is published in peer-reviewed journals. He focused his recent work in the Research Department at the College Board, where he led and managed research on the SAT, PSAT, AP, and other programs.

Dr. Di Giacomo founded Novella Prep to meet the holistic needs of students by applying his education expertise and experience working with students from many different cultures, backgrounds, and learning needs. Dr. Di Giacomo is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the International Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC).

“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.”

— F. Tony Di Giacomo, PH.D. | Founder of Novella Prep

Andrew Benowich

Novella Teacher, Study Skills & Enrichment Program Manager

Dawn Ruiz

Novella Teacher

Barbara Rende

Novella Teacher

Dr. Erica Jones

Novella Teacher, Study Skills & Enrichment Manager

Jennifer Rende

Novella Teacher

Jeff Knight

Novella Teacher

Victoria Arrigo

Novella Teacher

Laura Burrow

Study Skills Teacher

Adrianne Burden

Study Skills Teacher

KC Asiodu

Study Skills Teacher

Mariel Edwards

Novella College Advisor, College Advising Program Manager

Lorelle Babwah Brennen

Novella College Advisor, College Persistence Program Manager

Jennifer Fahy

Novella College Advisor

Meghan Bass

Novella College Advisor

Mike Frechette

Novella College Advisor

Dr. Michelle Jones

Novella College Advisor

Sevi Ball

Study Skills Teacher

Marcelius Braxton

Novella College Advisor

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Contact Info

  • (914) 222-3514
  • [email protected]
  • Hours of Operations
    • Monday - Thurs: 10:00 am - 8:30 pm
    • Friday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
    • Saturday - Sunday: Closed

Office Locations

  • 411 Theodore Fremd Avenue, Suite 206 S,
    Rye, NY 10580
  • 1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019
  • 250 Pehle Ave, Suite 200, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663
  • 12100 Wilshire Boulevard, 8th Floor, Sawtelle, Los Angeles, CA, 90025

About Us

Novella Prep motivates and teaches students how to achieve their academic potential with improved grades, increased test scores, and helps them prepare to be considered for admission into the best-fitting colleges through proven holistic methods. We deep dive into helping students perform at their academic best by starting from the inside — before investing time and resources into academic or test prep tutoring. Our proven holistic method (Retention, Relationships, and Responsibility) empowers students to be the author of their own plan, incorporating smart tutoring in ways that are far more effective and efficient.

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