Academic Excellence: The Foundation of Study Skills
Whether schooling is delivered online, hybrid, or in-person, our programming addresses the fundamentals necessary for success in all environments. To achieve the best grades, highest test scores, and become the strongest student one can be, study skills are the bedrock of any success in academics for students of all achievement levels. We consider study skills to encompass the ability to utilize executive functioning, including time management, planning, and organization, as well as to become more adaptable and proactive in one’s learning. We see this time of uncertainty to be a moment that our students can seize, to grow, and to cultivate personal agency, as well. As we support our students and families, we also look to enhance talents with skills so a student not only improves performance in grade or test score, but also in understanding interests, passions, and abilities. This concept is something founder Tony Di Giacomo knows well through his original research. Novella Prep’s focus on Retention, Relationships, and Responsibility address core factors that influence student achievement. Whether a student is an A student who feels overwhelmed or inefficient, or a student who, with the right skills, could be an A student, this program is for you.
How it Works
Through our Novella 6-10 annual programs, we holistically evaluate and teach each student to optimize his or her approach to in-school and at-home studying, ensuring students of all levels perform at their best. Goals are set by Novella Prep staff and parents, ranging from seeking to optimize study habits, time spent on task, focus, and skill improvements. From here, we create a program based on contemporary research and our own years of experience. We are a program that advocates for hard work, focus, and discipline — no shortcuts here! However, our specialty is in finding ways to motivate students, manage digital distractions, and foster new habits that lead to better outcomes. With our in person or online meetings, we teach students how to take notes, memorize the essentials, improve writing, and ultimately refine all aspects of what makes for a successful student. We are seeking to optimize performance and develop initial plans to set a foundation for ongoing and future success. After establishing a foundation of study skills, we will transition towards offering academic enhancement to continue to support more specific areas for continued improvement, and begin to integrate foundational college advising starting in our Novella 10 program. *
*Please note that while our services are aimed at helping maximize academic opportunities, we cannot guarantee specific results such as test scores, grades, or admission to a certain college.
Learn how our Online Study Skills Course addresses:
Benefits of Novella Prep Study Skills:
- Inspiring motivation
- Improving focus
- Creating goals
- Enhancing personal agency
- Developing rapport
- Cultivating career interests
- Managing priorities
- Cultivating persistence
- Beginning college advising*
*Depending on the student, we help integrate longer term thinking into decision-making toward college admissions, career, and beyond when they are ready.
Why Motivation Matters
We have found all students tend to fit somewhere in one of the four steps of the motivation scale. For many reasons, students can find themselves lacking motivation or having trouble seeing the value in certain activities to move their grades up, whether from a C to a B or A, or from an A- to an A. Because bettering ourselves to increase future opportunities is the core of why improving grades matters, focusing on this core component of student success is how we help students implement sustained changes in habits that get positive results. Whereas tutoring may address symptoms of an issue, we seek to treat the core of what matters, and build out from there, holistically.
Our Programs seamlessly integrate what students need to succeed based on their individual learning characteristics, goals, and grade in school.
What Grade Is Your Child In?
Select a specific grade for more information
3rd Grade
In 3rd grade, your child is starting to establish their habits surrounding studying and time management. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in middle school or high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
4th Grade
In 4th grade, your child is still starting to establish their habits surrounding studying and time management. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in middle school or high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
5th Grade
In 5th grade, your child is now refining their habits surrounding studying and time management. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in middle school or high school. Habits you observe now are likely to persist unless you provide intervention.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
6th Grade
In 6th grade, your child has now transitioned to a new school and must maintain or improve their habits surrounding studying and time management. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
7th Grade
In 7th grade, your child must maintain or improve their habits surrounding studying and time management. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
8th Grade
In 8th grade, your child must maintain or improve their habits surrounding studying and time management. This year is critical because, for most students, this is the year that establishes the English and mathematics track they will likely be on for the rest of high school, which has an outsized impact later on college applications. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
9th Grade
In 9th grade your child’s GPA clock has officially started, meaning all academic performance will be part of their review for college admissions. This is not a time to stress, but a time to care. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves throughout high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever state or district-level assessments that are employed, such as NWEA, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
9th grade is also a time to begin narrative building, mindfully choosing extracurriculars and other activities to build skills around interests and talents which will serve them well later when applying to college.
Before you hire a tutor or if you are feeling uncertain about your child’s future, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
10th Grade
In 10th grade, your child’s GPA continues to be the most important component on which to focus, as academic performance will be the core part of their review for college admissions. This is not a time to stress, but a time to care. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves throughout high school.
We show families how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever large-scale assessments that are employed, such as the PSAT, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
10th grade is also a time to continue narrative building, mindfully choosing extracurriculars and other activities to build skills around interests and talents which will serve them well later when applying to college. Students and parents may start to be curious about college planning, which we address through our programming.
Before you hire a tutor or are seeking college planning advice, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
11th Grade
In 11th grade, your child’s GPA continues to be the most important component on which to focus, as academic performance will be the core part of their review for college admissions. 11th grade is also typically the most rigorous year. Whether you are seeking support that focuses more on academic success or more on the college search, our programs, and team are designed to guide you through this important year. This is not a time to stress, but a time to care. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves throughout high school.
For families focused on academics, we show how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever large-scale assessments that are employed, such as the PSAT/SAT/ACT, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
11th grade is also a time to transition from narrative building to narrative shaping, mindfully choosing extracurriculars and other activities to build skills around interests and talents which will serve them well when applying to college. Students and parents may start to be curious about college planning, which we address through our programming.
Before you hire a tutor or are seeking college planning advice, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
12th Grade
In 12th grade, your child’s GPA continues to be the most important component on which to focus, as academic performance will continue to be the core part of their review for college admissions. 12th grade is typically a very rigorous year. Whether you are seeking support that focuses more on academic success or more on the college search, our programs, and team are designed to guide you through this important year. This is not a time to stress, but a time to care. We help by focusing on the core of what matters and building out from there, holistically to help them become adaptable and proactive in their learning. By intervening now, we can avoid content or learning gaps that may otherwise present themselves in college.
For families focused on academics, we show how to establish a healthy Essential Eight, i.e. a healthy routine and fundamental study skills to set a strong academic foundation. We help families utilize whatever large-scale assessments that are employed, such as the PSAT/SAT/ACT, to recommend enrichment activities to support your child’s growth throughout the year. Our program is well suited for all students but of particular benefit to students who have been or may soon be going through a neuropsychological evaluation.
12th grade is also a time to extend the student’s narrative building, mindfully choosing extracurriculars and other activities to build skills around interests and talents which will serve them well throughout the college application process.
Before you hire a tutor or are seeking college planning advice, contact us for a free consultation as we are expertly prepared to give you advice with no obligation.
College
The transition to college and then into the job market is challenging, and many students struggle to adjust to the new demands and expectations. Adopting best practices regarding executive functioning and healthy study skills help students create a structured and strategic approach to learning leading to an increase in their skills and independence, accountability, and confidence in their ability to navigate and thrive in a university setting.
Whether you are seeking to help a student turn around their college academic performance or improve their ability to make the most of networking and their career pursuits, contact us to learn more.
Career
Whether you are a new professional just starting out or looking to pivot to a new field, we will elevate you to the next level professionally. Our experienced advisors work with you one-on-one to identify your strengths, interests, and values. Meet with a dedicated career advisor to identify your career goals and develop a personalized action plan.
Featured Study Skills Videos
-
How improving study skills helps all students -
Student Executive Functioning: Q&A