College Consulting

demystifying the College Application Process

College Counseling and College Selection

Personal Statement Assistance

Supplementary (College-Specific) Essay Guidance

Support for extracurricular activities, recommendations, and financial aid

Confidence boosting and anxiety
management

demystifying the College Application Process

College Counseling and College Selection

Personal Statement Assistance

Supplementary (College-Specific) Essay Guidance

Support for extracurricular activities, recommendations, and financial aid

Confidence boosting and anxiety
management

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How We Help Our Students

If the new admissions landscape seems especially anxiety-provoking and confusing, you are not alone. Acceptance rates have narrowed, expectations have expanded, and selective colleges are relying on a new approach, which they somewhat confusingly call “holistic” admissions.

While the rest of the college admissions world uses antiquated models that may have worked 20 years ago, or even pre-COVID, The Krupnick Approach prepares you with methods that work in today’s admissions landscape. We guide students and parents through the three core elements of the college admissions process:

Requirements

Requirements form the foundational infrastructure of the college prep process. These include good grades, solid test scores, and meaningfully rigorous college-prep courses. We help students with all of these parts of the process – from academic coursework to ACT or SAT® prep – and have the best track record in the field in standardized test preparation.

Strategy and Positioning

Strategy is the bread and butter of what most people think of when they start “college counseling.” We do it a little differently. Strategy and Positioning starts with a plan and a systematic timeline with chronologically overlapping projects. It’s extremely useful to begin this process early, and there’s nothing wrong with completing some of these projects at the same time. You do not need perfect ACT or SAT® scores before visiting colleges. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to study before making your list. In regular consultation sessions with students and parents, we help our families think through strategy-related questions:

Given my interests, what kinds of activities should I pursue – and how?
How should I think about summer programs?
Whom should I ask to write my college recommendations – and how do I ask them?
How should I think about the college essays – and what is the difference between the Personal Statement (Common App Main Essay) and each of the college-specific supplementary essays?
When I begin to design my list, how many colleges should I include – and how do I make distinctions between “safeties,” “targets,” and “reaches”?
What are my statistical odds at these different colleges–given my GPA and test scores?
When I begin to narrow down my list, how many colleges should I narrow it down to – and how do I make the most of my college visits at these schools?
How do I think about Early Decision, Early Action, and Early Decision II – and when should I ED vs. when should I not ED?

Discovery

Discovery is about determining what you are interested in, where you want to apply, and what, essentially, you want to study. If Strategy and Positioning is about appealing to them (ie, the colleges), Discovery is about finding the right fit for you.

i) Extra-curricular Interest Discovery. We help you find, recognize, direct, and harness your interests – both inside and outside the classroom.

ii) College Discovery. We help you identify and narrow down your college lists into safeties, targets, and reaches. In doing so, we get to know your academic interests and help you find schools – and majors – where you will be happy and successful.

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Program Design

1. After deciding on a program, students are matched with a consulting team, usually consisting of 1-2 specialists. Program hours are structured around a systematic student-centered timeline and action plan that is customized to fit strengths, weaknesses, and interests of the individual student applicant.

2. All parents and students, regardless of their chosen program, are provided with a program specification document, outlining details of their program. Each family will have full access to the following Krupnick Approach proprietary college resources:

The Krupnick Approach Database, including more than 500 real examples of successful personal statements and supplemental essays and more than 100 examples of unsuccessful essays (with commentary and feedback). Our database also includes research on individual colleges, timelines, and templates for college lists, activities, supplement essays, recommendations, and college admission probability modeling.

A Krupnick Approach personalized Drive folder, providing customized timelines, personalized application checklists, sample essays for students' safety, target, and reach schools, financial aid data and support files for parents, and probability modeling for all colleges with the best data and analytical tools available

Access to a responsive team of college consultants and college student ambassadors available to answer all questions that arise as students navigate the college application landscape.

3. Detailed progress reports are made available to students and parents on request. These reports summarize students’ progression through the college process–and allow all programs to be dynamically responsive to students’ distinctive and changing needs throughout the process.

Program Design

The Krupnick Approach Database, including more than 500 real examples of successful personal statements and supplemental essays and more than 100 examples of unsuccessful essays (with commentary and feedback). Our database also includes research on individual colleges, timelines, and templates for college lists, activities, supplement essays, recommendations, and college admission probability modeling.

A Krupnick Approach personalized Drive folder, providing customized timelines, personalized application checklists, sample essays for students' safety, target, and reach schools, financial aid data and support files for parents, and probability modeling for all colleges with the best data and analytical tools available

Access to a responsive team of college consultants and college student ambassadors available to answer all questions that arise as students navigate the college application landscape.

Schedule a FREE 30-Minute Consultation

Krupnick Approach featured in
Chicago Parent: A 4-Year Timeline for College Planning

COLLEGE PREP & APPLICATION TIMELINE

See What Our Students Say

"The Krupnick Approach exceeded my expectations. My daughter took the ACT exam in December 2018 without prior tutoring or test preparation. Her score was good, but we thought that she could do better. A couple of friends had recommended Joe Krupnick to me. After our initial consultation, Joe recommended that my daughter take the next ACT exam in February 2019. Joe’s approach was structured and specific to what my daughter needed to focus on in order to improve her score. In ten tutoring sessions, the English component of my daughters score increased 10 points!! All sections increased, bringing her composite score up 4 points in total. Words really can’t express how elated we were that this part of the college admissions process was over and my daughter could now focus on her class work and spring sports season at Jones. Completely exceeded my expectations!!"

"My name is Grace Thompson and I am a product of the tireless efforts of all the members of the Krupnick Approach. The Krupnick Approach boosted my ACT score 8 points! Not only did Joe and his team teach me the skills necessary to master the test, they also helped me gain confidence in my skills and use the short time to the best of my abilities. I couldn’t have done the ACT without the help of the Krupnick Approach!!"

"I turned to The Krupnick Approach for ACT tutoring, and I am very pleased with my results. I signed up for the bronze program for a total of 15 hours and was able to work with three wonderful tutors. They were all extremely well-qualified and helped me tremendously. Each of them taught me how to find strategies that I used on the official ACT, allowing me to boost my score in each section. A useful tool was the many practice tests The Krupnick Approach provides. These tests are conducted in an atmosphere similar to the one encountered on test day. This not only made me feel more comfortable with the testing process but also helped me determine the types of mistakes I made during a full, timed ACT, which in turn gave my tutors some insight in securing an individualized learning plan for me. I am happy to say that, with the help of the Krupnick Approach team, I was able to surpass my goal and ended up with a 34 composite score on the ACT."

“[The Krupnick Approach] helped me raise my ACT score and ultimately get into 8 top universities! Lots of great strategies and tips, very informed. Thank you for your help!”

“The Krupnick Approach taught me new ways of thinking for the ACT and consistently worked with me to ensure that I understood the material and was bettering my score.”

“By far the best ACT/SAT prep service in Chicago. My son's score was raised by 8 points, now putting him in the range for highly selective schools. My son got his own personalized curriculum, and they were very flexible with our crazy schedule. Thank you Krupnick Approach!”

“I hired The Krupnick Approach to help my very motivated daughter prepare for the ACT test. They did an excellent job raising my daughter's ACT score. She needed a 5-6 point gain so that she could apply to the Ivy's, and The Krupnick Approach delivered. She achieved her goal on her first ACT test. I looked at other test prep programs in Chicago and online but they all seemed too institutionalized and impersonal. I was specifically looking for a "custom" approach and someone who could teach test taking strategy down to the geekiest of details, as well as someone who could offer practice tests that were current - not from 2012. The Krupnick Approach is all of that and more. I have hired them to help my daughter with her college essays, to prepare her for SAT subject tests and will also use them again for my other daughter, class of 2021.”

“The Krupnick approach lifted my score 6 full points from my first ACT to my last. They really do a great job of breaking the test down and teaching students how to attack it piece by piece. Would 100% recommend!”

“[The] Krupnick Approach helped so much with my act. My score went up about 5 points all thanks to Krupnick and his other tutors. They helped me understand the patterns and different ways to beat the test. They walked through all the problems I got wrong so I knew what to do next time. Now I’m headed to UVA thanks to help from the Krupnick Approach!”

“Krupnick Approach helped so much with my ACT. My score went up about 5 points all thanks to Dr. Krupnick and his other tutors. They helped me understand the patterns and different ways to beat the test. They walked through all the problems I got wrong so I knew what to do next time. Now I’m headed to UVA thanks to help from the Krupnick Approach!”

“[The] Krupnick Approach has already helped increase my ACT score significantly. All of the tutors are very helpful and always were on time for class. They also made an effort to extend their help beyond the designated class time, and reached out with extra help very often.”

“Krupnick Approach helped raise my score by 3 points after just a few weeks. There was always good communication and organization, and setting up tutoring sessions was simple. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to raise their ACT score significantly to reach their goal, as I have reached mine.”

“If you want reliable and trustworthy people, The Krupnick Approach is definitely the way to go. There are multiple tutors who are experts in their field. For instance, there is a special tutor for math, science, reading, and English. At first I thought even the best tutors would have trouble teaching and connecting with me on zoom, but I was complete wrong. The way I was taught about how to approach the test was mind opening and it allowed me to score much better than I would have if I hadn’t taken part in the Krupnick Approach. Overall, 100% recommend to anyone wanting to do well on the ACT.”

“Krupnick Approach is a great way to boost your test scores. I went from a 21 to a 26/27 superscore just from this company. He also helped me look at colleges and my college essays. Overall very helpful and I would definitely recommend!”

“The Krupnick Approach has done a phenomenal job in helping me raise my college entrance test scores. Dr. K is extremely supportive and has an amazing staff like Cameron who is awesome. Overall, I raised my score 6 points and I’ve developed a new level of confidence about test taking in general. I’ve also worked with John briefly as a tutor for math to secure some concepts and secure the grade I wanted (an A), but more importantly I understood the material in a way that really made sense for me. I really don't know where I would be in this process without Joe and Cameron and the Krupnick Approach. They really are invested in my future and that means a lot to me.”

“As a parent of six kids, it was extremely important for me to find tutors that could adapt to different learning styles. It was also critical to find an approach that helped find and advance the learning strengths of each individual child. The Krupnick approach helped pull out the best work in my kids and instilled the confidence in writing, problem solving and testing that few (if any) teachers and professors have been able to achieve. Excellent group!”

“The Krupnick Approach has helped me incredibly during the college process. Joe Krupnick, Joe Burton, and Cameron have all worked with me to figure out my strengths and weaknesses. The strategies they taught have allowed me to take the ACT with confidence. With their support, I was accepted to my dream college through the Early Decision round! I had a great experience, and I highly recommend the Krupnick Approach to others!!”

"[The Krupnick Approach] provides all the tools you need to do well on your standardized testing, great scheduling and resources to help you succeed."

“My ACT score went up 8 points and I just got in, early decision, to Tufts! This was a huge help.”

“[The Krupnick Approach] helped me raise my ACT score and ultimately get into 8 top universities! Lots of great strategies and tips, very informed. Thank you for your help!”

"Joe Krupnick's approach is highly personalized, tailoring test prep to each student's strengths and weaknesses. It’s made a significant impact on his children and his niece, who got into the University of Chicago with Joe's help. Highly recommended!"

"Joe Krupnick is the best test prep expert, with a system that produces amazing results. Having five children go through college placement exams, Peter vouches for Joe's unmatched ability, dedication, and honesty. His guidance helped their children improve significantly, with Joe’s Harvard pedigree and passion for tutoring."

"The Krupnick Approach helped improve his daughter’s ACT score by 9 points over 6 months, while building confidence and reducing test anxiety. The best investment in education!"

"After initial doubts, Joe Krupnick helped improve their daughter’s ACT score in just 10 tutoring sessions. English score improved by 10 points, and the composite score increased by 4 points—far exceeding expectations."

"With Joe’s strategies, Hollis raised their ACT score by 5 points and achieved a 35 composite score, opening doors to top colleges. The Krupnick Approach provided practice tests, section-specific strategies, and personal attention."

"Grace improved her ACT score by 8 points, gaining confidence and mastering the test with the Krupnick Approach."

"The Krupnick Approach helped this student raise their ACT score by 11 points, providing expert assistance and creating a fun, supportive environment."

"Joe Krupnick and his team helped this student raise their ACT score by 12 points, ultimately securing acceptance to their dream school."

"Joe helped this student achieve their goal of a 30 on the ACT through personalized tutoring and a focused, supportive learning environment."

“The Krupnick Approach has been nothing but amazing. Continually impressed with their teaching strategies and the team is great. Would recommend to anyone.”

“I had no trouble with Joe and the rest of his tutors, and his program definitely made me feel much better about taking the ACT, and gave me a higher score as a result. Definitely would recommend, couldn’t have done it without you.”

“My ACT score went from a 30 during my sophomore year to a 35 by the time I took the real test. Very personalized help and super efficient.”

“The Krupnick Approach helped my daughter, who has both a learning difference and anxiety, by matching her with Ranjani, a fantastic Math tutor. Ranjani was patient, flexible, and made tutoring sessions something my daughter was willing to attend, even for a subject she struggled with. Highly recommend Ranjani and The Krupnick Approach!”

"After overcoming severe anxiety, I resumed my studies at the University of Chicago and worked with Dr. Krupnick and his team. Their support, especially with the science core requirements, helped me finish my degree and regain my academic confidence. I'm even applying to grad school now! Their help was essential in rebuilding my academic confidence and reducing my anxiety."

“If you are looking to prepare for the ACT I highly recommend Dr. Krupnick. In a short period of time I was able to increase my score considerably using his unique approach. There is simply nobody better for ACT prep.”

“After 15 sessions with Joe, my ACT score went up 5 points to a 35. I’m now ready for college applications with a fantastic score under my belt.”

“Dr. Joseph Krupnick helped me get my ACT score up and into the University of Chicago! I will be starting in August 2019!!! He is the best tutor.”

“Highly recommend The Krupnick Approach! After working with Joe for just a few sessions, my son walked into and out of the ACT with a ton of confidence. He did fantastic on the test thanks to Joe’s preparation!”

“My son needed a nearly perfect ACT score for the colleges he was applying to. Joe’s help got him that score. Joe also has great knowledge about the college application process, and I highly recommend other Krupnick tutors like Cameron Gong and John Brown.”

“I highly recommend The Krupnick Approach! Joe and his team helped my son improve his ACT score by 8 points. Joe’s motivation and guidance also helped build my son’s confidence.”

“The Krupnick Approach really helped me make large strides on my ACT. Joe raised my score from a 26 to a 30, which made my college search much easier. I highly recommend his services!”

“By far the best ACT/SAT prep service in Chicago. My son’s score increased by 8 points, which put him in range for highly selective schools. They created a personalized curriculum and worked around our busy schedule. Thank you, Krupnick Approach!”

“My son always underperformed on standardized tests until he learned The Krupnick Approach. Joe’s strategies for ACT English/Reading and John’s tailored lessons for Math/Science helped him gain 9 points on his overall score in just two months. The smile on his face when he saw the results was priceless. Thanks, Joe and John!”

“I hired The Krupnick Approach to help my motivated daughter prepare for the ACT, and they delivered a 5-6 point increase, which allowed her to apply to Ivy League schools. Their personalized, detailed approach stood out compared to other prep programs. I also used them for college essays and SAT subject tests and plan to use them for my other daughter.”

“Joe and his team are patient and excellent at making difficult concepts easy to understand. Most impressively, they instilled confidence in my student. I would use them again in a heartbeat!”

“Joe and his team helped my daughter improve her ACT score by 9 points over six months. Despite her academic strength, she struggled with test anxiety. The Krupnick Approach gave her the tools to build confidence and perform at her best. It was the best educational investment we made.”

“After my daughter’s initial ACT score, we turned to Joe Krupnick for targeted tutoring. In just 10 sessions, her English score increased 10 points, and her composite score rose by 4 points. The Krupnick Approach exceeded our expectations and gave her the freedom to focus on other priorities.”

“The Krupnick Approach helped me improve my SAT score and prepare for college. The individualized sessions were key in teaching me how to pace myself and approach different types of questions. I ended up at the University of Chicago!”

“As a parent, I initially hesitated to hire a college specialist, but Dr. Krupnick’s expertise helped position my daughter to get into her dream school, Cornell University. His approach is personalized, and his knowledge of the latest tests and strategies is invaluable.”

“After just a few sessions with Joe and his team, my ACT score increased by 6 points. A month later, I improved it by another point. The process was transparent, organized, and supportive. Highly recommend!”

“The Krupnick Approach helped my child raise their ACT score by 8 points. Joe and his team are knowledgeable, patient, and focus on what each student needs individually. I highly recommend them!”

“Krupnick Approach helped me raise my ACT score by 7 points. They helped me see the test as a puzzle and approach it strategically.”

“Phenomenal service! Thanks to the Krupnick Approach, I succeeded in a course I thought I would fail. The tutors are brilliant, personable, and truly dedicated to helping students reach their full potential. I highly recommend them!”

"Thanks to The Krupnick Approach, I raised my SAT score and was accepted into Georgetown University. The team, especially Cameron and Peyton, were engaging and supportive. Highly recommend!"

"The Krupnick Approach was very helpful in raising my ACT score. The tutors were flexible with scheduling, making it easy to balance school and tutoring. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their scores."

"The Krupnick Approach helped me raise my ACT score by 12 points, thanks to strategies taught by Joe Krupnick and Cameron Gong. Highly recommend for anyone aiming to reach their ACT goals."

"Joe Krupnick and his team, including Cameron Gong and John Brown, taught me effective strategies for improving my ACT scores. I highly recommend The Krupnick Approach for anyone looking to improve their test-taking skills."

As a first-generation college student, The Krupnick Approach helped me navigate the SAT and college process. Their guidance helped me secure a full ride to Amherst. I highly recommend them!

With The Krupnick Approach’s help, I increased my ACT score by 15 points, perfected my essays with Marcy’s help, and received multiple Ivy League acceptances. This team truly helped me believe in myself. I recommend them wholeheartedly.

"The Krupnick Approach guided my daughter through SAT tutoring and college applications. As a result, she was accepted to top universities like Cornell, Northwestern, and Tufts. Highly organized and supportive team."

"With Joe Krupnick’s expert guidance, I improved my ACT score by 12 points, wrote exceptional college essays, and will be attending Cornell University. Thank you, Krupnick Approach, for your dedication!"

"After a difficult time following my mother’s passing, the Krupnick Approach helped me stay on track. I improved my ACT score, crafted great essays, and received substantial scholarship offers. Thank you for your support!"

"My son did great on the selective enrollment high school test, thanks to Krupnick’s assistance, which targeted his specific needs. Huge thanks to Joe and the team!"

"The Krupnick Approach helped our son raise his score close to his goal and feel more confident. Joe’s personal attention and motivational coaching made all the difference."

"The Krupnick Approach raised my son’s SAT score by 300 points. Joe’s knowledge and the tutors’ dedication were exceptional, especially Andrew Kletzien, who helped him achieve a perfect math score."

"Joe Krupnick’s guidance and personal attention helped me get into Harvard University. Without his support, I wouldn’t have achieved this dream. Thank you, Krupnick Approach!"

"Thanks to The Krupnick Approach, my son raised his ACT score by 11 points. Their focus on practice and time management really helped him feel confident. I highly recommend this team."

"Joe Krupnick’s personalized approach was crucial in my daughter’s college success. Thanks to him, she was accepted into one of her top colleges. We’re thrilled with the results!"

"The Krupnick Approach supported me through every step of the college application process. I wouldn’t be going to Berkeley without their help. 100% recommend!"

"Joe Krupnick and his team helped my brother overcome anxiety and improve his ACT score. He was accepted to Caltech on a full scholarship, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Highly recommend!"

"The Krupnick Approach helped me improve my SAT Reading score with effective strategies. I raised my SAT score from 1370 to 1500 and was admitted to Caltech. I’m incredibly grateful for their support and highly recommend their services."

"I was initially discouraged by my first ACT score, but with the help of Dr. Krupnick and the team, I raised my score by 6 points in just a few months. They also helped me refine my college essays, leading to my acceptance at Georgetown University. I’m grateful for their support throughout the process and highly recommend their services for ACT prep and college admissions."

"The Krupnick Approach helped ease my stress during my college applications. Joe Krupnick and his team helped me organize my ideas and sharpen my essays, ultimately helping me get into my dream school, the University of Michigan."