David Halliday
SAT & GRE Test Prep
New York, NY
Expertise
I've been tutoring SAT, GRE, and GMAT students for over a decade now both privately and through some of the best companies education companies out there like Veritas Prep and Kaplan. I've gotten a 99th percentile score (the first time) across all three tests including:
SAT 1520/1600 (old scoring system)
GRE 1520/1600 (old scoring system)
GMAT 770/800
But, most importantly, I have the experience of coaching numerous students from diverse starting points to great final scores.
Teaching Methods
I've got strong expectations for my students. I only work with students with high potential, which typically means students who are beginning their test prep well above the mean and with demonstrated test taking capabilities.
Next, I make sure that students are genuinely motivated to learn and improve. I would expect at least 3 hours of high-quality, carefully structured homework (see below) in between our 1.5 hour tutoring sessions.
I'm a strong proponent of "perfect practice makes perfect" and not simply "practice makes perfect." In fact, un-engaged "practice" can actually make students worse because they always tend to fall back into the same incorrect approaches to the problems. Thus, students really need to have a decent amount of "interference free" time to do their work each week.
I recognize that improving quant scores takes a great deal of well-structured effort. To that end, I've built my own foundation lessons for test-prep quant which include a range of progressively more difficult quizzes on the foundation topics of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. This ensures that all students have their mechanics down pat (pop quiz, hotshot: what's 9*12?) before moving on to the more challenging material.
On the verbal section, I will guide students away from our lazy "intuitive" way of thinking and get them to do the much harder work of analytical reasoning. The rewards for shifting your way of thinking are more correct answers, less stress, and faster progress through your test. This is where we can really shine by working together.
Education
- Ph.D. from University of North Carolina and Chapel Hill in Business Strategy in 2016
- MBA from Yale University in Finance in 2010
- B.A. with Honors from Stanford University in Literature in 2002
Professional History
- Hedge Fund Analyst at Blenheim Capital Management in New York, NY from 2011 - 2012
About Me
By day, I am a PhD candidate and adjunct professor in Business Strategy (both at UNC) with research interests at the intersection of psychology, finance, and strategy. By night, I am a tutor specializing in SAT & GRE test prep. I've helped dozens of students crush the test, often raising scores by a standard deviation or more.
References
(3)
Matthew D.
15:07 PM 28/Sep/15
Relationship: Student
Dave was the ideal tutor for me while I was studying for the GMAT. He has a knack for teaching, both in the classroom and one-on-one. Unlike other tutors I've had in the past, Dave cares about all his students. He provides great learning tools. He tailors his lessons to meet each student's particular needs. In my case, Dave saw that I was struggling with certain math concepts, so he made me focus on the essential skills I lacked. He gave me tailored problem sets and worksheets every time we met. Without his help, I simply wouldn't have done as well as I did on the GMAT. Anyone considering taking the test would be wise to have Dave as a guide.
Charles R.
15:07 PM 28/Sep/15
Relationship: Student
I worked with Dave for six weeks of intensive GMAT tutoring sessions in the summer of 2015.
Dave’s deep knowledge of GMAT content and test-taking strategies, combined with his thoughtful and methodical approach, made all the difference for me on test day. Before engaging his help, I was consistently scoring around 600, which would not have made the cut at any MBA program I was considering. After working together, my score was raised by over 100 points and falls firmly within the target range for all top-tier schools. This result has opened many doors for me and I am extremely grateful to Dave for his help and guidance. Dave’s patient and persistent coaching led to an especially strong uplift of my quantitative skills, which had become rusty since leaving college.
I want to reiterate that, in my mind, Dave’s exceptional tutoring skills made a huge difference in my GMAT outcome. I highly recommend Dave to anyone seeking to achieve a stronger score on test day.
Asia M.
15:07 PM 28/Sep/15
Relationship: Student
Dave is without question the best instructor I have had. He makes complex concepts understandable (and actually fun) and he is great at contextualizing abstract problems in real-world scenarios. He has an awesome sense of humor and will definitely help you to achieve your best. I couldn’t recommend him more highly!
Matthew D.
15:07 PM 28/Sep/15
Relationship: Student
Dave was the ideal tutor for me while I was studying for the GMAT. He has a knack for teaching, both in the classroom and one-on-one. Unlike other tutors I've had in the past, Dave cares about all his students. He provides great learning tools. He tailors his lessons to meet each student's particular needs. In my case, Dave saw that I was struggling with certain math concepts, so he made me focus on the essential skills I lacked. He gave me tailored problem sets and worksheets every time we met. Without his help, I simply wouldn't have done as well as I did on the GMAT. Anyone considering taking the test would be wise to have Dave as a guide.
Charles R.
15:07 PM 28/Sep/15
Relationship: Student
I worked with Dave for six weeks of intensive GMAT tutoring sessions in the summer of 2015. Dave’s deep knowledge of GMAT content and test-taking strategies, combined with his thoughtful and methodical approach, made all the difference for me on test day. Before engaging his help, I was consistently scoring around 600, which would not have made the cut at any MBA program I was considering. After working together, my score was raised by over 100 points and falls firmly within the target range for all top-tier schools. This result has opened many doors for me and I am extremely grateful to Dave for his help and guidance. Dave’s patient and persistent coaching led to an especially strong uplift of my quantitative skills, which had become rusty since leaving college. I want to reiterate that, in my mind, Dave’s exceptional tutoring skills made a huge difference in my GMAT outcome. I highly recommend Dave to anyone seeking to achieve a stronger score on test day.
Asia M.
15:07 PM 28/Sep/15
Relationship: Student
Dave is without question the best instructor I have had. He makes complex concepts understandable (and actually fun) and he is great at contextualizing abstract problems in real-world scenarios. He has an awesome sense of humor and will definitely help you to achieve your best. I couldn’t recommend him more highly!