Susan McCormick, PhD, works with students with non-standard learning profiles, including students who are:
§ gifted
§ artistic
§ diagnosed with ADD/ADHD
§ dyslexic
§ dysgraphic
§ anxious (esp. on tests)
§ challenged by executive function
§ twice exceptional
§ standardized-test-phobic
§ poorly served by traditional teaching approaches in other ways
Susan has a doctorate in Linguistics and worked in the natural language processing domain of artificial intelligence before turning her focus to education. She uses linguistic theory to create strategies for students of different learning profiles, stressing the importance of structural language understanding for the development of mature, rigorous critical thinking. She has had broad success in identifying and implementing approaches that will allow students to navigate their academics and develop permanent, successful problem-solving and learning strategies. Her methodology generally focuses on developing skills with verbal input and output, primarily reading and writing. Since quantitative achievement also depends on verbal ability, targeting math aptitude is critical as well.
The emphasis on language structure means that Susan works with students on essentially all of their major subjects: English language and literature; Math K-12; Science; History; Second language; AP/SAT/SATII/ACT/SSAT/HSPT/ISEE prep. Work may include college application counseling as well as support for admissions and transfer applications to area schools.
Standardized Testing
Students with learning challenges are typically not a match for the expectations of standardized test designers. Susan focuses on making the tests work for them as much as possible. This requires programs that are tailored to both the talents of the particular student and the requirements of the particular test.
She has 20 years of experience preparing students to take standardized tests. Her students have achieved great improvements in their performance on these tests.
College Application Counseling
Susan is also happy to help students with their college applications. She encourages talking at length about their goals and ambitions, and coordinates with parents, recruiters, and college admissions offices to offer the students the best chance of acceptance to a college of choice.
Students have been accepted to a very wide range of colleges and universities, including:
§ Harvard U.
§ Stanford U.
§ Columbia U.
§ UC Berkeley
§ UCLA
§ Cornell U.
§ Johns Hopkins U.
§ U of Maryland, College Park
§ MIT
§ RPI
§ U Wisconsin, Madison
§ U Michigan, Ann Arbor
§ UNC, Chapel Hill
§ U of Pennsylvania
§ Dartmouth
§ USC
§ Loyola Marymount
§ UC Davis, Irvine, Riverside, Santa Barbara
§ U of Arizona
§ ASU
§ Boston U