Jon G.

Jon G. is originally from Houston, Texas. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Harvard University and is currently one of the resident English gurus at Elite Prep Los Angeles. Nothing makes him more proud and pumped up than watching his students succeed. When it comes to hitting the books, Jon recommends starting early and studying in increments to avoid burnout. He's a huge basketball fan, loves green tea, and his favorite vocabulary word is "seditious."

Articles by Jon G.

Study Tips
You Can't Study All the Time: 6 Fun Study Break Ideas
If you want to stay sharp throughout your study sessions, it’s crucial to occasionally step away from your studies. Let’s take a look at six fun and productive study break ideas!
November 30, 2019Jon G.
College Application
How to Write Your College Application Activities List
The activities list gives admissions officers a sense of where your passions lie and what experiences have shaped you into who you are today.
November 6, 2019Jon G.
Writing Exercises to Get Primed for College Admission Essays
Considering how robust the human experience is, you probably have a treasure trove of ideas waiting to be uncovered. So how do you go about discovering this potential gold mine? Try these exercises to help you brainstorm and effortlessly launch into your college admissions essays.
October 28, 2019Jon G.
Creativity
7 Inspiring TED Talks for Students
Seven TED Talks that cover a variety of topics to nourish your intellect and spirit.
June 21, 2019Jon G.
ACT Writing
How to Spot a Sentence Fragment
One of the first steps in mastering SAT and ACT grammar is understanding the difference between a complete sentence and a sentence fragment.
May 27, 2019Jon G.
Word Choice and Diction Errors on the SAT & ACT
You may have heard of the word “diction” from your English instructors, but what does it mean? And how does it work on the ACT/SAT?
March 27, 2019Jon G.
ACT SAT
5 Myths About the SAT & ACT
When it comes to standardized tests, the truth is often riddled with inaccuracies. To avoid confusion, let’s separate fact from fiction and dispel some common myths about the ACT and SAT.
January 31, 2019Jon G.
SAT
Do Colleges Really Care About the SAT Essay?
Although the SAT essay is optional, there is a general consensus that most “optional” parts of college applications are actually “required” if a student wants to maximize his or her chances of acceptance. But do colleges really care about the essay?
January 24, 2019Jon G.
College Admissions
How to Know if a Small College is Right for You
When it comes to developing a college list, there are seemingly endless factors to consider. Academics, location and cost are often some of the first considerations a student will think about when choosing where to apply. However, one factor that is often overlooked is size.
December 10, 2018Jon G.
SAT
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the SAT Essay
As with any academic exercise, the name of the SAT Essay game is preparation. To prepare for the essay, practice developing a plan of attack that you can replicate no matter the passage.
November 23, 2018Jon G.
Study Tips
5 Ways to Avoid Academic Burnout
While it’s easy to think of burnout as nothing more than normal high school stress, it is important to recognize it as a distinct experience. Acknowledging it as such is the first step to avoiding it. Here are some steps you can take to avoid and/or combat burnout.
November 13, 2018Jon G.
College Application
Before Submitting College Applications: A Quick Checklist
With college application deadlines rapidly approaching, many high school seniors are scrambling to finalize their college essays and add any finishing touches to their applications. However, in the midst of it all, there are important steps you should keep in mind before sending off your application
October 31, 2018Jon G.
College Application
How to Avoid Being Generic in Your College Essays
A college essay can be generic for any number of reasons, including topic, style, and diction. But the primary reason an essay falls into the generic category is simply that it is not personal enough…
October 16, 2018Jon G.
College Application
How to Write the "Why Us?" College Essay
Supplements provide additional insight that may not be reflected elsewhere in your application and are prime opportunities to expand the scope of knowledge admissions officers have about you. And the most important supplement is arguably the “Why Us?” essay. Here’s how to get it right…
September 25, 2018Jon G.
College Admissions
Social Media and College Admissions
Yep, colleges admissions officers are potentially looking you up on Google, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn and any other online platforms where you may have a presence. Surprised? Don’t be. The internet is thoroughly woven into the fabric of modern society, allowing immediate access to infin
June 6, 2018Jon G.
Study Tips
Study Strategies for Final Exams
The end of the school year is rapidly approaching, and exams are on the horizon. Final exams. AP exams. SAT and ACT exams. With so many impending tests, it is important to prepare yourself for success. Remember, your GPA is one of the most significant factors in college admissions, so take control i
May 15, 2018Jon G.
ACT SAT
How to Approach the Fiction/Literature Passage on the SAT & ACT
The first passage on both the ACT and the SAT Reading tests is the fiction/literature passage. For some students, the fiction passage is the most interesting one on the test because it offers a change of pace from the others, which tend to be fact-based and straightforward. However, when teaching th
May 14, 2018Jon G.
College Admissions
Making Summer Count for College Applications
Now that spring is officially underway, it’s time to start thinking about and planning for the summer. While summer can offer a nice reprieve from school, it also offers boundless opportunities to bolster your college applications. Ideally, you want to use the summer months to pursue and deepen your
April 20, 2018Jon G.
College Admissions
What Should I Do if I Got Waitlisted?
What if things didn’t quite work out as you expected and instead of deciding between letters of admission, you find that you’ve been waitlisted at one or more schools?
April 16, 2018Jon G.
SAT Test Prep
How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension and Raise Your SAT/ACT Score
Reading comprehension is a complex process that involves understanding both the explicit and implicit, or unstated, meanings of a text. Practicing your reading comprehension skills can go a long way toward improving your test performance as well as your long-term reading progress. Here's how to star
March 30, 2018Jon G.
Study Tips
8 Things College-Bound Juniors Should Be Doing Right Now
Junior year of high school is an onslaught of responsibilities and activities, and seemingly never enough time to get everything done. Junior year is also considered the most important year of high school for college admissions. Amidst the nonstop flurry, it is important to recognize this significan
March 26, 2018Jon G.
ACT SAT
Pacing Yourself on the SAT and ACT
“How can I improve my speed on the SAT/ACT?” is one of the most frequently asked questions I hear from students. It’s a tricky question to answer without knowing specifically how a student approaches test-taking because we all read and calculate at different rates. However, there are general strateg
March 12, 2018Jon G.
College Admissions
How to Prepare for College Interviews
Participating in a college interview is a fantastic way to demonstrate interest and has the potential to add another dimension to your college application. Here are some college interview questions you should be prepared to answer in a competent and compelling manner.
January 25, 2018Jon G.
College Admissions
14 Insightful Questions to Ask College Admissions Officers
During your college search, it is important to research schools carefully, but not all information can be found on the school's website. Take a look at these suggestions regarding the types of insightful questions you can ask admissions reps.
December 16, 2017Jon G.
College Admissions
5 Ways to Annoy College Admissions Officers
College admissions professionals are not individuals you want to frustrate or annoy, especially since admission decisions can hinge on razor-thin margins. To improve your chances of admission, you want to make all the right moves and avoid all the wrong ones. So, here are 5 sure-fire ways to annoy y
November 30, 2017Jon G.
College Admissions
What is Demonstrated Interest and How Can It Help Me Get into College?
Demonstrated interest is a factor many colleges consider when making admissions decisions. In this article, Elite Prep instructor Jon G. shares some effective (and not-so-effective) ways to demonstrate your interest in a college.
November 14, 2017Jon G.
College Application
How to Get Into an Ivy League School: Advice from a Harvard Graduate
November 1, 2017Jon G.
College Admissions
Early Action vs. Early Decision: What's the Difference?
October 25, 2017Jon G.
SAT ACT
What to Do the Night Before the SAT or ACT
October 3, 2017Jon G.
SAT ACT
How to Tackle Vocabulary in Context Questions on the SAT & ACT
May 30, 2017Jon G.
SAT ACT
How to Improve Your Vocabulary for the SAT and ACT
May 8, 2017Jon G.
SAT ACT
Why You Should Always Write in Your SAT/ACT Test Booklet
March 31, 2017Jon G.
Should I Take the SAT or ACT?
February 3, 2017Jon G.
SAT Test Prep
Identifying Main Ideas in SAT Reading Passages
December 13, 2016Jon G.
College Admissions
Learning to Love the Personal Statement
November 6, 2016Jon G.
College Admissions
What's Up with the New University of California Personal Insight Questions?
September 29, 2016Jon G.
Dedication earns struggling student early admittance to Harvard
January 6, 2015Jon G.