🎓 Staten Island's Premier Test Prep Center

Achieve Your Highest Academic Goals

Expert one-on-one and group tutoring for SHSAT, SAT, ACT, PSAT, and academic subjects. Personalized programs built around each student's unique needs.

20+
Years of Experience
1000+
Practice Problems
3–4
Max Group Size
Free
First Lesson
What We Provide

Comprehensive Test Preparation & Academic Support

Professor Yuriy Balla, Ph.D. provides private and group tutoring customized to meet the educational needs of every student.

  • Preparation for College Admission Tests: SAT I, PSAT, SAT II Subject Tests (Math 1, Math 2, Physics), AP (Calculus AB/BC, Physics B&C)
  • Preparation for NYC Specialized High School Tests (SHSAT) — Staten Island Tech, Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Tech, Hunter and more
  • Assistance with School & College Programs in Math & Physics, NYS Regents Exams, and Citywide Tests
  • Unique computer software used during practice sessions for real-time performance analysis
  • Both one-on-one and small group lessons (max 3–4 students) available
Why Choose ETCC

The ETCC Difference

🎯

Personalized Approach

We assess each student's strengths and weaknesses in the first free lesson and build a completely customized study plan.

💻

Innovative Software

Our proprietary SATASSIST platform tracks time-per-problem, difficulty levels, and generates detailed performance reports.

🤝

Patient & Professional

Students are encouraged to ask questions freely without feeling self-conscious — building confidence alongside knowledge.

📊

Progress Tracking

Regular progress analysis for students, teachers, and parents ensures everyone stays informed and aligned.

📝

Structured Homework

Homework worksheets after every class reinforce material and significantly accelerate academic progress.

🏆

Proven Results

Decades of experience helping students gain admission to specialized high schools and top colleges.

Teaching Philosophy

Our Tutoring Methodology

Educational Tutoring and Consulting Center has its own vision of the organization, conduct, and control of the teaching and learning process. One of our main goals is to build students' confidence in their own abilities and allow them to learn free from classroom distractions.

During the first free lesson, we assess the student's strengths and weaknesses and plan the study program accordingly. Our patient and professional teaching style encourages students to take a very active role, asking questions without feeling self-conscious.

Periodic discussions with parents regarding students' academic progress will help to address any concerns that may arise.

Each Session is Structured in Three Parts

1

Homework Review

We check and go over the previous homework together, reinforcing concepts and addressing any difficulties from the last session.

2

New Topic Explanation

We introduce and explain the new topic with emphasis on clear definitions, core concepts, and underlying principles.

3

Practice & Reinforcement

Students practice on sample drills and problems of varying difficulty to reinforce the new material and build problem-solving speed.

Homework after every class — Worksheets are assigned to reinforce covered material. Students are expected to take homework seriously, as this significantly increases the rate of academic progress.

Digital Test Prep

Practice Tests

Full-length timed practice tests mirroring the real exam experience. Detailed score reports show exactly where to improve.

SHSAT Practice Test 2
Available
⏱ 180 minutes 📝 114 questions 📚 ELA + Math

Full-length SHSAT practice test with authentic ELA and Mathematics sections. Includes grid-in and multiple choice questions with instant score report.

SHSAT Practice Test 3
Coming Soon
⏱ 180 minutes 📝 114 questions 📚 ELA + Math

Another full-length SHSAT practice test with a new set of authentic questions. Coming soon.

SAT Math Practice
Coming Soon
⏱ 80 minutes 📝 58 questions 📐 Math

SAT Mathematics practice with all question types: multiple choice, grid-in, and calculator/no-calculator sections.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question not answered here? Contact us directly and we'll be happy to help.

What are your qualifications and teaching experience? +
Professor Yuriy Balla holds a Ph.D. and has over 20 years of experience in mathematics and physics tutoring, with a proven track record of helping students gain admission to NYC's most competitive specialized high schools and top colleges.
Do you teach both Math and English sections of standardized tests? +
We specialize in Math and Physics here at ETCC. However, we are affiliated with professional teachers focused on the Verbal/English sections of standardized tests (SAT, SHSAT) and can provide referrals.
Do you provide private as well as group lessons? +
Yes, we provide both private and group lessons. In order to maintain an efficient and personalized teaching environment, group lessons cannot exceed 3–4 students.
Is there an option to conduct private in-home lessons? +
Currently we do not provide private in-home lessons. All sessions take place at our center located at 88 New Dorp Plaza, 3rd Floor, Room 304, Staten Island, NY 10306.
What is the length and frequency of lessons? +
We typically provide 1-hour or 1.5-hour lessons, with one or two lessons per week. However, the schedule is always customized to the student's individual needs and goals.
Is the first lesson really free? +
Yes! The first lesson is completely free of charge. During this session we assess the student's strengths and weaknesses in the subject and plan the personalized study program accordingly.
How do practice tests work on this website? +
Students register for an account, log in, and can take full-length timed practice tests. Each test saves results automatically so students and teachers can track progress across multiple attempts over time.
Get In Touch

Contact Us

📍
Location
88 New Dorp Plaza, 3rd Floor, Room 304
New Dorp Area, Staten Island, NY 10306
📞
✉️
🎓
Free First Lesson
Contact us to schedule your complimentary assessment session

Send Us a Message

Overview

Welcome back, Student! 👋

Here's a summary of your test preparation progress.

0
Tests Taken
Total attempts
—
Best Score
Overall percentage
—
Latest Score
Most recent test
—
Improvement
First vs best

Recent Attempts

No tests taken yet. Start a practice test →

Quick Actions

🔗 SHSAT Practice Test 2
SHSAT Practice Test 2
Available
⏱ 180 min 📝 114 questions ELA + Math

Full-length SHSAT with ELA and Mathematics. Results are automatically saved to your account.

Start Test →
SHSAT Practice Test 3
Coming Soon
⏱ 180 min📝 114 questions

New full-length SHSAT practice test coming soon.

My Test Results

Your results will appear here after you complete a practice test.

My Profile

To update your profile information, contact your teacher or email yuballa@yahoo.com
📊 View My Full Results History

Teacher Overview

Teacher

Welcome, Teacher!

Here's an overview of your students' performance across all tests.

—
Total Students
—
Total Attempts
—
Class Average
—
Top Score

Quick Access

How to Access the Full Admin Dashboard

The full admin dashboard with all student results, class statistics, and per-question analysis is at:

The page is protected — make sure you are logged in as admin, or access it with your admin credentials. It includes:

  • 📊 Class averages by test (overall, ELA, Math)
  • 👥 All students ranked by best score with improvement tracking
  • ⚠️ Most-missed questions (which topics need more teaching)
  • 📋 Per-student, per-attempt answer detail

All Students

Full student management is available in the Admin Dashboard.

Open Full Admin Dashboard →

Test Results

View detailed results, per-question analysis, and improvement tracking for all students.

View All Results →

Available Tests

Test NameQuestionsTimeStatusAction
SHSAT Practice Test 2 114 180 min ● Active Preview
SHSAT Practice Test 3 — 180 min Coming Soon —