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Transform that curiosity into knowledge
The short answer to this question is simple: practice makes perfect. Our students, fortunately for us, are typically hard workers who can benefit immensely from our know-how and experience.
The lengthier answer: guided practice and parallel exam prep and college and career planning with a highly knowledgeable and invested teammate is even better. Yes, perhaps even more perfect. Of course, given the abundance of resources available online, practice is easy to come by; we invite our students to pair coursework with these tools to take full advantage of these modern opportunities. Our small, precisely integrated team is known for going above and beyond the traditional idea of tutoring and exam prep; our work is rooted in the idea that when students better understand the language and context of a subject, the more engaged, eager, and confident they become in investing time into mastering its concepts and skills. This vision is supported by both empirical data and anecdotal testimony. And a lot of nice feedback.
Why does it work?
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Courses We Cover
We are proud of our expertise in simplifying and teaching challenging material to our students. BFA exclusively brings on team members with a wide and active range of subject knowledge and experience. This commitment helps us sustain unrivaled results for our students while keeping costs low and accessibility to our services high.
High School Academic Courses
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Algebra I & II
Trigonometry
Geometry
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
World History
Literature I-V
Writing
Gov't & Politics
Advanced Placement Courses
Biology
Chemistry
Physics B & C
Calculus AB & BC
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Statistics
US History
European History
World History
Language & Literature
Computer Science
Gov't & Politics
University Level Courses
Biology
Cell Biology
Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physics
Calculus I-III
Differential Equations
Statistics
Economics
History Courses
Literature
Writing
Ecology
AP Courses and Exams
Advance Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses have become popular if not commonplace over the last decade. We find that a student's earlier introduction to the ideas, skills, and narratives that comprise the AP and IB pantheon of courses does indeed help him or her better explore early interests and talents, affording a broader selection of directions and more contingencies should a young learner set down a path chosen more or less by momentary infatuation. It happens! And it need not be a "waste" of time, effort, and resources, but rather just another opportunity to add to one's growing body of knowledge and critical thinking skills.
The BFA team has built a strong reputation around helping students truly capitalize on AP and IB availability. We know the subject matter and exam details inside and out, understand how (and if) college credit should be applied, and evaluate the long-term risks for accepting AP credits at institutions whose courses move far beyond the scope of the typical AP or IB course.
The AP and IB courses we offer are summarized here.
University Level Courses
Much of the coursework that can cause even an ambitious and organized student to change majors or career direction leaves its mark during the first and second year of undergraduate study. Think organic chemistry or calculus II for STEM majors. It is not unsurprising to learn that many of the students who depart from their initial plan often do not return to it. While we are steadfast proponents of academic exploration and advise our students to scope out many different career possibilities, we reject the extant framework that prevents driven students from progressing in a given academic discipline solely on the basis of a single course or exam. We've seen too many students hit this "wall", recover, and go on to remarkably successful careers, projects, and opportunities! But we'd prefer to see students not hit any wall at all.
Accordingly, we formulate our methods, benchmarks, and content around this reality: deep learning, analytical and critical thinking, nomenclature mastery, and knowledge of both historical and modern challenges within the field are essential to long term success.
We help our high school and college students prepare for and successfully navigate these "boot camp courses" as well as a multitude of other undergraduate and graduate courses.
One last note: a student's capability to write intently, articulate clearly, and use rhetorical strategies to his or her advantage cannot be understated. Regardless of a student's intended major or career field, we incorporate these principles into our work, thereby ensuring that hard-fought solutions to challenging problems aren't diminished on account of poor writing!
The University Level Courses we offer are summarized here.
Our Philosophy
It is no secret that many high school courses are becoming just as rigorous (if not more so) as undergraduate college courses. This trend works its way up the academic column, meaning undergraduate coursework difficulty is comparable to what would have been considered graduate coursework not long ago. And, you guessed it, this extends into postgraduate work as well. This progress is beautiful but not without costs, the most expensive of which are time for a balanced approach to professional career fields and time to fully explore one's nascent interests. While we are thrilled (and impressed) to see students rise to meet the demands and challenges that mark a new generation, we are also keenly aware of the shortage of time - and the resulting imbalance - that often seeps into a student’s trajectory over the long run. This is where we come in.
Four primary risks arise as a consequence modern academic pace: a shortage of time to “learn deeply and durably,” a lack of creative and critical thinking, a deficiency in early exploration, and missed opportunities for making cross-disciplinary connections. The BFA team has been intensely committed to acting as both leader and teammate in an effort to support students and institutions alike with a wide range of academic endeavors, from simply excelling on an exam to writing curricula and advising on theses and long-term projects.
The benefit to our students is observed not only via measurable results - grades, test scores, merit scholarships and financial aid, and career paths - but also how they earn these merits and how they approach college, graduate school, and, ultimately, their careers.
