Academic Skills

Among our three paradigms for a fulfilling academic career—Academics, Problem Solving Ability, and Character—academics are perhaps the most relentless: one’s transcript is literally a record reflecting several years of work. A college, or law school, or medical school, or employer, will consistently look at a student’s GPA as a reflection of that diligence. One’s Academic story also includes course selection—pursuing areas of genuine rigor—class rank, and teacher recommendations based on unique contributions to the classroom. In the case of test-optional colleges, College Admissions shifts even more focus to a student’s Academic record. 

Academic skills can absolutely be learned, improved, and mastered. Our coaches—who do the work of tutors, as well as go beyond tutoring—are experts in their field who serve as ambition role models. Lakhani Coaching provides world class one-on-one instruction in any academic area in order to: 

1) boost fulfillment from learning

2) plug any holes in understanding 

Suppose a student is doing well in all subjects but is having a terrible time in Chemistry. Why not have one of Lakhani Coaching’s elite instructors, a medical student at Brown, focus on Chemistry? Suppose another student excels in multiple choice exams but writing papers presents huge challenges. Perhaps one of our expert writing coaches—a Harvard graduate in Political Science, for instance—can support the student in taking rough early drafts to glowing advanced drafts. 

Just as one becomes a better skier with one-on-one instruction, our students become better thinkers under the guidance of our expert coaches.

We help our students feel confident that gaps in their skills can shrink with focus and hard work—and that academic success will soon follow.

Quantitative Skills

Too often a student harbors a long-term disappointment in Math skills, perhaps ingrained over years. This is not only unfortunate. It’s unfair. We all progress differently: did we all learn to ride bicycles at the same rate? Do we learn to play musical instruments, or sports, at the same speed?

Everyone is capable of dramatic leaps in skill, and at Lakhani Coaching, we simply strive for gains in skill, and in turn, gains in confidence.

Summers and school breaks are key opportunities to target gaps in a student’s quantitative skill. Without the pressure of daily academics, students can work to learn core concepts, and more importantly, to practice these concepts with repetition.

Writing Skills

In an ideal world a student would have enough practice as a writer such that not even a 30-page research paper would feel intimidating. And so, we believe strongly in “off-season” writing practice.

If a basketball player wants to work on left-hand layups, she meets with her coach to work on technique, then gets in the gym in the off-season and shoots layups until her arm hurts.

We encourage students to work with a coach one-on-one, particularly over summers, to cultivate skills that they feel need work. Carefully curated practice—in creative, expository, or research-based writing—when a deadline is not looming pays huge dividends.

Despite the best efforts of one’s teachers, a student may require additional support outside the classroom. This shouldn't be seen as an indication of the student’s intelligence or commitment, but instead, evidence that no teacher can provide the level of individualized attention that might be required in a real-world academic environment.

This is where Lakhani Coaching steps in. We have helped high school students work through all manner of classes, from the humanities to the sciences. 

These engagements can be ongoing, such as helping a student navigate his way through an entire year of AP Physics, including homework assistance, concept explanation, and preparing for the AP exam. Or our work can be limited to an isolated task, such as helping a student polish up her final essay for American History.

Equally rewarding is our work with advanced students looking for further enrichment. It is not uncommon for one of our accelerated math students, for instance, to go beyond high school math curricula and take on Linear Algebra or Multivariable Calculus; for a computer science whiz in java to take on ruby on rails; for a creative writing star to submit stories or poems to national competitions for publication. 

In each of these cases we can help a student go from good to great, and plant seeds of excellence in academic passions that will bear fruit through college and beyond.

At the University level, it’s not uncommon for a student to be daunted by some of the most advanced courses in a field. We provide one-on-one guidance to help students navigate these murky waters—whether a pre-med student looking to overcome the hurdle of Organic Chemistry, or an Economics major fighting through a demanding Financial Theory course. 

Equally important is that we support students taking on challenges outside their wheelhouse, be it a Political Science major completing a Statistics requirement, a humanities star tackling Fractal Geometry, or a Math major taking on a writing requirement.

For our writing intensive students now composing 25+ page papers, our coaches provide an invaluable sounding board, whether in helping students through each step of planning, writing, and revising, or simply serving as a second set of eyes in the revision process. 

Whatever a student’s academic focus, Lakhani Coaching has an expert on staff who can illuminate the murkiest topics.  

Executive Function 

For students, executive function—the capacity to plan ahead and meet goals—boils down to organization. With so many organizational tools, physical and online, students can fall into a paralysis of options. Our Executive Function Coaching gets to the granular level of organizing one’s academic life: tracking deadlines—short term and long term—accounting for every assignment, paper, project, quiz, and test. Our Executive Function Coaches focus on 2 crucial tools:

1. Calendar: We establish robust use of a physical or digital calendar to track everything from short term homework, medium term essay deadlines, and longer term assignments, whether a science fair project due in three months or a specific midterm exam date. We help students cross t’s and dot i’s, creating reminders, for instance, for when to complete the outline for a paper, the literature review, the first draft, etc. We ensure good habits are established early, before giving the student accountability to manage his or her calendar without supervision. Finally, we diligently ensure digital calendars are synced across all devices, so one’s organizational tools are never far from reach.

2. Email: In a world of too many notifications, a missed email—a homework assignment, the announcement of a quiz—can create dire consequences. We help students reduce clutter, unsubscribing from unnecessary emails, establishing filters as necessary, and creating folders to save emails that one may need down the road. Part of our decluttering preaches an orderly inbox, so that students can easily prioritize emails that merit a response and otherwise archive messages that are no longer necessary.  

Study Skills Coaching

As a natural follow-on from our Executive Function Coaching, our instructors meet with students to supervise the completing of assignments in the order of priority that one’s calendar dictates, from homework, to studying notes, to writing and revising multiple drafts of papers, to planning ahead for projects and exam preparation.

An important bridge between our Study Skills Coaching and Academic Coaching is that before seeking one-on-one support from a Lakhani Coaching instructor we encourage the student to try the material on his/her own to identify specific topics of difficulty.

Enrichment

At the elementary level, curiosity is more than a trait—it’s the spark that ignites lifelong learning. Our Elementary Enrichment offerings celebrate this spark, nurturing young minds through exploration-driven lessons in reading, math, science, and creative expression. Whether a student is discovering the joy of storytelling, diving into nature’s wonders, or playing with numbers in playful patterns, our expert coaches turn “I wonder why?” into “I can’t wait to find out!” By blending fun with foundational skills, we cultivate confidence, broaden interests, and empower students to approach new subjects with both joy and intent. Examples of content we cover for students K-5, with approach customized by age and learning style:

Academic Improvement

Every child learns at their own pace, and every success is worth celebrating. In our Academic Improvement track, we help students strengthen emerging skills such as reading comprehension, math fundamentals, and expository writing—skills that build the launchpad for future academic growth. Our one-on-one approach honors each child’s unique learning style, gently identifying challenges and creating targeted, positive interventions. Through patience, encouragement, and skillful instruction, we help kids transform “I can't do this yet” into solid, steady “I’ve got this!” While maintaining a joy in learning, we instill in students the work ethic necessary to move the needle on one’s grades. 

Standardized Testing

For young students, early exposure to standardized assessments can shape confidence and test-taking savvy. Moreover, standardized tests measure mastery of grade-level standards, skills we want all of our students to carry forward. In our Standardized Testing coaching for elementary learners, we demystify structure while keeping sessions playful and pressure-free. As for all of our students, we preach a problem-based approach, engaging students in word problems, reading comprehension games, and timed but low-stress quantitative quizzes, with ample support along the way. Whether it’s for a school benchmark, qualification for gifted testing, or an optional assessment, our coaching gives children an edge in self-assurance applicable to all academic arenas.

Executive Function and Study Skills

Strong habits must be established early. For our elementary students, we teach the same Executive Function and Study Skills that we teach even high school students, but with a gentle approach customized by age. For instance, for elementary students not yet using online tools, we establish diligent calendar use in a physical planner, to the same effect.

Enrichment

Middle school is the bridge between childhood curiosity and young adult independence—a time when deep intellectual interests begin to take shape. Our Enrichment programs provide students with the chance to explore beyond the standard curriculum, whether diving deeper into literature, tackling advanced math puzzles, engaging with current events, or experimenting with science and technology. By fostering creativity and critical thinking, we help students discover subjects that excite them and cultivate the motivation to pursue their interests with depth and confidence. Enrichment at this stage ensures that learning feels meaningful, relevant, and inspiring. Examples of content we cover for students 6-8, with approach customized by age and learning style:

Academic Improvement

As coursework becomes more challenging in middle school, strong study habits and academic foundations are essential. Our Academic Coaching supports students in mastering coursework—from foundations of Algebra, to analytical reading, essay writing, historical inquiry, and scientific roots in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Our coaches don’t just help students “keep up”—we empower them to build resilience, self-awareness, and independence. With consistent, personalized support, students learn how to manage increasing academic demands and take pride in their growth. Subjects we support include:

Standardized Testing

For many families, middle school is when standardized testing begins to feel more significant—whether for school-based benchmarks, gifted programs, or preparation for high school entrance exams. Our approach to testing equips students with confidence and familiarity. Through guided practice, effective pacing strategies, and positive test-taking habits, we help students transform what can feel like a daunting challenge into an opportunity to showcase their skills. By making preparation both structured and encouraging, we lay the groundwork for success not only on exams but also in the larger journey toward high school readiness. 

Our approach hinges on our world-class problem-based approach. See our full standardized testing page to learn more about specific tests we coach. 

Executive Function and Study Skills

Strong habits must be established early. For our middle school students, we teach the same Executive Function and Study Skills that we teach high school students, but with an approach customized by age. For instance, for students just beginning to master online tools, we establish diligent calendar use synced with any relevant devices, so one’s organizational tools are never far from reach.