Courses Offered
Collectively, our instructors have about a century’s worth of educational experience. They hail from all walks of life and have a mastery of a myriad of subjects, yet there is one common thread that binds our instructors together: They are committed to their craft and have mastered their discipline at a variety of levels. Here is a smattering of what you can take:
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Literature (American and British, and AP)
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History (Guam, American, European, Pacific)
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Geography
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Philosophy
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Psychology
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Geography
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Algebra
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AP Calculus
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AP Physics
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AP Biology
In addition to high school Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, IES instructors teach the following specialty classes:
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ASVAB (US military entrance examination)
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General Education Diploma (GED)
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Adult ESL/TOEFL classes
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Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
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Graduate Management (GMAT)
Scholastic Aptitude Test
Ivy Educational Service was built on training students to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (and its derivations: PSAT, SSAT, SAT subject tests), known today as the SAT I. We teach students how to master national standardized tests and, in the process, enlighten them about a variety of important information and current issues. Over time, their bank of information is morphed to knowledge, a valuable ingredient in today’s fast-paced, highly competitive world.
At Ivy, we see the SAT Reasoning Test as the portal to a student’s future. Every aspect of the Verbal and Mathematics sections is dissected for further understanding, week in, week out until they sit their examination. To do this, we employ a handful of national SAT programs, including those of Kaplan, Collegeboard, Princeton Review, and Barron’s. Each program offers different strategies and requirements for optimum results. After all, our bottom line is high performance. To this end, Ivy possesses the largest SAT Verbal and Mathematics test bank and library in the western Pacific.
topDevelopmental English
Ivy specializes in providing developmental English classes—American English phonics and listening in a lab milieu, as well as classroom reading and writing—to a wide range of students, including those in the elementary through middle school grades, high school students preparing for the SAT but who study English as a Second Language, and adult ESL/TOEFL learners.
SAT English Reading/Writing
The national SAT, which all American high school students take (at times, up to four times), is designed to evaluate what they have learned during their four-year high school stint. Ivy prepares students to exceed national average scores in Reading and Writing with comprehensive three- and six-month programs. Students develop an appreciation of test strategies, vocabulary and etymology, writing techniques, and American literature classics—in essence, we nurture Renaissance young men and women. We use a combination of Princeton Review, Barron’s, Kaplan, and Collegeboard strategies to enhance our students’ wherewithal and to achieve higher performances. High school grade levels: first-year – senior.
SAT Mathematics
The hallowed halls of Ivy are built on the foundation of Mathematics. Ivy’s reputation as an elite tutorial center is because of the honors and awards bestowed upon students who have excelled in Mathematics at a myriad of levels—Pre-algebra, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II & Trigonometry, Pre-calculus, and Calculus. Ivy has had a number of students over the years who scored a perfect 800 on the SAT, as well as many students who have earned top honors in the various local Mathematics competitions. High school grade levels: first-year – senior.
College Applications Prep
The college application process—a time-honored, rite of passage honor—is both nerve-wracking and demanding for high school seniors who are in the midst of taking their October SAT exam, sitting quarter exams at school, and conceiving ideas for their college applications. We take the angst out of students’ neuroses by organizing their college applications, essays, résumés, and letters of recommendation. All of our students—this is not hyperbole—matriculate to college. High school seniors only.
Calculus
One of the greatest achievements of the human mind is calculus; it is part of our intellectual heritage. Students who take calculus at Ivy all ready know that this advanced mathematics has made it possible for people to build bridges that span miles of river, travel to the moon, and predict patterns of population change. After completing our calculus course, students will have a strong foundation for advanced sciences, such as physics and meteorology. Prerequisite: Pre-calculus and consent of instructor.
The Sciences
Learned students who wish to become enlightened have embraced the ideas of English novelist and scientist C.P. Snow: Every educated person should know the second law of thermodynamics, which deals with the diffusion of heat and has many profound consequences. Added to Snow’s perspective are Newton’s laws, the periodic table of elements, the double-helix structure of DNA, and scores of other masterpieces of scientific discoveries. Explore the fundamental discoveries and principles of all of the physical and biological sciences—physics, biology, chemistry, meteorology, thermodynamics, and, of course … more. Consent of instructor required for advanced sciences.
The Humanities
The nature of history, geography, philosophy—the humanities—is recounted to students interested in pursuing AP course work in high school, or simply wanting to become a Renaissance man or woman. Ivy students bent on seeking an understanding of the Humanities will, more than likely, pursue liberal arts graduate studies, law, or medicine in the future. All Humanities course offerings are completed by way of private tutoring.
Advanced Placement Courses
Many of the elite private high schools and select public high schools offer Advanced Placement courses to students. AP courses, in theory, teach students college-level course work. But … if you don’t have time to take the year-long high school course, you can opt to take the AP exam and, if you pass, you get the college credit in the same manner as if you took the class. Ivy instructors are familiar with AP test-taking strategies and provide students with a “how-to” primer on ways to crack the AP exam. We offer instruction for the following AP exams: Biology, U.S. & World History, Literature, Physics, and Math I & II. Grade levels: High school junior or senior.
Math Competition Events
Mathematics competitions or mathematical Olympiads are competitive events where participants write a mathematics test. These tests may require multiple choice or numeric answers, or a detailed written solution or proof. At Ivy, we train students—ranging in grade levels from elementary to high school—to win these highly competitive local events. Ivy has trained students to compete in Guam’s three major Mathematics competitions—Math Olympiad (elementary school); Math Counts (middle school); and, the prestigious American Mathematics Competition (high school)—with phenomenal success. A veritable who’s who in Guam Mathematics competitions got their start at IES. High school grade levels: first-year – senior.
Other Standardized Tests
ASVAB
If you're serious about joining the United States military, then get serious about the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), a timed, multi-aptitude test, which is given at over 14,000 American schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide. The ASVAB is developed and maintained by the Department of Defense. Based on your in-school ASVAB test performance, you may wish to brush up on any weak areas at IES with a private tutor or in a class setting.
GED
The GED tests measure high school-level skills and knowledge. The GED credential offers adults a powerful second chance at attending college or pursuing a career. The GED tests can only be taken at an official testing center—but don't worry, there are more than 3,400 testing centers worldwide. More than 17 million people have earned their GED credential since the program began in 1942. Get started on your journey to the GED credential at Ivy with personalized, private service. You can study the full range of courses—English, Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Physical Sciences—or just one or two courses depending on your preference.
SSAT
For students wanting to be admitted into the more prestigious mainland American preparatory high schools, they may be required to take and pass the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The test consists of two parts: a brief essay, and a multiple-choice aptitude test which measures a student’s ability to solve mathematics problems, to use language, and to comprehend what they have read. All tests are printed in English.
The test is administered on two levels:
- Lower (for students currently in grades 5-7)
- Upper (for students currently in grades 8-11)
TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, evaluates the potential success of an individual to use and understand academic English at a college level. It is required for non-native applicants at many English-speaking colleges and universities. Additionally, institutions such as government agencies, businesses, or scholarship programs may require this test. The four-hour test consists of four sections—Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking—each measuring mainly one of the basic language skills (although some tasks may require multiple skills) focusing on language used in an academic, higher education environment.
After School Programs
Elementary and middle school students interested in honing their learning skills can attend IES during the afternoon. A safe, well-structured, and fun afternoon awaits kids; parents are assured their children will either complete daily homework assignments or complete Ivy’s After School projects based on our holistic curriculum. The After School program is class-oriented; grade levels range between second and eighth.
During the summer and winter months when children are on vacation, the After School program morphs into an intensive reading/writing/arithmetic camp that features educational field trips to the four corners of the island, fiesta foods, guest speakers—the activities list is virtually endless.
Of particular interest to those students in transition from middle to high school is the Literature class held during the summer only that is designed to develop critical thinking, enhance reading comprehension, and refine writing skills as a basis for the SAT, high school classes, and overall knowledge.
Before adjourning … the After School program includes a special Friday Flick Nite activity for children who want to watch a movie adapted from an American classic book. Popcorn and fruit juices are served.