Craig Taylor

Shortly after graduating from Duke University in 1990, Craig joined The Princeton Review, where he was a star tutor for more than twenty-five years. Joining Inspirica Pros in 2016, he has successfully guided over 2000 students during his career, with unparalleled results. After earning his Certificate in College Advising from Columbia University, Craig has become a beginning-to-end solution for college prep and admissions – covering college profile development and mentoring (starting as early as 9th grade), ACT/SAT tutoring, formation of a targeted college list, college application strategy and logistics, and college essay guidance – and limits his roster to 15 students per year, so they are all guaranteed the personalized attention required for maximum results.

Over the last six years, over 85% of Craig’s full program students have been admitted to their ED/1st choice school.

With respect to tutoring, Craig has focused exclusively on private clients for the last twenty-five years, the last fifteen of which have been executed predominantly via remote classroom/Zoom. He possesses a breadth of experience in both test prep and distance learning that gives him the unique ability to quickly pinpoint, analyze, and diagnose areas of weakness and design approaches specifically tailored to each student. Whether it is the highest scoring students (Craig scored in the rarefied 99.6 percentile on the LSAT) or students with learning differences, test anxiety, or are just “too cool for school,” Craig has the experience and expertise to achieve the highest score improvements possible.

Over the last six years, Craig’s average result for students taking the SAT/ACT is a mind-boggling 97.23%, with 44% scoring in the top 1%.

Helping hundreds of students prepare both undergraduate and graduate school essays and applications for almost three decades, Craig has guided candidates through successful admission to Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Yale, Duke, Cornell, UPenn, Northwestern, UChicago, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, Brown, Rice, WashU, McGill, Michigan, UT-Austin, USC, Wisconsin, WashU, NYU, Tulane, Maryland, Babson, Indiana, Wesleyan, London Business School, and IMD.

Craig also has extensive international experience with students from Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Mexico, China, Spain, France, Canada, Korea, Italy, Russia, India, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

He has led in-house GMAT programs for Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, among other corporations, as well as pro bono SAT programs for students in Harlem.

An accomplished musician, songwriter, and manager, Craig’s bands sold over 50,000 albums and shared the stage with acts such as Skrillex, Stone Temple Pilots, Incubus, Dr. John, and Rebirth Brass Band. He has also run multiple fundraising events & festivals, including The Great Big Bacon Picnic, Fat Friday, and A Midsummer Night’s Jam for the People.

One conversation with Craig will convince you that he is uniquely qualified to help you achieve the best possible scores and admission results.

Testimonials

“Craig exceeded all of our expectations with respect to his ACT tutoring and his college consulting services. As a tutor, he was clear, organized, methodical, and effective. He instinctively knew how to gently push our daughter to her fullest potential while remaining her steadfast cheerleader throughout the entire process. After just a few sessions, Craig quickly honed in on our daughter’s weaknesses and bad habits, and was able to teach her strategies that not only helped to improve her ACT score but also enabled her to be even more successful with assessments at school. While test cancellations due to COVID meant that we continued the tutoring longer than we had originally anticipated, Craig’s dedicated focus remained constant and he kept our daughter completely engaged and motivated. Craig was equally as fabulous as a college consultant. His feedback never ceased to be insightful and the very real and relatable way that he interacted with our daughter allowed her to find and articulate her true voice. We unequivocally recommend Craig as a tutor and/or college consultant and we are forever grateful for his tutelage, guidance, and expertise.”
Parent of Duke University student

Craig worked with both my sons on ACT prep and produced astounding results. His approach was tailored for each of them and provided a clear framework to follow that included feedback along the way. With his guidance and encouragement, their results improved and, more importantly, they gained confidence that they could raise their final scores substantially – which they did, improving 8 and 10 points, respectively. Along the way, Craig kept me fully informed of their progress which allowed the process to be exclusively between him and my sons. Craig builds strong relationships with his students, and they respond and produce great results for him. If you’re seeking tutoring help for your son or daughter, look no further and hire Craig – you will not find anyone better. Craig also advised my sons with their college applications, including development of strategies for their respective application processes, which led to both receiving ED admissions. For the essays, he gave them an understanding about what admissions officers were looking for and advice for how to best express their achievements and experiences. His input reduced stress for my sons and for me, and his strategic recommendations were spot on. I give him my highest recommendation.”
Parent of 2 WashU students

“Craig’s program is far superior to any others out there. Trust me, I researched them all before we started this process. He customized his approach to my son based on his strengths and weaknesses. He doesn’t waste any time – it is spent solely on what my son needed to succeed. Craig took all of the anxiety out of the process – from test taking to college admission – he walked us through every aspect and took any guesswork out of it. My son felt so much more confident going into the test than I have ever seen him before. That confidence manifested itself into a perfect 36 score on the ACT, which then permeated all areas of my son’s life. I am so grateful that my son will now take all of that self-confidence and pride to college with him. We worked with Craig on my son’s college list, applications, and essays and that process was just as customized and smooth as the test prep process. He found the perfect school for my son’s interests and personality, and we could not be more thrilled that he will be attending the #1 school in the nation for Engineering. I very much appreciated the amount of posting I received from Craig. I received all important updates and it greatly reduced the tension in our house! Craig is also unique in that he finds both time, and a way to connect with every single student, regardless of their background and interests – I have recommended him to many friends, all with astounding success. I can not recommend Craig more highly and would be happy to personally speak with any parent who has questions.”
Parent of Rice University student

“Worth every penny! Craig really gets to know your child, his/her expectations, and gains their trust in the first 2-3 sessions. He creates a partnership and bond that they feel and believe in and they really respond to his energy, enthusiasm, and approach to studying for these exams. Our child studied with Craig remotely (after mediocre results with another tutor), and his focus and achievement couldn’t have been any better if it were in person – he really got the most of our son’s ability. Craig is part of your college team as well, and works with your child to prepare an application that best reflects who they are. Trust Craig and his process, and enjoy seeing your child celebrate their acceptance to a great school that is perfect for them, as we did. Our next 2 kids have reserved slots with Craig already!!”
Parent of University of Texas – Austin student

“Any student will admit that the process of applying to college absolutely sucks. However, I can say that the college process does not suck when working with Craig—in fact, it is quite the opposite. I have never in my life felt more motivated, encouraged, and supported. Of course I wanted to do well on the ACT, but working with Craig made me believe that I actually could. Doubt was non-existent. There was no such thing as “I can’t do it.” Craig always found a way. For most of my life I struggled with test taking anxiety, yet Craig taught me specific and beneficial strategies to not only tackle the test, but learn to conquer that anxiety which is a lifelong skill. I knew I wanted to go to NYU, and while most people laughed at the idea of moving to NYC at 18 to study art, Craig supported me through the entire journey. That is what makes working with Craig so special: there is unconditional support. My entire experience can be encapsulated in the quote, “When there’s a will, there’s a way,” which is something Craig instills in all his students. Craig taught me how to properly take a test—navigating each individual section in depth, in a way I believe no other person can teach. But Craig also taught me much more. When the time came to write my essay, I was stumped—which, for a writer, is one of the most troubling feelings. I had been writing and rewriting drafts for months though nothing stuck. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, with no idea how to say it. I reached out to Craig, who took the time to help me work through all my ideas. We had numerous conversations about my journey as an artist, and how to convey that in 650 words. The end result was an essay capturing every dimension of my identity—it was thoughtful, comedic, light-hearted, and ultimately something that could not have been done without Craig. Still to this day, that essay is one of the best things I’ve ever written. He helped me find my voice and I will forever be grateful. Craig’s dedication towards his students is unmatched. Working with Craig is a true gift and an honor. Many people can teach, but it is incredibly rare to have a lasting impact the way Craig does. He shifted my perspective and the way I see myself and the world around me. I have a stronger work ethic, I am more ambitious, I am unapologetically myself, and I have the focus and drive to chase after my dreams. I am a better person because of Craig. And that is really all a student could ever ask for.”
NYU student

“We loved working with Craig – and more importantly, our son loved working with Craig and looked forward to their sessions. Craig was instrumental in helping our son prepare for the SAT (he got a 1570!) and was particularly helpful on strategy and “studying smart”. Our son is self-sufficient, and Craig’s spreadsheets helped him identify the study areas which were the most efficient use of his time and where he could improve his score the most. Also, Craig was nothing short of magical in his work with our son on his essays – he brought out our son’s voice in a way that made his application authentic and personal. Craig’s influence on our son’s writing remains evident today, and our son has improved his grades in English from the high 80s last spring to the high 90s this spring – he has even been singled out by his teacher as having written one of the better papers the teacher has seen in almost 15 years at Stuyvesant. We can’t thank Craig enough for helping our son achieve his goal of Early Decision admission to Northwestern University and look forward to working with him again for our other two children!”
Parent of Northwestern student

“Craig was immensely helpful for all things college-related. His curriculum for ACT tutoring was easy to follow and helped me maximize my time and score much higher. He also provided very specific advice and helped me develop efficient strategies to approach each section. In addition, his college advising and essay consulting were spectacular, top of the line. He not only helped me come up with great ideas, but also helped me word each sentence and phrase with care and precision. His suggestions were unparalleled!”
Brown University student

“Describing Craig as just a tutor would be an egregious understatement. He is a master communicator, conveying concepts that can take weeks to grasp in moments. He is an incredible strategist who tailors study schedules that are effective and efficient, with spreadsheets and Google Documents to boot. And perhaps most importantly, whether you are reviewing an SAT or rewriting the Common App Essay for the 15th time, Craig is truly there to support you all the way. His openness, upbeat attitude, and adaptability are infectious, serving as a catalyst for rapid progress in a way vastly different from my past experiences both as a student and tutor myself. He showed me that a true teacher is much more than someone who gives out exercise sheets and sends a check-up email once a week, but someone you feel comfortable asking seemingly obvious questions to and who really roots for your success. In short, Craig is one-of-a-kind; his impact extended far beyond my ACT score (a perfect, first-try 36 with his help!) and Management School acceptance, and will carry the lessons I learned in our sessions with me always.”
McGill University – Joint Honours Desautels student

“It was a pleasure to work with Craig. He significantly helped me prep for the ACT slightly earlier than most because I was getting recruited for athletics. He took the time to know me on a personal level, rather than just developing a superficial relationship with me. Our rapport allowed me to thrive in our sessions and truly develop my strengths and build upon my weaknesses. He genuinely cared about the students he worked with and clearly made it his own personal mission to aid in their successes. I highly recommend Craig to anyone.”
Wharton Business School student (University of Pennsylvania)

“Finding a tutor that actually understands your child/student and their specific learning style is extremely difficult but Craig, incredibly, was exactly the right person for the job! From our son’s early educational beginnings, it was obvious he had learning differences (ADHD, executive functioning issues, processing issues, etc.) and he struggled in a mainstream school classroom setting. So, we believe that we hit gold finding Craig and his unique connection to our son that produced amazing results, helping our son to achieve a composite score of 35 on his ACT Exam and acceptance to NYU Shanghai. What a success story! Our son was able to communicate with Craig in a way he was not able to do with other adults. We HIGHLY recommend Craig 100%!”
Parent of NYU Shanghai student

“The comfort, rapport, and camaraderie Craig almost instantly created cannot be overstated. This allowed our son to increase his score dramatically to a 33, and just as importantly, allowed him to unlock his inner voice and express his true self, in his college essay. Craig established comfort and instilled confidence that helped guide our son throughout the entire process and through some rough patches. This all added up to an ED acceptance at his first choice school. He was determined to play college baseball, and Craig was there helping us through the recruitment process, and finding schools that combined his sports aspirations with academics that fit his ability. We will forever be appreciative and grateful for what this relationship has meant to us, and to our son.”
Parent of Carleton College student

“Working with Craig was seamless, easy, and fun. Without the strategies he taught me, there’s no way I would have gotten 3 of 4 perfect scores on my ACT – these same strategies still benefit me in college today. We got along well, and he was much more engaging than any other teacher I have had, motivating me to practice for my tests early and get a good score on my ACT early in my junior year of high school. Working with Craig relieved a great amount of stress for my family and I, and was as fun of an experience as studying for the ACT could be. He is an incredible mentor that is always available, and I am very grateful for everything he has taught me.”
Cornell University student

“Working with Craig was a total game changer. The work he did with my son was so deliberate and on point—meaning he immediately knew the weak points and tackled them. There was never a waste of a moment. His work was so precise I’m really not sure how anyone can do this without him!”
Parent of Wharton Business School (University of Pennsylvania) undergraduate student

“Craig was meticulous and thoughtful in his feedback, constantly pushing my writing to the next level. I always felt at ease knowing that he had strategies in mind for my ED, and I was truly able to convey exactly what I wanted to say about myself in my college application. If I ever needed him for suggestions or last-minute tweaks, he would respond quickly and always give me the support I needed. Amazing tutor and an even cooler personality – would recommend him to anyone!”
Duke University student

“Craig is the coolest tutor I’ve ever had. I was not looking forward to speaking with a tutor after a long day of school and sports, but Craig always made it incredibly efficient and actually fun. I learned way more from Craig than just how to do better on the test. He taught me how to be confident. He taught me how to not take myself so seriously which really helped me reduce anxiety. I never felt like Craig was treating me like every other student. I really felt what we were doing was unique to me and to my skills and my weaknesses. I worked with Craig on my applications and essays, and again, he made it so much less stressful. He has a program and the best advice I could give any student that is going to work with Craig is to listen to him, he is the expert, his results prove it, he knows what he is doing. I got a 36 on the ACT and got accepted to the school of my dreams, which is #1 in Engineering and #1 in Sport Analytics, my two passions. I could not be more excited. He is simply the best.”
Rice University student

‘“Craig tutored both my boys who are both so different, one analytical and one creative, and both had double digit increases on their ACT scores. They also worked incredibly well with him on applications, and both got into their 1st choice schools. My boys related extremely well with Craig. He understands teenage students and they actually looked forward to their sessions. I have recommended Craig to many of my friends, all with different types of children, and all were happy and had great results!”
Parent of a Cornell University and a London College of Fashion/University of the Arts London student

“Craig was just the best. With no other tutor did I feel so comfortable going into every meeting and confident walking out. He is so easy to communicate with and gets right to the point. His studying processes are very clearly thought out and methodical so that you are getting the most out of your time studying. They were also clearly unique to Craig and crafted from his own intelligence and expertise in this field. Without his guidance I would not have improved my score as much as I did! No question. I’ll finish by saying this – I went through three ACT tutors before meeting Craig and it was clear to me from our first meeting that I had finally found the tutor I’d been looking for.”
Vanderbilt student

“Craig is by far the best tutor I have ever had. He pushed me to work hard, and even though the ACT material is dull, he somehow made our sessions entertaining. He is an excellent teacher; he explains things clearly and concisely and is always patient with his answers. I told him at the outset that I had a specific score in mind (which was WAY higher than my diagnostic); he believed in me, and helped me to actually reach my goal. As an added bonus, the test-taking tricks he taught me not only drastically improved my score but also helped me perform better on multiple choice tests at school! At the end of the day, I was admitted into my dream school and I can honestly say that Craig was an integral part of getting me across the finish line.”
Duke University student

“I can’t even begin to say what a pleasure it was working with Craig. His professionalism and knowledge regarding college prep are like no other. I recommend him to everyone who asks because there is no one better. He figured out my son and his strengths, weaknesses and learning style and tailored his ACT tutoring to meet my son’s needs and my son’s improvement and final score proved it. My son has some learning and attention challenges and Craig saw them and adjusted and it all paid off. Watching the whole process and how my son was improving week to week was incredible. I’ll be using him for my 2 younger kids without a doubt. My next son is actually excited to start because he saw some of the virtual tutoring his older brother was doing with Craig. Craig is truly money well spent!”
Parent of Tulane University student

“Working with Craig was an incredible match for our daughter. He took the time to learn her ethics and learning style. He understood that she did not want to be programmed to be a test-taking robot. She walked away from each session with a smile, excited to do the work. More importantly, he worked with her on her essays in a manner that made her feel respected and seen. She would not let us see her essays before they were final drafts, but Craig was allowed to be a part of the process. Moreover, when our daughter dug in her heels, Craig had the judgment and experience to back off and let her voice shine through.”
Parent of Johns Hopkins University student

“Craig is a master at what he does. He relates superbly to students, while still holding them accountable to doing the work and expecting the best from them. Both of our kids enjoyed working with him and felt that his process was understandable and sensible. He also knows when to push and when to hold back – for instance, if your child is buried in schoolwork, he will remind him or her that schoolwork should come first and is most important – a refreshing thing to hear from an ACT/SAT tutor. This helped my kids manage their time reasonably while also giving each of them control over their own decision making regarding how/when to do the work. Lastly, he communicates directly with the students and only involves parents when necessary, providing updates to parents along the way when pertinent. This helped reduce the already existing tension around the college process immeasurably in our household!”
Parent of 2 Cornell University students

“Craig has been a pivotal resource in my college process, and he has given me a massive advantage over other test takers. As a result of his unique, advanced strategies and his impeccable communicative and organizational abilities, I was able to achieve over a 35 in 3 of the 4 sections (with one 36). Whenever I encountered struggles along the way, he always had a tailored solution for how I should overcome it, which allowed me to progress quickly. Through Craig’s motivational words, I have learned to not procrastinate difficult tasks, but instead to tackle them one step at a time. I will carry the many lessons I have learned from him as I continue my studies at Washington University in St Louis.”
WashU student

“Craig was an excellent tutor and very enjoyable to work with. I appreciated the casual nature of our zoom calls and rarely felt like they were a chore. He put a strong emphasis on addressing questions that I answered incorrectly on practice tests, which I believe led to the bulk of my score improvement. It was always my dream to play baseball at a prestigious academic school, and it was largely my ACT score and my college essays that afforded me that opportunity. Without Craig’s help, I would not have been able to achieve that score, and my dream would have been unrealized.”
Carleton student

“We could not be happier with the work Craig did with our son. Not only did Craig improve our son’s ACT score by 8 points, but he also was very patient during the entire process, including applications, dealing with our son’s concerns and anxiety. Not only did our son’s score increase a lot after working with Craig, but so did his confidence.” Parent of Brown University student
“Craig was a great and amusing tutor. He made sessions feel not only educational, but fun. I felt like he adapted his teaching to fit things I was struggling with and listened to my feedback. He not only kept me on track, but pushed me because he knew I could get a great score. When I got back my first ACT score, he was the first person I called and he picked up right away; I could tell he was just as proud and excited as I was. He’s overall a great guy and an awesome tutor.”
Northwestern student

“My son’s ACT score quickly jumped from a 28 (after working for months with another tutor) to a 33. Craig was professional, patient, efficient and clearly an expert in all areas. He single handedly brought my son’s preparedness and confidence to a whole new level. He is funny and relatable using current culture so that the kids can relate. He is a true game changer!”
Parent of University of Texas – Austin student

“We have utilized Craig’s services now for both our kids and our son and daughter are completely different personalities and students. Craig’s ability to assess, understand and connect with each of our kids was just incredible. Once he accomplished this, he was able to use his tremendous wealth of ACT resources; his studying/test taking strategies and insight as to each of my child’s strengths and weaknesses. He demands a lot but that was only a formula of success for my kids as their scores went up and up and allowed them to achieve their individual goals for acceptances to their college choices. I would highly recommend Craig and willing to share our experiences with any family inquiring. Thanks Craig for caring and coming through!!”
Parent of two University of Michigan students

“Not only was working with Craig instrumental to my growth as a student and to my admission to my dream school, but he additionally is a great mentor that provides around the clock support on all matters. Craig truly adapts his strategies to fit the learning styles of each of his students in order to make his time with them as proactive and productive as possible.”
Cornell University student

“Craig is a fantastic tutor who is willing to put in the effort to help his students succeed. He helped me increase my ACT score by nearly 10 points and was the most engaged tutor I ever had. He made the college process so much easier to handle and get past. While Covid added a certain degree of uncertainty to the college process, Craig was outstanding and guided me and my family to make sure we could meet the goals we wanted. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Craig.”
WashU (McKelvey School of Engineering) student

“Craig is the best tutor I have ever had. He is hilarious and always knows how to turn a boring task into a more enjoyable one. I truly don’t believe that any other tutor could have raised my grade to the extent which he did. Although it is a solid amount of work if you put in the effort and do all the assignments your scores will improve. Craig’s teachings not only led to a successful ACT but also getting me into my first choice school.”
Tulane University student

“Craig is one of the best people I have worked with doing pretty much anything. He has shown an immense level of mastery of multiple concepts in order to complete one goal: stringing together the best presentation of attributes and abilities possible in a college application. I genuinely thought that getting a tutor/advisor would only serve as a motivation tool, as I already felt confident in my ability, but Craig supplied me with countless tips and tricks that have been absolutely invaluable in the college process, especially during standardized testing. What is most notable to me is his ability to set a standard of thinking when preparing for testing in order to set our minds on the same track, making it nearly impossible not to understand the strategies used for, and nuances of, standardized testing. I honestly wish I could keep him as my life coach.”
NYU Shanghai student

“Craig was an incredible teacher to work with. Without him, I truly would not be in the position I am today attending the school I am in next fall. He helped make all of this possible for me. Not only did he help prepare me for the exams, he made studying for them fun. He used strategies that made me laugh and helped me to remember them. He taught me strategies that also played a vital role in my academic life that I used beyond the ACT. He was such a big help in my common app as well. He gave me specific feedback that really helped me understand which parts I needed to fix to make it perfect and how to really make the reader want to learn more about the story. We would read through it together and he would read it out loud so I could hear from a different perspective how it sounded. He paid attention to all my personal needs and understood that some days I just needed a little break in the beginning and was very understanding of that. I felt that I had a connection to him more than just him teaching me the ACT and working on my essays. We would talk about sports, card games, vacations, and everything that had nothing to do with the exam just to build that personal connection. Working with Craig made me excited to hop on zoom with him every week and get to work. I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher to guide me on my journey.”
Yale University student

“Working with Craig was easily the best tutor/teacher-student relationship I have ever had. Craig made the ACT process way less stressful by offering tailored strategies to me which allowed me to see the test completely differently and raise my score. Additionally, lessons with Craig were never something I had to dread, as he would keep me engaged with funny jokes/stories and make it an enjoyable experience. Without Craig there is certainly no way I would have had the success that I did in this process. By the end of the process Craig became a friend that I could look forward to seeing and celebrating my improved score which I could not have accomplished without him.”
University of Texas – Austin student

“Great teacher, and an even better guy! Craig really paid attention to my personal and academic struggles in the height of the pandemic and took the time to carefully make sure I was prepared for the test. My results speak for themselves!”
Tulane University student