Bara S.

Bara S.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Logo

Studied at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

City Test Prep Logo

Works at City Test Prep

Available Friday at 7:00 PM UTC

Please text if you're scheduling less than 2 days in advance. +19178056015

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About Bara

Bara Sapir, CEO of MindFlow and City Test Prep is an expert coach and master educator with over 30 years of experience teaching test preparation and test anxiety relief. She is a pioneer in the test prep industry with a mindful test-taking modality only available at City Test Prep, and now, through Leland. Bara taught test prep for six years as an instructor for The Princeton Review, was a solopreneur for several years then opened her test prep company, City Test Prep (2005). She and her team of test experts, provide individualized tutoring and ensure their clients score their best by fully addressing the four pillars of test-taking success: - Content Mastery - Test Taking Strategy - Time Management (through accelerated reading methods) - Optimal Mindset She starts with an initial conversation, intake and evaluation of a diagnostic test. Each study plan addresses each student's unique needs, improving weak areas and meeting their goals, schedule, and timeline. Optimal Mindset Sapir initiated bringing mindful and holistic techniques to the test preparation study regime, work similar to that of sports psychologists working with world-class athletes. She helps students reduce anxiety and enhance concentration, confidence, and ease. These full potential tools are drawn from hypnosis, Neuro-linguistic programming, mindfulness, bilateral stimulation, Tapping, EMDR, peripheral vision, sound therapy, growth mindset, integrated life coaching, reframing, and more self-actualization modalities. As students optimize their test-taking experience, they perform better , and earn higher scores. Sessions are customized to each student's needs. Bara has coached hundreds of clients including: - Students who were accepted to leading high schools, boarding schools, universities, and boarding schools, such as Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, INSEAD, London School of Business, Northwestern, Stanford, University of Chicago, UCLA, UC-Berkeley, and the University of Pennsylvania. - Physicians taking high-level medical boards - Leading entertainment and advertising professionals - Advisors to U.S. government leaders - Executives at Fortune 500 companies Bara’s expertise has been featured in magazines and newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, Cosmogirl, Next Step, CNN/Fortune Magazine, The Jewish Forward, Women’s World and Positive Thinking. She has appeared on television, including CBS Bay Sunday, on the radio, including programs on National Public Radio (NPR), and is a regular speaker on webinars (Accepted.com, Forte Foundation, IECA) at conferences (IECA, HECA, AET, NTPA, AIGAC, NTA), as well as a guest speaker in schools. Bara co-wrote The Full Potential GMAT Sentence Correction Intensive, wrote The Full Potential Manual, and the upcoming Sentence Correction EA, all published by Nova Press. She created MindFlow: the Mindful Speed Reading Workshop for middle school, high school, college and for adults, offered in person monthly and as an online course. And to bring it to a wider audience, and the online training platform, MindFlow https://mindflowspeedreading.com She also created/produced the Full Potential Audio (sample on the City Test Prep website). Bara held a 3- year post on the board of directors of the National Test Prep Association, is a board member of the Networking Entrepreneurial Women of Marin (NEWofMarin), on the leadership of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC), and a co-founder and co-host on MBAWaves, a weekly program on LinkedIn Live/FaceBook and YouTube with Eric Lucrezia of Candidate Coach and author of The Getting into MBA series. Bara holds a Masters degrees in Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and Art History from the University of Michigan. She has certification in Hypnosis, Neuro-linguistic Programming, Integrative Life Coaching, Counseling from Interchange, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and is a Reiki practitioner. She is a published author, professional artist and an ordained kohenet. Bara conducts workshops for students, parents, educators, business people, and creative professionals seeking high-performance results at school, work, and in life. Bara lives with her rescue pups, Chata and Murphy, foster dog Koda, and is a huge advocate for shelter/rescue dogs (https://animaladvocates.info)

Why do I coach?

Coaching with me offers a transformative experience that goes beyond traditional goal-setting to address specific challenges like test anxiety, focus, and overall test-taking success. I believe coaching is essential because it provides a space for you to gain clarity, overcome obstacles, and unlock your potential in all areas—including academic and professional exams. Together, we’ll focus on practical strategies to eliminate anxiety, enhance your concentration, and build confidence, making you the best test-taker you can be. Through supportive tutoring and coaching, I’ll help you discover new ways to approach your studies and exams, ensuring you feel prepared and self-assured when it matters most. With consistent guidance, we’ll uncover insights and solutions to overcome hurdles and transform how you approach tests, empowering you to achieve your highest potential. If you're ready to see real improvement and make lasting progress, reach out today. Let's start on the path to becoming your most focused and successful self.

Work Experience

MindFlow Speed Reading Logo

Founder and CEO

MindFlow Speed Reading

January 2020 - Present

MindFlow Speed Reading is an online training platform that brings two game-changing skills to the test taker seeking top scores: accelerated reading and mindset tools. These are two aspects of test preparation absent from most if not all tutoring programs. MindFlow tools increase your reading speed, improve your focus and comprehension and boost performance on admissions tests, in school and professionally. Our learning program can help you achieve higher scores on most admissions tests (SSAT, SHSAT, ISEE, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, EA, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, IELTS and PTE) with techniques that will support you in middle and high school, college, business school, graduate school, medical school, law school and throughout your academic and professional career. MindFlow's online platform is based on the in-person and online workshop taught since 2005 and offered exclusively through City Test Prep. It increases students reading speed p to 5x and scores improve up to 26% on reading comprehension sections/question types.

City Test Prep Logo

Founder

City Test Prep

February 2005 - Present

At City Test Prep, we help students prepare for and excel on high stakes admissions tests such as the GRE, GMAT, EA as well as others for acceptance to high school, college, graduate, law and medical school. Our tutors create customized action plans and work with students individually to help them recognize their ability to learn and exceed their expectations. Students achieve success when they achieve optimal performance in these four aspects of test taking: - content mastery - employing the best test-taking strategy - time management through efficient reading - embodying an optimal mindset The last two aspects are not traditionally incorporated into test prep study, however they are game changers for those seeking the highest scores. CTP incorporates their time management training through MindFlow, a mindful speed reading workshop launched in 2022, MindFlow, an online mindful speed reading training program. https://mindflowspeedreading.com To optimize mindset, students engage in holistic and mindful coaching which ensure they maximize their efforts, learning ways to emotionally regulate and perform their best when it counts the most Student learn techniques to be focused and feel relaxed, confident and anxiety-free. The methods are drawn from hypnosis, Neuro-linguistic programming, bilateral stimulation, breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness, tapping, and integrated life coaching. The process is short and potent and typically a game changer for anxious students who don't perform to their potential. City Test Prep has guided thousands of students to top test performance, gaining admission into top academic programs nationwide and internationally.

Education

The Jewish Theological Seminary Logo

The Jewish Theological Seminary

MA, Education

2002 - 2005

A masters degree exploring methods to enhance educational experiences and outcomes by harnessing creativity, spirituality and mindset work.

City University of New York Logo

City University of New York

NA, PhD program in Art History

2000 - 2002

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Logo

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

AM, Art History

1991 - 1993

University of Michigan's Art History program is trains students in academic inquiry and provides a broad intellectual foundation necessary for developing independent critical judgment as well as the specialized training needed to conduct advanced scholarly research. The program is noted for its emphasis on theory grounded in historical practice, its commitment to cross-cultural and interdisciplinary study, and its large and distinguished faculty, representing a broad range of historical and geographical expertise. Sapir's coursework focused on gender representations and her thesis work was seminal research on one of the first 'witness' paintings completed after the Holocaust.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Logo

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

BFA, Fine Arts

1987 - 1991

Fine Arts degree with a specialization in Mixed Media. Graduated cum laude.

Bara was also personally admitted to

  • Carnegie Mellon University Logo

    Carnegie Mellon University

  • Washington University in St. Louis Logo

    Washington University in St. Louis

  • New York University Logo

    New York University

Bara S.

Bara S.

 
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