![Bara S.](https://leland.imgix.net/profile-photos/62f1a1d60fb50d66996142c8.jpg?fit=crop&crop=faces&h=0&w=0)
Bara S.
Increase your ACT & SAT Test Scores by Improving your Mindset
![University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Logo](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fleland.imgix.net%2Fschools%2Fumich-ann-arbor.png%3Fw%3D64%26q%3D75&w=32&q=75)
Studied at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Works at City Test Prep
Available tomorrow at 6:00 PM UTC
Please text if you're scheduling less than 2 days in advance. +19178056015
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Bara’s College Qualifications
Coaches professionally
1000+ people coached for College
Tests do not only measure what you know, they also measure how well take tests. I've been empowering students to perform their best on the SAT and ACT since 1992, first as a tutor at The Princeton Review (6 years), then as a solopreneur, until 2005, when I founded my company City Test Prep. Early on, I learned early that how a student's performance and score, can be compromised when they feel under pressure and timed conditions, feel anxious, have negative self-talk or beliefs, or aren't provided the tools to meet or exceed their expectations. To help students succeed, I drew from my own experience of getting into the zone as a trained artist and musician. When I'm in that liminal space, I produce the best work, perform the best on tests, and am able to create with ease and enjoyment. This 'secret sauce' has helped students score hundreds of points higher when they take tests because they're able to feel comfortable and assured in their knowledge and skill sets. I've amassed a robust toolbox to help students show up as their best test-taking selves: calm, focused, clear-headed, and confident. I draw from mindfulness, visualization, integrated life coaching, Neuro-linguistic programming, bilateral stimulation, hypnosis, growth mindset, positive psychology, sound therapy, and other tools. The work I do can be understood as that which trainers and sports psychologists offer high-performing athletes, for my work addresses the needs of test takers. Beyond being a problem solver and someone who delights in empowering others, my qualifications include an MA in education, 30+ years working with students on content mastery, test-taking strategy, mindset, and speed reading for tests. I am among the first to combine mindful and holistic practices into education and test-prep. I have taught students test prep and fine art at middle and high school as well as college levels. Contributions I've made to the field include the 'Full Potential Manual' (author), The GMAT Sentence Correction Intensive (co-author) (both published by Nova Press), The Full Potential Audio series (including titles for the ACT and SAT). Since time management is also a problem for students, I developed the MindFlow workshop and recently launched it as an online program. MindFlow is a mindful speed reading training system for SAT, ACT test takers, and high school students. Students who work individually with me typically achieve the results they seek in 3-5 hours. When not working, I'm active in dog rescue and in raising and releasing monarch butterflies. I still create art (google me!) and music and lead life-cycle rituals as an ordained kohenet. I live with my rescue pup, Chata and typically a foster dog.
Bara can help with:
Application Strategy
Interviews
Essays
About Bara
Bara Sapir, CEO of MindFlow and City Test Prep is an expert coach and educator who has over 30 years of experience in 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, Leland, Bara taught test prep for six years as an instructor for The Princeton Review. 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. These help the student optimize their test-taking experience which translates to higher scores and results in academic and professional success. The 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 and wrote The Full Potential Manual, both 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, recently launched MindFlow as an online platform https://mindflowspeedreading.com Bara is a founding board member of the National Test Prep Association, 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 pup, Chata, foster dogs, helps in the efforts to save monarch butterflies, and is a huge advocate for shelter/rescue dogs.
Work Experience
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.
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
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
NA, PhD program in Art History
2000 - 2002
![University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Logo](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fleland.imgix.net%2Fschools%2Fumich-ann-arbor.png%3Fw%3D224%26q%3D75&w=128&q=75)
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](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fleland.imgix.net%2Fschools%2Fumich-ann-arbor.png%3Fw%3D224%26q%3D75&w=128&q=75)
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
Washington University in St. Louis
New York University