Worrier or Warrior? Why Some Students Perform Better Under Pressure
Posted on October 30, 2026
PrepMatters founder Ned Johnson on the brain chemistry that makes one student fall apart under stress while another does their…
Senior Test Prep and Academic Tutor
Originally from the cornfields of Iowa (literally), Rod has lived in Maryland for over ten years. Rod graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in History and received his Juris Doctor degree from the Drake University School of Law. Since 2005, Rod has found a home at PrepMatters where he tutors extensively and explains how to prep for SAT, SSAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT and various SAT subject tests. Rod and his wife Joy live in Columbia, Maryland with their three children: Sammy, Amelia, and Savannah.
Knowing how to prep for the SAT and other standardized tests can seem like a daunting and sometimes menacing task for most students applying to high school, college, and graduate school. My fervent goal is to ease the anxiety that most students harbor about these tests by imparting the skills, strategies, and knowledge that I have and the students need. With this assistance and the give-and-take of our sessions, the students gain a confidence that they can and will improve and ultimately succeed. Furthermore, with the busy lives that students lead in today’s world, I try to focus on key areas and give reasonable homework assignments that focus on quality over quantity.
Rod Spies helped my son dramatically improve his test score AND, with Rod's pleasant personality, test prep did not seem too stressful or a burden. -BCC High School parent
Rod was very organized and responsive. I appreciated his check-ins before our appointments, and his detailed explanation of the work that they tackled together and his honest assessment of her performance. -Whittle School and Studios parent
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