He Came, He Saw, He Conquered... the SAT

For many high school students, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) conjures the fear and loathing that even the likes of Hunter S. Thompson never experienced.

For 19-year-old Ian Malave, it was all a bit different. Some might even say Julius Caesaresque, in that “Veni, vidi, vici” kind of way. 

The Lakewood resident, sophomore at the University of Southern California and 2010 graduate of Saint Ignatius High School, definitely “came, saw and conquered” the SAT during his high school tenure.

And now he’s back in his hometown of Lakewood this summer, helping a host of Ivy League hopefuls gear up to defeat the monolithic test.

Malave will host a pair of free SAT conquering events—a parent’s “Q&A” event on July 6 and a student workshop on July 14—both at the located at 1495 Warren Rd.

Both events lead up to Malave’s student immersion on the SAT planned for later this summer. Details and RSVPs for both events can be obtained by calling the Vision 21 office at 216-712-4244.

“It’s all really personal to me,” Malave told Patch in an interview this week.

“Being out in California, I can tell you that there are a lot of people who give Cleveland and Ohio—and a lot of the people here—a bad rap. They’ve got it all wrong and I’m back here to help kids get into better schools and give back to the community.”

The lifelong Lakewood resident was selected by the innovative test prep company Revolution Prep to head up Revolution’s Ivy Insiders classroom courses and tutoring programs.

The company has been in business since 2002 and boasts huge SAT score improvements for students—between 200 and 300 points on average, a larger margin than any other program currently on the market.

Naturally Malave, who scored in the 99^th percentile on the test, was a perfect fit.

“Having been through the process recently, I understand what students are going through when they’re applying to colleges and gearing up for the SAT,” Malave says.

“I believe I can help these students achieve their college goals. I’ve tutored quite a bit, but this seemed like a great way to come home, give back in a service commitment and help people on a grand scale.”

A recipient of the Rensselaer Medal for Math and Science and President’s Education Award during his tenure at Saint Ignatius, Malave was also a National Merit Finalist—attaining six perfect-5 scores on his advanced placement (AP) exams.

Malave currently studies Computer Science and Business Administration at USC in Los Angeles and grew up in a “generation house” in Lakewood.

“My mom lived there her whole life and my grandmother did as well for most of her life,” Malave says, adding that he “didn’t realize until I left just how strong the sense of community is here. California is not the same and definitely doesn’t feel like home to me.”

Malave is planning the SAT workshop not to exceed 20 students, “to maximize hands-on instruction and attention,” he says.

“Capping the class at 20 is a manageable number and allows for connection with every kid in the class. It’s definitely a reasonable time commitment with each student.”

He is so committed to the idea of helping his hometown that students won’t be turned away due to financial status or income. Discounts and financial aid for his upcoming SAT program are available to qualifying families.

Prospective students can contact Malave directly by email at ian_malave@ivyinsiders.com and can visit Revolution Prep by clicking here.