Next Level Learning Center

Hi! I'm Val Marsden Fitzhugh, founder of Next Level. With 25+ years of experience in education, my team and I have helped countless students thrive. We offer personalized one-on-one virtual test prep for the SHSAT, ISEE, HSPT, and TACHS tailored to meet your child's needs. Reach out to us at [email protected] or (212) 957-9100 to get started.

Nearly 20,000 8th-graders took the SHSAT in its new digital format this past Wednesday. Read the full story here:

NYC’s digital SHSAT debut goes smoothly for most test takers NYC’s Specialized High School Admissions Test went digital this year, and nearly all who took it had no issues. But a time clock glitch affected a handful of kids.

https://www.hunterschools.org/high-school/admissions/overview

Hunter College High School applications are open!
Apply now through December 5 at 3 PM.

Overview

Public high school applications are now open!

High School Apply during your child's 8th or (first-time) 9th grade year.

Hi! I'm Val Marsden Fitzhugh, founder of Next Level. With 25+ years of experience in education, my team and I have helped countless students navigate the h.s. admissions process with confidence and success. We offer personalized virtual consulting tailored to your family's goals in as many or as few sessions as you like. From choosing the right schools to preparing for interviews, assessments, or the SHSAT, we're happy to help. Email [email protected], call (212) 957-9100, or click this link https://nyclearn.com/contact/ to get started.

Mark your calendars! Public school admissions timelines below!

Enroll Grade by Grade How to apply and enroll in NYC public schools, grade by grade

TACHS registration has opened!

TACHS website Web site created using create-react-app

Hi! I'm Val Marsden Fitzhugh, founder of Next Level. With 25+ years of experience in education, I've seen how important the right support can be, especially at the start of a new school year. We offer personalized one-on-one virtual sessions, tailored to meet your child's needs. From high school admissions consulting to academic support to test prep, we're happy to help! Reach out to us at [email protected] or (212) 957-9100 to see how we can support your child this fall.

Specialized schools take the top 8 spots! Email [email protected] to learn about our personalized SHSAT tutoring plans.

High Schools in New York City Public Schools District | New York | Best High Schools | US News Find the best public high schools in New York City Public Schools district here. Browse school rankings, graduation rate, college readiness data and more.

https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/08/11/2025-new-york-state-tests-reading-math-nyc-reads-eric-adams/

NYC state tests jump in reading and math. How did your school do? NYC officials claimed credit for a 7 percentage point bump in reading scores, but experts said it’s difficult to draw a link to Mayor Adams’ curriculum overhaul.

Welcome!

My name is Valerie Fitzhugh and I founded Next Level Learning Center both as an extension of my keen interest in education as well as an opportunity to work with children as a career. When I started Next Level I recognized an opportunity to create a different approach to tutoring that focused on developing a customized teaching curriculum around my individual student’s personality and learning style, as opposed to expecting them to fit into a predesigned template that didn’t necessarily address the specific needs of each unique student.

As I became immersed in tutoring I quickly learned that my students were more receptive, responsive, and productive in sessions not only because I was able to effectively teach the subject or test at hand, but also because I took the time to get to know my students and understand the pressures they were experiencing. It quickly became apparent that the caring relationship formed between my students and me built trust, engendered confidence, and reduced tension associated with school and school related work.

Moreover, I realized that in some instances I turned out to be the only adult to whom my students felt they could speak candidly about obstacles or academic concerns confronting them at school. It also became evident that being able to connect and develop a bond of trust with my students made sessions more enjoyable while also resulting in significantly improved results. Students relaxed, became more engaged, and actually had fun learning, which resulted in real progress. Whenever I’m cornered into coming up with a motto for my learning center it’s generally something sort of corny like, “We Make Learning Fun,” which expresses my awareness that learning improves when students are able to relax and not feel intimidated or overwhelmed by schoolwork and studies.

The current obsession with education reform, standardized testing, academic achievement, rapidly advancing technology, and an ever-increasing selective admissions environment means today’s students are enduring more pressure than ever to compete at a significantly higher level. As a result, anxiety plays a greater role in performance, and properly preparing for tests and admissions exams can become especially challenging and stressful. And when students feel stressed they have difficulty processing new information or focusing on schoolwork, and performance inevitably suffers.

At Next Level Learning my team recognizes that instructors aren’t just teachers, they are also de facto mentors in many instances, which means we must accept the bond we form with students during our sessions as a pivotal part of our obligation to them. My philosophy is that the most critical element of successful tutoring is ensuring our instructors and students are a suitable match. First, of course, the instructor must know the subject matter and be skilled at teaching but, more importantly, the instructor must be able to develop rapport and trust with the student.

So while there are plenty of teachers who know their fields well, being able to effectively communicate with students and efficiently impart knowledge are fundamental skills we emphasize at Next Level. One of the advantages of being a smaller, more personable learning center is that we are able to customize our work around each unique student. For example, some students respond well to a kinder, sensitive approach while others benefit from more pragmatic, structured, or firm tactics. We always begin with where the student is when we meet him or her and then devise a strategy and plan that addresses his or her individual strengths and weaknesses and puts us on a constructive path toward achieving the objectives of tutoring.
I would like to add that over the years we have developed beneficial relationships with many of New York’s most competitive private and public schools, which means we know their culture and curriculum as well as their staff and faculty — a significant advantage to our students and their families. Most important, we are longtime residents and parents ourselves, and many of our students and their families are also our treasured friends and neighbors.

Whether your child is seeking to work on fundamentals, maintain exemplary grades, or perhaps has an important test approaching, I invite you to consider Next Level Learning for tutoring. You can count on me and our instructors to provide what many of our parents believe is the best tutoring in New York. Please contact Next Level Learning for more information about how we can help your child.

I look forward to meeting you.

Interesting news for rising sophomores and younger!

NYS Regents board looking to adjust graduation requirements The board has unveiled "Portrait of a Graduate" framework which may lead to the end of REGENTS exam requirements for graduation.