Episode 307 | Viktoriya Furina | ExamIQ | The Knowledge Entrepreneurs Show

Episode Description

In this episode, Viktoriya Furina, founder of Exam IQ with 25 years of experience, reveals how the high-stakes, one-shot nature of New York's SHSAT—the sole admission criterion for eight specialized high schools—shapes her rigorous approach. Drawing from teaching students from second grade through SAT, Viktoriya explains how she prepares 12 and 13-year-olds to perform under extreme pressure by having them take 20 to 30 practice exams until test-taking becomes routine. She discusses her skills-first philosophy that goes beyond test prep, teaching seventh through tenth grade material at no additional cost—even adding an extra hour to every SHSAT class this year after noticing students are less prepared than in the past. Viktoriya shares her grammar-as-framework approach to clear thinking, emphasizing that students who struggle with writing need structure, high expectations, and weekly revision cycles. She personally spends three hours every night reviewing homework submissions from parents, treating families as partners in the transformative middle school years.