Test prep that holds up under pressure.
Third Mind Learning helps teens who get anxious about math or test-taking learn the material and handle the pressure, so overwhelm doesn't erase what they know.
- 150+ students coached
- Certified HeartMath® Trainer
- SAT & ACT
“Joe quickly identified weaknesses, inspired confidence, and made sessions enjoyable. As a parent, I appreciated his flexibility and responsiveness. My only regret is not finding him sooner!”
The gap most test prep never trains
Sound familiar?
Maybe your teen does well on practice tests, then falls apart on the real one. Or they understand the math at the kitchen table and blank on it once the timer starts.
Or math itself has become the problem: they shut down before they've even started the homework.
Why it happens
That's not a knowledge gap. It's the one thing most test prep doesn't train: what happens to their thinking once the pressure's real.
Why I built this
I'm Joe Ruotolo. I've worked with a lot of students, and I've seen months of preparation come undone because a student walked into the test dysregulated, with no tools to get their head back in the game.
I built Third Mind Learning to solve that problem, so students walk in with both the knowledge and the state-management skills they need to perform at their best.
“The heart coherence work made a real difference. It improved my focus and helped me manage the stress and anxiety I used to feel about testing.”
That anxious, locked-up feeling isn't who they are.
It's a state. And with the right tools, states can change.
Test prep for the material. State management for the pressure.
The tools come from two sides.
The material
Content mastery, error analysis, and pacing, all built around a diagnostic that shows exactly where to focus.
The pressure
HeartMath® heart-coherence training that teaches your teen to recognize an anxious state and shift out of it.
Most students get taught one side or the other. Rarely both, together, on purpose.
“Your approach taught me how to actually do the math and understand why it works, instead of memorizing steps to plug into a calculator.”
Who'll be in your teen's corner
- 150+ students coached SAT and ACT
- BA Physics, BS Mathematics State University of New York at New Paltz
- University lecturer Mathematics at SUNY New Paltz
- Years at an elite test-prep firm New York
- MBA UCLA Anderson
- Certified HeartMath® Trainer
Track record
I've worked with more than 150 students on the SAT and ACT. Many of them came to me anxious and overwhelmed by math and test-taking. I didn't start with this approach as a theory. Working with those students is what led me to build it.
How I work
I had great mentors as a student, and I owe a lot of my path to them. That's the role I take with every student: a guide in their corner who knows the territory.
Beyond test day
Test day matters, but it was never the whole point. The skills that steady a student on test day are the ones they'll carry into every high-stakes moment after it.
“Joe tutored my two boys, 16 and 14, over the past few years… As a busy mom and CEO, I appreciated Joe's engaging, effective teaching and his patience and wisdom. Joe has opened so many opportunities for them. Highly recommend!”
Start with a conversation
Tell me where your teen is and what test day has looked like so far. We'll talk through whether this is the right fit and what the next step would be.
Fill out a short form to get started.