Posts by Mark Taylor

Alexis Avila joins me on the Learning on Fire podcast and explores the most important learning and educational moments that shaped his life.

Our guest – Alexis Avila

Frequently quoted by U.S. News & World Report, Alexis founded Prepped and Polished to help elementary, secondary, college-level, and adult students improve their grades and test scores. While tutoring for several small and large commercial test prep companies, Alexis envisioned growing his own independent educational services company run entirely by educators, for the love of education. Alexis and other members of the Prepped and Polished team have collectively traveled one hundred thousand miles to educate students in person, working with well over a thousand families. Described by students as supportive, patient, and enthusiastic, Alexis has helped students and adults gain confidence, maximize their academic potential, and achieve dramatically improved grades and test scores.

Alexis is a certified school guidance counselor, grades Pre K-12, and holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (a US News ranked top-five Counseling Psychology program), as well as a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Alexis also spent his junior year living in Seville, Spain through the Cornell, Pennsylvania, University of Michigan study abroad program. Alexis completed a two day seminar in Executive Function disorder, as well as a one day seminar on Advanced Strategies to Improve Executive Function Skills, all through the Landmark School Outreach Program. Alexis regularly speaks nationally about tutoring, test preparation, and students with learning challenges to parents and professionals at schools and conferences across the US, including SEPAC organizations in Dover, Sudbury, and Wayland, MA, as well as the IECA and CollegeWeek Live.

Alexis is the Test Prep Expert columnist for Answers.com, and both writes and produces videos for his educational blog, which has over 300 videos and podcasts. He interviews educators, mentors, and inspiring leaders on his Prepped and Polished Podcast. Alexis leads SAT Math Strategies and SAT Strategy Secrets Workshops at various local high schools, as well as administers the ACT-SAT Test Prep Selector Diagnostic and Evaluation at several college fairs.

Alexis is a member of professional organizations such as the University of Michigan Alumni Association (Alumni Student Recruiter); and also non-profit organizations such as Bridge over Troubled Waters, Mass Mentoring, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and Community Servings. An active member of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America since 2003, Alexis was nominated in 2010 as one of the final five finalists for Big Brother of the Year. Alexis ran in three Boston Marathons from 2012-2014, collectively raising 15,000 dollars for two youth mentoring programs, Mass Mentoring and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.

Questions asked on the Learning on Fire Podcast Interview

1. Who are you?
2. What does your life look like now and how is it different from when you were growing up?
3. What was valuable about your school experience?
4. Which teachers do you remember and why?
5. Who did you admire when you were young?
6. What was it about that person that had such an impact?
7. What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who gave it to you?
8. What advice would you give your younger self?
9. What does your future look like?
10. What podcast, book, video, film, song or other resource has had the biggest impact on your life and why?

Resources mentioned

Joe Rogan Podcast

Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins

12 Rules For Life – Jordan B. Peterson

Secrets Self-Made Millionaires Teach Their Kids – Steve Siebold

Contact information