Blog
Houston ISD’s Best Elementary and Middle Schools by STAAR Scores 2026
West University Elementary, the second best performing elementary school in HISD by STAAR scores T.H. Rogers continues its reign as Houston Independent School District (HISD)'s best elementary and middle school by Texas STAAR test scores. Other top elementary [...]
Our Latest News, Research, and Analysis
Houston’s National Merit Semifinalists for 2026-2027
Houston's Graduating Seniors Outperform The 2026-2027 National Merit Scholarship Competition was another good showing for Houston-area high school seniors. Of the more than 16,000 “Semifinalists,” 498 Houston-area students scored [...]
What Executive Function Skills Do Students Struggle With Most?
Over General Academic's 23+ years of supporting Houston students, we have seen academic expectations increase exponentially. Whether students are navigating the rigorous transition into an HISD Vanguard program or juggling [...]
Is Automatic Admission Good Enough? A Closer Look at UT Austin and Texas A&M
Applications for Fall 2027 entry open August 1, and UT Austin's auto-admit cutoff for this cycle is top 5%. If you're the parent of a rising senior in Houston, the [...]
ISEE Course Survey Results: Students Understand the Stakes
For Houston students applying to highly competitive private schools—such as Awty, Kinkaid, and St. John's—the ISEE admissions test is a high-stakes gatekeeper. We surveyed 134 rising 5th and 8th graders [...]
Academics and Elementary Learning
Stop Learning Loss and Make the Most of Your Summer
The best way to prevent summer learning loss is [...]
What is Executive Function and How Students Can Improve It
Executive functions are the suite of cognitive abilities that allows [...]
Analysis of General Academic’s Data Driven Approach to Tutor Quality
General Academic has completed an unprecedented AI-driven audit of its [...]
Why Take AP or IB Courses? Houston AP & IB Programs and 2026 Test Dates
High school students interested in learning college-level material, boosting [...]
Executive Function Self-Assessment for Students
Many parents find themselves in a familiar situation: they have [...]
Test Prep
When Should Houston Students Start Preparing for the ISEE Test
Houston families are starting ISEE prep earlier than ever. For [...]
Conquering Test Anxiety: A Research-Backed Guide for Parents and Students
For more than 23 years, General Academic has guided tens [...]
ISEE Test Score Improvement, What to Expect
During the 2025-2026 fall testing cycle, around 400 Houston-area students [...]
Houston Schools
Houston’s National Merit Semifinalists for 2026-2027
Houston's Graduating Seniors Outperform The 2026-2027 National Merit Scholarship [...]
Houston Private School Tuition 2026-2027
For the 2026-2027 school year, Houston private school tuition costs [...]
Why Take AP or IB Courses? Houston AP & IB Programs and 2026 Test Dates
High school students interested in learning college-level material, boosting [...]
College Counseling
Automatic Admission at Texas Colleges for 2026-2027
Every Texas public college, more than 30 in total, [...]
College Application Timeline for Texas Students
Our updated college applications timeline for the 2026–2027 cycle [...]
Inside the General Academic College Admissions Tracker
Announcing General Academic's custom-built college admissions tracking app: what it [...]