- 9600 Seven Locks Rd. Bethesda, MD 20817
We will have the class on Sundays in the fall, in person at Mater Dei School in Bethesda, MD. The course will be taught at four separate times. Please pick a consistent time that you would like to attend the course: 11am, 1pm, 3pm, or 5pm.
All sessions are held at Mater Dei School in Bethesda, MD — centrally located and easy to reach for families in the D.C. metro area.
Classes meet in a bright, well-equipped room with a Smartboard, providing a dynamic and engaging learning environment.
The course includes seven in-person classes, each lasting 75 minutes.
First class: Sunday, October 5
No class: October 12 (Columbus Day Weekend)
Final class: Sunday, November 23
Students should purchase the Barron’s HSPT Prep Book before class. It’s used primarily for homework; in-class lessons are supported by additional resources.
💻 Full Digital Access Included
Every student receives full access to the online HSPT platform, including:
• Recorded video lessons
• Online quizzes and practice drills
• Extra “deep dive” content to support mastery
• 📺 Perfect for reviewing missed classes or reinforcing tricky concepts
🎯 Focused on a One-Time-Only Test
Since students only take the HSPT once, this course ensures they’re well-prepared and confident when test day arrives.
View Our Course Selection Below!
John is a committed educator and school leader. He is excited to bring his courses to those who need them. While there are many options available to you for such courses, John believes that his approach is rooted in the fundamentals of good teaching and learning and not in simply teaching the students “tricks.”
Students receives individual attention and a strong foundation in the subjects tested.
Students benefit from a complete test prep experience that includes full practice tests, grading, and detailed analysis.
Having a teacher with three decades of experience in education will help you do your very best on this important test.
Combining interactive lessons with personalized support to ensure students stay motivated.
Every section of the HSPT is covered: Verbal Skills, Reading, Language, Math, and Quantitative Skills, with targeted lessons, in-class quizzes, and homework to reinforce learning
In-class instruction is supported by high-quality practice sets designed specifically for HSPT prep—materials students haven’t already seen elsewhere.
Mr. John Dugan brings 30+ years of classroom experience, a deep understanding of the HSPT, and a proven track record of helping students succeed, many of who have even earned merit based scholarships due in part to their strong performance on the HSPT.
Parents and students have shared positive feedback about how our SSAT and HSPT courses helped build confidence, improve skills, and achieve strong test results.
Mr Dugan - SSAT and HSPT Prep 24 Google reviews Kenneth Sievers2025-05-12Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great resource, but needs to add a little bit more geometry. Kate Krantz2025-05-11Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This prep course is excellent. Since day 1 Mr. Dugan has given tips and tricks for helping the students achieve HSPT success. My daughter has very much enjoyed the class and this has increased her confidence. Never once has she complained about attending or doing the work. Mr. Dugan is so kind, generous, patient and dedicated. My son also took the class. He improved over 100 points in 3 different sections. It was incredible. Highly recommend! Mia Miller2025-05-10Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We are very grateful to Mr. Dugan for his HSPT prep course. He approached the test in a strategic way and clearly outlined to students what they needed to know for each sub test. This helped our son feel more confident when the test day came. Our son attended classes in person, and we also had videos for each class. The videos of the classes were helpful for review and for us to know what had been covered. Mr. Dugan's verbal section Quizlet was invaluable. Our son's scores increased in every category from his practice test in the spring. The HSPT is pretty dry material, but Mr. Dugan made it more interesting for students with competitions and even some prizes! Gianna Cicotello2025-04-18Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great course and super helpful Jean McHugh2025-04-17Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My son is a Freshman at Gonzaga. He took Mr. Dugan’s HSPT Prep Course and as a result of Mr. Dugan’s instruction my son was prepared and confident the day he took the HSPT, period. 8th grade can be busy, fun, exciting and sometimes an overwhelming time of year for both the child and the parent. This course is an absolute for any child applying to one of many excellent schools in and outside of this area. Everything /Everyone is competitive. Mr. Dugan’s course allows for your child to be as successful as possible in one of the KEY components critical to your child be accepted to the school of their dreams. I highly recommend Mr. Dugan’s Prep Courses for any child! It’s really a “no brainer!”. Irena Spencer2025-04-01Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mr. Dugan's online HSPT prep course was truly worth the investment. He is an excellent instructor, and my son found that participating in the course helped him gain a deeper understanding of the test. The techniques he learned significantly improved his preparation and readiness for the exam. Moreover, my son received an acceptance offer from his first-choice high school, which he happily accepted. He is very excited to begin this new journey in the fall. Thank you, Mr. Dugan! Griffin Yearbook2020-12-03Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Materials were really great and easy to use. The prep quizzes/tests were extremely helpful.
HSPT prep strengthens core academic skills that benefit students well beyond the test—particularly in grammar, math fluency, and reading comprehension.
Redeemable for Any Class - Online or In Person