Gary Gruber

Author, scientist, and educator Dr. Gary R. Gruber was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical HS, The City College of New York where he obtained his bachelors degree, Columbia University where he was a Teaching Fellow and where he received his Master’s degree in Physics, and Yeshiva University where he was Research Fellow, N.A.S.A. Fellow, and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. He received his doctorate in Astrophysics from Yeshiva University.

Career

After receiving his doctorate, he became Chief Editor in Physics and Mathematics for Cambridge University Press, New York, but longed for the university setting and became Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Hofstra University, N.Y. He then wanted to work with the media and kept a position with Hofstra University as Senior Research Scientist while becoming Director of Public Relations and the Public Understanding of Science at The New York Academy of Sciences. The Publishing Industry intrigued him and he moved to San Francisco to become Senior Projects Director of the Center for the Study of Instruction at Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. Realizing he would have more freedom and creativity as an author, he then started a series of books on test preparation, which grew to 35 books and which have ultimately sold 7 million copies. He has worked with schools, state agencies, learning centers and corporations developing learning and testing programs. He has developed programs for school districts, city and state education agencies, including San Francisco Unified School District, Public Television (PBS), Grolier’s Encyclopedia, and Sylvan Learning Centers, for improving and restructuring curriculum. Recently, he has trained the University of California’s teachers to create programs on specific critical thinking skills for the minority programs. Dr. Gruber has often been interviewed and his work has been regularly featured in the media such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and in national newspapers. He has authored over 1,000 articles syndicated in newspapers and magazines including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee, and Hemispheres (United Airlines Magazine). He has also written drama, literary and music reviews for newspapers and magazines.

Dr. Gruber’s career motivation - A story from adversity to success

His lifelong quest started in fifth grade when he received a 90IQ (below normal) on an IQ test and was then determined to find out why he was below average intelligence. He could have gone the way of giving up—just accepting that he was not smart and couldn’t be like other smart people. But he thought instead, maybe there was something in the tests and in his thinking that made him do so poorly. He was fortunate to have his father, a high school teacher, get hold of the test which he had taken. He looked carefully at the test and analyzed why the questions were being asked and how one could have solved them. He realized that there were specific strategies for solving and answering these questions and became fascinated in the thinking and problem solving process, which launched a lifelong interest and passion in test-preparation and critical thinking. Dr. Gruber realized that one must not get panicky and not rush into a fast answer, but rather “process” the problem and try to extract something from the problem that is interesting and curious. He realized that by doing this, it will motivate one to go to the next step which will ultimately and with little “brain-wracking” get one the solution. So he developed “strategies” and thinking skills for almost every conceivable problem. Consequently his mission is to get everyone impassioned with learning and problem solving, showing their potential and conquering every test.

Books

Gruber’s Complete SAT Guide 2009, published by Sourcebooks- www.sourcebookscollege.com (formerly published by HarperCollins) is now in its 12th edition. In March 2008, the book was nominated in the Reference Category of ForeWord Magazine's (www.forewordmagazine.com) Book of the Year Award. Gruber’s Essential Guide to Test-Taking Grades 6-9 was published in April 2008 and Gruber's Essential Guide to Test-Taking Grades 3-5 was published in August 2008. Gruber's Use It or Lose It- 2009 Calendar, was published by Andrews McMeel in August 2008. Forthcoming books by Dr. Gruber include Gruber's SAT 2400-Aiming for a Perfect Score, Gruber's SAT Writing Workbook, Math Workbook, Reading Workbook and Vocabulary Builder all to be published by Sourcebooks.

Selected Works

Published Journal Papers (selected titles below)

*Tests and Test-Taking - Grolier's Encyclopedia, New Book of Knowledge
*Why SAT Scores are So Low - Today's Catholic Teacher
*A Nation of Fast Answers - Today's Catholic Teacher [ [http://www.drgarygruber.com/fastanswers.htm Gary Gruber, Ph.D. - nationally recognized expert in the field of test preparation ] ]
*A New Look at the Transition from Classical to Quantum Mechanics - Foundations of Physics
*The Competitive Orientation in Science - Physics Today
*Remedy for Fear of Physics - Physics Today
*On the Quantum Hamiltonian of a Charged Particle - Int'l Journal of Theoretical Physics
*Clarification on Two Important Questions in Rigid Body Dynamics - American Journal of Physics, 40,3,421
*An Interesting Problem in Functional Analysis - Math Magazine
*Particle Velocities Faster than the Speed of Light - Foundations of Physics, 2,1,79
*Quantization in Generalized Coordinates-Three part series - Int'l Journal of Theoretical Physics,7,4,253

Newspaper Syndicated Series and Magazine Articles (syndicated in US newspapers and magazines-selected titles below)

Dr. Gary Gruber's Daily Brain Teasers, St. Louis Post Dispatch

Brain Teasers, Hemispheres(United Airlines) Magazine, Nov. 2007, Jan. 2008, July 2008, Sept. 2008(http://hemispheresmagazine.com/2008_09/brain-teasers.php)

Gary Gruber literary reviews of three plays from For All Events-2007/8(http://www.forallevents.info/garygruber2/)

SAT stat-Are You Smarter than an 11th Grader?, Sacramento Bee, Oct. 2007(www.media.sacbee.com/smedia/2007/10/03/22/sat.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf)

Mind Play, Hemispheres(United Airlines) Magazine, Sept, 2007

Baker’s Dozen, Hemispheres(United Airlines) Magazine, April, 2007

Brain Aerobics Quiz, AARP Bulletin, Oct 2006, Nov, 2006

The Choice is Yours,Hemispheres(United Airlines) Magazine, Nov, 2005

Are You SAT-Ready?, The Sacramento Bee, September,2005

Brain Bender Questions, The Sacramento Bee, Weekly Questions/Answers starting Feb,2005

Five Ways to Bend Your Brain,The Sacramento Bee, Feb,2005(http://www.drgarygruber.com/0218Sidetracksproof.pdf)

Test Yourself, The Sacramento Bee, Feb, 2005

The New SAT(a)Ready or (b)Not?, The Washington Post, Jan, 2005(http://www.drgarygruber.com/SATnew.pdf)

Gray Matters, Hemispheres(United Airlines)Magazine, October, 2004(http://www.drgarygruber.com/PDF/OCT'04_quickquiz.pdf)

Mind Games, Hemispheres(United Airlines)Magazine, September,2004 (http://www.drgarygruber.com/SEPT'04_quickquiz.pdf)

Got Brains?, Hemispheres(United Airlines)Magazine, July,2004 (http://www.drgarygruber.com/July_quickquiz.pdf)

How Smart Are You?, Hemispheres(United Airlines)Magazine, May,2003

Are You College Material?, Hemispheres(United Airlines)Magazine, July,2002

Do You Have A Beautiful Mind?,Syndicated by Author, released Feb. 2002

The 20 Minute SAT, Syndicated by The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Sept.2000

Lifestyle Package: The New 15 Question SAT Test, etc., Syndicated by The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released from March 2000- Sept. 2000

Lifestyle Package: Teach Your Kid to Think, The New Shortest SAT Test, The New 13 Question Shortest Genius Test, Strategies for the SAT, etc., Syndicated by The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released from Sept. 1998-Sept. 1999

The 13 Question SAT, The Washington Post, Sept. 1998

The 15 Question SAT, The Sacramento Bee, Sept. 1988

Are You As Smart As You Think, Syndicated by Author, released Jan., 1998

The Thirteen Key Problems You Need to Know How To Solve to Get Into an Ivy Leaque College, Syndicated by Author, released Sept., 1997

Will You Be Eligible for a Top-Flight College With The New SAT? , The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Sept., 1996

The 12 Question Genius Test, The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Sept., 1996

How Smart Are You and How to Improve Your Smarts, The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released March, 1996

The Genius Solution, The Washington Post (Syndicated), Sept. 13, 1995(http://www.drgarygruber.com/geniuschallenge.htm)

The 20-Minute SAT,Universal Press Syndicate, released Sept, 1995

The Genius Test,Universal Press Syndicate,released Aug,1995

The Shortest Intelligence Test and How You Can Increase Your IQ -Two Part Series, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Feb, 1995

How You Can Ace the New SAT: What's on The New SAT, What Strategies Must I Use, How Will I Do ?, -Four Part Series, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Feb. 1994 and Sept. 1994.

Is Your Teenager Ivy League Material-The 20 SAT Questions that Predict Top SAT Scores and Strategies Needed to Solve Them, UniversalPressSyndicate,released,Sept.,1992.

Thinking Your Way to Better SAT Scores-Four Part Series, Universal Press Syndicate, released Sept. 1991

Try Your Hand at a Little Problem Solving, Universal Press Syndicate, released Aug.,1991

Thinking Skills for the SAT-Three Part Series, Gannett News Service-for "back to school coverage,"released July, 1991

Think Early for the New 1994 SAT, McClatchy News Service, released January, 1991

Teach Your Child to Think-It's Never to Early to Learn, Three Part Series, Los Angeles Times Syndicate,released April 1988

Testing Positive-Three Part Series, New York Times Syndicate, released Sept. 1987

The Inside Strategies for the SAT-Three Part Series, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Sept. 1982

The Secret Strategies for the National Aptitude Tests-Three Part Series, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, released Sept. 1981

Open Reel Renaissance, Audio Magazine, April, 1978

III-Books, Tapes, Software, and Courses

Books

Gruber’s SAT Vocabulary Builder, Sourcebooks, to be released June, 2009

Gruber’s SAT Reading Workbook, Sourcebooks, to be released June, 2009

Gruber’s SAT Math Workbook, Sourcebooks, to be released June, 2009

Gruber’s SAT Writing Workbook, Sourcebooks, to be released June, 2009

Gruber’s SAT 2400(Aiming for a Perfect Score), Sourcebooks, to be released Jan, 2009

Gruber’s Complete SAT Guide (12th Edition), Sourcebooks, to be released August, 2008

Use It or Lose It 2009 Calendar, Andrews McMeel Universal, to be released Aug 2008

Gruber's Essential Guide to Test-Taking (Grades 3-5), Sourcebooks, to be released August, 2008

Gruber's Essential Guide to Test-Taking (Grades 6-9), Sourcebooks,2008

Gruber’s Complete SAT Guide (11th Edition), Sourcebooks, 2008

Gruber's Complete Preparation for the New SAT, Tenth Edition, Harper Collins

Gary R. Gruber’s New Inside Strategies for the New SAT, Educational Design

Dr. Gary Gruber’s Critical Thinking and Test-Taking Packet Program-Grades 3-5;6-9 and 9-12-previously published and endorsed by PBS (National Public Broadcasting System)

SAT Strategy Calendar, Hallmark, 2 editions

Vocabulary Calendar, Hallmark,2 editions

Math Basic Skills Calendar, Hallmark, 2 editions

Gruber's SuperDiagnostic Test for the SAT, Harper Collins

Increase Your Intelligence Everyday Calendar, Landmark

Dr. Gruber's Essential Test-Taking Guide for Kids (Grades 3-5), William Morrow

Dr. Gruber's Essential Test-Taking Guide for Kids(Grades 6-9), William Morrow

Gruber’s Complete Preparation for the SAT, Harper Collins, 9 editions

The Gruber SAT Self-Instruction Course, Addison Wesley

Gary R. Gruber’s Inside Strategies for the SAT, Educational Design

Gruber's Shortcuts and Strategies for the Graduate Records Exam, Simon &Schuster

Gruber's Shortcuts and Strategies for the Graduate Management Admissions Test, Simon & Schuster

Preparation for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, Contemporary Books

Preparation for the Medical College Admissions Test, Contemporary Books

Preparation for the Professional and Administrative Career Program for the Federal Government, Simon & Schuster

Preparation for the Law School Admissions Test, Simon &Schuster, 6 editions

Preparation for the Graduate Management Admissions Test, Simon & Schuster,5 editions

Preparation for the Graduate Records Examination, Simon & Schuster, 5 editions

Preparation for the American College Testing Program, Simon & Schuster, 3 editions

Preparation for the College Level Examination Program, Simon & Schuster, 3 editions

Preparation for the TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language), Simon&Schuster, Physics, Simon & Schuster

Correctiveness and Effectiveness of Expression, Simon & Schuster

Reading Interpretation in the Natural Sciences and Literature, Simon & SchusterGeneral Math Ability, Simon & Schuster

Multimedia (CD-ROM) Computer Programs

Score Builder for the SAT, The Learning Company, 4 editions

Audio tapes

How to Choose the Right College, Great American AudioScore High on Your ACT, Great American Audio

Add Up to 300 Points to Your SAT, Great American Audio

Video tapes/DVDs

Up Your Grades (with workbook), Gruber Books

Thinking Your Way to Better SAT Scores with workbook (Teacher Training Tapes), PBS Video (National Public Television)

Franchised Courses

Dr. Gruber’s SAT and ACT Strategies Course- Critical Thinking Course to prepare students for SAT and ACT- developed by Dr. Gruber for Sylvan and offered nationally by Sylvan Learning Centers in 1992-2001

References

External links

[Dr. Gary Gruber's website|http://www.drgarygruber.com]