Extremely disappointing experience. I contacted this company to inquire about hiring a college…read moreadmissions counselor, but the lack of organization and follow-through immediately raised concerns. No one answered the phone, so I left a voicemail. I also attempted to submit their online contact form, but it only went through after multiple unsuccessful attempts. After leaving several messages, I finally received a call a few days later. Unfortunately, the representative who called seemed unprepared and unable to answer basic questions about the company's services. She apparently had not reviewed the online questionnaire I completed and could not explain the owner's qualifications, the counselors' backgrounds, or their experience and success working with students. I was told that an initial meeting with the owner, Amanda, would cost $360. I was also told that we would then be matched with a counselor at a cost of approximately $2,800 for one year. Given those fees, I believe prospective clients should be provided with clear information about the qualifications and experience of the person conducting the consultation and the counselor assigned to their child. I asked for this information to be emailed to me, but I never received anything. I also had to repeat and spell my email address several times, even though I had already entered it on the company's online form. Based on my experience, I would not feel comfortable entrusting this company with something as important as my child's college admissions process. Before charging premium fees, the company should improve its communication, repair its online contact form, properly train staff to answer basic questions, and follow through when prospective clients request information. Based on my experience, I do not recommend this company. I would recommend that the business improve its organization, communication, staff training, and follow-through before taking responsibility for guiding students through something as important as the college admissions process.

I highly recommend AR Academic to any family with high school kids who need test prep…read more It starts with a diagnostic test taken without any prep, followed by a consultation with Mr. Michael. He helps you figure out which test (ACT or DSAT) is the better fit for your child, and together you map out a strategic plan from the start. From there, the program is well structured: a personalized schedule, weekly tutoring sessions, and mock tests every other week so students always know where they stand. What I really appreciated was how seriously the tutors take the homework. All materials are drawn from real past tests, and students are given assignments before each session. The tutors analyze that work and tailor their instruction accordingly, so every session feels targeted, not generic. My kids came home after each session with a clearer sense of what they needed to work on, and noticeably more confident. For AP prep, Ms. Amanda was wonderful. She kept my kids motivated even when the stress started to pile up, and her upbeat energy is exactly what they needed. As for results: both of my children scored in the 99th percentile on their tests, one on the ACT2024 and one on the DSAT,2026 and earned 5s across the board on their AP exams. We couldn't be more grateful.

Our tutor, Emily, has been with our family for the past nine months, and she has been such a…read morewonderful part of our toddler's early education. She has helped her make incredible progress with letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and other foundational skills, while always making learning feel engaging and age-appropriate. Emily is warm, patient, dependable, and consistently punctual. What we especially appreciate is her ability to strike the perfect balance between being sweet and nurturing while also providing just enough structure and discipline to keep a young child focused and learning. She understands how to challenge our daughter without overwhelming her, which is such an important skill when working with toddlers. We've been incredibly happy with the progress we've seen and feel very fortunate to have Emily as part of our daughter's early learning experience. We highly recommend her!

This place operates more like a broker to connect to tutors. We were so fortunate to find an…read moreamazing tutor for my very reluctant middle schooler. They really do try to match your child with the best tutor.

When I needed to find an ACT and chemistry tutor for my nephew, we decided to call the Learning…read moreShack since they were local to us and I'd heard about them from some friends. Ian got back to us right away and was able to easily pinpoint his areas of need. He improved 5 points overall on the ACT and did so much better in chemistry. I couldn't be happier with the service!! Thank you so much !

Love this place! My son was not understanding his math and was falling behind. His grades were…read moresuffering. The wife found The Learning Shack and got him signed up. He said that Ian explained things better than his own teacher and he was beginning to understand. He's back to "A's" and we couldn't be happier. Other kids in his class are having the same problem. I will definitely be referring Ian to the other families at our school.

Our daughter is going to the tutoring club for college prep. Anderson has been so kind, helpful,…read morethorough and accommodating. He's customized their sessions based on her needs and she's feeling much more confident about the overall college application process/her progress. Thank you, Anderson!

They do an outstanding job! My two boys along with several…read moreof the peers have improved their grades and organization 2-3 fold since going to the Tutor Club.

I purchased all 3 of Laura's study guides for the math CSETs. If I was only reviewing the first 2,…read morethis would absolutely be a 5-star review: they are amazing, thorough, and exactly what you need to pass! However, I cannot advise anyone to purchase part 3 in good-faith without a strong warning. The material is fine, and she is forthcoming about this study guide being "different", but once you purchase it you'll see the quality-disparity is pretty drastic in a not-so-great way. Laura provides videos where she goes through them, but the questions are not modeled after real CSET questions , which is the entire magic of the first 2. In addition, several of the worksheets assume we can use a calculator, but calculators aren't allowed on the CSET, which proves these questions and worksheets are NOT what we actually need for the test it's supposed to be guiding us on. While I am sure part 3 is sufficient to pass, it feels very bare-minimum compared to the first 2. I think pricing all 3 equally gave a false-impression, since the disparity in usefulness/uniqueness are massive. The first 2 study guides are unlike anything else out there, and set her apart from the rest; but I cannot advise anyone to purchase part 3 unless you don't have any other resources.

Haven't studied Math in over 30 Years and used Laura's Guide for CSET I and passed first attempted!…read moreIf you work the problems in her guide until you know them front and back you will pass! Now on to CSET II and III! Thank you Laura, you are the best!

My daughter had a first time tutoring session in east bluff.last week for enhanced math 3 pre…read morecalculus. The tutor, spent much of the hour looking at the academic book, asking my daughter questions then tutor looked the answers up in back of the book. Unfortunately, she didnt explain how to get to the answer. The tutor might be best suited for third grade math. Another note, the "manager", Kristen, was in the room next to the tutoring session w her door open. Her phone kept dinging from texts/emails and it was constant. At one point she walked away from her desk without her phone and her phone became more of an annoyance. When the session was over Kristen said she would call me and ask for my opinion. It took her two days to get back to me and then another week for a follow up. I haven't spoken to Kristen as I'm not impressed and will not return. So disappointed as I thought it would be a match.

This place is awesome! Wasted money at other places before our high schooler came here and learned…read moreAlgebra 2, test scores are up, they know their stuff and how to teach.

The Tutoring Club in FV helped my son improve his grades and focus tremendously. The teachers are…read morepatient, do an excellent job explaining concepts, and work through new and/or challenging subjects. My middle schooler commented that without the Tutoring Club teachers, he'd have a very difficult understanding the math concepts taught to them in class. The various assessments helped identify strengths as well as areas for improvement. Lydia, who manages the program, is extremely smart, kind and gives regular and honest feedback about how the students are doing. This has helped us as parents to look out for areas we should focus on to help our student.

I got a response after I did a an online submission but never got a call back when I called on 7/7…read moreto inquire further about an assessment and left a voicemail. I was hoping to have tutoring over the summer but that did not work out.

Sean Yen is a fantastic tutor! As the name suggests, he makes an effort with every one of his…read morestudents to deliver a personalized experience. Teaching skills ranging from from simplified SAT techniques to hone in sections I was strong in and more unconventional methods to bring out strengths I didn't know I had, he not only helped me raise my SAT score 170 points, but he also got me past the aversion to math and statistics I'd had throughout high school! Past being an amazing teacher, his warm and hilarious personality hits you right away. When you tell him something -- whether a story about your family, a college you're working to go to, a movie you liked, or a dream career -- he will remember. He is a strong teacher and a valued friend, and I couldn't recommend him enough.

I struggled a lot with math at school since forever and just simply couldn't deal with the subject,…read moreuntil I got to work with Personalized Prep. From a C student, I constantly maintained an A in all my math classes. Can't imagine doing it without Sean and his team. 10/10 highly recommended. Thank you for your guidance

We are extremely grateful for the support this college counseling company provided our family…read morethroughout my daughter's high school. The process of preparing for college applications was overwhelming, but the guidance we received made all the difference. Felicia, who worked directly with my daughter, was outstanding, supportive, knowledgeable, and always encouraging. She helped keep everything organized and made sure my daughter felt confident every step of the way. She was always there for my daughter when she needed her. Justin, the owner, has clearly built a wonderful program that truly supports students and families. We're thrilled that my daughter was accepted into the university she had been hoping for, and we're very thankful for their role in helping make that happen. Very Highly recommend.

My student sat for practice tests in AP Chem and AP Calc AB with Premier Prep. Justin was friendly,…read morehelpful, and very responsive.

My son is a freshman in High School and doing Zoom Classes was very difficult last semester. Our…read moretutor Amanda was a huge help in getting Maxx's Honors Bio grade and Spanish grade up tremendously. Amanda is caring and also relates well to Maxx and made the tutoring process very enjoyable. We are very grateful for all her help and support . I highly recommend tutoring at Strive to Learn for anyone needing extra help with any subject. Nicole Hickey

I wanted to update my review from 2017. My son is now a senior in college and is majoring in…read moreAerospace Engineering. When I take a look at his homework it boggles my mind. It makes me all the more grateful for the help he received at Strive To Learn while in high school. He would not be where is today without Luc and Josephine and the entire team. We think of you often and are forever indebted for the care and nurturing we received. Thank you!!!