I'm so glad there is a local Lyme Disease resource - especially because too many doctors say "there…read moreis no lyme in this area"

Christine Southgate guided our family, patiently, professionally, thoughtfully and smoothly through…read morethe boarding school process. We live in Reno, NV and have many fewer options for counselors here than in the Bay Area. We had just one in person meeting, then worked remotely for the rest of the year. After meeting with our family, getting to know our son and hearing what our son and we were looking for, she helped us to devise a list of schools that she felt would be a good match. We then researched her list, had follow up calls and discussed a few more and worked together to narrow down the list of schools that we planned to visit. We spoke only a few times throughout the process, but at each juncture, she listened to our concerns and guided us. Christine reviewed our son's essays, gave suggestions and communicated with the schools we were considering. In almost every admissions office the fact that we were being guided by Christine had a real and positive effect. They sung her praises. We could not have been more happy with a counselor than we were with Christine and would highly recommend her services.

Christine really pushed for Priory when helping us select a right fit school for our child who is…read moreacademic, athletic, kind, extroverted, personable and social. She made no mention that out of a class size of about 80 12-17 of those kids would be international boarders, primarily from Asian countries who often reclassify when they enter 9th gr. Another thing she left out about priory is it draws a fair number of Asians frompaloalto and losaltos hills. She also failed to mention that it is known for being open ti accepting the quirky and socially awkward kids. My child is none of these things. I think she needs to update her info on each high school to more accurately reflect their current student body, not the one her daughter experienced at Priory 1-2 decades ago.

I had a very disappointing experience with Fahey College Consultant. We paid a significant amount…read morefor guidance through the college application process, especially for help with essays and making sure applications were completed on time. Unfortunately, once the process began, the support we expected simply was not there. The student struggled with writer's block and anxiety during the essay writing stage and needed real guidance and feedback. Instead of meaningful help, we mostly received long lists of tasks with little actual support on how to complete them. Communication also became inconsistent during critical parts of the process. As deadlines approached, we expected close guidance and review of the application materials, but the student felt largely abandoned in the middle of the process. While the consultant presents herself very well and is a strong salesperson during the initial conversations, the actual delivery did not match the promises made. For such an expensive service, families expect hands-on guidance, especially when students are struggling. Our experience was that the student was left to manage a very stressful process largely alone. I would strongly advise families to carefully evaluate the level of support they will actually receive before committing to this service.

If I could give 0, I would. Please STAY AWAY from this counselor and her team. She would sweet talk…read moreuntil signing a contract and then from there everything goes downhill. She and her so called team of writers don't do any due diligence on the essays, they would even leave one college name in another college essays and this was after multiple rounds of checking by THEM. She addressed my child in email with another student's name and completely another major and college, so this shows how much thorough she is with her work. DONT WASTE MONEY....she only takes money and then vanishes.

We cannot say enough good things about the community at Woodland School. From the moment we began…read morethe admissions process, we felt like more than just another application. The Admissions Director, Melanie, is truly exceptional. She went above and beyond to support our family, showing incredible flexibility and genuine care throughout the process. Beyond the administration, the school itself is impressive. We fell in love with the beautiful, sprawling outdoor campus--it's such a rare and refreshing environment for kids to learn in. One of the most striking things we noticed was how confident and articulate the students are; their comfort with public speaking is clearly a testament to the school's curriculum. We also spent a lot of time admiring the Maker Lab, which is easily one of the best we've seen. While our family's personal circumstances shifted and we couldn't enroll this year, Woodland remains at the top of our list for any family looking for a balanced, high-achieving, and supportive environment

Absolutely terrible terrible school. If I could give it 0 I would. The years I spent here were the…read moreworst in my entire life. None of the teachers want to be here they are all underpaid and regularly complain about their salary. While I was there I would consistently hear teachers say "I can't answer that that's above my pay grade" or joke about how they can't afford to pay for anything. Many of them were just bullies and put no effort into teaching us. The teachers also have no control over the students with classes being so hectic that lesson plans would get put on pause. If you are a smart student you won't be challenged here, if your a student with learning disabilities you will get NO support. The campus is laughably small and unclean. The buildings are in horrible condition with middle schoolers learning in portable classrooms. In my opinion it kind of feels like they just added the middle school on in the 80's to make more money. The food is horrible but the kids are even worse.

I'm really happy to be writing the first review for Admissions Advisory Group. I consider it a…read morepublic service announcement to anyone in the bay area considering business school! These guys REALLY know what they're talking about- Marie Mookini was the director of admissions at Stanford and even created some of the college admissions questions that are still used today (such as: what matters most to you and why). Lisa Park has loads of experience as well and is very dynamic and enthusiastic. It really comes across that this is not just work- Marie and Lisa took the time to engage everyone individually at the workshop I attended (and stayed after to answer questions). The workshop was very professional, interactive, and also packed with useful information. The facilitator's insight and examples had me generating ideas throughout the session. Though the application process is daunting, I left the session feeling confident with a strong understanding of what admissions is looking for and how to go about developing my essays. Note: I haven't seen workshops like these with other consulting companies. They only occur every few months so I would look into it sooner rather than later.

Our daughter has been attending Sharmila's for years, with our son recently joining. The kids…read moreabsolutely love their time there and I cannot recommend it enough. The teachers are so caring and thoughtful. The environment at the program has nurtured our daughter from a very shy beginning to the BIG personality she is today. As much as it pains me to see them both grow up, the amount they learn at Sharmila's continues to astound me. Not solely reading and math skills, but social maturity and a general sense of imagination/adventure. The picture days and art projects will also melt your heart. We are so happy with our experience.

Our daughter attended this Montessori program for two wonderful years, and we're so grateful for…read morethe experience. She transitioned smoothly from being at home to a structured environment, thanks to a team of kind, loving teachers who clearly enjoy what they do. The director thoughtfully curates a staff that leads with joy, gentle guidance, and genuine care. We were amazed by our daughter's growth--she developed strong fine motor, early math, and reading skills, and truly thrived in the Montessori approach, even starting at just 2 years old. The school offers regular chances for parents to see the children in action, which made us feel more connected to her learning journey. The events showcasing their songs and artwork were always a highlight. The facilities are clean, warm, and well-maintained, creating a welcoming space for the kids. Our only wish is for a stronger emphasis on building community among families--but this is a small note in an otherwise enriching and joyful experience.

It has a lively environment for kids to learn and enjoy math. My son is 5 and he always can't wait…read moreto his next lesson, a good indication of the enthusiasm and dedication of the instructors at this locations. All staffs are exceptionally friendly and helpful, accommodating when I needed to reschedule sessions.

My kids love this place. They beg to go more than their actual classes. The staff at the Mountain…read moreView location are so caring and amazing(please never leave!) , I never feel bad dropping off my kids there or worry if I'm a few mins late. My kids are thriving in Math and say they learn way more at Mathnasium than they do at their private school. It's a personalised math teaching approach and your child will never move ahead until they master an area first. In regular school math - teachers have to keep moving on to new material to cover the year's math curriculum so a struggling math student may never have a chance to close any gaps. I highly recommend Mathnasium!

What a wonderful mission: To make reading accessible to all…read more This studio records audio books for individuals who are blind, dyslexic, or have other learning differences. The unique thing about the books produced here is the human voice on the recordings (as opposed to a computer-simulated voice). Volunteers go into a soundproof booth and read the original books aloud, recording themselves as they go. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/learning-ally-palo-alto?select=sHCCu7x-0lBqxJQmTDSC4Q#sHCCu7x-0lBqxJQmTDSC4Q) I have been volunteering here as a reader for 4 years, since January 2009. I also served on the Board of Directors until very recently. Over that time I have observed the staff's hard work and dedication. They are always friendly and helpful and make the studio a fun place to be. As a reader I have noticed all sorts of books at the studio. Since Learning Ally's members request books that they want read with a human voice, there is a wide variety of material. I learn something new pretty much every time I go in to record. How could you not, with all the different types of books being requested? Here is a sample of books in the studio: * Novels * Instructional books on nutrition and health * Plays * Psychology of sexuality - This gets really interesting, especially if you have a director listening along as you read. * History textbooks - These are usually high-school or college level and above. * C++ and advanced math - Only readers with a specialty in these fields can and should read these... books full of pure code are pretty intense. I stick to the other areas myself. * And more! (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/learning-ally-palo-alto?select=sHCCu7x-0lBqxJQmTDSC4Q#ZNR6ybzMIfL-roJ-fhlt5A) For those of you thinking, "I don't really like hearing my voice out loud," there are various volunteer roles including: 1. Readers - This usually also involves self-directing and recording in the booth. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/learning-ally-palo-alto?select=sHCCu7x-0lBqxJQmTDSC4Q#9BPJWxMi3pYfOOw26gkLlg) 2. Directors - Most readers record themselves nowadays, but some readers still ask for a director. 3. QC - Quality control is important to ensure audio books are being recorded correctly. A sample size of each session recorded by each reader is reviewed. 4. Book Copy - Special instructions for readers/directors need to be transferred to all copies in the studio. Learning Ally is a wonderful place to give back to the community. For more info, visit either: - Learning Ally website for Palo Alto (https://www.learningally.org/studio/palo-alto/) or - GoVoluntr, which is a Yelp affiliate (http://govoluntr.com/events/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&include_past_events=true&filter_term=start_date&search_term=learning+ally).

It wasn't until I broke my ankle that I realized how few volunteer opportunities were out there…read morethat didn't require you to be standing or moving around. Enter RFB&D, which turned out to be something that I originally chose upon practicality (i.e., I could sit while volunteering), but ended up being a surprise gift wrt how great this place is. What a wonderful cause to support, and the staff & fellow volunteers are awesome! Not only are you helping a great cause, but you get educated about different topics yourself. For instance, the past couple of times I've volunteered, I've read about US political fundraising & also about Postmodern art. The next time someone wants to throw down discussion on Jasper Jackson, Dadaism or Fluxus at cocktail hour, watch out. Bring it.

I've been taking lessons at CRA for about a year now as an adult beginner and I look forward to my…read morelessons every week. I love arriving at the barn and seeing all the beautiful horses. The owner and staff are all lovely as well. My favorite thing about CRA is the amount of progress I feel I've made after each lesson. The instructors are all very knowledgable and always provide helpful feedback that has helped me with my equestrian journey. Definitely give this place a visit! Plus, they've got the cutest pony, Merlin! (see attached photo)

I am so happy to have found California Riding Academy in Pacifica. The barn is super convenient…read morefor me to get to from San Francisco - I can easily take a weekday morning lesson before my PM shift at the hospital. The horses are incredibly well cared for. The barn and arena are very nice. My instructor Sierra is very helpful and patient. I was finally getting strong enough to really properly post the trot when the Covid19 lock down hit. I cannot wait to get back to the barn and to the horses. I highly recommend California Riding Academy.

I do not recommend this camp for young children, especially 4-year-olds…read more My son attended BrainVyne LEGO Camp at Cubberley Community Center for two days, and our experience was very disappointing and concerning. The classroom is small, poorly ventilated, and uncomfortably hot. The children spend most of the time sitting at tables assembling LEGO independently, with very little guidance or group interaction. This does not feel like a camp environment, especially for younger kids. On the first day, my son (who does not speak English) had no real interaction with other children and spent most of the time sitting alone. He did not use the restroom at all during a full day (9:00 AM-2:30 PM), which already raised concerns about supervision. On the second day, I specifically asked staff to remind him to use the restroom and assist him if needed. I was told they would have another child take him instead of an adult, which is not appropriate for a 4-year-old, especially one who does not speak English. He ended up having a bathroom accident. Staff called me but refused to help him change, even though he had spare clothes in his backpack. When I arrived 30-40 minutes later, my son was sitting outside in wet clothes, crying, with no meaningful support provided. Staff made no real effort to comfort him or help resolve the situation. This was extremely distressing for my child and not an acceptable level of care. Overall concerns: - Lack of supervision for young children - No assistance in basic situations (bathroom, changing) - Inappropriate expectations for a 4-year-old - Minimal engagement or structured activities - Uncomfortable indoor conditions This experience did not meet basic expectations for safety, care, or age-appropriate programming.

The camp itself was fun, and kid had a good time. The director Rathna was responsive, prompt and…read morequick to fix issues. I appreciated this. The lower rating is for the operational issues. It's an expensive camp, so here are the things that could be better. 1. Camp changed locations from Mountain View to Palo Alto the Wednesday before camp started. This needed us to rearrange schedules last minute. However, we understand, some things are out of any business' control. 2. On the first day, it seemed like staffing was thinner than expected. For example, younger kids were going to the restroom in buddy pairs rather than with an adult. That made me uneasy since Cubberley is a public campus, but I appreciated that Rathna looked into it and the situation improved the next day, and staff were accompanying kids. 3. Drop-off felt a bit hectic at times, especially early in the morning before the second teacher arrived.