I've been very happy with my company that I had been with for nearly 20 years, but after such a…read morelong time, I wanted to see if there were other opportunities out there for me. I updated my profile in LinkedIn and signed up to receive emails when potentially interested jobs are posted. The next step was to update my CV... which I realized I had not updated since my school days! (Such is the case when you've been with and moved up the ranks of the same company perhaps?) I was referred to Lucent Education by a friend who had worked with them before so I sent a message to them and received a reply from Agnes. I sent her my old, outdated resume and let her know what my current role entails, as well as the types of roles that may interest me enough to consider leaving my current role. Agnes was very speedy with her responses and got back to me within days with the first set of updates and suggestions on my CV via Google Docs. I was able to review and accept or decline her suggestions with ease. She also asked several thought provoking questions to illicit more details from me. That was very helpful to me as I realized that I took some of what I did on a regular basis for granted and had not thought to put them into a CV. She was also helpful to identify sections where specifics would strengthen the task description (ie: "manage a team" vs. "manage a team of 10," "increase xx count" vs "increase xx count from 150 to 200 from 2019 to 2020") Overall, the whole process took about 3 weeks... and that's only because it took me about a week in between each of her updates to respond back. I wasn't in a rush to get this done as I just wanted to have it ready in case something of interest came up. Agnes never rushed me though, which I appreciated, and she always responded promptly even though I was not. After 4 revisions, I was very happy with the end result - not only in content but also in the visual aspect of the CV, which Agnes also laid out. As fate would have it, recently a job opportunity of interest did come across my way and I was very relieved to have my CV ready to go. Had I not, it would have been really stressful having to come up with one on the fly. I'm not going to go as far as saying the CV is why I got the job, but I'm certain that it helped - at the very least to get me an interview! Thanks Lucent and Agnes! Wish me luck on my new job!

Agnes got back to me right away when I first requested a consult and seemed to be ready to help. I…read morewas excited for my consultation and to begin working with them. Oddly enough, all contact has dropped off and now no one will return my emails or request for an appointment. Very bizarre and disappointing.

I enlisted Jillian's services for an application to Columbia University in NY. She listened deeply…read moreto my motivations and history before proceeding with me through the iterative writing process. My essays highlighted the key aspects of my character and experience as a result of our collaboration. Highly recommended.

From the owner: College Admissions Consulting services from a former Harvard interviewer and Harvard grad. I…read morespecialize in helping students get into the Ivy League colleges!

Allison accepted my child for college application advisement 2 months before the college…read moreapplication deadline. However, a little over 3 weeks prior to the deadline- she dropped him. She said she didn't have time for him and was unavailable. She refused to give him any time during the upcoming week to confer about the essays and said that he should have contacted her the prior weekend, and that even if he did, it would have been futile anyway because she would have been booked up well in advance. She dropped him at such a critical time bc she apparently decided she didn't have enough time to advise him for the job she had contracted for. she should have declined him in the beginning so that we could have secured another advisor. At such last minute, other advisors were already booked up. Very unprofessional!!

Parents, please look past the slick admissions package they hit you with and the glad-handing of…read morethe founder as he meets you at the door. A.W. is an LLC masquerading as a school. Their teachers are underpaid, under-equipped and over-worked, and it shows. They're not happy and this transfers to the students. Their mission is a good one, but their model and their methods fall well short of their ideals; for example: they stress transactional consequence as their primary management tool of student behaviors, even at the upper school level where this is laughably ineffective. Lastly, nobody wants their child at a school where the staff--all the way up to administration and even the founders--are laughing at them in the most derisive ways when they are not around.

Beware parents: The school costs over $130,000 for the school year and they don't refund any of…read moreyour money if it doesn't work out. My son attended for less than 2 months, we were extremely dissatisfied, had to take him out, and lost $130,000. We really could have used that money right now. Read the mom's review from 2 years ago below. Not much has changed. And I almost never write bad reviews.

Can only speak to two tutors many years ago. They were spectacular and worth every $$$$. Our teen…read morerightly argued that his Advantage tutoring put others unable to afford it at a disadvantage. I could not disagree and suggested he use his advantage to get the best education possible and work to narrow the gap. As a civil rights attorney he's working on it.

I've been fortunate enough to prep with Advantage Testing tutors for the SAT I, SAT II, and the…read moreLSAT. They had a reputation for being the best of the best, and they delivered. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Going back to high school, I had a terrific experience working with Advantage on my college entrance exams. Even though I hated studying in school, I genuinely enjoyed working with AT's teachers. Aside from being gifted instructors, they are some of the friendliest people you'll meet, and they seem to genuinely care about their students. I remember they customized a study plan for me, focusing on the areas of the test that I needed to improve the most. Following their plan, and using the strategies I learned in class, I earned a 760 Verbal, 750 Math I, 790 Writing, and an 800 Math II, all a significant boost above my diagnostic scores (which I recall being in the low ~600 range). Years later, when I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a lawyer, and began looking for the right LSAT test prep service, turning to Advantage was a no-brainer. On my first LSAT practice test, I received a diagnostic evaluation in the 55th percentile. I knew that I would need a significant (aka Elle Woods-level) jump in my LSAT score to have a decent shot at the top schools. That's when Advantage came in. Studying with Advantage tutors, you learn to break down each section of the test into a set of consistent techniques, which you hone and solidify over repeated practice tests. After months of test prep, I took the LSAT and scored a 99th percentile on the official exam. Equipped with a great LSAT score, I was admitted to my top choice for law school, a feat that had seemed impossible only a few months prior. Now, as a practicing attorney looking back on it, I am certain I would not have been nearly as well prepared with any other test prep service. In sum, I don't think there is anyone as professional or effective as Advantage when it comes to the hard work of preparing for high-stakes entrance exams. I recommend them without hesitation.

I worked with Susan Cera at Stratus on four applications for Masters of Public Administration type…read moreprograms in the United States - including for UC Berkeley and Syracuse University. As an Australian, I was not familiar with the requirements and was worried about making a great impression. Susan provided outstanding guidance throughout this complicated process. She really helped me make it manageable and streamlined. During her process, I also learnt things about myself and my career direction that I will take with me, far beyond the applications. Susan was approachable, insightful, helpful and a reassuring presence through out. Working with Stratus you will put in the hard work but your applications will be far superior to what you can accomplished alone. I highly recommend their services if you are looking to apply for the best public policy schools in the world.

Donna is a fantastic resource to anyone seeking guidance and support in their MBA application…read morejourney. With her expertise, dedication, and personalized approach, Donna helped me secure an offer from one of the top MBA programs despite a below average GPA and test scores for those schools. From our very first interaction, Donna displayed a genuine interest in helping me understand my aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses. Before starting any school-specific applications, we went through a rigorous process of understanding key aspects of my profile that I could highlight and organizing those components into an arsenal that I could draw from. Thanks to this kind of preparation, when it came time to writing essays, I was able to spend less time on coming up with ideas and more time thinking broadly about the narrative I wanted to communicate. Throughout the admissions process, which can be more akin to a marathon than a sprint, Donna helped me create a strategy of regular communication with admissions committees and constantly developing areas of my application that may be viewed as weaknesses. The right strategy will elevate your candidacy above any one grade or score, and through consistent effort and willingness to improve your profile, you will stand out. To anyone who believes that the right school is out of reach for them, I strongly recommend Donna and the team at Stratus as partners in the MBA admissions process. Donna stuck with me throughout the application cycle and I couldn't be happier with the result!

I reached out to David with hopes of getting help with a unique situation. During our first…read moreconversation David was able to answer all of my questions and set my unfocused son on a path. He is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and caring.

We came to College Match after an unsuccessful college application process and a long search for…read morethe right advisor for my son. David had a strong record, an optimistic outlook, realistic and valid points, extensive interview process, excellent timeline, creative angles, supplemental resources, great rapport with everyone in the family, and made it all upbeat and enjoyable. He answered all questions on time, took a great load of concern off our backs, broke bigger projects into smaller, do-able steps. We are over the moon, my son got into his top choice, a reach college, the one and only course he truly wants to take in a highly competitive, niche area of study.

Mike did it again! He guided my son through the essay writing process, finding an unusual personal…read moretopic where my son's qualities could shine. The result was an incredible piece that has blown away every adult who has seen it. Mike also raised his sights above his high school's recommendations, encouraging him to apply to more challenging universities. My son was admitted to his first choice in early decision, ahead of several friends with better academic records. Also notable is how well he communicates with parents, his straightforward billing and how painless he makes the process for parent and student.

Mike helped me raise my toefl score from a 55 to a 90 in only one month! I needed a score of 80 on…read morethe toefl to be accepted into college, and I didn't have much time to prepare. I didn't want to take a big class with many other students. I found out about Mike over Yelp. Mike was able to meet with me for one-on-one sessions over Skype and created a program just for me that I found extremely helpful. He was always very nice during our sessions and was willing to work with my difficult schedule. I felt confident taking the test after his sessions and got the score I wanted. And I'm getting ready for college in the Fall. Thanks Mike!

Options for College helps students get into and get the most out of college!read more

From the owner: College preparation, college admissions, college applications, university admissions, SAT tutoring,…read moreACT tutoring, tutoring

If you're looking for a reliable test center, this is it! I've taken two exams with Pearson in the…read morepast and both times I've found the system in place to be efficient and pleasant (or as pleasant as one can be when taking an exam). It's important to note that in this particular building, the earliest you can arrive is half an hour before your appointment. Any earlier, and the security guard will force you to leave the building (they will not let you stay in the lobby). When you arrive at the security desk in the middle of the lobby, they already have your name on a list with all other test takers so you just need to show your ID to verify who you are. Upon entering the suite, you again show your ID (and a credit card or something else with your signature) to the guy up front. They give you a set of instructions to read over and when you're done, you get your picture taken. Depending on the test you're taking, you may also have to get a pulse reading. You then stash all your stuff in a locker and take your ID, locker key, and maybe a calculator if one is permitted to the entrance of the exam room. Your proctor then goes over rules with you (basically whatever you need whether it's to go to the bathroom or you need more scrap paper, you just raise your hand and the proctor comes to you). The proctor then walks you to your seat and logs you into your exam. You're taking your exam in a room with a bunch of other people separated by cubicle walls and there's a timer on your computer. This center also had two clocks on the walls so you can check what time it is. Noise canceling headphones are also on your desk and ear plugs are available upon request. Once you're done, you go to the front and there's usually a printout. Either you get your results right away or the printout instructs you on when to expect results. You get your stuff out of the locker and you're free to leave. The staff at this location are all super friendly and efficient so definitely come here if you're an anxious test taker like me and want the moments leading up to your exam to go smoothly.

Please read all information that is sent to you before going to the test center. Information about…read moreyour test is limited so the staff does not have detailed information. Double check your identifications before arrival for expiration dates, bring more than one.What some places consider identification other places might not consider so &bear that in mind. Your exam board is the ones that make the decision as to what they consider an ID. Not all exams require the same so pay close attention to what was sent via email and what the staff says. No cellphone use or studying of any kind is allowed in the test center and only test takers are allowed in the center. Your exam starts the time when you are seated at your assigned workstation and although your exam time is at a specific time and you are seated after that time you still get your all your allotted time for your exam.. Delays happen if computer updates need to be ran, if you leave your items in your pocket when they are to be stored in lockers delay time being seated. If you have specific exam questions like how many sections or the time allotted for sections, how long before you get your results and all other exam specifics you need to refer to your exam board. The test center staff is there to deliver the exam, help with computer issues, give you materials that is allowed in order for you to take your exam. I cannot stress enough that the staff is given limited information detailed information you can receive from your exam board. They do not schedule exams or make changes to the schedule. If you are late it will delay others if you are accommodated. No one wants to deal with the attitude that comes from test takers just as much as test takers don't want to deal with the attitude from the test center staff. The staff understands that test takers are nervous and try their best.