Working with Nita is one of the best experiences a parent could hope for when their teen is…read moreapplying for colleges. Nita is kind, patient (especially with eager parents!) and more importantly knows how to connect with teens! My husband and I are a bit unorganized and well, frankly, clueless about college applications and financial aid. Our son didn't seem interested in discussing colleges with us, which was also frustrating. He began sessions with Nita in January 2022 researching colleges and their locations, lifestyle and academic programs/offerings. He has enjoyed working with Nita and has made great progress. He recently completed essays and application requirements and submitted his applications. We have already recieved an acceptance letter from one college, Western Washington University! Nita is very knowledgeable about financial aid and how to prepare for freshman year. I was referred to Nita from another mom who had a similarly outstanding experience. With gratitude to Nita - The Schous.

My family has been part of South Coast Montessori since my daughter was 18 months old; she is now 6…read moreand we're excited to continue into the elementary program. SCM has been where she learned to potty train, dress herself, read, and build early math skills. She's learned practical skills like sewing, and the school has nurtured the artist inside her while encouraging her natural curiosity about the world. The teachers and administration are genuinely invested in each child's success. I appreciate how collaborative the environment is -- there's far more access to teachers than you typically find in a traditional public school, and staff communicate thoughtfully with families. As a parent, I've always felt supported and included in my daughter's learning journey. SCM follows a traditional Montessori approach, and I'm consistently impressed by the classroom dynamics: up to 20 children working independently yet not in chaos, but in a calm, productive rhythm. The school fosters independence, confidence, and a love of learning. I wholeheartedly recommend South Coast Montessori to families seeking a warm, well-run Montessori school where children are encouraged to grow academically, creatively, and socially.

Our daughter started at this South Coast Montessori when she was just two years old, and leaving…read moreher in the hands of such wonderful, nurturing, and trustworthy teachers has been an amazing experience. They truly care for each child and have helped her grow in so many ways. The independence and confidence they teach the children is incredible, and we have loved watching her become more capable and self-assured. We are so grateful for the loving environment they have created and for the positive impact they've had on our daughter!

I've been going to this school my whole life and i really like it. This school gives kids…read moreopportunities that no other school could offer. Theres something called CIMI that 6th graders go to every year if the district has money. Luckily i got to go. But over all the teachers are really good and yard duties are absolutely amazing. One thing i dont like is that theres only school dress codes for gurl and not for boys which i think is unfair. But i like it and if i have kids i would bring them here.

The school does not challenge kids enough, but has good counselors for special need kidsread more

While Starr King does offer full-time childcare, it's much more than a regular preschool. In this…read moremodel, you don't just drop your kid off in the morning and come back in the afternoon without knowing what happened. It works best for parents who are invested, curious and motivated to participate in the early childhood education process. So much of it is built on creating community for your family and your child. It's an incredibly unique experience that really believes in supporting the whole family for the benefit of the child. Just the campus alone is magical, there's a running creek, huge sandbox, gazebo, beautiful flowers, and vegetable gardens, and so much more just on the campus.

Our two older girls attended in the early 80s. We learned a lot and met a lot of diverse parents,…read morefrom state senators, pediatricians, and lawyers, to fishermen and housekeepers. What we learned there affected our child raising as well as now our grandchildren. What I like most was the free choice of kids to do the activities they were attracted to. It wasn't follow the directions activities or art, just here are some materials and experiment with them. My middle daughter was obviously an artist even at that age. She ended up going to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, worked for awhile afterward, then got an MFA at Yale (on her own merits, not a legacy) in sculpture and was named an artist to watch for 2015 by Modern Painter's magazine. She just completed a residency at Skowhegan, a 9 week prestigious artist residency in Maine (thousands apply, 65 are accepted). I don't know if it is still the same as we experienced, but it made a real difference for our family.

Little Angels Preschool - I cannot say enough positive things about this school, the staff, and my…read morechilds experience here. My little one attended for two years and recently finished Kindergarten. This school was truly the best preschool experience we could have ever asked for. I was very nervous at first as a first time mom to send my child to a school where we knew no one, she was not potty trained yet, and unfortunately because of covid, had not had many interactions with other kids at the time. But wow am I so glad we had this experience! From the principal, to the staff, to the other families - everyone truly loves and cares for this school. That is something that showed from our first day to our last day here. My little one would come home everyday with different stories about her teachers and friends, sing songs she learned, showed off the crafts she made, and tell me how much fun she had at school that day. Little Angels truly made my child so confident, happy, and I knew she would always be loved and taken care of here.

We adore little angels. Our daughter is in her second year there, and we have been so impressed by…read morethe personal attention from teachers, the creative and exciting projects, the wonderful children in her class and the great outdoors space. Our experience has been miles above our older child's experience with TK, especially with social-emotional teach through play, sweet and loving environment, and play that is more open-ended and inspiring creativity.

This is a tutoring match service. The company tries to match independent tutors with families…read morerequesting tutoring services. No tutor can make a child learn, motivation must come from the parent. Sure, some matches of tutor/family are not a perfect fit, but using common sense, most things can be resolved through compromise. This is an almost nationwide/global business. They have a great online platform (zoom like). Sure an occasional tutor may flake out or an occasional family may have unrealistic expectations, but try again. The company has no control over either entity - it just bills and tries to match needs. One bad apple does not ruin the whole truck!

We had our first session with Grade Potential Tutoring. We are very happy, we had some issue at the…read morebeginning but they solved it for us immediately.

We are so lucky to have gotten in. From the first moment, our son and family felt welcomed, cared…read morefor, and comforted. Every single teacher is kind, generous, and thoughtful. Every day is full of new, surprising experiences, and simple fun. The leadership is similarly wonderful. If you're considering it, please visit. If you're not, please consider it.

Our little guy Christopher is completing his last day at Discoveries today. It's been the most…read moreincredible experience and our little guy has grown so much in the last couple years. He's made so many dear friends, he's learned so much and he's really developed as a human being. That's all because of Discoveries. The entire team at Discoveries is so committed to developing little ones in the most optimistic and thoughtful way possible. The facilities are so cute, a beautiful lil world for kids to explore, learn and most importantly laugh! Despite some of the needed changes during Covid, the entire team was so incredible at making the experience as natural as possible. I thank them for everything they've done for our son and I wholeheartedly recommend Discoveries.

Today's college application process is full of hurdles and potential minefields, particularly if…read moreone is applying to several colleges. I used Balanced College Planning in Santa Barbara to help me with the process and I'm so glad I did! Rya Carpenter and Jean Fox have many years of experience supporting students in the application process and they are outstanding, value-minded professionals at helping students navigate that complex process. I worked very closely with Jean Fox, who patiently asked questions to understand my needs (my #1 goal was to transfer into UCSB, which is local for me). Jean provided clear direction, great insights and laser focus on the many steps required to create my strongest possible application. Jean was always cheerful, supportive, flexible and a pleasure to work with. Whether you are entering the college application as a high school student or as a transfer student (I am an older student), I would highly recommend Jean, Rya and Balanced College Planning! This Wednesday, I received my acceptance letter to UCSB. I couldn't be happier!

Rya's skills, knowledge and passion gave our family the tools to assist our two kids in their quest…read morefor their #1 college choice. She is a coach, a trusted advisor and a realist in helping us understand the process along with what scholarship may or may not be available. Anyone looking to get an "edge" in the competitive college application process, we strongly encourage you to hire Rya. If we had two more kids, we certainly would! Steve &Debbie Woodward