Our family began working with Julia Ross Professional Tutoring after our son completed his freshman year in high school. My husband and I were aware that the college selection and application process had changed significantly since our own experience 30 years ago. Rather than trying to navigate this new world on our own, we followed the recommendation of a friend and reached out to Professional Tutoring. What started as a simple phone inquiry has evolved into a multi-year relationship that has greatly benefited our son both academically and personally. During our initial consultation, Julia wasted no time getting to know our son by asking pointed questions about his goals, likes and personality and reviewed his current/future course load and grades. Her assessment of this information allowed her to provide honest feedback to help our son understand what he needed to do to accomplish his goals. Based on the outcome of the initial consultation, we decided to register for the high school coaching program. My only regret is that we didn't begin a year earlier. Julia helped ensure our son's course load was benefitting his ultimate college plan and gave direction for the remainder of his high school career. We participated in a Professional Tutoring workshop that helped him start thinking about what really sets him apart and resulted in a professional student resume. He also met with Julia to thoughtfully discuss what he was looking for in a college. Together, they came up with a comprehensive college decision matrix composed of schools that were a fit for him in terms of size, personal preferences and fields of study (among other criteria) and a fit for our family's budget. This matrix included several schools that were not on our radar and probably would have been overlooked - schools that are now at the top of our son's college rankings. During his sophomore year we were able to visit and tour some of the schools on the matrix, which helped keep him motivated and got him excited about the prospect of attending college in a few years. We also enrolled our son in Professional Tutorting's nine-month SAT/ACT test preparation program with the intent of him taking his standardized tests in the spring and summer of 2020. This comprehensive course focused not only on test content, but also on test-taking strategies. In addition to consistent attendance and class participation, students are expected to complete assignments outside of class. Our son committed to the program and put in the work and saw his practice test scores improve during the first several months. When the pandemic hit, the Professional Tutoring team quickly pivoted to an online class structure that allowed for continued learning and practice test taking. As College Board and ACT were forced to cancel test days, Professional Tutoring extended the course over the summer months, which helped ensure our son was prepared when the tests were finally offered. The course offering, combined with his hard work, resulted in a substantial increase in both his ACT and SAT scores. When it was announced that students would not return to in-person learning for the 2020-2021 school year, Julia reached out to her clients to offer tutoring services. As this was our son's junior year, we were terrified at the prospect of online school for his most difficult course load yet. The tutoring sessions gave him the in-person, one-on-one instruction he was missing from traditional schooling. Not only was Professional Tutoring's staff proficient in the course content with which our son needed help, they were approachable and provided a safe environment our son enjoyed. Our son is currently registered in Professional Tutoring's college admissions coaching program. As part of the program he has successfully completed a new student resume, updated his college decision matrix and received coaching for interviews with college admission counselors. The program also includes workshops for essay writing/refining and organizational assistance for the application process. Knowing we have a team of experienced college admissions experts to help facilitate this process is leaving all of us feeling more confident and less stressed. Since that initial consultation a couple years ago, Julia has demonstrated a sincere desire to see our son meet his goals. She is candid, yet caring and has an effective way of connecting with students. Her team members share her commitment, values and professionalism. From an administrative point of view, I greatly appreciate the entire Professional Tutoring team's responsiveness and detailed communication. In summary, Julia Ross and her team offer high-quality tutoring, coaching and test preparation programs that have exceeded our expectations. Having all of these offerings under one roof was especially beneficial to us. I would highly recommend Julia Ross Professional Tutoring for any family in search of the services they offer. read more

We highly recommend Julia Ross and her team at Professional Tutoring!  If you are anything like me, you are currently debating about whether to invest in SAT/ACT courses for your high schooler.  If you are like me, you would like some basic facts and hard numbers.  This review is for you!   Upon our rising senior's cancelled summer internships and cancelled SATs in the winter and spring of junior year, we decided to make the most of the time, and promptly enrolled him in the SAT/ACT prep course with Professional Tutoring.  Our student, while a very intelligent kid, is simply not a strong standardized test-taker.  At the start of the course in June, his practice test proctored and scored by Professional Tutoring yielded decent enough results for a student with learning disabilities and whose 3 PSATs were fairly lackluster.  At the end of the course upon the practice retake also proctored and scored by PT, his score rose 100 points, which we were very pleased with!  We know that repeition is one key component of raising test scores, as well as having knowledge of test-taking strategies and learning/revewing the actual breadth of knowledge. We were absolutely delighted to see the rise in his score, as well as the rise in his confidence.   When he was able to take the SAT in the fall (a month after his last class session with Julia and her team), our student was able to raise his score 200 points from the first practice exam in June!  His score helped him to secure an early admission into his first-choice university, and receive a merit scholarship for the test score.  His time in the course helped hone a great work ethic and prepare him for his future even while learning to deal with major focus issues (we had been working with his doctor for quite a while trying to figure this component out for him) and working with learning disabilities.  This investment paid for itself in dividends, though if you are a numbers person, his merit scholarship more than paid for the cost of the course.  As if all of this was not enough, Julia and her wonderful team has plenty of brain food (snacks!) At the ready for the students - what more could you want?!   Communication with Julia and her team was super, preparation materials were all provided as part of the course cost (yay for convenience!), and the PT team was warm, welcoming, and professional.  We already have our sophomore on the list for an upcoming class slot. read more

Julia Ross and her top notch staff have an incredible wealth of knowledge that has successfully ushered many Northern Virginia students into great colleges across the country. Her passion is contagious and she is well informed on all the college journey topics that you must know as a student. They excel at the entire college application process from the perfect essay to interviews and scholarships. They take into consideration all special circumstances, sports, art, music, etc. and look at each student as a whole person rather than a bunch of numbers. I have done tons of active research on the college process and yet, learned more in her 2 seminars than I did from all my 3 years of websurfing, reading, college visits, school counselor meetings, and discussions with many college admission representatives. Thanks to Julia, I have learned the importance of such things as resumes, the perfect essay, personable contact, and the ability for all kids to find their own "fit." I have attended 2 different seminars (one targeted to seniors and one targeted to all students on the college journey) in the last 2 years. I have also read her great guide book which has opened my son's eyes to the many opportunities out there for all students - not just the IB track "stars" who have a 4.5 and perfect SATscores. We now know of so many more options that we had no clue even existed previous to hearing Julia speak. My son now believes that he too can go to a great school and that he has options. Julia's seminars, unlike many I have been to in the past, are not "canned" and each included new up to date stats, information, and slides. I left each with new knowledge and the confidence that my son could use her process to make his dreams come true. I urge everyone to read her book, go hear her speak at one of her many seminars and learn more about the great journey ahead for our students. I promise you it is time well spent and you won't be regret it. read more

Our family had the pleasure of working with Julia for each of our four children, which spanned over ten years. Each took the SAT prep course and one the college application prep course. Our experience was absolutely wonderful as Julia is calm, attentive. personally engaging, and gently hands on. Her experience in the college world is unmatched and needless to say our children's experience was fabulous. Moreover, her judgment was spot on and we implicitly trusted it. Each child did very well on their SAT exams and all attended fantastic schools. For each child, Julia offered her insights about their strengths and weaknesses and what schools would be the best match. Once weaknesses were identified she worked to improve the areas in need. Her test preparation was on the mark and the process and timeline she employs had each child at their peak on testing days. When necessary, she reached out to schools to aid in the admissions and financial aid process. That was above and beyond. The one who availed herself of the college application course had high level schools fighting over her while throwing significant money at her. She ultimately went to a prestigious school of her choice. For this child, we had a minor/major crisis application deadline day (New Year's Eve) and Julia patiently worked with us into the night until we pressed send. We laugh about it now, but at the time she was by our side focused on helping and getting it done! The college application process, especially in Northern Virginia, is uber-competitive and every advantage is a must. Julia gave us that advantage and we never for a second regretted working with her and indeed we have always felt blessed to have her by our side. Her services have our highest recommendation. read more

We have spent the last 8 years homeschooling our daughter with great success, by our standards - the time came for us to translate that success factor into a language the academic world at large would accept and appreciate. Where to start - since my husband and I hadn't been in the undergraduate game for 2 decades, we needed lots of hand holding on where to start - everything from financial aid, to finding the best fit for our daughter. Julia Ross highlighted again and again that the best success for our child would be where her aspirations met her personality and performance levels. She is bent on NOT focusing on "name brand" schools, just for the sake of status. Because of her worthy coaching (which we commuted all the way from Baltimore, Md to receive) my daughter was accepted into 3 top colleges, including her first choice. Her SAT scores improved by over 200 points, which I am sure was a factor in getting these colleges to even look at her seriously. Long story short, my homeschool graduate is in one of the top 5 Art & Design colleges in the country and she is loving it. I knew all along she would be prepared - it was a matter of getting her to the door and having them give her a chance. Julia Ross' tutoring (specifally SAT prep and pre-college coaching) helped to bring this situation about. And I must say, that we had never heard of her dream school, until Julia recommended it - she is very keen on getting to know your student and making suggestions on where they may best excel. And I agree that her book is also awesome - straight forward, point by point advice and coaching - so even if you are no where near Northern Virginia, get the book and take advantage of her insight through her written counsel. read more

Julia and her entire team are wonderful, and I strongly recommend their services whether you are looking for tutoring, SAT/ACT preparation, or college coaching. Her website is well-organized and clear about all services and fees. She is incredibly responsive on the phone and through email. She is passionate about helping children and teens to succeed. My oldest daughter did SAT/ACT prep and college coaching with Julia and her team. She was also tutored in math for a few years. Her gains on the SAT and ACT were outstanding. The college coaching package delivered on all aspects. My daughter had to work hard - make no mistake about that. Your kid needs to show up, work hard, and follow Julia's time-tested guide in SAT/ACT prep and the college search process. Yes, it is a lot and yes, it is stressful, but yes, you can enjoy this journey with your child! Julia made all the difference with her approach. My daughter is now happily into her freshman year at UVA Nursing, and she knows she made the right choice. Our younger daughter is into her second year of math tutoring (Geometry Honors 9th grade), and we could not be more pleased with her progress. We are also especially grateful during these COVID19 times that she has an opportunity to leave the house and have personal interaction in a safe environment. Julia also offers virtual options. We plan to enroll her in SAT/ACT prep and college coaching when the time comes. In summary, Julia Ross and Professional Tutoring have been phenomenal in our children's academic success! read more

Because I'm the type of person that hates playing catch up, I purchased Professional Tutoring's Initial Consultation High School package during my daughter's sophomore year. Julia Ross worked diligently alongside my daughter to make wise academic choices for her jr and sr year based on her college goals and provided an excellent resume seminar which is unlike any other resume class. My daughter used this resume for her first job and multiple times during her college applications. I knew that all of the details that come along with the college application process would prove too stressful for my relationship with my daughter so I hired Professional Tutoring again to be our intermediary during junior and senior year requirements. PT provides several College Coaching packages and SAT/ACT tutoring to suit your family's needs. While Mrs. Ross definitely has her favorite colleges because of their unique opportunities, she never hesitated to support my daughter's college goals. Because she gave respect to my daughter, my daughter in turn truly listened to her wisdom and guidance during ACT prep, resume writing, application essay topics, and to which colleges to apply to. My daughter was recently admitted early decision to her first choice. I am proud of my daughter's hard work to get her to this point in her senior year but am forever grateful to Julia Ross and her Professional Tutoring team for making the choice to use their services as one of the best educational decisions I have ever made. read more

My husband and I made the realization early in our son's junior year that we were ill-equipped for the college preparation and search. Based on a friend's experience and positive recommendation, we met with Julia Ross of Professional Tutoring. Not only was our initial consultation highly educational, it was eye-opening to us as parents and even more so to our son. We were correct in our assumption that we were vastly unaware of how to adequately prepare ourselves and our son for post-high school life. Coming from the heavily saturated high achievers of Northern Virginia, we needed every bit of guidance provided in order for our son to even be considered at the highly competitive colleges and universities he was qualified for and interested in pursuing. From increasing AP rigor, SAT prep, preparing for the SAT Subject tests, seeking a summer internship, creating a resume, maneuvering the Common App, prepping for and surviving mock (and real) interviews, receiving researched merit aid possibilities, and attending essay writing courses, he has almost completed his time with Professional Tutoring. Our end result for our son has been acceptance, Early Decision, to a highly competitive out-of-state private university. It was a tremendous effort on our son's part but totally manageable, made that way by Professional Tutoring. Ms. Ross and her staff are top-notch and make what has become a mind-blowing process, all the more attainable. read more

I have lived in the Northern Virginia area for over 20 years. I had heard about Professional Tutoring, including Julia Ross and her staff, for many years. I just never thought that my kids would need a tutor. I found out how wrong I was when our oldest became a teenager. I suddenly lost my brain and could do nothing right in his mind. We began tutoring with Professional Tutoring in 2004. It was such a relief to give us some of the control (and the family battles over missing assignments) to someone else. Since 2004, we have sent all three of our students through ALL of the Professional Tutoring programs: Tutoring, SAT Preparation and College Coaching. We have interacted with several tutors and coaches, all of whom were not only professional but kind. They know their subjects well and ALSO truly care about the kids. I don't take the time to post comments online often but when I saw Pam G's negative comment, I just could not let it go. I actually asked one of the Professional Tutoring staff what had happened. She told me that the family had been difficult from day one, had used extensive services, begged for discounts and free services and AFTER finishing the program, had refused to pay. I hate to see this happen to good businesses. Take time to look at the hidden reviews as well. We are thankful for Professional Tutoring. read more

Parents, if you're looking for some inside scoop on Julia Ross P.T.'s incredible tutoring services, then look no further. I'm a mom of two, preparing to tackle a 2nd college degree. I knew that I needed to brush up on some math for my entrance exams and Julia Ross and her team came highly recommended by many parents in my area. Even with the glowing reviews, and a few phone conversations and email exchanges with Julia, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I can say that once I began working with her, I was immediately floored by her knowledge and resources, by the fluidity with which she moved between students and subjects and by her rapport with her young clients. She can connect and motivate in ways that we, as parents, often find challenging and she explains a variety subjects with an ease and clarity that gives students the much needed confidence to tackle material on their own. Her team was responsive and equally as easy to work with. As a busy working mom, I found that there was never a hassle with scheduling and billing and there always seemed to be a group available to slide into when extra help was needed. Julia's intellectual property and experience can't possibly be quantified -- it's invaluable. Parents should rest assured that they're absolutely getting their money's worth and more when working with Julia and her team. read more

i had originally signed up for Julia's SAT class and the result was amazing-our daughter's scores went up 300 points. i am sold on the class and Julia's method of teaching and getting down to what really makes these kids tick. Julia got to know my child as well if not better than I did-knew her passions and that my insistence that she do something I wanted her to do with her life was just going to work. Reluctantly, I signed up for Julia's college coaching course. Because iIhave a child who has a solid 2.5 GPA and pretty good SAT scores, I really thought she may benefit from a junior college for a few years to raise the GPA. Also, I have to admit, starting this college process was pretty daunting to me. But I was wrong and Julia and her staff gave us the one-on-one we (I) needed. Here we are in August and our daughter has been on 8 college visits, been accepted by 4, has scholarship offers from 3 so far. And we haven't even started her senior year yet. I cannot tell you how much of a weight has been lifted! Julia can tell you that becasue she has spent as much time coaching and encouraging me as she has spent with our daughter. I would encourage any parent to call Julia. She will help your child, she will help you, and she celebrates your child's successes like they are her own! And isn't that what we all want?! read more

We have also used all of Professional Tutoring's services. We just finished the Four-month SAT Preparation Program for Seniors. Dr. Garrett is a genius!! She led our son through all the steps of the SAT Exam. We had tried other programs which focused on strategies. None of these programs worked and we wasted money. We gave SAT preparation one last ditch shot with Professional Tutoring. Both the classwork and homework was hard; it definitely required concentration and dedication. But you know what they say about you get what you put into it! Our son did not work as hard as he could have (he never does) BUT... his score went up 340 points in four months!! We are now looking at reach colleges for application and even scholarships!! Julia Ross recommended that we consider Ohio State University, a ranked engineering program for its Buckeye Scholarship. We have just finished the scholarship and admissions application and it looks like between the Buckeye Scholarship and our GI Bill that we will pay $0 for four years of college!! Four years of college free - well worth our $1400 investment! I would have posted five stars but my computer did not let me. If Professional Tutoring has room for you in their very busy schedule, consider yourself lucky!! read more

I don't live in Northern Virginia, but my children used Julia Ross's book as a roadmap for their college application process. Julia's book is a how-to for college admissions. No other book is as concise and readable as this book. She follows three high school seniors, Grace, Colin and Ally as they start their college selection journey. Julia helps parents and students develop a list of colleges to consider based on location, academic fit, social life, activites and cost. Julia's student resume format is the foundation for the college application process. The student's essays, college applications, requests for recommendations, interviews, and scholarship applications are all built off the student resume. Through Julia's prose, we can picture Grace, Colin and Ally as the teenagers they are and the college students they will become. It is easy to see how these three have opened many doors by following Julia's process. My two children followed the simple steps and got into all but their highest reach school. The merit scholarships offered to my children reached a combined total of over $600K from the schools to which they were accepted. This is the must-have book for parents of high school students. read more

Mrs. Ross is hands down one of the best people you will ever encounter. My junior year I was having issues with pre-calc and heard about Professional Tutoring, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Within no time my grade had shot up almost two whole letter grades and I was signing up for her ACT/SAT prep course as well. Mrs. Ross cares for each individual student beyond just the classroom which is what separates her from every other tutor out there. She makes sure everything is going alright in your personal life as well as getting to know you. She has the best snacks and drinks in her cottage (which is where the learning happens). If you need anything else to eat or drink she will make sure you get what you need so you are able to stay focused on the task at hand. My family and I were so pleased with my success due to Mrs. Ross that my sister who is currently going into her junior year is starting to work with her. Mrs. Ross will never fail to put a smile on your face, greet you with a hug and help you through all your academic weaknesses/problems and push you do to your best. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for Mrs. Ross in my corner pushing me to do my best and helping me along the way. read more

We are so thankful that we decided to hire Julia Ross and her Professional Tutoring Staff to help our two senior high daughters through the college admissions process. Julia and her staff, helped our daughters identify universities that we would not have thought of, by creating a list of 20 schools to consider. Her staff helped each of them work thoughtfully to create a college resume which proved helpful during college visits as well as meetings with faculty during university visits. Professional Tutoring's large database, small group workshops and editing services were invaluable as our girls began to finalize there applications, essays and scholarship essays. As our daughters were finalizing decisions, Julia and her staff were always there to help and answer questions or connect us to a contact at a particular University. All along the way Julia helped to market our daughters to the universities that they were considering and used their talents to acquire admission and even tuition reductions at some colleges! We feel strongly that the commitment we made to this service was a wise investment. One that we have already begun to see our return on! read more

Mrs. Ross (and everyone else at Prof. Tutoring) are OUTSTANDING teachers and people both professionally and personally. I've had the pleasure of working (as a student) with her over the years, she helped me raise my SAT score stupendously (from a 1160 to 1800, which I was able to score on my final SAT!), she also has been teaching my brother and has always stayed in my life as a friend and mentor. Mrs Ross and her family / colleagues exhibit something that many others don't. Besides most of them speaking [at least] one foreign language fluently, they all seem to know practically *everything*, no matter the subject! - I received personal tutoring help in Math and Spanish, as well as taking the SAT course that she provides. It was always amazing to me how she was able to make every student feel special and intelligent. She has the gift of motherly-love, while at the same time, really knows how to motivate those who need that "extra push". I highly recommend Professional Tutoring w/ Mrs. Ross to anyone who needs academic help, SAT-prep, and even Resume building! She helped me get into every college I applied for. I wouldn't have done it any other way. read more

I have used Professional Tutoring for SAT/ACT prep as well as college coaching for two of my children. It has made a huge impact on finding them the right school for a price we can afford. Both of my children drastically improved their SAT/ACT scores. By working on it daily for 9 months it was not overwhelming for them and they only needed to carve out 30 minutes a day between weekly classes. I am so thankful I found Julia for college coaching. Applying to college is hard and it has a huge impact on the future of your child. Julia is able to help find schools that offer merit aid and scholarships as well as working with your child to find the best school for them. The team helps your child brainstorm to make their essays personal and knows what the colleges are looking for in the essay. She makes the kids work hard to finalize quality applications. Once all of the decisions are in - Julia helps with the tough decision of what college/university to choose. Having a "coach" is so important as you go through this process and Julia does not disappointment. She cares about each and every one of her students and it shows. read more

The Pederson family highly recommends Julia Ross and her team for all of your tutoring, SAT/ACT prep and college application coaching needs. Julia came highly endorsed by neighbors and she delivers a service that cannot be matched! Julia's team Is skilled, professional, fair and flexible where possible with scheduling. Her unique course booklet is an excellent resource which complements the college coaching packages offered. Julia's team guided my son to write an impactful resume and essay that highlighted his abilities and the skills that made him stand out, leading him to be selected for the school/program of his choice. Hiring Julia again to coach my daughter as she navigates the college application process was an easy decision, as my time to assist with this is once again limited due to my job. Hiring Julia and her team is a wise investment - they will deliver the expertise and practical guidance your student needs to reach their realistic college admission and testing goals. Recommend looking into her services early as her courses are very popular! read more

We used the services of Professional Tutoring to assist in my son's college selection process four years ago and are currently working with her to help in our daughter's search for a four-year nursing program. Before meeting Julia and her team, "we didn't know what we didn't know" about the complicated college selection journey. You need to get started early, WAY before you think it's necessary. Having deadlines, schedules, checklists, and reminders for each stage in the process has been so helpful. Julia gave us good insight into many alternatives and programs of which we were unaware - including honors colleges within large universities, scholarship sources, ROTC programs and more. It's also great to have an objective third party involved when making the emotional and financial decisions this process involves. When so much is at stake, it pays to have someone on your side who knows what admissions officers want, and how to judge if a particular school is a good fit for your child's unique skills, temperament, and goals. Thanks to the whole team. read more