People cheat. I know that. When I took my CBEST test years ago, we teachers could not wear a…read moresweater, unless it was a pullover. We had to put any purses or bags in a pile in the back of the room. But, that was before the tech area. People still cheat because now you sign up online, have to have your name on a list downstairs and show the building attendants your identification. Then you go into the elevator they tell you to and they push the button for you to go to your floor. There are no buttons in the elevator!!! Once on your floor you arrive, have to show your name, give them your ID, promise to give them your first newborn and allow them to draw a pint of blood and wait while they test it! Just kidding!!! Actually, you do show the ID and do a palm scan, fill out paperwork and sign some papers. They you go to a locker and put everything that isn't nailed down into it. Phones, glasses, purses, bags, etc. And the phone has to be turned off. Then you go to one of two rooms where you have to sign another form (I think). If you have glasses, they have to go onto a checker or something (it was a round pad). Alternatively, you may need to leave them there. I don't wear my glasses when working on a computer. Once at the room again, I had to do a hand scan. I also had to turn my pockets inside out, which is where I found the penny. I had a choice to give it to them to hold or put it in my locker. My money went into the locker. One day, I had a cardigan on (where I found the lone penny) and she patted my back to make sure nothing was in there. The woman said, "you have no idea what we've seen." I said, "I believe it. I went to college and those rich kids were masters at cheating." Anyway, you go into a room and sit at the computer they tell you to. Then you read that there is a camera on you and a microphone. Not surprised, but three tests over two days and I passed. Yay!!! The other good thing is I don't have to go back! Yay, again! Another good thing is that they have testing on the weekends. So my first two tests were on Saturday, the day after I called in to sign up for the test. I had to reschedule my next test and was able to do it easily. I appreciated this and the convenience even though I had to nearly give up an arm and a leg.

I recently visited this testing center, and here's what to expect. Upon arrival, you'll check in…read morewith security on the first floor, who will also push the elevator button to take you to the 4th floor. Once inside the center, you'll take a number and wait to be called to the counter. Staff will ask for your ID and confirm which test you're taking. Be prepared to follow strict rules: no phones, drinks, or food are allowed inside, and you'll need to store these items in a locker. They'll also ask you to remove jackets, so dress appropriately for the conditions inside. The workers are very stern and keep everything professional and efficient, which helps maintain a focused environment for testing. Overall, the center runs smoothly if you follow instructions, but don't expect a warm, relaxed atmosphere - it's very much about business here.

Carolyn has worked with both my sons for the last few years. My oldest used Carolyn to catch up his…read morewriting skills and has since been able to keep up on his own. My youngest sees her weekly, he has some diagnosed learning disorders. She has helped him immensely with his writing, verbal and oral communication, thought organization etc. Sometimes she functions as the extra set of hands when he has a looming report, speech or book report. Other times she works with him in areas that he struggles with such as reading comprehension and vocabulary.She always arrives with a lesson plan in hand and is ready to go so her time with my child is well spent.

Carolyn Price has worked with our family in Piedmont for over four years, she is positive, creative…read moreand always prepared for anything we throw at her. We have seen our youngest go from reluctant writer who wanted to rush through his assignments turn into a confident and creative student. We would highly recomend her to anyone struggling to engage their children .

PEL stands for "Pre-Eminent Learning" and is the new Kumon with the Singaporean math trend focus on…read morecommon core math that us millennial parents didn't grow up with. There aren't any Russian math options around Alameda yet so we decided to sign up for the free consult/testing for PEL for our then five year old at the end of TK to see where he was at and he's been enjoying it ever since. We go twice a week for one hour and with the daily homework, our kindergartner is enjoying math drills and writing practice/phonics/reading. It takes a second to make it a habit but now he enjoys it and timing himself on the homework (cue childhood trauma from Kumon where my mom had a stopwatch!). I stopped correcting the homework for my sanity (more trauma - my mom corrected all our Kumon with the borrowed answer books and yelled if we got too many wrong). At this young age, they have Junior PEL which is with a teacher in a small group (versus the older kids who independently work and then raise hands for help). Our son's favorite teacher is Teacher Anna. For the waiting parents, this place has better parking, location and amenities than Mathnasium or Kumon with the Southshore shopping center. You can go grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and Safeway, pickup dinner, get a foot massage at W Spa, go for a run/walk by Crown Beach, return Amazon purchases at Kohl's, go to the bank, charge your car, etc. It's a carve-out time for errands that makes PEL seamless into our hectic family life with two young children. You can also just veg on the phone or work while waiting in the lobby (they have a super clean bathroom and it's quiet). The couple that owns this location also has a sister location in San Leandro and they run it efficiently and smoothly bc Alameda is their second location. Director Lawrence and Ms Kiwi are caring and kind and they also conduct regular parent teacher conferences, which is helpful at projecting and quantifying the hours invested into PEL. The icing on the cake is the annual honor roll ceremony in October. They did a great in putting the event together with the kids and parents in mind and our son is so proud of his honor roll trophy and shows everyone that comes over. Highly recommend PEL (especially those in public school in alameda bc K doesn't have homework!)

We have two elementary-school boys and spent over two years trying other learning programs in the…read morearea. While they helped a bit, nothing compared to PEL Learning Center in Alameda. Mr. Lawrence and the entire staff are incredibly attentive to each child's individual needs, helping them not just improve but truly excel. What sets PEL apart, however, is their outstanding communication with parents. They keep us closely informed, work directly with us to assess progress, and make thoughtful adjustments so our boys stay engaged and never lose interest. This partnership lets us provide the right support at home. Most impressively, Mr. Lawrence has gone far above and beyond--he has even attended our son's IEP meeting at school to better understand his specific learning needs and ensure PEL's program perfectly complements, supports, and supplements his classroom experience and special education plan. I've never seen this level of genuine passion and investment in individual students from any other program. If you're looking for a tutoring center that truly cares about your child's academic growth and overall engagement, I can't recommend PEL highly enough!

good and the reason why it's 4 stars it's because some of the teachers are strict especially the…read moreWednesday 104 teacher 1 to 3pm she yells at us to be quiet

Great after school Chinese program. My son loves it here. They even offer after school pick up.read more

The ODALC offered a workshop on an interesting subject, which I learned about by an email list I…read morejoined. We had an intimate workshop, and it became clear that the owner has but a lot of attention and love in the creation of this newly-opened learning center. I recommend it, hope it succeeds, and look forward to attending future workshops.

From the owner: Oakland Digital (ODALC) educates, inspires, and empowers underserved communities to participate and…read moresucceed in the digital economy. We are a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, public benefit organization with two goals. 1) Professional development for students. Give students the motivation and tools they need to find appropriate employment. 2) Fostering success of small businesses. Train local business owners with digital tools to succeed in the 21st Century. Oakland Digital's work creates a better-informed, self reliant community that harnesses digital media and technology for economic success and professional vitality. With Oakland Digital's facility located on the edge of Oakland Chinatown (at 12th and Harrison), we are working to transform downtown Oakland into an area that flourishes through technology, innovation and collaboration among diverse community members.

I attended a workshop by Jocelyn a few weeks back and it was very empowering. We talked about goals…read moreand how to take tiny steps in terms of how to reach them. This is something that I really needed to take a step back and really think about what it is I want with my future and how to get there. If you are questioning how to achieve your goals, whether it be through employment, education or just personal my advice is to reach out to her. Her knowledge and background prove that she is an amazing person that will lead you to fulfill your life's purpose in a more meaningful way.

Jocelyn Brooks is a smart and insightful leader. I learned a great deal from her in academics and…read morestudent engagement, and she has the ability to be an excellent coach and resource for anyone open to growth and improvement.

Had a great time taking private lessons from Ximena on a weekly basis, she had a curriculum,…read morelessons, books and cultural activity. I became somewhat fluent and went to Chile towards the end of my classes. Highly recommend.

I have been studying with Easy Spanish Para Ti (ESPT) for almost one year now and I can say that I…read morelove it! Stephanie has always been so nice and accommodating from the moment we first spoke. I have had a few teachers since starting and they were all wonderful. However, my current profesora, Grace, has been nothing short of wonderful! All of the students I have met have enjoyed there experience at ESPT and all recommend it. I recently traveled to Mexico for two weeks and my experience was amazing, as I could completely converse in Spanish (with some gracious understanding by the locals) and got around with no problem. Many were impressed with how much I've learned when I told them I had been studying full time for only a year. I highly recommend joining me at ESPT if you want to accelerate or begin your Spanish journey.

PLEASE NOTE! A WORD OF CAUTION FOR POTENTIAL CLIENTS: Barbara talks a lot about how much your…read morechild's story means in their applications, but her actions while editing my child's essays speak volumes about her capabilities and false pretenses about loving students. When my child would come to her with heartfelt essays about her experiences and hopes for the future, Barbara would brutally slash up my child's essays until they were bare boned. No story, no flair, no emotion, nothing. Not to mention Barbara also told my child that her essays were "terrible" or that she should not apply at all. Those same essays, without any edits, got her into incredibly competitive schools in and out of state. She also edits the essays in FRONT of my child right before they meet. She wouldn't spend time to thoroughly edit the essays beforehand despite asking for them a week in advance. To top it all off, Barabra is phenomenally bad at making good on her scheduling appointments and will force you to sign a multi-thousand dollar contract, to lock you in. She has made appointments with my child multiple times and then proceeded to cancel last minute because she double booked, or would force my child to wait.

The college process is truly daunting. Barbara helped us to break it down into manageable steps,…read moreworking with my twins from their sophomore year in high school through to the end of the application process. Notable points for twins: she works with each child separately, drawing out their specific interests and talents with regular one-on-one meetings. If they don't really know what they are interested in or they are interested in many different things (normal for a teenager!) she helps them figure it out so that by senior year they have a real portfolio of volunteer and community activities, internships, research projects and leadership experiences that they can use to clarify their interests and to get into excellent colleges! She is very honest and direct, while at the same time enjoying the kids' unique strengths and opportunities for laughs that come along the way. She helps them pick out schools that fit their characters and helps them streamline the process as much as is humanly possible for such a high-stakes venture. Thanks so much, Barbara!