I would highly recommend Scott Cowan to anyone in need of an academic tutor. Scott helped me study for the GRE and then assisted me in preparing my university application essays. Scott is personable, knowledgeable, encouraging and extremely helpful. He helped me learn not only the content info for the GRE, but also guided me in effectively studying for the test and taking the test. Scott has excellent insight into what and when to study, how much to study, and how to balance one's studying efforts for the best result. He also has an intimate knowledge of how to strategically approach the GRE, which is invaluable for success. In terms of the application process, Scott knows an enormous amount about what colleges look for in students, and helped me to be strategic about my applications, and show my strengths to their best advantage. Scott also helped me proof my essays for the applications, offering great suggestions for making them more concise and convincing. Scott helped me improve my skills and mastery in math, writing and reading comprehension. He did all this while making me feel comfortable and optimistic about the entire process. Scott is generous with his time, allowing his students to call/ text/email him between appointments, a great benefit in regards to answering quick questions and clarifying information. Scott also always had a positive word to say about my progress, effort, or new understanding of a topic. It made me feel like he was "on my side" and bolstered my confidence--a very important part of being successful in the ever more competitive world of academics. My sessions with Scott were not inexpensive, but they were worth every penny. I learned more than I could have imagined, I felt solid and prepared going into my GRE, and when I completed my university applications, I knew I had put forth my very best. If you are thinking of working with a tutor/mentor/guide, Scott Cowan is an excellent choice. Thank you, Scott! read more

I am currently a senior in high school and I have been working with Scott since my sophomore year. In these past three years, Scott has helped me from SATs to English essays to stress relief. I first came to him in sophomore year when I wanted to get a head start on the SATs. Scott knows just about every aspect of the SATs. He taught me all the strategies and tricks that really helped me to do well on the SATs. And despite how early I started, I never got bored or stopped learning anything. With Scott, I was constantly excited to go to tutoring. He makes tutoring sessions not only educational, but lots of fun with his various stories and impressions. Although I originally came to Scott for SAT preparation, he has helped me in school in general. He edited my essays for English and just recently, he helped me through my college application process. Without Scott, applying to college would have been so much harder. A really important characteristic of Scott is his encouragement. Many times throughout my high school career, I did not have much confidence in my work, but Scott always inspired me to push myself. He taught me that I have studied hard, I have learned a lot, and I should be proud of the work that I have done. Many high schoolers today are pressured to do well by parents and society in general. But many of them do not have that person who truly believes in them. i am glad to say that Scott was that person for me and was there throughout my high school career. And I recommend anyone to Scott because I am truly grateful for the work he has done for me. read more

I had found Scott Cowan from yelp in last minute hopes of finding help in proofreading an admissions appeal letter. I was skeptical at first despite all the positive feedback in his reviews because I had always went to my schools' learning center for academic help. To my surprise, my expectations were beyond exceeded. It was way better than any of the tutors I've came across at my schools' learning centers. It is without a doubt that Scott knows his material. I had came early for my appointment and had the privilege to see how passionate he was in helping his students learn and understand. He was very diligent in making sure that his students understood the material and in helping bring forth what I had wanted to talk about in my appeal. He was very thorough, honest, and provided constructive input. Bascially everything you would want in someone helping you improve your paper. All I had wanted was to get my letter done and over with, surprisingly, I learned a lot. Not only did Scoot help me mold my letter into what I wanted it to be, but I improved my grammar along the way! He holds a lot of teaching experience and has a genuine desire to help people succeed in their academic endeavors. My appeal was actually approved! I would definitely come back for help with any college papers in the future. Thank you Scott! read more

Scott helped our daughter through the college application process. If you knew us, you would realize how unlikely it was for us to hire someone to help us with this process. We had never done anything like this before. But the idea of even narrowing down the choices was thoroughly overwhelming and there were not adequate counseling services available at our child's small, new, public high school. Scott began by helping our daughter define characteristics she was looking for in a school. He is very knowledgeable about schools. He was able to use her comments, background and list to help her come up with a list of fewer than 10 great matches surprisingly quickly. Next, he helped her get organized, create a time line, and compose and edit her essays. Throughout the process he spoke with our daughter respectfully, engaged with her on her level and made the experience enjoyable. He always had something positive to say about her work. She felt proud of her writing and open to his editing suggestions. I believe she learned a lot through the process and came up with a list of schools any one of which she would be happy with. Most importantly, he was the one making sure she got her work done in time instead of us. It was a great stress-reducer. It was definitely time and money well-spent! read more

If you are a high school senior and planning on applying to college in the U.S. you probably will be required to take the SAT Reasoning test. With this in mind, it is comforting to know that there are people like Scott Cowan out there. Nowhere, will you find a teacher more dedicated, or willing to go the entire day without breaks (literally) to help you achieve your potential. Aside from being a great teacher, he is also an amazing cook! Upon entrance I am always offered tea and often a second dinner. His cooking is reflected in his teaching methods. One night he offered me an experimental waffle ratatouille, to which I dutifully tried and to my surprise, liked. Similarly, when teaching, he does not restrict himself to convention. He will not only show you how, but also why a method works to solving a problem. While in the short term this may seem tedious, in the long run it is highly valuable. I recommend Scott not only as an SAT tutor, but as a mentor. read more

Scott has been a great GRE tutor for me. He works with all ages and levels but knows the specific test material and how to tailor the instruction to what you need. I came to him pretty close to my test date and he was quickly able to identify gaps in my knowledge and provide me with helpful books and useful assignments to expand my understanding of the different sections. Through emailing and time outside of our allotted session he also proved to be a great motivator. He understands not only testing material but the psychology around it and how you might approach the big day. The methods for studying that he recommended helped throughout the process and I'm sure will serve me well in future tests, especially since my goal is more school and more tests. And on top of all these great instructor qualities, Scott is enjoyable to get to know and catch up with each session. Thanks for all the help and good conversation! read more

Scott Cowan successfully assisted my son in his preparation for the S.A.T. What particularly stood out was that my son did not start preparing for such until his senior year in high school....on the later side. Availing ourselves of the fixed fee option, my son latched on to many, many hours with Scott, who readily made himself available as my son wished. That drove the cost per hour down to a very reasonable rate. Taking the exam three times, the scores increased on each taking....particularly in the much needed math area. Most importantly though was the connection Scott established with my son - one of mutual respect, encouragement and motivation. Scott has high expectations for his students and brings out the best in them. The one time I picked up my son from Scott's home office, a warm snack had been provided and it was clear a friendly, joking relationship abounded. I highly recommend Scott Cowan. Ron read more

Scott has a magic touch with a young person who may feel conflicted about college searching and isn't getting down to business--"I want to go to college next year/but I'm not really sure...and besides, I'm busy on Facebook, not to mention homework and my 5000 activies." Having Scott on deck has been very liberating for me as a mother. I can stay out of my daughter's business but also feel confident that the work is happening.. Someone else who actually understands all the deadlines is keeping the college application process on track. I can stay abreast of the college search without having to be the Nag Queen myself! Scott is encouraging, warm, organized and experienced. His help is worth every one of our hard-earned pennies! read more

Over the last few months Scott has helped me in first choosing excellent colleges and then completing all the applications. I had been dreading applying to college ever since junior year, but when I worked with Scott I actually looked forward our sessions together. They were fun! Scott always had wonderful feedback on my writing and was so easy going that after I saw him I felt less stressed about deadlines than when I arrived. I can truely say that I am proud of all the essays that I wrote for colleges, a statement many high schoolers couldn't agree with. I would, without a doubt, recomend Scott to anyone thinking about it. I don't know how to thank Scott enough for his combination of help and hounding. THANKS ; ) read more

I came to Scott Cowan for help with the SSAT, the independent high school test. He has been a tremendous help, and over the last few months, I have learned so much and gained loads of confidence. The tricks he has taught me will serve me for not only the SSAT, but all standardized tests. I cannot recommend him more. When I first started being tutored by Scott, I had never taken a standardized test, and knew nearly nothing on the subject. Scott has taught me an incredible amount since september, and I owe my success to him. Scott is also a very nice man, and very easy to talk to. His location is perfect for me, and he is not only a great tutor, but has become a friend. read more

Scott Cowen has a gift and an amazing intelligence for teaching. He is compassionate, understanding, intuitive and very perceptive. He handles obstacles with grace and humor. One feels immediately at ease in his presence and he has an unwavering commitment to excellence. There is no doubt in my mind that Scott played a huge roll in building my daughters academic confidence to unseen heights. Seriously, this may sound like an over the top review but it is absolutely what I have witnessed through my daughters mentorship with Scott. I will not hesitate to higher him again to help with my younger daughter next year. Thanks Scott! You're the best! read more

My daughter worked with Scott in her senior year and I can only say he saved my sanity. This was a very stressful year on many levels and having Scott in our lives was invaluable. Not only did he help my daughter raise her SAT scores by 200 points, he helped her organize and manage her time and thus made me feel much more relaxed about the whole process of college application. He helped her with her essay and she was accepted to all colleges she applied to. He ended up to be much more than a tutor, mostly because I believe he takes genuine interest in his students and is fully invested in helping them achieve their goals. Thank you! read more

Scott is a wonderful tutor. He has helped me with my applications to Graduate School and studying for my GRE writing portion (have not received my scores yet, but should be getting them in the mail soon). He is very knowledgable and works very hard to make you feel comfortable and confident. He is very good at designing personalized plans so that you can reach your goals. He is very responsive in e mails and phone calls. I would reccommend Scott to anyone, all students from elementary through Graduate School. He is very patient and also goes out of his way to accomodate you and your personal goals and needs. THANKS SCOTT!! read more

Scott is a dynamic tutor who adapts to each child's individual needs. We found Scott when we were searching for someone to help our 10 year old daughter with the ISEE test. Scott started tutoring her over Skype because we were out of town and they immediately developed an excellent rapport together. Scott would teach her new material and then assign her problems to practice and make sure she retained the information. Also, Scott's positive encouragement boosted her confidence so she wasn't nervous going into the exam. I highly recommend Scott! read more

Scott Cowan is our creative learning solution to the bewildering process of college applications and standardized testing. He has helped my child improve his scores and feel successful in his search for college. The encouragement and knowledge this man can impart to a TEENAGER is invaluable. You know when a person is in the exactly right profession . Thanks Scott! read more

I have really improved in my ability to do well on the GRE's. Not only did Scott help me with the verbal,quantitative, and essay portions of the exam, he also help me with my high anxiety that I have around test taking and had me work on some concepts that I can apply to my every day life. I highly, highly recommend him as a tutor. read more

Scott is simply the best SAT, SSAT, and GRE teacher out there. If your (or your children's) education is important to you, you better work with Scott. He is a magician, nay, a sorcerer. read more