Hello, my son took the 8-week in-person SAT prep course in 2024 summer and wanted to share his…read morehonest critique: Much Better, Cheaper Alternatives: Free or low-cost platforms like Khan Academy, UWorld, and Acely offer better, more personalized SAT prep. A $15 prep book or private tutoring (only when needed) can be more effective and far less expensive. Poor Course Structure: The weekly cycle goes: Day 1: Full-length SAT practice test (which can be done at home using Bluebook or PDFs from College Board). Day 2: Review the test (easily done with free online explanations or tutor support). Days 3 & 4: Light instruction followed by workbook problems--often with minimal teaching and sometimes incorrect answer keys. This kind of practice can be done at home more efficiently with a good prep book or YouTube resources. Wasted Time: Frequent breaks and off-topic discussions waste about half the time per day. Excessively long work periods lead to idleness (many students on phones after finishing early). Repetitive explanations for already-understood material that other students needtake up more time. Overall, around half the class time felt unproductive. Mediocre Materials & Teaching: Many practice problems were too easy compared to actual SAT questions. Teaching often consisted of summarizing what's already in a prep book. Vocabulary memorization (25 words/day) was inefficient--most of the memorized words don't appear on the test, and it's hard to retain them. A more effective method is learning prefixes and suffixes to decode unfamiliar words on test day. Social Pressure: Students may feel uncomfortable asking questions in front of peers. A tutor, AI tools, or YouTube can offer judgment-free help more comfortably. Summary: Unless you absolutely lack time management or self-discipline, this course is not worth the cost. There are far more affordable, flexible, and effective ways to prepare for the SAT. Thanks for reading.

Mr. Chu and his staff are great people, there to help those who are interested in academic success…read more I've attended here in the past when I was in middle school and in high school. English was not my first language and the classes that I took helped improve my English and my SAT scores. The teachers were teachers from the surrounding school districts. The teachers were also very good at what they do best, teaching. Mr. Chu took an active interest in my academics. He knew what my strengths and weaknesses were and advised on ways to advance my education by growing the strengths and diminishing the weaknesses. If you have the desire to learn and to improve your scores, this is definitely the place for you!

Both of our daughters have gained so much confidence since attending this tutoring center, and…read morewe've also seen clear academic improvement. The tutors are patient, supportive, and really take the time to help each student understand the material. Our kids feel encouraged and capable, which has made a big difference. We're very happy with our experience and would definitely recommend this center.

My 1st grader has been attending the tutoring center for a few months now and the level he is…read morestudying here is surprising. I reviewed the materials he is solving, and it's definitely ahead of what I thought he was capable of. He was writing letters in mirrors images pretty recently, but the stuff in the workbook here that he was reading and writing reminded me of PSAT (for those old enough to remember those) . Of course, to do these, he needs attention and guidance from a teacher at a much lower ratio than what we can get from school, and here, it's kept at about 2 students per teacher. Being a fidgety flighty 6 yr old boy (hopefully normal?) I don't know how much he learns in his school class of 26 kids and I don't have the skills to teach him myself so I started sending him here for professional help twice a week to make sure he doesn't fall behind. Looks like mission is being accomplished so far! And most importantly, he enjoys learning here, which made it part of our weekly routine now. They offer a free assessment, where the student takes a test and they come back with analysis on the student's level and recommendations. It's a nice computer printout that Mr. Chow goes over with you. And then you can decide to enroll or not, and how often to attend and what times you'd like. It was a nice way to get started, as well as probably the first time I got my child assessed on anything. Thankfully he tested slightly above his grade level, but upon examining the questions, I did notice it would've resulted differently had we not done a few reading sessions on our own just the week prior to the assessment, as the vocab tests were specific. So it's not perfect, but still a really useful experience for the child and the parent!

After starting with a different (and expensive) college counselor located in Santa Monica and SAT…read moretutor (expensive) who both came highly recommended but were essentially completely useless, we received a glowing recommendation for Blue Train and made the switch. Best decision ever. Our two sons used Blue Train for multiple things over their junior and senior years - test assessment/diagnostic, ACT prep and guidance, college list building, guidance re HS classes and even extra curricular advise, as well as navigating the college application process and the all-important essay drafting. Scott and the people at Blue Train put the boys on a very manageable schedule and in fact, both of our sons were totally done with most applications by Thanksgiving. Both boys got into tons of schools, got thrown tons of money, and this entire process was so smooth because of Blue Train's guidance. We event consulted with Scott when deciding which schools to attend. I cannot say enough how effective and impressive Blue Train was. Highly recommend !!!

It's been 4+ years since I wrote my initial review of Blue Train and I've had 1 more kid go through…read morethe college admission process. I'm just as happy with Blue Train now as I was in my previous review. Both my kids got into their #1 colleges thanks in part to Scott's assistance and we're again working with Blue Train and Scott for my 3rd kid. Blue Train and Scott are the best! I've referred several friends to them and my friends have all been really happy.

I've been receiving tutoring and college counseling at C2 for three years and it is has helped me…read moreimprove my grades, test scores, and get into top colleges. Their friendly and skilled tutors were able to help me increase my SAT score and earn 5's and 4's on nine AP exams. The tutors are very understanding and always willing to help you out wherever you struggle. The 2-hour tutoring sessions are very intimate, and extremely helpful if you struggle with Physics, Calculus, or Computer Science. Their tutors know everything! If you need a college counselor, C2 has it all. Their college counselors and essay writing tutors were very receptive and accessible throughout my college application process. Having access to their expertise and advice significantly improved my college essays and made my college application experience less stressful. With the amazing help of C2 I was able to get into USC, my dream school, and many other top schools. Having the constant support of C2's college counselors and tutors throughout these three years have completely transformed my academic career and was worth every penny.

My son and nephew attend C2 Education of Torrance for college essay help, SAT prep, and college…read moreapplication help. They are both seniors applying to college. Staff is very helpful and the center is very organized and well run. I appreciate Leon and Alyssa's help in making this time less stressful and keeping us informed. I highly recommend their services.

Our son attends Ivy Smart's after-school program, and we truly appreciate their support…read more At first, he was not interested in participating in school math events, but with the teachers' encouragement and guidance, he became motivated to try. He now takes more initiative and understands the importance of effort. Although English was not his strongest subject before, we have seen steady improvement and no longer receive concerns from his school. We are grateful for the teachers' dedication and support.

Ivy Smart pushes students toward perfection and only top-tier universities, ignoring personal…read moreinterests. They discourage state schools or community colleges, even if they're a better fit. It felt more about prestige than actually supporting students' dreams.

An excellent educational support academy that provides outstanding help for high school AP Math…read more The teachers are highly knowledgeable and truly dedicated to student success. Mr. Amogha, the institute director, is extremely supportive and offers thoughtful guidance tailored to each student's needs.

Sylvan has been a great resource for supporting my child's reading outside of school. I would…read morehighly recommend.

I had an Exam scheduled 2 months in advance. I arrived and was shocked to see en empty building…read more When I tried calling, the number on file was not in service. With no prior notice this testing center was closed. Such a disappointment as I had taken a day off work for this. Pearson Vue Customer Service kept claiming my test location was in "Cypress, CA" per their records despite the email being sent to me clearly stated "Gardena, CA". They did not acknowledge their mistake.

Testing location changed without prior notice, as this location closed down without prior warning,…read moreverbally or otherwise. Otherwise, would have been a pleasant location to take the test. Thankfully I checked ahead of time.

We moved from Beijing to LA in 2017, around April 2017 my wife and I did a house hunting at PV and…read moreTorrance. After looking at several houses for sales, I asked my realtor to drop me off at the ice rink which is my daughter's most favorite activity. We passed by the Peninsula Academy. I told my wife this is a great place for our daughter to enrich her English. Kay Lee, the deputy director of the academy was there, she was extremely helpful and listened to me on our needs. She recommended Kathy Kerstein as my daughter's English teacher. We moved our family on July 28, 2017. It's a Friday. My daughter Yiyi started Kathy's one to one class for the whole summer and once-twice a week during the school year. Apparently, she did extremely good at her ENGLISH LEARNER'S class. She moved on with Kathy's help, she got into Stanford's summer school, UCSB Research Mentoring Program. From a Chinese speaking little girl, hardly can speak a full paragraph to a young adult commanding her English In three and half years. My daughter, applied for colleges this year, she got admitted for UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UCSD. For private institutions, she got Harvey Mudd (finalist for President's Scholarship, she declined), Columbia University and Caltech. She accepted the offer from Caltech and will be the 2025 class of Caltech. Kathy Kerstein is a great teacher, she is always available and ready to help, I would like to thank the Academy for all the supports. Chung

Peninsula Academy has Great programs and great teachers. My son signed up their summer writing…read moreclass and learned & read several books. Their math and computer classes are good too. Will recommend to anyone.

Found this place with a quick google search for IV therapy and blood withdrawal certification near…read moreme. Followed that up with Yelp and saw the extensive amount of 5-star reviews. Was I a bit skeptical? Yes lol especially since their pricing is a bit higher than other certification classes. Here is my opinion. This place is definitely worth every single 5-star review you see and read. Dr. Khan and Sylvia who teaches and runs the training classes are so friendly and knowledgeable. They provide you with all the information and skills needed to become board certified. They answer all your questions and never make you feel less for asking them. They prepare you mentally prior and guide you from start to finish on each technique needed from blood withdrawal, setting up an IV line and providing IV therapy. Then they observe your retention knowledge to be able to perform without instructions. Along with educating us on different types of equipment we might come across while working in the field. The classes are fairly small and intimate which makes the learning experience that much more enjoyable as you get to know the other students training along side you. Yes the price is higher than other training facilities, but definitely worth it. Honestly you're paying for great instructors, small class groups, night classes, and realistically; medical supplies are expensive. With that, they still provide you with a tracking number to track your certification to the board as well. This is where you say, you're paying for quality over quantity. Other than providing IV/BW therapy certification. They offer other approved AHA classes like BLS, ACLS, and even an extensive NCLEX refresher prep course. Worth checking out for a great experience.

I did my IV and Blood withdrawal certification here! I had a great experience! The instructor is…read morevery knowledgeable and helpful! I recommend it! Good price as well!

My son has been going to this tutor center since elementary and making great progress!…read moreReally recommend this place to all parents for their kids.

My son has been attending two weeks now and this is the best tutoring services he has received so…read morefar. I am happy to finally find a perfect tutor for him.