After having an Essay Planning Meeting with Alison my daughter came home excited and motivated…read more Alison helped pick the PIQ's that best showcased my daughters achievements and qualities. They worked together on the content for each of the PIQ's. My daughter said "Alison was extremely easy to talk with and really helped her find her voice". The summery my daughter received after her planning meeting organized and focused her writing. Thank you Alison, you really kicked this process into gear. Maurice

After Alison helped my daughter get into her dream school UCLA, I turned to her to help my son. He…read morewas transferring from a CC to an UC. His hard work & her help with his essays really paid off. He will be starting at UC Berkeley this fall. One of the things I appreciated most was Alison's responsiveness and willingness to make revisions promptly. Her professionalism and attention to detail made the process smooth and stress-free. Thanks to Alison both my kids got admitted to top schools.

Though Premiere Prep is typically geared towards high school students preparing for college, I used…read morethis company for hourly consultations for my academic transition. I didn't know it when I met him, but Justin was a game changer for me. I never knew the value or importance of receiving professional academic/career guidance. I can honestly say that I would not be nearly close to where I am today without Justin's guidance or support. He has helped me in my professional development through editing my resumes, interviewing skills, and most importantly, he saw my potential and helped me realize it too. His advice is honest and compassionate (though not necessarily what I always wanted to hear) and he wholeheartedly invested his time in me. Justin helped me transition through one of the most difficult times in my life between undergrad and post-undergrad at UCI. These days, I am proud to say I am at my top choice graduate program in occupational therapy. Whether it is college counseling or personal development, you couldn't be in better hands with Justin or his team at Premiere Prep.

We are extremely grateful for the support this college counseling company provided our family…read morethroughout my daughter's high school. The process of preparing for college applications was overwhelming, but the guidance we received made all the difference. Felicia, who worked directly with my daughter, was outstanding, supportive, knowledgeable, and always encouraging. She helped keep everything organized and made sure my daughter felt confident every step of the way. She was always there for my daughter when she needed her. Justin, the owner, has clearly built a wonderful program that truly supports students and families. We're thrilled that my daughter was accepted into the university she had been hoping for, and we're very thankful for their role in helping make that happen. Very Highly recommend.

An exciting combination of counselor-led discussions, college student guests, and list assessment…read moreby Blue Train specialists. This workshop will help any student struggling to complete and polish his or her academics. Students work on personal statements. They also work on scholarship essays. By the end of the workshop, students gave valuable one-on-one feedback and continue progress on their personal statement. Between the tutoring, practice tests, workshops to complete applications, and knowledge of current college admission standards, the Blue Train mix of counselor-led group discussions and mock one-on-one practice will take away the jitters and leave you feeling confident and related. They also offer a one-on-one guidance with an essay specialist. These mini sessions are open only to students who have already attended the personal statement workshop. These thirty minute boosters are intended to help students keep their writing process flowing with structural and editing advice. No need to curl up in a fetal position or hire an overpriced private college counselor to tell you where you won't be accepted. Do your applications and essays better, for less, with the team that has helped more students with this sort of process than any other company in the South Bay. High probability of success with Blue Train. Email them at office@bluetraincollegeprep.com

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 !!!

Was great helped my daughter to make a better choice with college very knowledgeable and fast.read more

From the owner: For years Skip Dawson has been educating our community on the intricacies of the entire college…read moreplanning process. We work with family units ranging from single moms to corporate CEO's. Skip's college planning specialty is tailored to each family - providing private consultations with families guiding them through the college admissions and financial aid processes. The best part of our job is seeing our young adults choose a career through our career counseling program and attending the college of their dreams, while helping parents "Send Your Child To The College Of Their Choice Without Spending Your Life's Savings, Sacrificing Your Current Lifestyle, Or Just Plain Going Broke."

My husband and I had the pleasure of getting to know Alex through his in-person couples counseling…read moresessions. I can confidently say that because of Alex's ability to make me critically think about my tactics, choices, and overall perspective, I have developed into a much healthier partner and communicator. Alex made me feel heard and gave me a voice I didn't think I had. Alex is charming, personable, and also asks the necessary but tough questions. He will go at the pace that is most comfortable for you. He will get to know you and will be able to summarize your list of emotions into a much more concise and consumable thought. He provides and safe and comfortable environment to be yourself, whether that's the angry, sad, scared, or happy version of you. Going to Alex has been a great and helpful experience. I would highly recommend him to any of my family or friends.

100 percent absolutely recommend Dr. Ballan!!!! Dr. Ballan has been the best therapist I've ever…read morehad!!! He's very knowledgeable and has a great way of explaining things and approaches new ideas and skills to apply in a very meaningful manner. Other therapist are there just for the paycheck, but not Dr. Ballan. He shows genuine personal interest who cries with you and celebrates your wins. I highly recommend Dr. Ballan.

The team at Great Expectations College Prep was incredibly valuable in helping us navigate and…read morefigure out the whole college process. Our teenage son worked specifically with Chelese Belmont and there aren't enough stars to tell you how helpful she was. Our son had some early challenges in school and his first two HS year grades were not the best reflection of who he is as a student. By Junior year, his average was a 3.5 and then the pandemic hit and his school went to pass fail, which didn't help raise up his average. Chelese encouraged him to try and take the ACT, which he did very well on. She also helped him find schools that might look beyond just his GPA. She was incredibly thorough in helping our son (and us) understand all his options and what schools would be a good fit. She took great care in helping him craft his essay and maybe most importantly, she took the pressure off of us to make sure he hit all the deadlines. We are happy with the choices that our son has for college and Chelese has been a huge part of finding the right college and helping us make the best decision. Overall, Chelese was great! She was thoughtful, kind, honest, incredibly and supportive. She gets our best recommendation.

I worked with Julian very closely while I was applying for colleges. He was a tremendous help and…read morewas always so meticulous and thorough when it came to essay revisions. As a first generation student, he helped ease a lot of my anxiety surrounding the college application process. I applied to six different colleges and got acceptances to all of them and that would not have been possible without Julian!

Hiring a professional college counselor-separate from the ones available at the high school our son…read morewent to - was one of the smartest decisions ever. I did not expect the in house counselors who were very busy with an entire grade to really focus on one kid and it did feel like they had the school's best intentions as their priority; seeming to balancep percentages to certain schools and pushing the path of least resistance.. Our son came into this stressful process by word of mouth and the things he read, which seemed to be very much about the social atmosphere of various schools, which is important but there was a lot more to consider. Being 16+ he was bullheaded and as his parent I know nothing. Of course. So I interviewed a bunch of professionals. Catie was down to earth and knew so much about dozens of schools that I thought she was the best! After our first meeting I trusted her to work alone with our son so he would be free to really dig deep on what he wanted for himself. She helped him sort through his thinking about the college experience itself so social life would be in alignment with what he wanted educationally (small vs large college for example). By working alone together - and not me butting in and micromanaging - it empowered my son to really think more globally and realistically. (read: he couldn't blame me for anything LOL). Second best decision! Catie worked with our son to help him choose schools and organize his thinking around those choices - realistically. She managed expectations from the start then geared the applications around those schools, including the essays. She has a deep understanding for the process at each school so nothing is wasted. Then she assisted in every aspect of the process and went over the acceptance and declined results with him/us (I wasn't invisible) as they came in. Our son is thriving as a Junior in the University of Michigan- (double major computer science and economics)- his first pick. Go Blue. Chase College Counseling is Realistic, professional and worth every penny!

Catie Chase did a wonderful job supporting our family thought the college application process. She…read moreis encouraging, thoughtful, calm and organized. She minimized the stress that can come with the process and instead made everyone feel good about the work being done and the path down which we went. She deftly matched her support to our needs and was a real pleasure with which to work. I recommend her unequivocally.

This review is for the learning center upstairs! I send my 10 year old here for homework, private…read moretutoring, and piano lessons. This place is really "all-in-one" which is really convenient for working parents. They offer a pick up service from my child's school and feed them snacks once they arrive at Quest. I have piece of mind knowing that my son is well taken care of from the moment they are picked up. As for their homework help class, I double check my son's homework each night to make sure it's complete, and I have no problems with the quality. I was a little concerned about the shift to common core at my son's school, but the teachers at Quest know how to explain common core methods very well. My son also has private tutoring for reading since he was a little behind. His tutor is great and I've seen so much improvement in his reading fluency and comprehension. He's much more confident in this subject now! The staff there are very courteous and more than willing to work with you to resolve any concerns and issues. I'm very happy with sending my kid here!

My son attended Quest Academy for private high school math tutoring for the last school year and it…read moretruly benefited it. The one and one teaching improved his grade and he truly appreciated the thorough explanation by his teacher. The scheduling is limited because of his extracurricular activities, but the administration is great at communicating and flexible.

As a homeschooling mom, I am incredibly intentional about my daughter's education. I want her to…read moregenuinely enjoy learning, receive an elevated education, and be taught in a way that honors her individual learning style. Because of that, I am extremely selective about who I invite into her educational experience. A+ Tutoring has truly become part of my team, and I could not be more grateful. From the very beginning, they have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional support and customer service. What has impressed me most is how thoughtfully they match each child with a tutor. They genuinely take the time to understand your child's learning style, personality, needs, and goals rather than simply assigning a tutor. And if something ever needs to be adjusted, they address it immediately. In my experience, they don't just solve the issue, they somehow manage to outdo themselves in the process. Mandy and Janelle, their incredible tutor matchmakers, are exceptional. They are attentive, responsive, intuitive, and truly invested in finding the right fit for your child. I have felt incredibly supported throughout the process. And then there is our tutor, Sonya Karl, who is EXTRAORDINARY. Sonya is deeply child-centered, incredibly intelligent, emotionally intelligent, patient, warm, and genuinely gifted at connecting with children. She has such a beautiful heart, and it is evident in the way she teaches. The most meaningful measure for me is this: my daughter is not only excelling academically, she genuinely looks forward to her tutoring sessions with Sonya. That says everything. Finding the right people to support your child's education is such an important decision, especially when you are homeschooling and creating an educational experience around your child rather than asking your child to fit into a system. A+ Tutoring understands that. I feel incredibly fortunate to have found them, and even more fortunate that they connected us with Sonya. They have earned my trust, my gratitude, and my highest recommendation.

My daughter has been using A+ Tutoring for three months now. She absolutely loves her instructor…read moreand I have seen great improvement in her math skills. She has also gained more confidence, her instructor is very positive and encouraging. They are extremely flexible with hours/scheduling. I can always text them for a quick and easy communication rather than calling and playing phone tag. After every session I get an e-mail with notes from her instructor sharing what they covered in the lesson and how it went with a list of things she did well and things she can continue to practice. Also, the sessions are easy to use and set up, it's just a link to click in an e-mail instead of downloading or installing Zoom or any other platform on the device. If I want them to cover any specific homework assignment, workbook, skill or even state testing practice they incorporate that into the session for us. I would highly recommend them!

I just had to stop what I was doing (working late) and write this review. My kiddo just ran in and…read moresaid he is actually ENJOYING his math work! I don't think I've ever heard my child say that. This is only our third session with the awesome Tammy and already my kid is seeing big improvements and is finally feeling confident that he isn't stupid (his words). I should say, this isn't a child (16) simply behind in Math. My son has a major math phobia. Finding some kind of tutor to get him through an online program is the only way he is going to be able to graduate with his class - and it's working beautifully. I had called several tutoring services for just the right fit and I definitely chose the right one. Big hugs to the wonderful Melissa for getting my kiddo just the right tutor for his needs and huge shout out to Tammy for being the best math tutor out there. I couldn't recommend a business more than I do Bounce Back.

Tutor here! Melissa is a great boss -- super efficient and also super caring. All of the students…read moreare very polite. I enjoy getting to help them with math and English.