Tilden Prep has been transformative for our son, who's twice exceptional. It offers greater depth and breadth of curriculum and more highly educated staff than its competitors, like Fusion Academy. For example, Tilden offers Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra. While such courses are offered at a community college, having the option to learn 1:1 is critical in giving a student a more solid foundation before entering a 4-year college. At the same time, the rates make more sense than Fusion Academy, which is on a trimester system and 30% more. Tilden is run like a school rather than a corporation. It's more pure to its cause. Good job Tilden. Keep up the good work! read more

Our son had a great experience at Tilden. He is very bright but struggled to organize his thoughts and get them down on paper. We enrolled him in English 9 at Tilden and had him take the rest of his classes in his public high school. His Tilden teacher, Dave Locey, helped him learn the steps of writing and feel good about his progress and talents. He said Mr. Locey was the best teacher he'd had :). He wanted to get ahead in math (because the common core track forced him to take math slowly with a lot of boring repetition) so we enrolled him in Geometry through Tilden over the summer. Even though he could have taken Geometry online for less money, we felt the one-on-one instruction and monitored pacing and instruction helped him stay on track and thus made it more likely he'd succeed. He got through the course very quickly and is now starting Algebra 2 at his HS so he'll be able to take Calculus before he graduates. His Tilden math teacher was also very knowledgeable and positive. read more

I scheduled and placed a deposit for a full-time summer course for my son in January 2023. In June 2023, the teacher taught my son three classes, then quit. The administration was extremely unresponsive and misleading regarding their ability/success in recruiting a replacement. Both the teacher and the administration were unprofessional. I do not recommend this school if you are seeking a reliable, competent educational experience. read more

I would recommend the Albany Tilden highly. My son is not that studious and needed extra attention. The one-on-one tutoring during the summer really helped and he was able to improve his English and math grades significantly. The school does have to juggle its staff sometimes due to labor shortages but in the end, my son was happy with his experience. read more

I was recommended to Tilden for my son Jake who is a sophomore at Acalanes to take Spanish 2. He needed the extra attention and help based on a one on one class structure. We were told that he would completer a year of Spanish. He didn't. After a full year of two days a week. 1.5-3.0 hour sessions, he completed half of Spanish 2. They changed his teacher halfway through the program. Allowed him to not excel where we were told the exact opposite. I feel that this is a ploy to get parents to pay more money week after week. It's a huge disappointment. read more

Here's one more grateful mama writing the praises of Tilden Prep. Our son attended a well-ranked public high school for his 9th and 10th grade years. He is a bright guy and has always done fine in school, but never liked reading, and spelling is not his thing. We were assured by well-meaning teachers that his challenges would disappear with time. The first two years of high school were miserable for him, and I had to drag him out of bed every morning to get there. He worked hard, but his grades steadily declined until he pretty much gave up putting any effort into his assignments if he did them at all. The last straw was when he confided to me sadly that he no longer felt smart at all. Ugh. So, long story slightly less long, we had him tested and discovered that he is dyslexic. Of course, this information made his teachers' suggestions that he work HARDER, rather than DIFFERENTLY even more frustrating. We discovered sadly that his school was unable and/or unwilling to help him out. The silver lining for us was sending him to Tilden for his junior and senior years. What a Godsend they are there! After two years at Tilden, our son is graduating with the knowledge that he is capable, intelligent, and has learned how to learn in a way that works for him. He's excited to attend college next year with renewed confidence. Tilden is pricey, but for us, it was well worth it. The teachers and Sallie, the head of the school, were committed, encouraging, and engaging. What relief to see our boy back on track and excited for his future! read more

Tilden Prep is an amazing educational institution, which has transformed our daughter's life. Our daughter has severe anxiety and OCD. She must get A's and she does, however the cost of the A's was increasing depression and anxiety. Our daughter was in a private High School in Albany. The first year was great, however, during the second year she had a massive breakdown. We stuck it out through sophomore year. At the start of her junior year, we knew that she wasn't going to make it. A friend of mine suggested Tilden Prep. We did a tour and our daughter was in, within 2 days. Her therapist and Principal of the private high school warned us that she wouldn't do well in the 1:1 teaching environment. They told us that she wouldn't have friends, etc. Well, that was a myth. Our daughter has more friends than she ever did at the private high school and she is thriving in the 1:1 environment. She still has bad days, however, Tilden understands and has worked with us. Sallie Bryan, Head of School, is an amazing person. She really gets that some kids really do have special needs. She is passionate about the kids and their education. I can only say that if you have a child that needs a special more supportive educational environment, Tilden Prep may be just for your family. It is expensive, however, it is worth every penny. Our daughter is doing well. She is confident and happy. Tilden is not about pressure, they are about mastery. Kids have 1 week to complete a test and if they don't get the minimum grade (B) they continue on the lesson until they have mastered it. Tests are a real anxiety producer for my daughter. Having the time to take the test has made a huge difference. I think she has taken almost all of her tests in 1 day. The knowledge that she has more time, has helped her to focus and not stress-out. I always wanted our daughter to have a fun high school experience. Writing this review, I have tears in my eyes, because she is having a blast at Tilden AND she is getting the A's that she requires. I wish that traditional schools would look at the Tilden model, so that more kids would have a chance to succeed at school. read more

Tilden Prep changed our lives--especially our son. We had struggled mightily with the public school system both in Berkeley and in Albany (even selling the house and moving to Albany for the schools--elementary outstanding, middle and high school just not prepared to deal with carrying out a 504 plan--great if your child doesn't have learning differences). Tilden is worth every penny. Our son went from being self conscious, lacking confidence, and getting average and below average grades to getting straight A's in just 1 semester. He was getting C-D's in Geometry, struggling in Biology and English and had to give up on computer science all together because the teacher just did not get how to follow the 504 plan. He started 2nd semester of 10th grade and before the end of the school year, he completed Geometry (with an "A" and by the end of the year he had completed the first semester of Algebra 2 also with an "A".) He also was able to take computer programming in Java, Python, learning Blender and more--long story short, he is transformed. He has greater confidence, and after his first day at Tilden, he said he can see himself loving school again. The one-on-one learning is perfect for our son. His lowest grade was an A-! It is also worth mentioning that Tilden has study hall which with our son, he takes enough study halls to ensure that all of his studying and homework is completed by the time we pick him up from school. We get one shot with our kids--and Tilden has changed all of our lives for the better. read more

The school literally changed our lives. We have an extremely smart child who has neurological issues that were diagnosed during middle school. He hated going to a public school where it was a daily fight getting him the accommodations he needed to access the curriculum and pass all his subjects. As parents, we spent a lot of time helping him with homework, teaching him what he didn't learn in the classroom, etc. Things changed at Tilden. Tilden matched great teachers to his needs, figured out the different ways he can learn the material, gave him different strategies for writing, etc. The courses are taught one-on-one, which allows him to finish some subjects much faster than if he were in public school, or at a normal pace. Some subjects can be completed at a slightly slower pace where his processing issues come into play (e.g., geometry). His writing improved at least two grades during his first semester, quickly bringing him to a reasonable level for his age...and it keeps improving. The best part about the individualized instruction is the immediate feedback, which allows kids to overcome various challenges much faster than in a public school setting. There are some small group classes that are all electives. The social aspects are also good, with the kids getting together with their friends before school, at lunch, and through various clubs. The education model meshes with the business model. Tilden will figure out the unique way your child learns (if necessary), provide opportunities to get ahead (no one is shut out of an AP course), or whatever it is you want based on the parent paying for each hour of instruction. If the student needs tutoring or help with homework, you pay for it and he/she has little to do at home (great for athletes, actors, etc.). Our child is now able to do more homework each night, so we simply schedule fewer hours at Tilden. The bad news? Tilden isn't cheap. The good news? They deliver. This is priceless for kids who for various reasons do not fit into a public school setting or want to go through the curriculum at a faster or slower speed. read more

Tilden Preparatory in Marin was recommended to us by several friends. Our freshman was at our local public high school and found herself in a dismal English class, with very little reading or writing being done. She yearned for a challenge, some interesting novels to read, thought-provoking discussions and wanted feedback on her work so she could learn from it. We got ALL OF THAT and MORE at Tilden! She had teacher, David Maynard, who did an amazing job of connecting with our teenager. He showed her how to bring her voice to the forefront of a conversation and helped her translate her opinions into articulate written work. She declared "He is the best teacher I have ever had," after her last class this week. She leaves Tilden inspired and motivated. She gained confidence in her abilities (priceless) and her experience at Tilden has reignited her joy to learn. The staff was very accommodating to our needs and with two classes per week she completed an honors English course with a smile on her face :) We highly recommend Tilden in Sausalito. read more

The East Bay community and the larger Bay Area are lucky to have Tilden Preparatory School. For many students for whom the traditional high school education system does not work either because of their special needs, or due to some unfortunate development in their life, or just because of their need for individualized curriculum, Tilden is an invaluable resource. Tilden helps kids preserve and enhance their future in a caring environment that gives them individualized and yet world class education. Unfortunately, our child had to miss a few months of schooling. Tilden provided one-on-one instruction to our child and provided continuity in education and cover up for missed semester. Our child rejoined the regular school for the following year. We found the instructors at Tilden to be extra-ordinary and as good, if not better than, the faculty at the best private high schools. They were also caring and very responsive. Sallie Bryan, the head of the school, is an amazing educator and an extraordinarily caring person. No wonder she has assembled a great team. They say teaching is a noble profession and good teachers are invaluable in inspiring children that are our future. Tilden provides an invaluable service in our educational system for kids who need individualized attention. Thank You, Tilden. Please keep up your great service! read more

Beware of these centers' director, Karen Hobbs. She still advertises herself on the school website as a psychologist but she had to give up her license for giving false testimony in child custody cases and giving damaging testimony against someone she never even evaluated. That was just a drop in the bucket of her horrific offenses over the years. Ironically, in the case that lost her license she was supposedly testifying on behalf of a victim of domestic violence who wanted to leave the state. But In a previous case, where an abused wife was trying to move out of state, she testified in court (about domestic abuse) that it's normal for males to get physically violent under stress but that they usually change when that stress (the wife) goes away. She dismissed an adult child's testimony of abuse, pediatrician reports to CPS, and witnesses to the violence. In reference to the hospital reports where doctors documented physical injuries on that woman from domestic violence, she testified the victim must have been faking it! And she testified in multiple cases and spoke at conferences that it was detrimental to the children for a parent to move away to another state, even if for a job or to get family support or a cheaper cost of living. This woman is a pathological liar who has destroyed untold lives, and I assure you she should not be influencing your children. read more

My sister started at Tilden Prep this year and with the help of the absolutely excellent Head of School Sally Bryant, it improved her life in almost every meaningful way. For three long years at her prior school, my sister was practically ignored. At Tilden Prep, she has received the one on one attention and specifically tailored education her learning style requires on a daily basis. My sibling has thrived during her first semester at Tilden and Sally Byrant is the principal reason why. Mr. Byrant is intelligent, proactive, helpful and understanding. She both immediately recognized what my sister required educationally and did everything necessary to ensure that it was provided. I can't recommend this institution or this person enough. read more

This school feels like a scam. They work at a "student's pace" which may be good for students with special needs or other barriers to learning, but not an average, motivated learner. They do not give you any specific time frame to complete a course and charge by the hour. Because a student's pace is subjective, it could take a year for your child to complete a single semester. The price could range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $10,000. They seem disincentivized to move a student at any particular pace. They are not willing to make any firm commitment to finish a particular course during a specified time frame. The only proactive email communication you receive is around payments due. Their progress reports have vague metrics like- student is on track; or student is behind. They seem to want to minimize their direct communication to parents. We are slogging through trying to finish but it has been a disappointment. read more

My daughter had to leave public high school because she had a very serious health issue and couldn't physically be at school for a full day. She is a very bright and academically driven person, and the public school system couldn't/wouldn't accommodate her needs----Their only suggestion was for her to take remedial classes. My daughter enrolled in Tilden and was able to keep the classes she wanted. Tilden offers students the ability to Skype, which was EXTREMELY helpful for my daughter when she needed it. My daughter attended her junior and senior year at Tilden, and we were very happy with the teachers and the administration!!! The one-on-one learning environment facilitated a greater depth of learning. It was not the social experience she hoped for in high school, but she graduated with a true appreciation for the friendships and experiences that she had at Tilden. She graduated and was accepted at a competitive UC. With her health challenges, this would have been difficult to accomplish without this special school!!! read more