Like any other high school junior going into his/her senior year, I was insecure about my SAT…read morescores and if my current score would get me into a good college or not. Before going into Elite's summer SAT boot camp of 2015, I took the test once and got a score of 1760 without any formal preparation for the exam. Upon signing up for Elite, I had to take a diagnostic test, which scored me somewhere in the high 1500s... I was told that Elite tests are generally more difficult than the actual tests, which was one of the reasons why I greatly admire this program. I knew that by signing up for this program, it would challenge and push me to learn more about and do better on the test. For my particular program, everyone was broken up into several classrooms, each with approximately 20 students. We had 4 teachers: one for math, one for writing/grammar, one for critical reading, and one for vocabulary. On the first day, we were given a backpack, 2000 flashcards with vocabulary, and workbooks to use in class and as homework assignments. The program was 8-weeks long with each day filled with a certain schedule. Every Monday, we would take a practice SAT exam (including writing) and the following day, we would get back the results and assess our errors. Test corrections were due at the end of the week. Every day, we were also assigned to learn 50 vocabulary words and be tested on 40 of those 50. Certain days of the week, there was also writing assessments, math assessments, and reading assessments. We had to score an 80% or better on all of the tests; otherwise, we would have to stay after class approximately a half an hour to an hour to relearn and retest on the material. Doing this for 8 weeks was quite intense... but I definitely got into the groove of it eventually. My scores on their tests did increase, and I was able to learn the structure of the test and understand what I needed to work on to improve my score. Ultimately, my scores in math and writing did go up, but my scores in reading remain around the same since the beginning since reading is something that requires yourself to focus and really work at to assess and understand the context of passages and articles. I had Ms. Jennifer Lambertis, Mr. Jihwan Kim, Mr. Bill Wang, and Mr. Turner as my instructors for these subjects. All did great and brought me to a greater understanding of all test elements except for Mr. Turner, who I believe fell short a bit, mainly because reading is such a broad and subjective area to teach and also to improve upon; also, he taught and brushed through many topics fairly quick and his reasoning for each answer was explained but it was difficult for me personally to grasp and fully understand how he concluded to the answers. Everyone else was fun and engaging, and I was able to take back a lot from what they taught me. Some were more stern than the others, but they all ultimately got me to push myself to improve on the other areas. In the end, I took the test another time (2 months after the program ended), and I scored a 1830 with areas in math and writing improved, but reading remained the same. This is accounted to many factors that I would blame myself for (not properly preparing, worrying too much on extracurricular activities, etc.) , but I must say that SAT scores are not everything that colleges look for. I did ended up getting into all of the schools that I applied to and I believe that it is due to holistic review of each college applicant. I know that Elite can also provide further assistance with these areas as well, but I did not take up on that offer and all of the applications by myself. I do have friends that have had remarkable SAT score increases due to this program; therefore, in judging the program in their goal of getting their members a better score on the SAT and a quality education of the material on the SAT, I would like to give them a high rating for all that they do because it is absolutely outstanding. Special shout out to Ms. Karen Kim, who works at the front desk and manages most of the workings of the building. :)

Customer Service Complaint - Northridge Location…read more I called the Northridge location to ask about their programs, consultation process, and fees. Unfortunately, the customer service I received was very poor and made the process unnecessarily difficult. Mr. Kim, the administrator, was very rude and would not provide any information over the phone until I registered online. After I completed the registration, he called me back but still did not provide the information I was requesting. Instead, he only asked whether I had received the email. I specifically asked whether the consultation was free, but he would not answer the question and repeatedly redirected me to the emails. I also asked whether he could answer a few basic questions before scheduling an appointment, but again, he refused to provide any information and continued directing me back to email. He would not even explain what types of programs they offer. When I asked to speak with a supervisor or someone in management, I was told, "Let's not go there." I found this response extremely unprofessional and dismissive. Customers should not have to register, schedule an appointment, and go through multiple steps simply to obtain basic information about services, programs, and consultation fees. The staff should be educated and prepared to answer basic questions and provide appropriate customer service. I then called the Wilshire location, and the experience was completely different. The staff there provided all the information I needed over the phone, including payment information and details about the programs. They were helpful, professional, and respectful of my time. The Wilshire location saved me a significant amount of time simply by answering basic questions over the phone. I strongly recommend that the Northridge location review its customer service practices and provide additional training to its administrative staff. The contrast between the two locations was significant and very disappointing.

I would give more than 5 stars if it was an option Sonya…read moredid a great job teaching my 5th and 6th graders how to become professionals in their writings. They enjoy every minute with her. She's not just a tutor but a great friend and a very funny person. I can hear the excitement in her voice when teaching the kids. For a homeschooling mother I would go with them blindly. They communicate very well. Great service all in all. Thank you for the great service.

Great experience. very helpful staff. Very accommodating when I need help rescheduling or have any…read moregeneral questions. My daughter's tutor is absolutely amazing. She has made math fun and her skills have improved tremendously!

My son reports your help over the course of the year has been instrumental in filling in the gaps…read morewhere he now enjoys math more! Thank you for all of your guidance!

What a blessing it's been to have found Coach Craig!! He's so great with my son who has a math…read morelearning deficiency. He's finally at grade level and feeling so much more confident in his math skills! We are so so grateful!

Tanya is great. Worth every single minute. She has such an…read moreease to help one understand and break down problems. I highly recommended her. I didn't pass the ASVAB to join the Army and math was where I was weak at but after her tutoring sessions I tested again and this time I passed, I seriously was like whaaaaat,TF, I highly, highly recommend her for anyone trying to pass the ASVAB Thank You Tanya

LaTanya is very knowledgeable and caring. My daughter doesn't have much patience for simply…read morememorizing formulas. She needs to understand things logically. For that, she needs not just some who can do math, but someone who understands it and can explain it well. LaTanya can certainly do both! LaTanya has gone above and beyond to accommodate our schedule, even an emergency "there's a test coming up and I'm so confused" situation. After her 1st tutoring session, my daughter hugged me and thanked me for finding LaTanya. She has reduced the stress level in my household and helped my daughter bring her grade up. She really is the best!!

Passed my California Real Estate Exam on the first try today!…read more The Realty Academy made the material easy to understand and, more importantly, easy to remember. Armando uses real-life examples that help concepts click and stick long after class is over. The classes, study materials, and practice exams gave me the confidence I needed going into the test. If you're serious about passing, I highly recommend The Realty Academy.

Realty Academy made this whole process way less stressful. Armando is super helpful, keeps you…read moreengaged, and makes the material easy to understand. Him and his team are very supportive and respond right away to call or text. Passed 1st time!

Will tutored me to help improve my SAT score…read more He taught me excellent strategies and tricks to perform better in the Critical Reading section. He quickly diagnosed errors that I was making, and was able to give specific suggestions on how to fix them right away. He showed me multiple techniques for how to read the passages effectively, what to underline, how to make sure that I finish under time, etc. With Will's help, I was able to raise my score on the new SAT by more than 150 points to a score in the 99.8 percentile! I highly recommend his services to anyone looking to improve their SAT score.

Will's help led me, an international student who began SAT prep less than 2 months before taking it…read moreand attended a school that didn't emphasize standardized test taking skills or subject, to score within the 95th national percentile. He carefully broke down questions and taught me invaluable strategies for test taking, and I'd highly recommend him to anyone seeking standardized test preparation.

Terrible experience. Was referred by a good friendI specifically asked to be placed with tutors who…read morefocus on math (my kids are in 6th and 8th grade, it's not rocket science). First tutor they sent didn't know the material, kept saying he will study on it and be better next time. 2nd tutor literally showed up and said we were her first tutoring client and she'd never taught math and instead, English / writing were her strong suit. When I brought these issues up to the Mike, he accused me of having "high expectations". He then promised to find me a replacement tutor and few days go by and don't hear back. I ask for my pre-payment back and he only send me partial. He charged me for the tutor who never taught math too, who showed up and just wasted everyone's time and was so timid she spoke maybe 5 words during the entire 2 hours. Not a way to run a business, and as a VERY active parent in the school district, I will definitely be swaying parents AWAY from this company.

My daughter is taking SAT classes. I like how they charge…read moreone flat fee and have 3 SAT classes a week repetition so the kids could grasp it before they take the test.