Testimonials, 2000-2012
March 11, 2012
A one-on-one tutoring environment was perfect for Kat. I feel she learned test taking skills that will help propel her level of confidence towards taking tests in the future. Her newly created drive to perform at the highest level for her tutor helped Kat improve the most. As her confidence builds, we hope to continue to see that same drive as she strives to achieve goals she has identified.
~ Gilbert V. (Parent of SAT student)
January 26, 2012
Kathryn (my mom!) is an amazing tutor and she really knows how to make connections with every one of her students. I would recommend her to anyone. Kathryn explained what needed to be done. She always answered all of my questions, no matter how off-topic. Kathryn had faith in me the whole time we were together.
~Andrew M. (ISEE student, 6th grade)
[Andrew was accepted to The Bishop's School class of '18. He is also on the Wall of Fame for the top ISEE Quantitative Reasoning and Math Achievement scores.]
January 20, 2012
Kathryn was a great tutor! I really enjoyed each class with her; she made SAT studying surprisingly enjoyable with her positive energy and easy-going personality. After taking Elite SAT prep over the summer, my scores still were not as high as I wanted them to be, but Kathryn’s teaching methods really helped me reach my full potential. She taught me new, better techniques and tricks to apply to each section of the SAT and helped me target and fix my weak points. Overall, I would recommend Kathryn to anyone looking for a tutor who is not only very knowledgeable, but also fun and engaging.
My score improvement was mostly due to Kathryn’s encouragement and positive attitude – it helped boost my test-taking confidence. Kathryn also helped me pin-point weak areas and provided short-cuts and studying techniques.
~Jennifer T. (SAT student)
January 19, 2012
My son, a bright but reluctant student who was recently diagnosed with dyslexia, was understandably nervous about the ISEE. From the start Kathryn was upbeat and positive, and he really enjoyed working with her. She showed him a variety of tips and strategies that worked with his strengths and built his confidence. He went into the exam feeling well-prepared, and we were all pleased with his results!
~Victoria B. (Parent of ISEE student)
January 14, 2012
My tutor was AWESOME!
~Ian B. (ISEE student, 6th grade)
[Ian is now a member of The Grauer School's class of '18]
January 8, 2012
Kathryn has a strong understanding of the way the test makers think. She teaches the material and reviews information in a way that is relevant and time efficient. She supported me in implementing strategies to maximize my points and minimize my test anxiety. She really gave me direction and helped me to structure my lessons and homework. I felt like the tutoring sessions were individualized to my needs and very supportive overall.
My score improved because I learned the test strategies and the thought process needed to master standardized testing. I also think having a firm understanding of the breakdown of the test and the way it is set up and structured really helped me improve. The formulas and homework were wonderful to review because we would review every problem I had trouble with using the “test strategies” and it helped me develop the thought process more clearly.
~Sarah G. (GRE student)
December 21, 2011
My tutor was very nice. She made the tutoring very fun. She gave me good tips on my work. If I had to take the test again, I would definitely want Ms. Kathryn to tutor me. The thing that contributed to my score improvement was understanding the format of each section.
~Giselle A. (ISEE student, 6th grade)
[Giselle is now a member of Francis Parker's class of '18. She is also on the Wall of Fame for the top Quantitative Reasoning score.]
December 12, 2011
Kathryn is friendly and inviting. She is determined and passionate about teaching. Kathryn creates an environment that is truly conducive to learning. We believe that Kathryn's professionalism and communication skills along with her diverse teaching ability provided our child with the skills necessary to pass the ISEE test.
~Robert & Melinda H. (Parents of ISEE student)
December 12, 2011
Kathryn is amazing! She helps me be confident about myself and be my best. She made it fun and comfortable. I highly recommend her!
~Makena H. (ISEE student, 7th grade)
December 10, 2011
Kathryn was fun, funny and extremely knowledgeable. She made my daughter feel comfortable and my child truly looked forward to her Tuesday night study sessions with Kathryn. Each session was full of test-taking advice and appropriate content. Going over practice tests and sample questions in a comfortable, low-stress environment contributed most to my daughter's score improvement.
~Bernice A. (Parent of ISEE student)
December 8, 2011
I very much enjoyed Kathryn’s positive attitude even when pointing out areas for improvement. The tips and tricks of test taking, not just getting the right answer but how to narrow it down quickly, were most helpful.
~Erin C. (SAT student)
December 4, 2011
Kathryn helped me to achieve a score I would never have thought possible without her knowledge and encouragement. She continues to be extremely helpful to me throughout my college application process and I couldn’t be more grateful for all of her help! The test taking strategies Kathryn showed me and the confidence she instilled in me were the most instrumental factors in my success.
~Sarah M. (SAT, College Application Process)
[Sarah is now a member of UC Davis' class of 2016]
November 25, 2011
Kathryn was an amazing tutor. I had a great time working with her. She really helped think of some great things to write in my essays. She is a really good writer and I am very glad my parents chose to work with her. What contributed most to my amazing essays was Kathryn's ability to go beneath my surface and see what really interested me.
~Austin A. (College Application Essays)
November 15, 2011
Kathryn is the sole reason for my acceptance to Pepperdine University. I had tried other tutors with sub-par results. Kathryn’s success comes from her ability to combine constructive methods of application, with an un-judgmental approach to correcting mistakes. Hard work in the right areas helped me increase my score. We developed a road map of what we needed to do and that eliminated wasting time on areas we didn’t need to focus on.
~Chris H. (GMAT student)
[Chris started the MBA program at Pepperdine in January 2012]
November 3, 2011
Hi, Kathryn! Guess what!!! I got a 5 on writing this time!!!!!! SO HAPPY THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
First I saw that the percentiles are posted and I went from a 79 & 77 in verbal & quantitative respectively to a 93 & 84! WOOHOO! Then I saw that I got a 163 and 160 on verbal and quantitative (out of 170)!
Feel free to add this to your website :)
Best wishes,
~Shereen C. (GRE student)
November 1, 2011
Kathryn is a wonderful tutor. She helped my daughter feel good about herself even if her scores didn’t improve drastically. She is fun and easy going and knows her “stuff.” Regardless of my daughter’s scores, we are happy that we chose Kathryn.
~Jeanette M. (parent of SAT student)
November 1, 2011
Kathryn, you were perfect for me. I'm so glad we found you and I don't think any other tutor could have helped me as much as you have.
We're still hoping to see improvement on the actual test, but in practice we've seen some pretty big improvement. I think it was due to your constant support and expert teaching of the strategies.
~Jessica M. (SAT student)
[Jessica is now a member of UC Davis' class of 2016]
October 1, 2011
I definitely enjoyed working with Kathryn. She knew her stuff and worked hard to help me prepare for the GMAT. I was a little nervous about taking the test. Fortunately, Kathryn prepared me well and I still earned a good score.
The GMAT really rewards those who understand how to take it properly. My biggest problem was answering the questions quickly and Kathryn taught me many different ways to find the right answers without actually taking time to solve the problems. She also has a great template for the Analysis of an Argument assignment. Memorizing her template makes it easy.
~Jeremy S. (GMAT student)
September 26, 2011
Let me express it mathematically: (Tommy * Original Scores) + Kathryn = Tommy * Awesome Scores.
What helped contribute to my score improvement most is Kathryn's teachings of the test format; the vocabulary game to learn vocabulary; strategies in writing; and strategies in reading.
~Tommy B. (SAT student)
September 23, 2011
Kathryn was great! She made the SAT as fun as she could make it and helped me in my weak areas. Sitting outside was one of my favorite parts of our sessions! She taught all the steps so that I understood everything and it was also clear that she knew everything about the SAT. Each class was fun and I also learned more than I would have on my own.
My score improvement was largely due to the more concentrated focus on my weak spots and lots of going back and correcting past errors. You have pushed me and I think that that has helped me get closer to my goal. Thanks Kathryn!
~Nikita P. (SAT student)
August 11, 2011
Kathryn is always dressed professionally and is willing to stay later than the appointment time if need be. She is also quite positive! My personal dedication and focus as well as Kathryn's tips and feedback on my work/progress contributed to my improvement. Thank you!
~Katie B. (GRE student)
July 9, 2011
I called Kathryn less than a week before my GRE and she was able to accommodate me that same day! She was so helpful in editing my essays and showing me how to make my writing stronger. Also, her techniques for learning vocabulary helped me raise my score over 100 points from the first time I took the test! Not only did I learn a lot, but our sessions were fun as well. I definitely recommend Kathryn as a tutor.
~Shereen C. (GRE student)
June 6, 2011
Kathryn was a superior tutor in every regard. She was thorough and responsive and established a wonderful rapport with Angelo. In addition to being well-prepared and an extraordinary tutor on all of the substantive material, she was highly motivating and encouraging. I am thrilled with the results.
I think Kathryn's organized and comprehensive approach, together with her motivating characteristics most contributed to my son's improvement and success.
~Leslie C. (Parent of SAT and College Prep: Spanish, Economics, Algebra 2 student)
June 5, 2011
Kathryn covered everything in detail and used real examples to help me understand.
The strategies she used to teach me helped me the most.
~Angelo C. (SAT and College Prep: Spanish, Economics, Algebra 2)
[Angelo was accepted to the University of Arizona's class of 2015 and is now a member of San Diego State University's Class of 2016]
May 19, 2011
Kathryn has been a great tutor to work with right from our first session. I would recommend her to anybody who needs help with test preparation. I have yet to take my official test, but I believe that the strategy Kathryn developed would be the main reason for improvement.
~Danny G. (GMAT student)
May 5, 2011
I enjoyed every session because I was easily able to connect and quickly learn better ways to take the test. The emphasis on key ideas and strategies and eliminating careless mistakes helped me increase my score.
~Tara M. (SAT student)
May 2, 2011
Hi Kathryn,
You tutored Ben about a year ago with little time to get him prepared for his SAT, but he still did great. He has been accepted into ALL the UC schools that he applied to including Berkeley, San Diego, Irvine, and Los Angles. He is going to attend UCLA this fall as a Neurological Science major with the hopes of becoming Doctor some day. We are very thankful for the tutoring we received and wanted to share the great news!
Warm Regards,
~Susan V. (Parent of SAT student)
[Ben is now a member of UCLA's class of 2015]
April 7, 2011
I enjoyed working with Kathryn. I was frustrated at times, but that reflected my general struggle with the test, and less her tutoring style. Kathryn taught me to look at problems logically, and to do less math.
~Sarah J. (GRE student)
March 31, 2011
Hello Kathryn! (This is Sarah by the way) I have a rather interesting story for you. This one super amazing tutor that I studied with for the SATs [that's you] used to always tell me how much I reminded her of her former student Mackenzie. Apparently, we both got similar scores on practice tests and we were even both aiming for a 2100 on test day. And wouldn't ya know it, we both have long blonde hair. But that's beside the point. One fine day, this crazy tutor lady [that's you] told me that Mackenzie went into the testing room with her nerdy glasses on and her huge pencil in hand and she totally rocked that test with a 2240, blowing away all of her expectations. And then, the crazy tutor lady told me that I should go in there and beat her by 10 points just for kicks. Quite frankly, I thought this idea to be silly and ridiculous, hoping only to get the 2100 I had been striving for. Funnily enough, this wacky, bubbly, Bachelor-drinking-game-playing tutor was actually a fortune teller, and beat Mackenzie by 10 points is exactly what I did. The end. Did you like it?
~Sarah M. (SAT student)
[Yes, Sarah did earn a 2250 on her SAT! Count how many times she is listed on the Wall of Fame!]
[Sarah is now a member of UC Davis' class of 2016.]
March 18, 2011
Taylor didn't have a lot of time to prep. We appreciated how accommodating you were with the time constraints that we had. His Critical Reading score went up 100 points!
~Sue R. (Parent of SAT student)
March 8, 2011
I learned a lot, but I wish I had started tutoring earlier so I had more time to prepare. I feel that reviewing the math and reading will make my score go up a large amount.
~Isabella S. (SAT student)
February 26, 2011
Great tutoring. I like the math tricks Kathryn taught.
~Oliver F. (GMAT student)
January 6, 2011
Kathryn was extremely organized and helpful. She is very knowledgeable about what needs to be studied for the various tests. Going over the practice tests and knowing a little about what to expect test-wise was very helpful.
~Susan A. (Parent of 8th grade ISEE student)
[Jack is now a member of The Bishop's School class of '15.]
January 5, 2011
Kathryn is very professional, yet interacted very well with my 5th grade daughter. She encouraged her, kept her focused, and made the entire ISEE test prep experience much better for all of us than my attempt to do it on my own with Haley’s brothers. Her focused, efficient approach, as well as knowing what to work on, was very helpful.
~Laurie G. (Parent of 5th grade ISEE student)
[Haley is now a member of Francis Parker's class of '18. She is also on the Wall of Fame for earning the top Verbal Reasoning score.]
December 17, 2010
Kathryn was patient and understanding. The strategies and rules she taught were very effective.
~Adam L. (GRE student)
[Adam is now a member of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's class of '16]
December 7, 2010
Hi Kathryn – Haley is clearly the exception to the rule that when you ask your kids what they did in school, the stock answer is “Nothing.” She chattered all the way home about the things you’d gone over, the little tips you’d given her for testing, how she thought you could help anyone learn anything, how much fun you were, how you liked to laugh, and so on and so on. Clearly the tutoring sessions are off to a great start! I’ll print out a copy of your email for her, and be sure that she reviews before you meet again tomorrow.
Take care,
~Laurie G. (mother of 5th grade ISEE student)
December 2, 2010
Kathryn is very nice, laid back, and helpful with all aspects of the test prep! She offered great strategies to use on test day. I increased my math score by over 100 points!
~Trever R. (SAT student)
November 1, 2010
Kathryn’s techniques are of immeasurable helpfulness and I know that she will help raise my bogus scores with her fun tutoring. The test taking strategies that she has taught me to employ have helped me raise my scores. She has taught me how to think about the problems as more than just problems.
~Jace M. (SAT student)
[Jace is now a member of St. Lawrence University's class of 2017]
October 22, 2010
I enjoyed coming to ACT prep because Kathryn made me excited to learn about the test. She was thorough and extremely helpful. Memorizing a few basic math formulas and learning strategies will be the biggest help on my score.
~Britta N. (ACT student)
October 20, 2010
Excellent. Kathryn made me feel more confident in my abilities. Practice, encouragement from her, and the strategies she taught contributed most to my success.
~Dana H. (GRE student)
October 15, 2010
Kathryn has a wonderful, positive energy that instilled confidence in my daughter. Not only is Kathryn very knowledgeable about standardized testing strategies, she is also someone who taught my daughter to believe that she could succeed.
I think the individual attention paid to my daughter’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as learning about the strategies for success contributed to her overall increase in scores.
~Bridget W. (SAT student)
October 6, 2010
Kathryn seemed to genuinely care about my successes and my preparation. She was clearly organized and structured my lessons so as to continue to build upon prior teachings. Her relaxed approach to studying and practice exams allowed me to enjoy the lessons as much as possible, rather than forcibly doing a test a week.
~Jared B. (SAT student)
October 6, 2010
Kathryn is always a joy to work with. The fact that she made everything clear, with an appropriate amount of practice (even if I sometimes didn’t complete the homework). Also the way she does vocabulary in story format is helpful.
~Benjamin G. (SAT student)
[Benny is now a member of UC Berkeley's class of 2015]
October 3, 2010
We worked really well together. Kathryn had great ideas and I loved where my paper went.
~Alisa F. (Graduate School Applications)
[Alisa has been accepted to Columbia University's graduate school of Social Work!]
September 29, 2010
Kathryn is phenomenal – a wonderful teacher, mentor and cheerleader all rolled into one! My daughter Erin went into Kathryn’s SAT tutoring program with very low expectations and, 9 sessions later was scoring into the 700’s on each section of the SAT practice tests. Kathryn’s style and personality helped Erin not only feel comfortable, but more confident in herself and what she can achieve. I couldn’t be happier with the results and we’ll certainly recommend Kathryn to anyone looking for a results-oriented tutor…plus I’m sure we’ll use her again ourselves!
From what my daughter tells me, Kathryn’s teaching style is what contributed most to her improvement. Erin loves how Kathryn uses everyday life and family stories to make the tutoring sessions interesting and memorable.
~Kelly F. (Parent of SAT student)
September 29, 2010
Kathryn is very easy to work with and is professional. I always got clear answers to my questions. Kathryn gives fun examples and explanations of vocabulary definitions that help me remember.
~Shannon M. (SAT student)
September 29, 2010
Kathryn was very helpful in helping me improve my score by showing lots of useful tips and tricks. I was able to improve because I could look at the test from a different perspective with Kathryn’s help.
~Sumeeta G. (SAT student)
September 27, 2010
One word… AWESOME.
The one-on-one tutoring helped a lot along with the unique strategies.
~Kabir G. (SAT student)
September 22, 2010
Kathryn was very knowledgeable and presented the information clearly. The test taking strategies she taught helped me to understand the sections of the test that I was having problems with. The GRE flashcards and her “Mad-Libs in Reverse” game helped to improve my overall vocabulary and understand the correlations between certain word groups. I also benefitted from the essay writing portions. The strategies I learned for the analogy and antonym sections helped in improving my score. I was able to accurately predict how I would do on the test by doing the practice tests in the Kaplan and ETS workbooks. This made it easier for me when I went to take the test.
~Matthew M. (GRE student)
September 7, 2010
Kathryn is wonderful. Strategizing contributed most to my score improvement.
~Katie N. (ACT student)
September 3, 2010
Kathryn is extremely personable and makes tutoring fun! I hope I get the opportunity to work with her in the future. Creating a personalized strategy helped contribute to my success.
~Alexandra F. (ACT student)
May 29, 2010
I was able to improve my scores on my SAT enough to increase the amount of my scholarship [by $6,000/year]! Also, with the help of my improved scores, I was selected to be one of the 50 students selected to be part of the honors program at my college.
The tips Kathryn offered me, the practice tests to build my speed, and the study guides for vocabulary words and grammar helped me to increase my scores.
~Rochelle M. (SAT student)
[Rochelle is now a member of the Texas Christian University's class of 2014]
April 26, 2010
Kathryn was extremely helpful and very wonderful to work with. She was able to answer all my questions and she gave me helpful strategies to take the SAT. I believe knowing that I didn't have to answer every question really improved my score. If I didn't know how to do a problem, I could get easy points by "shopping for points"!
~Lauren M. (SAT student)
April 6, 2010
Steven has made tremendous improvement, he went up 350 points! More importantly, the confidence and test strategies will help him from this date forward. We were very happy with not only his score, but his attitude. Not once did we have to hound him to study. You provided such clear expectations and he could see the results himself. I really like the way you focus on the student, not the parents. I liked the weekly emails keeping us abreast of what was reviewed so I felt in the loop without hounding him. What a great experience!
I think the one on one tutoring with the question analysis was the most helpful. He also learned a lot about writing timed essays.
We loved your program; Steven did great and has so much confidence now. It has really helped him feel ready to tackle the next hurdles of applying and choosing a college. With his score, he has so many more options.
Thank you!
~Janet I. (Parent of SAT student)
April 2, 2010
It was a positive experience all around. Kaley thought very highly of you and enjoyed going to the sessions. I appreciated all the detailed e-mails. I really think that the “Jump Start Program” that she went to at the end of last summer was a great class. It was the first time she met you. If you offer it again please send me a flier and I will pass it around to my friends. It was very informative and helpful. I think kids of all skill levels can benefit from it.
The strategies provided and the suggestions for reading and research to best prepare for the essay were what I think contributed most to Kaley’s success. I think her determination was a big factor as well.
~Christine O. (parent of SAT student)
[Kaley's scores went up a total of 460 points: 110 points in Critical Reading, 210 points on the Writing section, and 140 points in Math to a near-perfect 770!]
March 10, 2010
Kathryn was such a big help! Thanks for making everything make sense and making sure I understood everything before we moved on! The strategies that have helped the most are: recognizing traps, knowing what to expect, simplifying everything, using vocabulary stories to relate the words to real life and make it fun to learn new words, and having essay topics in mind for the essay part of the test.
~Lauren R. (SAT student)
[Lauren is now a proud member of SDSU's class of 2015; it was her first choice!]
March 8, 2010
Kathryn was a fantastic tutor. She was able to compress the ins and outs of the SAT into a manageable work load. The test became less daunting of a challenge and she truly raised my confidence in my ability to take the SAT. Learning the many tricks and tips of the SAT make the test that much easier and a manageable task.
~Steven I. (SAT student)
January 20, 2010
Kathryn was great at understanding what I needed help in and also it was fun. Practicing for the SAT was actually sort of fun. I believe that understanding how to take the test and knowing the material help bunches.
~Jessie P. (SAT student)
January 20, 2010
Kathryn is very personable, organized and confident in her abilities and results. She clearly communicated to the student and instilled confidence in the student. I would certainly recommend Kathryn (and will send our younger daughter to her in a few years)! Jessie benefited most from the repeated test-taking and understanding strategies for answering questions. Jessie felt ready and capable of achieving a good score.
~Bob & Tracey P. (parents of SAT student)
December 19, 2009
As always, Kathryn is an excellent writing coach. I now have essays that are more than what I could have written on my own, but they're somehow still intrinsically mine.
~Rebecca N. (Edited Graduate School Grant Proposal)
December 17, 2009
I am very glad that I got to work with Kathryn because she was not the conventional LSAT tutor that I was used to. She did not bombard me with various techniques or rules, but she helped me approach each question in a methodical/logical manner. Her energetic and positive coaching style always brought me reassurance and encouraged me to want to do well. Kathryn is a wonderful, bright and kind tutor. I highly recommend her if you want to improve your confidence and logical reasoning skills. Thank you Kathryn for all your support!
I believe the combination of my diligence and Kathryn's method of visualizing each stimulus helped me improve my score. By visualizing each stimulus, I was able to better comprehend each question and not have to rely on various techniques. Kathryn also taught me the importance of reading critically and "shopping for points."
~Wana L. (LSAT student)
[Wana now has her JD from California Western School of Law]
December 7, 2009
Kathryn successfully prepared me for the GRE. She is structured in her work which helps the session move smoothly. Because of her impressive qualifications for this job, she was always able to answer my questions and explain them to me.
Understanding the format of the test contributed most to my higher scores. Kathryn progressively introduces all the strategies in a comprehensive manner. She assigned an appropriate work load keeping me challenged and growing my confidence. When I took the test, nothing was a surprise and that hugely reduced my stress.
~Katie W. (GRE student)
December 1, 2009
Kathryn helped and guided me through the overwhelming SAT experience. I felt comfortable with her, and she is an amazing teacher. She not only taught me the basic tricks and traps of the test, but she guided me through the strategies and helped me learn how to best take the test. She taught me the way I learned best, she didn’t just explain things or read things out of a book, she explained them to me in ways my mind would understand them best. She helped me realize my weakest and strongest areas. Because I felt so comfortable with Kathryn and genuinely respect and like her, I was able to better grasp and listen to what she was telling me. The strategies she taught me not only greatly helped and improved my SAT, but are also helping me in school and on regular exams. Kathryn is someone I greatly respect and admire, and I really enjoyed and benefited from working with her.
I think doing the practice tests over and over helped me increase my scores. I didn’t just read about the strategies and tricks, but by doing the practice tests I was able to apply them and understand when to use them. The timed practice tests also helped me get used to the time restrictions I would experience on the real SAT. Also learning what to look out for and how to go about answering the questions helped improve my scores.
~Riley C. (PSAT and SAT student)
[Riley is now a member of Wheaton College's class of 2015]
October 28, 2009
Kathryn proved to be as stubborn as I am, and I mean that in the best way. She dug in every time I got stuck, and got me past every hurdle we encountered. Kathryn's mastery of the material and ability to explain it in a way that made sense to me contributed most to my success.
~David M. (GRE student)
October 27, 2009
I am very happy to have had this chance to work with Kathryn. I feel I am in the best possible place I can be going into my test and I have the confidence to do the best that I can. With a new mindset and understanding of how the test works, I can give myself the best chance to pick the correct answer.
~Dean K. (GRE student)
October 11, 2009
Thank you for all of your help on my essays! I enjoyed working with you as always.
~Remi L. (College Applications)
[Remi is now a member of the class of 2014 at USC.]
October 8, 2009
Kathryn is amazing! She is no nonsense yet fun, brutally honest yet motivational and intelligent beyond words. She has an amazing gift of being able to draw out and motivate her students. She pushes them to go outside their comfort zone in order to be as successful as possible. Her passion for her students and what she does is apparent in the first few minutes of meeting Kathryn. Her unique strategies for teaching are excellent. My son is so confident after working with Kathryn that he is actually looking forward to taking the SATs and incorporating everything he has learned from her. Kathryn has outstanding follow up and has kept me so well informed every step of the way. It truly goes without saying that I would highly recommend Kathryn and College Prep Tutoring to anyone and everyone.
My son's practice score improvement was due to Kathryn's teaching style in terms of approaching the SATs from a completely strategic position. She had creative, fun, yet challenging ways of teaching my son how to take the test and consistently reinforced those ways. Kathryn's organized, focused manner of teaching was instrumental in my son's practice score improvement. I look forward to seeing his actual SAT score!!
~Karen C. (parent of SAT student)
October 7, 2009
Kathryn was patient, responsive, and she ameliorated the stress of the GRE. Without her tutoring, I would likely still struggle with the basic concepts. Going into the first practice test blind, I performed poorly. With Kathryn's guidance, my eyes opened to tricks that brought the GRE down to earth. Her gentle support through the math was especially helpful, while the verbal techniques brought me to the zenith of my testing abilities.
~Jeremy G. (GRE student)
[Jeremy saw a 510-point improvement in his scores and earned a 740 on the Math section of the GRE! He is now a member of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's class of 2016.]
October 7, 2009
Kathryn was always extremely positive and focused on helping me prepare for the test. She realized my abilities and pushed me to maximize my performance. I think that going over each practice section I did with my tutor was extremely helpful to my understanding of the test material. Also the mock, proctored test was very helpful.
~Chad D. (SAT student)
[Chad is now a member of UC Davis's class of 2015]
October 7, 2009
I really enjoyed working with my tutor because it was a positive, beneficial experience for me. She was very helpful, caring, and made almost every lesson funny or interesting to learn. I think reviewing the different strategies that were right for me to use helped my score a lot -- and doing plenty of practice.
~Rachel F. (SAT student)
October 7, 2009
Kathryn's plethora of knowledge and grasp on a myriad of subjects enabled me to get the scores that I wanted to achieve.
~Shaudi M. (SAT, ACT, and SAT IIs student)
[Shaudi is now a member of UC San Diego's class of 2014.]
October 5, 2009
My tutor is fantastic.
~Taylor W. (SAT student)
October 4, 2009
Her energy creates a dynamic learning environment. Kathryn is informed and good at explaining. My score improved because I learned methods for reducing effort in finding answers, practiced my skills on a regular basis, and received great feedback on my writing samples.
~Alex C. (SAT student)
[Alex's score increased 230 points to a near-perfect 2320! Alex is now a member of Pomona College's class of 2015 and a PhD candidate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison]
October 4, 2009
Kathryn's profound knowledge of the SAT has been the most significant factor in my score improvement.
~David C. (SAT student)
[David is now a member of the class of 2014 at Holy Cross.]
October 3, 2009
I am very pleased with my tutoring experience with Kathryn. I have improved from my PSAT scores by nearly 400 points and I believe that working with Kathryn has given me the best opportunity to do my very best on the SAT. I would recommend her to anyone. I think my scores improved because of my level of comfort in working with her as well as some really helpful strategies in taking the test. I feel that I was in a motivational atmosphere and I was confident that I would succeed.
~Dominic L. (SAT student)
August 15, 2009
I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the fast-paced teaching style.
~Danny M. (SAT student)
[Danny is now a member of USC's class of '15]
August 15, 2009
Good tips, easy to follow your thoughts. I feel more prepared for all components of the SAT.
~Kaley O. (SAT student)
July 5, 2009
Kathryn’s personable nature and one-on-one teaching style make studying for the SAT comfortable and fun. Her true strength is teaching strategies for taking the test. With her help, I broke the 2000 barrier and was accepted at NYU, BU, SDSU, Drew University, and three UC schools.
~Samara M. (SAT student)
[Samara is now a member of UC Santa Cruz's class of 2013]
June 23, 2009
Though I haven't ever worked with a professional tutor, I am under the impression that Kathryn was as good as a tutor can be. Even if she wasn't a master on some of my hard Calculus topics, I was still much better off by taking this short course with her [to prepare for my SAT II Math 2]. My point total rose from the practice tests I took, and I have every reason to believe that I did better on the test than I would have without the help. Thank you Kathryn!
~Dominic L. (SAT II - Math 2 student)
June 20, 2009
Jack enjoyed every session! He was calm and eager to try the test today. He said he felt totally prepared to face the questions! Last night, he was relaxed and had no trouble sleeping. This is due to your excellent instruction, and inspiring coaching.
~Dru A. (Parent of CHSPE student)
June 13, 2009
Thank you so much! Kathryn was extremely helpful on both my test prep and my personal statement; it improved so much... I felt prepared going into the tests and felt that I did the best I could have (hopefully in the 90th percentile)!
~Rochelle M. (SAT IIs, ACT, SAT, and College Applications)
[After starting out at University of the Incarnate Word, Rochelle is now a member of Texas Christian University's class of 2014]
March 4, 2009
Kathryn did a good job preparing me for the tests. She clearly understands the exams and has no difficulty in transferring her understanding to the student. I do not believe that I would have achieved my lofty goals without the assistance of Kathryn.
~Matthew M. (GMAT and GRE student)
January 9, 2009
I came to Kathryn because I needed not only a high score on my GRE’s, but help with my personal statement, and general advice on the graduate school admissions process. Not only was she able to advise me on every issue I had, she did so knowledgeably, thoroughly, and enthusiastically. She was simultaneously my coach and my teammate, not just my tutor. Her complete understanding of the GRE testing requirements and clear method of explaining her personal test-taking tactics gave me confidence during the tutoring sessions, during my practice at home, and on test day.
Even if I hadn’t received the excellent GRE scores that I did, I would still recommend Kathryn’s services, simply for the personal confidence she imbued in me. After working with Kathryn, I felt prepared to not only do well on the GRE’s, but to do well as a graduate student – a gift I consider to be priceless.
Beyond her professional obligations, Kathryn took a personal interest in my academic success, and nothing felt better than getting an email the morning of my test with the subject, ’GOOD LUCK ON YOUR TEST!’
~Rebecca N. (GRE and Grad School Applications)
[Rebecca was accepted to and is attending her first-choice Ph.D. program at Indiana University]
November 11, 2008
The personalized tutoring that Kathryn has offered me has not only prepared me to do well on the GRE but also given me the confidence that is key to mastering any standardized test. Her strategies are simple and effective and she allows the student to move at their own pace. Kathryn helped me to focus on the quantitative section of the GRE that I had found particularly difficult. Through our sessions, she quickly identified my weaknesses and tailored the lessons to fit my needs. Now, I am not only scoring very well on that section, but also enjoy doing it! In a month's time, I am more than ready for my test. Kathryn's patience and investment in the student is what makes her stand out among tutors. [added November 14, 2008]
Hiring Kathryn as a tutor was the best thing I could have done in preparing for the GRE. The methods she employed were understandable and efficient, and she gave an in-depth analysis of test strategy that worked to my benefit on test day. In only 6 weeks, I improved my scores each time I took a practice test. More importantly, my actual GRE scores surpassed the range that even we had initially anticipated! A 720 on the quantitative portion and 1240 overall was not only amazing in comparison to where I began 6 weeks ago, but will open up an unlimited number of opportunities for graduate architecture school!
Thank you so much Kathryn! I couldn't have done this without you!
~Mary S. (GRE student)
[Mary's score on the math section went from 500 on her first practice test to a 720 on the actual GRE! She is now in the graduate Architecture program at the University of Texas at Austin.]
November 1, 2008
With Kathryn's help, I achieved the score on my SAT that I had always wanted! I came to Kathryn to receive help with my math section, but the improvement did not end there. On the day of the test, I felt calm and very well prepared with Kathryn supporting me. I went in the test aiming to break 2000... and I was absolutely elated when the scores came back and I had a 2240, with an 800 on my critical reading section! I couldn't have done without Kathryn's help... Thanks, Kathryn!
~Mackenzie M. (SAT student)
[Mackenzie's scores went up a total of 440 points: 90 points on Critical Reading to a perfect score of 800, 200 points in Math to a 680, and 150 points on the Writing section for a near-perfect score of 760. She is now a member of Yale University's class of 2014]
October 15, 2008
I really liked working with Kathryn for the PSAT. Her tricks helped me to look at the questions from a different perspective. I realized that once you know the tricks, it's not so much about knowledge, but more out-smarting the test itself.
~Remi L. (PSAT, ACT, College Applications)
[Remi is now a member of the class of 2014 at USC.]
October 8, 2008
I first took the 'Revolution Prep Class' and ended up getting a lower score than I did the first time I took the SAT. But Kathryn turned around my attitude about improving my score and showed me how to get the score I wanted.
~Ryan G. (SAT student)
[Ryan got into his first choice college! He is in the Engineering-Electrical School at Cal Poly-San Louis Obispo.]
August 6, 2008
Hiring Kathryn Adelstein as my GRE tutor was an extremely positive experience. Through hard work, close supervision and guidance, I achieved a 260 point (or a 61%) increase on the actual GRE exam.
When I located Kathryn, my frustration level was high. Tutors, classes, and self-instruction had all failed me. I doubted that Kathryn's methodology would be any more successful and the price of private tutoring is daunting.
I decided to try one session. It was immediately apparent that Kathryn is not your typical tutor. She is intelligent, motivated, energetic, and has a plethora of innovative games and ideas to help you learn and memorize concepts. Most importantly, Kathryn is an awesome tutor because she is passionate about education and actually enjoys (yes, I said enjoys) standardized tests. During our first session she said to me, 'Standardized testing is just a game, but you can't succeed unless you learn the rules…and that's where I come in.'
Kathryn has the uncanny ability to adjust to meet her student's individual requirements. She is dedicated to improving every aspect of your test-taking needs and she tackles this hurdle by providing students with personalized approaches to memorizing facts and conquering concepts. Kathryn not only concentrates her efforts on improving your weaknesses, but she also spends time capitalizing on your strengths.
Kathryn is very dedicated to her students and I think that kind of support is crucial—it greatly increased my confidence, which had been flagging prior to my sessions with her. The day before the test, she made sure to call me with encouraging words and was very positive and enthusiastic the day I got my test results. I highly recommend Kathryn to students looking for a boost not only in their scores but also in their confidence.
During the process of studying for an exam, Kathryn is your best friend and your competitor, your number one fan and your biggest critic. She misses nothing and will go to any length to prepare you for the exam.
You're the best, Kathryn!!!
~Kendra N.
(Worked with Kathryn for 6 weeks to prepare for the GRE)
[Kendra was accepted into the #2 ranked program in the nation for Speech Language Pathology at Purdue University]
August 1, 2008
This is a letter of reference for Kathryn Adelstein, whom I highly recommend as a GRE tutor. Though my time with her was limited, she made the most of every hour, invested all of her energy into her work, and the results were exactly what I had hoped for.
Kathryn was enthusiastic, attentive, and extremely valuable to my preparation. She was very responsive to my needs and gave me strategies to overcome my weaknesses as a test-taker. I have always had a problem with analogies and antonyms and the tools she gave me dramatically improved my scoring in those areas. With her help, I also made improvements in areas I was already doing well in. She made sure not to neglect any part of the test and I think this approach really paid off.
~Kyla T. (GRE student)
[Kyla is now a graduate student in the renowned Sociology department at Princeton University]
Dear Kathryn,
Thank you for your help and support of Peter. He has taken the preparations for the SATs seriously and I am confident that he will improve his scores.
Thanks again,
~Paul (Parent of SAT student)
[Peter's score went up 230 points.]
Kathryn, thanks to you, Nicole's scores increased by 500 points! We are so thankful!
~Sherry & Alan (Parents of SAT student)
Sarah's SAT scores went from good to GREAT; she scored in the 700s on every section. Thank you for all your help and encouragement. She was so anxious about taking tests before she worked with you. We are thrilled about her 400 point increase and her new-found confidence. She's even doing better on her tests in school.
Thanks again,
~Pat and Michael (Parents of SAT student)
Because Ali's SAT scores went up so much after working with you, her guidance counselor created an entirely new list of schools she might be interested in. They used to be 'reach' schools, but now they're possible. Thank you also for your help with her personal statement. You're really helping her to reflect on and write about who she is and why she'll be an asset to her college, wherever she goes! Please feel free to use me as a reference.
Sincerely,
~Stafford (Parent of SAT student)
Dear Kathryn,
Thank you so much for helping me write my Personal Statement. You helped me organize my thoughts and make my life sound really significant. I came to the US from Russia when I was 5 and never really thought that was important to colleges. My essay is about how much I admire my dad who gave up his dental practice in Moscow to come to the US, but allows me to illustrate my strengths as I talk about his. My dad's first job here was mopping the floors at Burger King. He soon learned English, went to dental school in New York, and now (once again) has a thriving dental practice. He did all that to give me a better future and now, as I head off to Union College, I have so many new opportunities available to me.
Thank you,
~Vita (SAT and College Applications)