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My son was tutored by Dr. Barglow during his senior year at Berkeley High. Thanks in part to his assistance, my son now attends an excellent university. I recommend Dr. Raymond Barglow's tutoring highly -- he is an expert in helping students prepare for the SAT and ACT tests. For those students who are wondering which of these two tests to take -- SAT or ACT -- you can check out the information he provides on his website at: www.berkeleytutors.net. Dr. Barglow lives in Berkeley and you can reach him by phone at (510) 486-1050. Good luck! S P
Any recommendations for an ISEE/SSAT tutor who is good with kids who have ADHD? Ideally it would be someone who could figure out which areas would show greatest improvement with tutoring, and who could help with the writing sample. Thanks! Anon Hi there - Classroom Matters in Berkeley has tutors who work every year with kids who are taking standardized tests, and the ISEE. They are very knowledgeable about the content and have helped a lot of kids with test-taking strategies. Lisa Miller is the director. Tatiana
My son is a junior and has a hard time with testing. He needs a great sat tutor. Anyone have a recommendation? Peter
This is not a question but a suggestion, after seeing years of inquiries about SAT Prep coaches.
Many of you may have heard the Freakonomics Radio segment on NPR's marketplace last week about how bribery works to induce kids to get better grades. http://www.marketplace.org/topics/life/freakonomics-radio/bribing-kids-do-well-school
I can confirm that first-hand, from real and recent experience. Our older son did so-so on his SATs, and we paid $1000 for tutoring. He went to the prep sessions, but pretty much blew it off and his second score was little improved. We were pissed that he wasted our money. When my younger son was a sophomore -- a year before the SATs -- we told him that if he prepped on his own, and did well enough the first time out that he didn't have to take the SATs again, we'd pay him the $1000 we'd otherwise pay a tutor. Talk about motivation! He immediately signed up on the College Board website to get emailed the SAT question of the day. (Apparently there is an App too; he didn't do that.) He did the question every day for a year, a commitment of all of 3 minutes a day, if that. Six weeks before the exam he got hand-me-down books, read a bit about the tricks and for each of the four weekends preceding the test he did one timed practice test. We graded the writing section for him, based on the criteria set out in the Official SAT book, but other than that had no role at all in any of this. By the time test day came, he knew exactly what the test was about and nailed it. He also knew just how to prep, and so nailed the subsequent two SAT subject tests too.
I realize that standardized tests are a lousy measure of anything, that some kids need one-on-one help, that some parents can't pay for or are opposed to coaching and/or bribery, and that SAT prep coaches believe they have knowledge no self-help can impart. I do not mean to start a flame war on any of these topics. I simply pass on our experience -- a happy kid who was proud and richer (in all ways :)) and happy parents who'd rather pay their kid than a tutor -- for what it is worth. 2360-800-800 -- Yowza!
My very hard-working conscientious sophomore had great grades going into finals last semester but had a tough time across the board on his finals, and his teachers agreed that his final exam scores did not reflect his knowledge or his academic effort. Clearly he needs help in test-taking strategies and skills. I'd like to find a class and/or tutor to help him expressly in this area. A weekend- long or week-long class would be great, or individual tutoring if that's the only option would work as well. I'd want to make sure he doesn't get discouraged and gets the scores that truly reflect his efforts and his smarts. We're in North Berkeley but he drives and can travel as needed, hopefully not too far from home. Many thanks.
My daughter is a 10th grader at El Cerrito High School. She has just taken the PSAT for the second time (once in 9th grade, and again in 10th grade). I heard that the scores actually start ''counting'' in 11th grade. Is this true? Where can she prepare for the PSAT and the SAT in the area? What programs are best? Finally, to apply and get into college, does she need to take the SAT and the ACT next year? How do the AP exams weigh in? Thank you for any guidance. New Territory
Students typically take the SAT/ACT in the spring of junior year and/or the fall of senior year. Colleges consider the number of challenging courses a student has taken in high school. Therefore AP exams are an important element of the college application. James Eno
We are looking for a tutor for SAT prep for our son who has language-based learning disabilites. The tutors we have had recommended so far are Alan Kaplan in Oakland and Aspire Education Project (a non-profit tutoring company in Jack London Square). Does anyone have personal experience with either of these?
With great enthusiasm, I recommend Mo Rahmoun as a test preparation tutor for middle and high school students approaching SSAT/ISEE, PSAT, and SAT/ACT. Our daughter first worked with Mo as an 8th grader because her abilities in math, in particular, were hit-and-miss and she needed to take the SSAT. Mo taught her whatever math she had not studied before (but would encounter on the tests) and thoroughly reinforced what she did know. He also noted and corrected her tendency to misread questions or rush to answers in the verbal as well as the math sections of the practice tests. Her math and verbal scores on both the SSAT and PSAT (she returned to work with Mo as a Junior) were stellar. She also remarked that she had become a stronger and more confident math student in the classroom, too. She is currently working with Mo to prepare for the SAT; she says he ''makes everything clear.'' Mo Rahmoun knows these tests inside and out and delivers both the relevant curriculum and smart test-taking advice with patience, good humor, and the skills of a master teacher. He can be reached at bcfcl@comcast.net or by phone at 510-367-5829/510-763-9627. L.G-W.
Mo Rahmoun was extremely helpful in preparing our son for the SAT. The scores improved from a low combined score of 1540 to a high of 2010; almost 500 points of improvement!
Mo helped on all sections of the test with his tutoring, his advice and his practice exercises. He was smart, friendly, patient, organized and effective. I firmly believe that our son will have many more options for universities as a result of Mo's knowledge and skill. Highly recommended!
You can contact Mo by e-mail at bcfcl@comcast.net, or you can call him at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627. - Paul
My daughter just took the PSAT and we realize that she will probably need a tutor for the SAT. Does anybody have a good recommendation? It would be best if the tutor also teaches the ACT, as she may be better suited to that test, although I have no idea how different they actually are. Price is also a factor, so ideally, we would like someone who is reasonable. Thanks! mom of a junior
Mr. Barglow is friendly, professional, and expert. He tutors for the ACT as well. In fact, if you're not certain which test to take, SAT or ACT, he can offer you advice about that, and I believe he'll do so for free.
He holds free SAT and ACT workshops at high schools in the East Bay and also teaches a class on ''The Art and Science of Tutoring'' at UC Berkeley. You might contact him to see what workshops he will be doing in the future.
His rate for private tutoring is very reasonable.
He can be reached at ray@barglow.com or phone 510-486-1050. His webwsite is www.berkeleytutors.net Good luck! Stephen
Like other parents, we contacted Mo Rahmoun about working with our
son who is a high school junior to prepare for the SAT and ACT. Mo
explained his tutoring system and methodology thoroughly, as well as
the books he uses. Mo was reliable and prompt with the tutoring
schedule which was weekly in two hour increments. He is very
knowledgeable about the material and reinforced our son's test taking
techniques by having him take past SAT and ACT tests. Our son's score
exceeded our expectations. We give Mo a lot of the credit. He can be
reached at bcfcl@comcast.net, or by phone at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-
9627
Hugh
I would like to recommend Jeff Segall - jasegall@yahoo.com - who is tutoring my daughter for the SAT and for her literature and writing classes at BHS. My daughter has learning disabilities and can be difficult to work with. Jeff is patient and able to communicate well with her. Her skills and confidence have increased with his help and she is surprisingly open to his assistance. I recommend him highly and without hestitation. Amy
Re: Preparation to take the SAT or ACT tests
This regards the question about college board exams: ACT or SAT?
There is no simple answer to this question, since each student is
unique. It's a good idea to discuss this matter with a counselor or
tutor who has a lot of experience with both tests. I have a
daughter at El Cerrito High who receives test preparation advice
from Raymond Barglow. She decided to take the SAT, and Mr. Barglow
helped her prepare. I recommend him highly. I would be surprised
if Kaplan's could have done as good a job (or been as inexpensive).
Mr. Barglow was happy at the outset to answer all our questions,
including the question about which test to take. I'm sure he'll do
the same for you. His website is www.berkeleytutors.net.
Good luck!
Stephen
Re: How to help Teen w/test taking
I resorted to professional help. Yes, there are people who do just
TEST TAKING skills. The standardized tests build in tricks - I don't
know why but they do. I'm sure someone will recommend some of the
tutors who prepare you for SAT, etc.
For us the bigger issue was being prepared, feeling confident (messing up on tests hurts your child's self esteem) and building more academic skills. We went to Phyllis Koppelman at Strategies for Learning. After just one session I had an ''AH HA'' moment. All my parental tutoring simply was not as good as a professional who knew the tricks of the trade. Additionally, we had used a young tutor before who actually use put-downs as a "motivator" (my child was NOT motivated). Phyllis is kind and develops a relationship with your child. She uses humor, praise and honest critiques. My son finally admitted to himself that while he is a good writer, writing is very hard for him and he simply must devote additional time to it. On the other hand, math is a breeze - so hurray for that. Her website is www.strategiesforlearning.com Mom of a test hater
My daughter needs a tutor to help her study for the SAT. Her previous SAT tutor was OK, but was not helpful for the math section. My daughter will be taking Calculus and would like to have some help with that also. Does anyone have a recommendation for a SAT tutor that is strong in math, and can perhaps also tutor her in Calculus?
Also, when finding an SAT tutor, just say you want help with math only. That will weed out the so-called SAT tutors who only really do the english section. Maybe I'm predjudiced, but the math section is the one most kids need help with. Most any college educated person can help with the eng. section. That is certainly not true with the math section.
Use craigslist LESSONS area to find tutors. Also ask your daughter's school if they have a list of tutors, and also call nearby high schools to ask for a list, and ask her CALCULUS teacher and other CALCULUS teachers at her school for recommendations.
When interviewing tutors, be sure to ask very specific questions about their CALCULUS (not other math) tutoring experience, i.e. how many CALC students did you tutor last year and can I have references for only CALC students. You don't care at all about their other math tutoring experience (ignore algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, and definitely statistics tutors). Many math tutors do not really tutor calc. because it is too hard. They often tutor up to and including pre-calc (which is very very very very different, in spite of it's name, than calculus), and sometimes try to fake their way through calc. Don't be fooled. Demand a real calculus tutor who spends half of his/her time tutoring calculus. Just for clarification, any real calc tutor will also know alg. trig, geom. and pre-calc inside out, but the other way round is not always true. Expect to pay up to $50 an hour for a qualified calculus tutor.
By qualified I don't mean they have a math degree (they could be an engineer for instance). I mean that they actually tutor calculus every year, year in and year out, to a number of students (not just one) for many years (not just every other year or every once in a while) and they really know their stuff. Talk to students (not parents) who have gotten calculus tutoring from the tutor and ask, did the tutor really know his stuff? Did he ever seem confused? Was he clear and good at explaining the math? Did he really LIKE, or even LOVE, calculus? Most calculus tutors who know what they are doing LOVE the subject. Finally, get her a qualified calc. tutor right from the first week. The first chapter is rapid fire review and then by the second week they are off and running on completely new, interesting and very challenging concepts where even the very best math students can quickly fall behind. So get her a tutor right from the start. Sorry, but I don't have any specific names of tutors I can recommend simply because tutors do their own thing and don't know each other. Contact me if you want to talk about any of this. Best of luck to you and your daughter. sean
I suggest you either hire one tutor that is very good with all three topics, if possible, or hire different tutors for each since the three topics require different skills. Although a good calculus tutor would definitely know the basic math required to teach SAT-Math, I would not assume that such a tutor would necessarily also be good at teaching it. Teaching SAT, or anything else for that matter, requires skills beyond just knowing the material, but also the skills to teach it. Just as I would not assume that a randomly selected college professor could manage a class of rowdy high school students, I also would not assume that a randomly selected calculus tutor could teach SAT-Math.
Lastly, I found the per hour charge of tutors to be all over the map: from $20 for part-time novice tutors with little experience, to over $100 for full-time highly skilled professionals with years of experience. Price does not always reflect quality, but I have found that excellent help often does not come cheap. I paid $80 per hour and felt that that was a bargain for a tutor who did an amazing job tutoring my daughter in calculus, SAT-Math, and SAT-Verbal. That price was cheaper than some SAT Test-Prep Courses and certainly cheaper than a good private school education. Since my daughter was accepted into many excellent colleges, I feel that the money was well spent. By the way, I am sure there are many fantastic tutors out there, but my search lead me to select Paul Gee. Good luck on your search for a great tutor.
Mo Rahmoun tutored our son for the ISEE test. After taking the test,
our son was thrilled with the dramatic improvement in his scores. My
husband and I were also pleased with the greatly improved scores, but
we were even more pleased with how much our son enjoyed learning with
Mo and how he got a better sense of himself as a learner--his
strengths and weaknesses, his ability to benefit from a one-on-one
tutoring relationship, his increased confidence in his intelligence.
Mo did a great job with him, and our son often commented to my husband
and me that Mo is both a really nice man and an excellent tutor. We
highly recommend Mo to other parents.
Mo is also highly experienced in tutoring students on the SAT, the
ACT, the SAT subject tests, and the SSAT. We will hire him again if
our son needs help preparing for SAT tests.
Call Mo Rahmoun at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627 or email him at
bcfcl@comcast.net.
Deborah
Does anyone have a recommendation for an SAT tutor for my son. I need someone who can relate to a teenage boy and I would prefer a tutor who can come to my house. Thanks. Katy
Re: 17-year-old's problems with math and science tests
My son was also very bright but tested poorly, mainly in math. After
trying several tutors, I finally found Paul Gee, a math tutor, who
helped him tremendously. He was very patient working with my son, and
also quite communicative with me as a parent. Paul said that he has
dealt with quite a few such students. He explained that some bright
students learn concepts very quickly, but either do not spend the time
and/or do not have the patience to learn the problem solving
procedures, thus performing poorly on tests. He said one other sign
of this type of student is that in their homework they may give the
correct answer, but either can't or don't want to show how they got
the answer. You might give Paul a call at 510-502-8465 to discuss
your situation. We feel fortunate that he was able to help us.
Good luck.
Mr. Mo Rahmoun worked with our son in his junior year of
high school to prepare for the SAT and SAT Math Level 2
tests. Based upon our very positive experience, we
subsequently asked Mr. Rahmoun to help our daughter
prepare for the upper level ISEE and SSAT tests in
connection with her applications to independent high schools.
We recommend Mr. Rahmoun highly and without reservation to
parents seeking test preparation assistance for their
children. For our children, the experience of working with
Mr. Rahmoun was extraordinarily positive. In both cases,
our childrens test scores improved significantly thanks to
time spent with Mr. Rahmoun. We also believe that the time
our son spent with Mr. Rahmoun reinforced high school course
work, and resulted in more productive and enjoyable junior
and senior years of high school.
Mr. Rahmoun may be reached by e-mail at bcfcl@comcast.net,
or by telephone at 510-367-5829 or 510- 763-9627.
John
We would like to share our experience with a great test preparation tutor:Mo Rahmoun. Mo worked with our older daughter, currently a sophomore atUCLA, during her junior year in high school to help her prepare for the SATtest. Her scores improved significantly based on Mo's excellent guidance and tutorials. Our younger daughter, a high school junior, began working with Mo this Fall to prepare for the PSAT and is now receiving tutoring andpreparation for the SAT. We highly recommend Mo to parents looking for test preparation help-- he's a very skilled and knowledgeable tutor. Mo is also experienced in preparing students for the ACT test. Mo Rahmoun can be reached by e-mail at bcfcl@comcast.net. He can also be reached by telephone at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627. Lisa
My daughter will be taking the SAT ( probably ACT also) in a few months. Instead of a more general course I think she would benefit from a tutor on a 1 on 1 ( or 2 on 1) basis. The english/reading part especially needs work. Would need to be in the Oakland /Alameda area and be $50 or less. Any suggestions? Thanks, Jenny
We recommend Mr. Rahmoun highly and without reservation to parents seeking test preparation assistance for their children. For our children, the experience of working with Mr. Rahmoun was extraordinarily positive. In both cases, our children’s test scores improved significantly thanks to time spent with Mr. Rahmoun. We also believe that the time our son spent with Mr. Rahmoun reinforced high school course work, and resulted in more productive and enjoyable junior and senior years of high school.
Mr. Rahmoun may be reached by e-mail at bcfcl@comcast.net,
or by telephone at 510-367-5829 or 510- 763-9627.
jmr
James Eno tutored our son, a Junior, and raised his SAT test scores by 310 points! He has a great personality, gets along really well (which is very important in working with a teenager) and he teaches not only the content but the strategy on taking the SAT. James was able to tailor his study guide to match our son's learning style, and by building his confidence, helped relieve his test taking anxiety. All this led to the big jump in his test scores. James has great communication with both our son and us (parents), he works on weekends, comes to our house, and he is extremely punctual and reliable. We highly recommend James for anyone looking for help to catapult their SAT scores. James can be reached at 510-499-2283 /email : jenoone@hotmail.com Robert
Don Christiansen 510/526-1423 is a ''mature adult'', graduate of Yale, soft spoken with a great sense of humor, backward baseball cap, and an easy manner with teen boys or girls. He was very helpful and insightful about my son's learning style for the SAT. He comes to your home and at $60 or $70/hour, he was a great bargain that worked!! Satisfied Mom
Can anyone recommend a private tutor for SAT test preparation? Anita
This is my recommendation for an excellent SAT tutor, Mo Rahmoun. He tutored our son, a Junior, for the SAT 1 and we were very pleased with the results. Our son, so far, has taken the SAT test only once and his score is good enough. Consequently, we have put off thinking about his taking the test a second time because we think it will not be needed. Mo is currently tutoring our son to prepare him to take the Math Level 2 SAT subject test.
Mo is very encouraging and patient, and is very skilled at adapting his tutoring to different individual learning styles. He is also reasonably flexible in accommodating changes in students' schedules.
I would strongly recommend Mo to any parent who is looking for a private tutor for their child. I would also suggest that if you are thinking of having him tutor your child to contact him early, in order to be able to get the days and times you can work with.
You can contact Mo by phone at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627. Or by e-mail at bcfcl[at]comcast.net Deepa
SAT Tutor Recommendation
Alan Kaplan worked with my daughter Caitlin preparing her to take both the
PSAT and the SAT. The results were outstanding. In the past, Caitlin had always
dreaded tests and inevitably failed to show her skills and knowledge. Each time
she prepared for a test with Alan, her confidence and results improved until
she finally reached her goal. Alan’s personal style is calm, positive and
thorough. He is a mature and grounded person who appreciates the broader
issues in a student’s life and puts her at ease. In instructing Caitlin for the SAT,
he taught her wider skills, applicable in her school work: problem solving,
seeing connections and perseverance. We chose to hire Alan as a one-on-one
tutor as opposed to signing up for a course. Not only does the tutorial end up
being cheaper than the course, but the individualized attention is far more
beneficial. Some of Caitlin’s friends flourished with Alan after having poor
results with such courses. Alan Kaplan may be reached at (510) 530-4012
barbara
I'd like to get advice about tutoring for the SAT's. Are the Kaplan or Sylvan classes any good? Are they worth the money? My son has some learning issues, usually doesn't test well, and might benefit from a more individualized program. Can anyone recommend a good private tutor that won't cost an arm and a leg? We live in Alameda. I'd also appreciate advice about college counseling, where and how to apply. Thank you. Mom of 15 year-old
Marta
I am looking for a tutor to help my 16 year old daughter prepare for the SAT in January. Can you recommend someone who specializes in test taking strategies? She also wants help with the writing sample and history.
With both my kids I found individual SAT tutoring more effective and less expensive than classes, and I want to recommend an SAT tutoring service that does a great job of matching students to individual tutors. It's SuccessLink Tutoring, where Michael Weller will learn about your student and then find a tutor that matches his/her learning style and personal interests as well. You can reach him at 650-346-0410, or info@successlinktutoring.com (www.successlinktutoring.com) Beth
Mo did an outstanding job helping my son. His overall SAT score increased several hundred points, from the time he took the PSAT in October to his SAT last month (May 7), when he took the New SAT test for the first time. He achieved excellent scores.
My son is a bright kid and, with Mo's help, was able to clarify concepts that (maybe) were not clear to him from the beginning of his schooling. In that respect, my son's experience with Mo preparing for the SAT test has helped him in more ways than one.
Mo is a warm, patient, and knowledgeable teacher. A one of a kind person. The sessions were two hours long, once a week, at our house.
I recommend Mo Rahmoun highly.
You can contact Mo by phone at: 510-367-5829 or by email at: bcfcl AT comcast.net victoria
I would like to recommend Mo Rahmoun as an excellent SAT tutor. My daughter, now a senior, has worked with Mo to prepare for the SAT 1 (Math and Verbal) and SAT ll (Writing and Math 1C). She has found Mo to be knowledgeable and dedicated, as well as friendly and approachable. She says that he explains math concepts very well (she has needed help mainly with math), and that he has given her good advice for the SAT 1 Verbal and SAT ll Writing tests. So far, my daughter has been pleased with her SAT results after working with Mo (she still has one SAT ll left to take). She tells me that she has liked the way he has encouraged her to review and prepare for her sessions with him. As a parent, I very much appreciate Mo's reliability and his individualized approach (he seems to realize quickly how my daughter learns best). You can reach Mo at 510-367-5829 or bcfcl AT comcast.net -- Stella
I highly recommend Jeffrey Segall for test preparation. He has been tutoring my son, a high school junior, since last year. Jeff works with high school kids as an English tutor. He holds a PhD in English, M.A. in English & Education, and California state teaching certification. He is very reliable, focused, and organized. My son's reading and essay writing skills have improved greatly. This year Jeff is helping my son to prepare for his SAT and his personal essay for college applications. You can email him at jasegall@yahoo.com or call him (510) 559-3569. Esra
Re: SAT Tutor Recommendation
I highly recommend Mo Rahmoun as an experienced
and competent SAT tutor. He tutors PSAT (Math, Verbal,
Writing), SAT I (Math and Verbal) and SAT II (Math IC, IIC
& Writing).
He has extensive experience in tutoring students of diverse skill levels and knows how to effectively tailor his approach to match the learning styles and abilities of each of his students.
He also has an in-depth understanding of how these standardized tests are designed and structured and what they measure.
His combination of experience, understanding of how the test works, and excellent teaching skills has enabled the majority of his students to get great results. For some of his students, the scores they've achieved are nothing less than extraordinary.
If you are looking for a talented SAT tutor who really knows the tests and gets great results, contact Mo at: Phone: 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627 E-mail: mnr AT attbi.com Good Luck SLH
I'd like to make a recommendation for a great SAT tutor, Mo Rahmoun. Mo worked with my son, who truly enjoyed every session, learned a tremendous amount, and greatly improved his test scores. Mo is super-experienced at helping all kinds of learners with test preparation, and is a warm, patient, smart person, with the ability to bond easily with the student and actually help them have fun with the process as they are learning and improving. He really knows the ins and outs of testing, has all kinds of tips, and is completely up-to-date on all the SAT changes as they come along. He is a UC Berkeley grad in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. You can reach Mo at 510- 367-5829 or 510-763-9627, or email him at mnr AT attbi.com toni
I want to highly recommend the SAT tutoring service, SuccessLink Tutoring, 650-346-0410. The most impressive thing about the service is the time and care taken to match students up with a tutor who shares their interests and is sympathetic to their needs. My son is a slightly above average student whose PSAT scores were not promising. Michael, of SuccessLink, spent at least 30 minutes on the phone with me, asking all sorts of questions about my son, his interests, his strengths and weaknesses, etc., then matched him with a tutor who was a great fit, a great teacher, and a thoughtful and compassionate fellow, who bolstered not only my son's confidence but his performance as well. Although the hourly rate sounds high, in all the total cost was less than many test preparation courses, and immeasurably more effective, personal, and pleasant. I cannot recommend these folks too highly. SuccessLink Tutoring 650-346-0410 Beth
Our daughter, a Junior at Albany high, has made wonderful grades for years, but was not performing well on standardized tests like the SAT. We chose to work with Mo Rahmoun (mnr AT attbi.com) after considering Princeton Review and having her work with skill building publications and computer formats. Mo tutors for SAT I (Verbal and Math) and SAT II (Math IC, IIC and Writing). He is an Electrical Engineering/Computer Science graduate of U.C. Berkeley. We chose his tutoring because we wanted 1) help that was tailored to our daughter's needs; 2) someone who would come to our home (we do way too much running around already!) and 3) someone who worked systematically to identify areas that needed work, worked with practice tests, and who was positive and encouraging. Mo is all those things and more! As many have already attested, the skills he has been imparting are helpful for the SAT now, but will also be useful far into the future. Furthermore, he is parent- friendly, totally reliable and inspires our daughter to prepare and self-test. His personal ethics of responsibility and hard work are imparted throughout his tutoring sessions. Call Mo at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627. Ilene
To parents of High School students and of Juniors in particular: The majority of juniors will be taking the SAT I test in the Spring. The Spring test dates are fast approaching and now is the time to start preparing for them. I would like to repeat a recommendation that I made previously for an SAT tutor. Mo has been continually refining his approach to SAT tutoring these last many months. He is currently using some very effective strategies, especially some techniques suitable for improving students' performance on the Verbal part of the SAT, particularly the Critical Reading section with which a lot of students have difficulty. Mo tutors SAT I (Verbal and Math) and SAT II (Math IC, IIC and Writing). He has been getting very good results with his students, averaging an improvement of 150 points. Many of his students have raised their scores by more than 200 points, which is considered outstanding. He LOVES tutoring and effectively communicates support and encouragement. He is especially good at judging exactly what a student requires in order to do well and tailoring his approach to those individual needs. He can be reached at 510-367-5829 or 510-763-9627. Good Luck! Sylvia
I would like to make a recommendation for an SAT tutor. Mo tutors SAT I (both Verbal & Math) and SAT II (Math IC, IIC & Writing). He has been getting very good results with his students, averaging an improvement of 120 points. Some students have raised their scores by more than 150 points in 5 sessions, which is considered outstanding. He LOVES tutoring and effectively communicates support and encouragement. He is especially good at judging exactly what a student needs in order to do well and tailoring his approach. He can be reached at: Mo Rahmoun, 510-763-9627 or 510-234-1824.
Sylvia
I highly recommend Mo Rahmoun as a SAT I/II tutor. He did a wonderful job with my son, who is a whiz with computers and does well in school, and yet had disappointing SAT scores. Mo motivated my son to learn new words, and taught him how to answer math questions. He also analyzed and improved the way he took the SAT tests. My son learned valuable lessons from Mo that he will continue to use in school and life, including a larger vocabulary, basic math skills, and how to approach problems. Mo has a sensitive and encouraging approach that matches a student’s ability to learn. He comes to your house, and is highly reliable and personable. Mo has an engineering degree from UC Berkeley. My son said the tutoring helped a lot and gave him confidence to take the tests. Plus his scores really improved. You can reach Mo at 510-763-9627 or 510-367-5829, or by email at mnr AT attbi.com. Good luck! Clair
I wanted to repeat a recommendation for anyone searching for a tutor for a high school student: I enthusiastically recommend an SAT tutor named Joel Burgos who helped my daughter prepare for her SAT. Joel is a senior at Cal, majoring in Economics. He is a Regents' Scholar and has a GPA of 3.8 at Berkeley. He has tutored high school students for over two years and has worked for Kaplan. He charges $20 per hour.
My daughter does not like math, but after being tutored by Joel, she gained 100 pts. on the SAT I math section when she retook it. Joel has an excellent rapport with teen-agers and he is a great person. He doesn't have a car, so he tutored my daughter various places on campus.
He can tutor SAT I, SAT II: Writing, math Ic and IIC, world history, chemistry. You can e-mail him at jbowl0606 AT hotmail.com or call him at 704-8793. Olga
I highly recommend Doug Buckwald for test preparation. He works with kids from 4th grade through 12th grade, and knows all the tricks for succeeding at standardized tests. He will come to your house and is reliable, focused, very clear and organized. He can assess where your child is in terms of academic readiness and strengthen areas of math or English that need improvement. He also works with test taking attitude, dealing with anxiety and building confidence. Be prepared for him to carefully consider whether he and your child/family are a good match. He screens carefully as it is a one-on-one relationship and has to be a good fit. Good luck, Andrea.
My Orinda neighbor and friend, Eric Myers, is a professional tutor. He is an immensely bright and personable guy (he's a Princeton grad and a playwright), and has a great touch with kids. He mostly focuses on high school kids (especially SAT prep -- he is a former master teacher with Princeton Review), but also works with younger kids. Several of my friends have hired him to work with their 5th graders, and have been very pleased. He is not cheap, but quality service rarely is. His phone number is (925) 253-7738. Leslie
I enthusiastically recommend an SAT tutor named Joel Burgos who helped my daughter prepare for her SAT last year. Joel is a senior at Cal, majoring in Economics. He is a Regents' Scholar and has a GPA of 3.8 at Berkeley. He has tutored high school students for over two years and has worked for Kaplan. He charges $20 per hour.
My daughter does not like math, but after being tutored by Joel, she gained 100 pts. on the SAT I math section when she retook it last year. Joel has an excellent rapport with teen-agers and he is a great person. He doesn't have a car, so he tutored my daughter various places on campus.
He can tutor SAT I, SAT II: Writing, math Ic and IIC, world history, chemistry. You can e-mail him at jbowl0606 AT hotmail.com or call him at 704-8793. Olga
I am the mother of a student at Bishop O'Dowd. I am responding to your inquiry about SAT and college preparation. In addition to the school counselor, we are working with a private counselor, Wendy Morrison. She is enthusiastic and has really helped my daughter figure out what she wants out of her college experience. She has guided us through the SAT testing process: when and where to take the various tests. She has given us invaluable information about financial aid and merit-based scholariships. She has helped my daughter figure out what kind of college best matches her personality. Lastly, she has worked with my daughter in developing her essay topic. She promptly returns calls which relieves the anxiety that inevitably comes from being the mother of a college-bound student. We are extremely glad that we have been able to work Wendy for she has been a great help in this overwhelming process. Wendy works out of her home in Kensington. She charges $85 per session and each session lasts approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. She can be reached at (510) 384-5962. I highly reccomend giving her a call. (July 2001)
Don may still work with Jim Irwin ( 925-631-1720 ) who is based in Moraga. My older daughter used Jim in 1994-95 and did not mind driving to Moraga because she thought he was so good. She had been in IMP math and had not learned certain math principals which Jim taught to her.
They both make the kids feel very competent. Kids do tests before the tutorial which motivates them to do the test and that is half the battle. The more you do, the better you get. Then they go over the test and teach around the test. The individual attention worked for my kids and I probably spent less than on a class, but some kids like going with their friends.
Sherry (5/00)
Do any parents have some good experiences with SAT Prep courses or good recommendations for reasonably priced tutors? Any suggestions for preparation (books, study aids, etc.) would be greatly appreciated. louisa
However, if your child is up on academics, but lacking self- confidence, buying one of the standard SAT manuals probably wouldn't hurt. There's a new one called ''Up Your Score'' (2007- 2008 edition) that's written by a team of recent college graduates. It only costs about $12 dollars and is clear and entertaining and has a nice kind of you-can-do-it attitude. Melanie
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