I cannot recommend Devashish Sarkar highly enough! Over the course of my studies in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and Latin American economics, Dev has been an invaluable guide and mentor. His deep knowledge, not only of economic theories but also their real-world applications, has been instrumental in helping me grasp complex concepts and gain a deeper appreciation for the subject. What sets Dev apart is his rare combination of expertise and passion. His background as a business executive at global organizations like BBC and Reuters brings a wealth of real-world insights that make economics come alive. He doesn't just teach the subject--he illuminates it, weaving together theory, practical examples, and personal anecdotes that make abstract concepts relatable and memorable. Whether it's breaking down the money multiplier or exploring opportunity costs through relatable real-world examples, Dev has a gift for making the complex seem simple. Dev's teaching style is exceptional. He is patient, thoughtful, and truly dedicated to his students' success. His genuine enthusiasm for economics is contagious--his love for the subject has inspired me to view it not just as a course to complete, but as a lens to better understand the world. Beyond his technical expertise, Dev has been a mentor in the truest sense of the word. His belief in the transformative power of education shines through in every session, and his encouragement and support have boosted my confidence immensely. Learning from someone with such a rich teaching philosophy and heartfelt dedication has been a privilege. If you're looking for a tutor who is knowledgeable, patient, inspiring, and deeply committed to his students, look no further than Dev. I will always be grateful for the clarity, confidence, and passion he has instilled in me as a student of economics. read more

Tara Metha is by far the best tutor I've ever had in my whole life. She has worked with me for the past few months on SAT preparation and it's been so amazing to have worked with her. She is an excellent teacher, very easy to talk to and super funny and kind, always offers you food or drinks before you start, and most importantly helped me improve my scores tremendously. Not only this but she has become a great friend of mine and a huge mentor in my life. I know my relationship with her is one that will influence my life for years to come and I'm so lucky I chose to work with her. In addition I have loved working with Matt Downhour and Peter Littlefield. Even though I've only worked with Matt for a short while now, he has been so incredibly helpful! Even when I'm not in a session, he will help me over the phone or on email to make sure I succeed in history. He is so friendly and funny and I have enjoyed all the time I've spent with him so far! Peter and I have worked together for a while, after helping me with chemistry last year and biology this year. He is very good at explaining everything from the inside of a cell to the color of the sky. He is so friendly and him and I have formed an amazing friendship over the past 2 years. I would not have gotten the grades I did in Chem or bio without his help. Also, I have loved AJ as a place as well- everyone is so kind and helpful, there are snacks and a ton of resources around you at all times! I honestly wish I could live there sometimes. I absolutely encourage everyone to try AJ if they need a tutor and especially recommend Tara, Matt and Peter as tutors. read more

I recommend AJ Tutoring. They helped my daughter meet her goals for the SAT exam and in AP Calculus over the past year. With help from three tutors, in three different semesters, with 3 or 4 tutoring sessions each time, she raised her SAT score by about 300 points to 2240 and her AP Calculus grade from B to A, and she met her goal of scoring a 4 on the Calculus AP exam, so she won't have to take Calculus again in college. My daughter, a senior in high school, was self-motivated to get the tutoring help. I agreed to pay for the tutoring, and I called the owner to request a particular tutor who would work well with my daughter each time. Then I stepped away and let my daughter and tutor manage it all. Everything worked out well. My daughter put in the effort, the three tutors taught the material well in a few weekly sessions, and my daughter met her goals. It was a good learning experience for her on how to find help when she needs it in life, and how to use the help wisely and efficiently. I like that not only did she improve her scores and grade, but she also learned valuable study skills. The office is conveniently located for students. The tutors were flexible to work out a schedule. The Saturday practice tests option was excellent. I wish we didn't have to pay for tutoring, but it was worthwhile. Tutoring may be more expensive and less effective if the student does not buy-in to the process and if the parent is forcing it. Even for a reluctant student, at least one or a few sessions would probably be worthwhile. read more

I've been working with James Backlund, previously out of the Menlo Park office, and now that I moved to Arizona, I still work with him online. I do this because my work with him completely saved my grade last year. I'm not exaggerating that I had grades like 40% or 20% or 15% in some classes. My best grade was a 55%, in my favorite class, because I was just not feeling it AT ALL being 11 months into the pandemic. But in February we started working together (also online, bc: pandemic), and IDK but we started getting a lot done. Like, a ton. We worked a LOT, but in the end I passed all of my classes with Cs, Bs and As. It was amazing: I had no idea that would be possible to pull off. But James also helped me a lot in not only being motivated, but also organized. Moreover, he showed me how to communicate with adults, and think from their point of view. So by communicating with my teachers, I was able to write them really good emails, have great discussions during office hours, and in the end they were lenient with my late assignments. And whenever they gave me a new deadline, I kept track of it, met it, and turned in really high quality work (usually...there was a lot). So, yeah, it was a really surprising experience, and so of course we're keeping on with it in my junior year, even after we'd moved away from California. read more

Over the course of two years, I have had the chance to work one-on-one with Peter Littlefield for Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Peter has enriched my comprehension of all of these subjects through combining textbook and personalized examples to better demonstrate each concept. His assistance with Chemistry managed to help me turn a subject I previously struggled with and shrugged off into one that I understood and could articulate very clearly. With Physics, Peter was able to prepare me to confidently sit down for each test I took in class as well as the two APs I took for Physics as I knew I was armed with a plethora of different ways to approach and understand each problem I was given. Lastly, Peter managed to turn preparation classes for the Biology SAT test into much more than just a memorization period (which is what the majority of the test comprises of) by bringing in specific examples to associate with every Kingdom of organism, for example, to better provide me with context when I stumbled across a specific Kingdom of organism. On the whole, Peter managed to make tutoring sessions that should have been rather boring both fun and enlightening by drawing on things far outside the realm of what was being directly mentioned in the text to provide a better context for whatever was being covered at that time. read more

We purchased AJ Tutoring's College Consulting package with Matt Furman for our son last year, and again for our daughter this year. Both experiences were outstanding. Matt is exceptionally knowledgeable about the college application process and met weekly with each of our kids to ensure their applications stayed on track and were submitted correctly. Early in the process, he took the time to get to know their interests, academic strengths, and extracurriculars, then used that insight to guide them toward a well-balanced list of reach, target, and safety schools. He also introduced several colleges aligned with their interests that weren't yet on our radar which broadened their options. In addition, he offered thoughtful recommendations for summer classes, internships, and other opportunities that could strengthen their applications. For both of our kids, working with Matt made the entire process smooth and stress-free. As parents, it gave us peace of mind knowing everything was progressing as it should without us needing to constantly check in. We highly recommend AJ Tutoring and Matt Furman for anyone seeking expert, supportive guidance through the college planning and application journey. read more

My name is Rene Jimenez. I am the Director of College Programs at Peninsula Bridge: peninsulabridge.org. I am writing this review to reflect the experience we have had working with James Backlund. James has been working with our Peninsula Bridge students in individual and group sessions for the past two academic years. James has tutored in specific subjects and group tutoring for SAT prep. We have been very happy with the quality support he provides every time he works with students. Students have mentioned how effective his support has been. I've also noticed that some students have had full letter grade increases through his support. James is a very smart professional, and very relatable. He has a great sense of humor, that even high school students can relate to. (Difficult to do). Overall, we would recommend James to tutor and work with students at any level of support needed. We try to make sure we book James in advance for every cycle of SAT prep. We are now going into our 3rd year and continuing! AJ Tutoring is a great organization and we are incredibly happy for the partnership we've developed. read more

Mr. Patrick Keenan was an outstanding teacher. It was clear to me from the beginning that Patrick fully understood the ACT and Subject SATs, and he always offered multiple strategies for solving each problem. Prior to working with him, I had no idea what the ACT was like, and after only a few sessions I gained a full understanding of the test. After working with Patrick for a few months, I was able to score a 33 on the ACT. During those few months I met with Patrick once a week, via a video chat system, and I was able to continuously improve my scores every time I met with him. I also worked with Patrick to prepare for two subject SAT tests, both of which I scored over a 700. Patrick was also very flexible when it came to scheduling, and he was able to accommodate my busy schedule. I was even able to work with him as I travelled. I am confident that without Patrick's help, I would not have gained admission into multiple Ivy League schools, including my number one choice. I would recommend Patrick to anyone who is looking for a tutor for any test and any subject. read more

I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have Sam Beech as my tutor. Not only has he made me more confident in my testing, but he has brought a smile to my face while doing it. He is without a doubt the best tutor at AJ, by a very wide margin, and is willing to do the most for his students. Tutoring with Sam is a very low stress, and what I would consider a "chill environment", but we are still very productive. Sam is the coolest cat in West Menlo Park, and probably the most intelligent cat as well (even more intelligent than the Siamese cat!). Tutoring with Sam has made me want to continue tutoring because I am just not ready for my time with him to come to an end. I feel like my intelligence has tripled even in this short time with him. To quote one of my favorite AJ practice tests, "what sleight of divine hand or alignment of the stars mixed to produce this human phenomenon -- at just the moment when we most needed him?" (AJ ACT #4). When I am with Sam, I feel like I am in the presence of a genius. read more

My daughter has been working with Brian Pesner for SAT Prep and he has been a terrific tutor. Standardized tests have always been overwhelming for her, impacting her performance. Brian has given her the tools to build her confidence. He instilled a sense of control by teaching her how to approach each section strategically. He didn't just focus on generic test-taking skills; he pinpointed her specific weaknesses and tailored a study plan to address them directly. This personalized approach made a big difference and the results speak for themselves. Her score increased by more than 200 points! The benefits extend beyond the SAT. Brian's techniques are valuable study skills that will serve her well throughout college. Overall, Brian's guidance gave my daughter not just a higher score, but a newfound confidence in her academic abilities. I highly recommend Brian to anyone looking for an SAT tutor who genuinely cares about the students he works with. read more

Bob Jones is amazing. Our daughter had trouble with Middle School math and had "accepted that she just wasn't good at math." She's smart and we didn't believe that (unfortunately her teachers were not great). She started with Bob in 8th grade, Algebra one, and has ended up with an A in the class. While the grade showed tremendous progress and of course we are super-proud, her confidence skyrocketed. Bob had a great way of breaking down the concepts in ways that our daughter got it. He worked with her, many times going over the allotted session,until she felt ready for the next day's test. He had a lot of faith and confidence in her, was the consummate cheerleader on her behalf, and we own him a great debt of gratitude. We've tried other tutors in the past but Bob, who is actually a math teacher (or who was one) just had a great way about him. And it's genuine. I'm sure we'll be calling him when she starts HS. Thanks for everything Bob! read more

After having a wonderful year working with my tutor, Samantha Crimmins, I must inform the public of her superiority over all my past tutors in the subject of writing. She has fully devoted not only her time in class but has spent countless hours preparing documents through extensive research. Early on in our time together, Samantha identified and adapted to my weaknesses and efficiently helped me eliminate them. Because of her diligence my essay grades augmented by 40 percent over the course of a semester and I developed a style of writing. Her flexibility in both scheduling and teaching styles have allowed for an optimal learning environment. Samantha has aided me to become a better writer who can be proud of my writing. Looking back, this review isn't as much of a review of AJ Tutoring, but more for the incredible tutor Samantha Crimmins. :) - A Child read more

Sam Beech is probably the dopest tutor I've ever had. Not only is he super smart, but he brings a lot of fun humor to the game. It is no joke the highlight of my week. He has given me great math skills that will take me to the next level of excellence on my ACT/SAT. Don't be fooled, Sam Beech may look like a pure math wizard, but what you don't realize at first glance is that he brings English skills as strong as steel to the table as well. I not only feel prepared for my ACT/SAT, but I'm excited to continue studying for it as Sam has made the process as fun as going on a rollercoaster. I'm gonna be super depressed when I'm no longer in need of tutoring because the sessions bring such joy to my day. If you are considering a tutor, please, please pick Sam. I promise you you will not regret it. read more

We had a tremendous experience with AJ Tutoring thanks to Sam Beech! My daughter had not had very good tutoring experiences before we tried AJ Tutoring. Sam was the first tutor she really enjoyed working with. He not only helped improve her math grade dramatically, but also gave her the confidence and motivation to succeed across all her subjects. She would look forward to seeing him every week, and would always come home feeling more confident and better about school. Sam also did an outstanding job of giving me frequent updates on my daughter's progress and keeping me involved. Sam really was a life saver for us. I highly recommend Sam and AJ Tutoring for anyone looking for a fantastic tutoring service! read more

Christina Ha is a phenomenal tutor who is thoughtful, organized, and flexible in her approach. I used her for standardized test tutoring and my scores improved tremendously. Not only was she incredibly helpful in teaching the concepts and techniques for the test, but she had access to practice sets that only come with AJ tutoring, and these guides were second to none. My strong performance on the test would not have been possible without Christina. Regular tutoring with Christina plus studying for a few months prior to a standardized test will surely improve your score by a significant margin. If you are looking to do well on a SAT or GMAT, look no further than Christina. read more

My high school student worked exclusively with Logan at the Menlo Park office to prep for the SAT and ACT for the past two months. Truly a positive experience for both myself and my child. I anticipated having to drag them to tutoring and hear a lot of complaining about the time/work commitment but I was pleasantly surprised to experience the exact opposite! My child loved tutoring and dramatically improved their score by the 100s in both sections. I'm really satisfied with entire experience from start to finish. Easy, professional, responsive, and just plain nice to work with from a student and parent perspective :) read more

Kavya did an excellent job preparing my son for the SAT. Over the course of 9 sessions, she worked with him in areas where there were gaps and other areas where he simply needed to review and refresh his memory. She also helped him to find strategies for working through some of the more challenging areas of the test and to build self esteem going into the testing process. Overall, the practice sessions with Kavya were a very positive experience for my son. Most impressively, she was somehow able to get him to do all of his practice homework without any input from me! I would recommend AJ and Kavya for SAT prep. read more

Devashish Sarkar was my math tutor for my college stats math class and helped me out so much with the course! I cannot recommend him enough; he is very understanding and supportive, willing to rearrange even his own schedule to fit a student in and help them prepare for any exams or homework assignments that are due. He is also very personable, which makes learning math outside of school feels less like a chore and more like a hopeful opportunity. I have zero confidence in math and Dev really helped to boost my self esteem in the subject. He is truly a 10/10 tutor, you will not find someone else like him! read more

My experience at AJ Tutoring in Menlo Park has been fantastic, especially with my tutor Brian Pines. Before I started at AJ, I strongly preferred the sciences and was struggling in English. Through multiple strategies, Brian helped me learn to express my ideas effectively, and even write at a faster pace! In only a short amount of time, my grades improved dramatically in both English and history, and I gained confidence going into my AP tests, which also went well. More importantly, my interest in the humanities was renewed due to Brian's engaging teaching style. Thank you Brian! read more