Finding a college advisor was difficult as you don't know what you'll get until you pay a huge…read moreamount of money and have valuable time spent. We focused on businesses where the owner was the advisor and learned the questions to ask that would align with our kid's needs. The problem with the first college advisor I contacted was he pushed the need to do research and gave online options. My son already won a competition researching articles for an idea he had and didn't feel the need to do an online version. He wasn't able to find a hands-on opportunity so he didn't want to go with someone who thought online research was the only path to success. James, the business owner and current sole advisor of Academic & Career Mentors, worked with my son's interests and advised on an individual basis rather than making him into a cookie cutter applicant. Before meeting James, we hired someone who had ~150 five star reviews on Google and over a decade experience as a scholarship reader at a top UC. Though there were red flags in our interaction, I mistakenly trusted the reviews/his background. He had a structured program, but time was moved along without effective guidance. His limited feedback was superficial and generic: add numbers and buzz words and cut down the word count. He gave the go ahead for essays that needed a lot more work. My son was frustrated by the lack of depth in his responses. When I voiced my concern, he suggested to my kid that he worked better without parent involvement. After ~1.5 months/6 meetings, the guy still didn't know my son's profile. With push back, I received half of my money back, probably to lessen the likelihood of me writing a bad review as I had detailed what was poorly done/not done at each meeting. For my son, James was much more effective/efficient with the meetings. He reviewed a couple of essays each time with more thoughtful detailed feedback and guidance for revisions. He spent time thinking through how to make the story, evidence, and connection stronger. He met with my son 1-2x/week which I don't think many advisors would do that frequently. He was accessible via email for quick questions and was timely in responding. I did interview another person while interviewing James. My son felt the other person was very personable and easy to talk to. However, after a lot of questioning about how he would handle essays, I sensed there would be limited in-depth analysis as well. To meet our desire, he was going to pay an essay reader (English major) to spend ~1-2 hrs on the PIQs and possibly 1-2 hrs on the common app to give more detail feedback. This led me to hire James as he seemed more invested (would give more effort, time, depth of feedback, comprehensive help, ie help with supportive essays as well, and wasn't as much on the clock). After getting to know my son and reading the PIQs he had drafted, James recommended to switch to another PIQ to allow better explanation of "the why" in my son's motives/ decisions. He worked with my son on the content, message, and ease of understanding as a reader. My son found him to be helpful in brainstorming ideas on how to tell his story and in finding programs that were specific to a school to give more evidence as to why he wanted to go to "x" school. James is a very analytical and fast thinker. As you are talking, he is searching his computer for more specific supported answers. He was also receptive to feedback when I read an essay and felt it didn't help my son stand out enough. He helped my son complete his applications on time. We've only heard back from one school (he felt it was a target school for him) so far that my son applied early action to, and he was accepted. Even with hiring James for help with applications to the UCs and 2 in-state private schools, my son had others, including his English teacher, read his essays for more feedback and because he applied to 5 out-of-state competitive private schools on his own. (James' fee structure/advising model has changed for 2026 though so you might not be able to pay for x number of schools anymore). He wrote and rewrote each of his essays multiple times. So to us, not only is James professional and ethical in his business, he is also very dedicated and proactive. He advises with the care of individuals (young people) in mind.

James is a master of the UC transfer process. After my son had a disappointing first semester at…read moreSDSU, James mapped out a plan for him to enroll in City College and work toward a transfer. His mentorship and expert advice led to my son being accepted at nearly every top UC, including UCLA, UCSD, and UCI. He ultimately chose UC Berkeley, a result I didn't think was possible just a year ago. I highly recommend James to any family navigating the UC college system.

I came here for SAT prep and Steve got me to a 2280 superscore. They give a reasonable amount of…read morehomework and it helps a lot. Great place for SAT and general math help. There's some lunch places near it so on breaks it's easy to walk and get lunch.

We're so thankful for everything they've done for our son over the past three years. They were…read morealways kind, supportive, and really took the time to care about him as a person, not just his applications. Mr. Lee guided him through the whole college process and made it much less stressful for all of us. We're so happy with where he ended up and we truly appreciate all the extra care and attention they gave him. We can't thank them enough and would highly recommend them to anyone.

Lee's Review has provide me an amazing experience. Beyond the college consulting, Mr. Lee provides…read morereal-world advice that helps me with life after college. Along with the other kind staff and consultants, Lee's Review made college applications simple and straightforward.

I'm sorry but I'm not sure if you can help me? I have a child that is autistic and struggling with…read moreschool and I'm trying to find a program to stimulate his purpose and focus with comprehension with school work and I'm going through all these apps trying to find something to entertain them but at the same time educate him even in his autism I know there's a way and I came across your program and I'm hoping that you have something in there that I can use or lead me to somebody that can help me in my area

I have not only gained support in academics, college apps and SAT prep but also grew personally…read morewith the value and culture Mrs. Kim and the faculty set up during my time in XL Learning Center. I attended the writing class, SAT classes and received help while completing my college applications. Mrs. Kim and the faculty focuses on finding what each student needs and cater towards their specific goals. I was challenged to find the most effective way to approach my study habits and also had fun learning with my friends. I highly recommend if you are looking for a place that genuinely cares for your career path!

We are extremely grateful for the support this college counseling company provided our family…read morethroughout my daughter's high school. The process of preparing for college applications was overwhelming, but the guidance we received made all the difference. Felicia, who worked directly with my daughter, was outstanding, supportive, knowledgeable, and always encouraging. She helped keep everything organized and made sure my daughter felt confident every step of the way. She was always there for my daughter when she needed her. Justin, the owner, has clearly built a wonderful program that truly supports students and families. We're thrilled that my daughter was accepted into the university she had been hoping for, and we're very thankful for their role in helping make that happen. Very Highly recommend.

My student sat for practice tests in AP Chem and AP Calc AB with Premier Prep. Justin was friendly,…read morehelpful, and very responsive.

I've been a student of Ray Hong, founder of Meliora, for many years and he has guided me through…read morethe grueling processes of college applications and SAT/ACTS. He and his teachers are all hardworking, focusing on each of the individual student's struggles to ensure growth and success. He is also very understanding, making him extremely great/easy to work with. Overall, with the productive learning environment and the great academic programs, I would definitely recommend Meliora. 10/10 honestly a lifesaver.

I'm a student under Meliora Education, I've been here for 7 years, since i was in middle school…read more Every year, Ray Hong the owner and director of Meliora Education, has exceeded expectations and helped me get the education that I was looking for. HE is the BEST and truly knows his stuff. I'm am now a senior and Mr. Ray has guided me through my middle school and high-school education and is helping me with my college applications. Without his help, I don't think I could be where I am now in my school life. Ray is a really awesome teacher and is super easy to get along with, he makes sure that his students feel comfortable and have fun while learning. I 100% recommend Meliora Education for college counseling, SAT/ACT, English, Science, Math, etc. etc.

Our 11 year old and 8 year old boys love this place. They…read morelearned lots of creative art projects. Besides drawing they did fun hands on activities just like clay molding, paper mache bowls, mask designing and so on. Even though they are active boys, they enjoy this art class. Teacher is very nice and encouraging~ I recommend this art school to your kids.

This studio was a great place for both experienced artists and beginners like myself to learn new…read moreskills and techniques that will help you create works worth being proud of. The instructor is caring, kind, and encourages all of her students to grow and progress every step (or brush stroke) of the way, and it really shows. Whether her students are young or old, fresh or well-seasoned, the teacher will work to offer them personalized goals and projects that match their level and pace, to provide useful and postive feedback, and to ultimately help them embrace whatever their unique artistic style might be. I came to M Art Studios as a beginner, but I've learned a lot and I'm really grateful to have had the chance to learn in such a positive, welcoming environment.

I started coming here after my parents signed me up, and it ended up being way better than I…read moreexpected. The work can be challenging, but the teachers actually help you understand it and make it less stressful, and there's still time to enjoy being there. 10/10 would recommend

The teachers at this school actually care about whether students understand the material and grow…read moreas people. Also shout out to Ms. TT for being my favorite teacher ever!!