After starting with a different (and expensive) college counselor located in Santa Monica and SAT…read moretutor (expensive) who both came highly recommended but were essentially completely useless, we received a glowing recommendation for Blue Train and made the switch. Best decision ever. Our two sons used Blue Train for multiple things over their junior and senior years - test assessment/diagnostic, ACT prep and guidance, college list building, guidance re HS classes and even extra curricular advise, as well as navigating the college application process and the all-important essay drafting. Scott and the people at Blue Train put the boys on a very manageable schedule and in fact, both of our sons were totally done with most applications by Thanksgiving. Both boys got into tons of schools, got thrown tons of money, and this entire process was so smooth because of Blue Train's guidance. We event consulted with Scott when deciding which schools to attend. I cannot say enough how effective and impressive Blue Train was. Highly recommend !!!

It's been 4+ years since I wrote my initial review of Blue Train and I've had 1 more kid go through…read morethe college admission process. I'm just as happy with Blue Train now as I was in my previous review. Both my kids got into their #1 colleges thanks in part to Scott's assistance and we're again working with Blue Train and Scott for my 3rd kid. Blue Train and Scott are the best! I've referred several friends to them and my friends have all been really happy.

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 had almost all of my tutoring sessions at Peninsula Academy. After moving from Shanghai to Palos…read moreVerdes about 5 years ago, I was greatly struggling with English. Then I came to Pen Academy to seek for an English tutor. JJ was the one who helped me the most with my speaking, writing, and reading skills, and he helped me to get a decent score on SAT (1500). Other tutors I have had include TJ, Joseph, and Jason who helped me with math, biology, and physics, and I had great experiences with all of them. When it comes to the time of college application, my college counselor Ji spent a lot of time with me brainstorming about the college essays. She encouraged me to be the person I want to be and express myself in my essays. Finally, all of these got me into my dream college. Learning at Peninsula Academy was a very enjoyable experience as the tutors do not only help you to achieve academic success but also care about your personal well beings.

We moved from Beijing to LA in 2017, around April 2017 my wife and I did a house hunting at PV and…read moreTorrance. After looking at several houses for sales, I asked my realtor to drop me off at the ice rink which is my daughter's most favorite activity. We passed by the Peninsula Academy. I told my wife this is a great place for our daughter to enrich her English. Kay Lee, the deputy director of the academy was there, she was extremely helpful and listened to me on our needs. She recommended Kathy Kerstein as my daughter's English teacher. We moved our family on July 28, 2017. It's a Friday. My daughter Yiyi started Kathy's one to one class for the whole summer and once-twice a week during the school year. Apparently, she did extremely good at her ENGLISH LEARNER'S class. She moved on with Kathy's help, she got into Stanford's summer school, UCSB Research Mentoring Program. From a Chinese speaking little girl, hardly can speak a full paragraph to a young adult commanding her English In three and half years. My daughter, applied for colleges this year, she got admitted for UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UCSD. For private institutions, she got Harvey Mudd (finalist for President's Scholarship, she declined), Columbia University and Caltech. She accepted the offer from Caltech and will be the 2025 class of Caltech. Kathy Kerstein is a great teacher, she is always available and ready to help, I would like to thank the Academy for all the supports. Chung

Ellie was great for helping me with my college apps. I didn't know what where or how to even…read morebegin, so she walked me through the whole process. She helped me make (and later narrow down) my college list; she also knew about a lot of colleges I never thought about or even heard of. She was also a huge help with my essays: she helped me think of topics that would appeal to admissions officers, guided me through the writing process (like what was/wasn't appropriate to put on the essay, how to make the essay more compelling, etc.), and gave me tips and feedback on how to better my essay. I felt like she really got to know me and helped me to differentiate myself from other applicants and show admissions who I really am. Thanks to her, I was accepted into UC Berkeley!!! Seriously, A+++, 5 thumbs up, 17/10, 8 stars. I couldn't be more thrilled with not only the results but the time I spent with her working on my apps. She made the whole process as painless as possible.

I received tutoring from Ellie in AP Chemistry. I could tell Ellie knew the subject in depth as she…read morewas actually able to explain the topics to me in ways I could come to understood them (science is not my thing). Although her tutoring is online, it wasn't awkward at all. It was actually more convenient due to the flexibility. Thanks Ellie!!! My teacher actually commented on my improvement in class :) it made me feel so much better about my science grades. If I ever need help again in any subject (that Ellie tutors in), I'd definitely work with her again.

I can not recommend Ellen enough. She was very helpful, knowledgeable and supportive of my daughter…read moreat every stage of our college journey. My kid always wanted to go to school in Europe and Ellen suggested amazing schools that we wouldn't have found without her. She also got into every school we applied to. Thank you, Ellen!

From the owner: I provide students with college lists that are the best fits for academically and socially no…read morematter the field they wish to study from liberal arts to business, STEM to Performing and Visual Arts. I am knowledgeable on colleges and universities all over the US and world. I guide students into finding the universities and colleges out there that meet their needs, the programs they offer, and provide hands-on support through the entire college application process all while minimizing the stress that often can arise for students (and their parents).

My son dreamed of NYU Tisch Film and we knew we needed help in the applicaton process. Jen at Great…read moreExpectations recommended the perfect fit. Sajel Oelerich made the college application process so seamless and SO much easier. From the moment my son first spoke with her, he knew that Sajel was the key to getting into his dream school. Her patience, advice, demeanor and enthusiasm were beyond incredible. She gently pushed him and helped him to see how much more he could bring to his applications. He looked forward to his sessions and after each one he came out more energized, more excited and SO much less stressed out. He got into his dream school! Thank you so much Sajel and thank you Great Expectations! -Deb S.

We had a terrible experience with this group. I would have told the owner director had she ever…read morechecked in during the process. We did not even use all of the hours.

Our family has been fortunate to know and work with Erin for the last several years and strongly…read morerecommend her services. I could not be more pleased with the guidance provided by Erin Gordon Grady. The educational process, particularly steps pertaining to college admission and affordability, can be very confusing and daunting for parents and students, especially considering that the landscape is ever changing. Erin is extremely knowledgeable, patient and kind, and it is largely thanks to her that our son is currently a happy student at USC. Erin's willingness to answer all our questions, no matter how small or how complex, was a testament to her professionalism. Her wise, thoughtful replies reflect her profound knowledge on the topic and the fact that she currently keeps abreast of new developments in her field. I would strongly recommend working with Erin. After speaking with other parents who are struggling with helping their kids make a smooth transition from high school to college, I am especially grateful that my family had her invaluable support.

My main concerns about the college transfer process were identifying the right school for our son…read moreand completing the applications in a way that best and accurately reflected him. Through our collaboration, Erin was able to guide us toward great schools that would be the right fit for our son. Her familiarity with the transfer process helped to reassure us that we were on the right track. We found the support in choosing schools to apply to and guidance in completing the Common Application most effective. We also found the assistance in essay topic selection and support through the writing process very helpful. I think having her work with us allowed our son to take ownership of his process and helped keep healthy and less stressful communication between us. I absolutely would recommend Innovative Education Partners and working with Erin. The college application process is a labyrinth, and having her guide us through it was invaluable

After Alison helped my daughter get into her dream school UCLA, I turned to her to help my son. He…read morewas transferring from a CC to an UC. His hard work & her help with his essays really paid off. He will be starting at UC Berkeley this fall. One of the things I appreciated most was Alison's responsiveness and willingness to make revisions promptly. Her professionalism and attention to detail made the process smooth and stress-free. Thanks to Alison both my kids got admitted to top schools.

My son worked with Alison the Summer between his Junior and Senior year in high school on his…read morecollege essays. Her style of working with my son, as well as her knowledge of how to shape the essays for the major my son was applying to were valuable and in sightful. Alison communicated very clearly through out the process, both with me and my son, which made things so easy. I highly recommend using Alison for your college essays. I can firmly say it made the difference, as my son got into his dream school.