Working with Crimson Education has exceeded our expectations in every way. It is far more than a…read moretypical college counseling or tutoring service. Crimson offers an expansive global network and resources that have broadened my children's visions. Our strategist, Kevin, is standout highlight of our journey. Kevin is not just an exceptional mentor. He feels like a trusted friend and partner to our family. He is remarkably knowledgeable, highly productive, and brings a level of dedication that is rare to find. Kevin cares deeply not only about academic progress and milestones, but also about my children's overall well-being, mental health, and personal growth. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Crimson and Kevin, and we strongly recommend them to any family seeking thoughtful and comprehensive mentorship.

We had terrible experience with Crimson. I was with them for 4 years unfortunately. I was expecting…read morethem to help build profile so that college admissions can get smoother. I just realized that they were upselling some of their products which resulted in no real outcome. No clear advice was given to pick right universities or majors in last year which ended up with large rejections. Also, everything was pushed to last minute and decisions were made in hurry. I guess the strategist are too busy with too many students.

Without question, engaging Scott was the most valuable educational investment I made to support my…read morechild. It's not cheap, but the outcome is extraordinary. The impact Scott had on my son went well beyond college essay preparation/production. Pre-Scott, my son could barely write a coherent sentence and through the magic of Scott's teaching methodology and in a relatively short timeframe, the improvement was dramatic. The counsel, candid discussions, and direction Scott provided paid huge dividends in the classroom and in daily written communication (emails, texts). My son became a more confident writer and student which of course, carried over to everyday life. As he heads-off to college in the fall (UCLA), I'm forever grateful to Scott for the life-changing role he played in preparing my son for the next chapter and beyond.

**Scott is the BRILLIANT STUDENT WHISPERER!!** We first sought his services years ago, when my son…read moreneeded to improve his scores for admissions applications to independent high schools. Fortunately, my son is quite bright--but he suffers from ADHD and lack of self confidence. Scott immediately bonded with him--he's pretty amazing in his talent for putting kids at ease and finding their strengths--and he set up a super effective study and skills-building test prep schedule for my son. Scott also gave him super smart inside knowledge on how to pace himself, with strategies for both answering multiple choice questions as well as managing testing time constraints. My son improved his scores by 50%!! And my son thinks of Scott as a true friend and mentor, as well--trusting his judgment and sage advice completely. Fast forward, my son is now applying for colleges and that lack of self-confidence has returned. On top of that, he's super stressed out and depressed about the whole process and his ability to get into the colleges he'd aspired to get into, even though his grades and test scores should admit him into some pretty good schools. Again, Scott to the rescue. He helped my son really think deeply and analyze what he wanted out of a college and his future. And Scott knows SOOOOO much about *all* the different colleges and their academic environments, teaching atmospheres, stress levels, and the kinds of students who might succeed there--he is able to give great advice about what might be the best fit for someone, based on their personality and abilities. Scott was able to get my son to step outside of himself and his insecurities, and come up with a plan for his future that he feels confident about pursuing--most of all, a college plan with options that my son truly believes will make him happy. We can't say enough wonderful things about Scott except that we feel blessed and lucky to have him in our lives. THANK YOU, SCOTT!!

My son worked with Alex on his post-graduate schools and doctoral program applications, and working…read morewith Alex made huge difference. He was extremely knowledgeable about the process and easy to access at any time. My son accepted to a fully funded program.I highly recommend Alex if anyone looking for a coach to help with their writing . Thank you Alex!! I m grateful for your dedication and availability

Dr. Blum worked with my son on his college personal statement. Coached him over 5 sessions on how…read moreto organize, edit, transition and finish his statement. What we really appreciated was Dr. Blum did not write or direct the paper. He helped my son through the writing process. Strategies my son will use long past college. Highly recommend his services.

I can't recommend John highly enough! He has been fantastic in preparing my son for the ACT (and…read morenow SAT). From the very first session, it was clear that he really connected with my son, making the learning process enjoyable and engaging. John tailored the sessions to focus on areas where he needed improvement while also boosting his confidence. Thanks to his guidance, my son was well-prepared and ready for the exam. We're truly grateful for the positive impact he's had!

John is responsive and patient. He explains the lesson clearly. He helped my Son and he understands…read morethe the lesson really well. Thanks to John. I highly recommend John. He is also flexible and accommodating. He is a great tutor and great sense of humor. I would hire him again.

If you are in the SF/LA area, you are a very lucky person. You have the opportunity of working with…read moreone of the best LSAT instructors out there: Nathan Fox. When I joined the class, my LSAT score was plateauing. I received a 166 on my first official take, but after 2 more months of self study I did not make any improvement. That's where Nathan came in. His class is absolutely perfect for those who have a solid foundation for the LSAT but need a little more improvement to meet their test goals. He's a great resource to ask with questions about the problems you've missed, as he provides a logical map to help you get to the right answer yourself. In addition, the live testing done each week acquaints you with actual LSAT conditions and the LSAT Demon is a godsend for those looking for reinforcement of material. Eventually, I was practice testing in his classes around 173-175. And then on test day, I beat that with a 176, a 10 point increase from my first official score! In conclusion, I'm a satisfied customer. Nathan will help you truly understand the test (regardless of your previous exposure) and you'll reap the rewards as a result. Good luck!

I've been writing Yelp reviews for a while and it is extremely rare for someone to have 40+ reviews…read moreand have almost all of them be 5 stars. In this instance they are well-deserved. I was in Nathan's LSAT class in April and May of 2013 and benefited greatly from it. The material on the LSAT is boring as hell and Nathan does a great job of making the class fun with his humor. Nathan is constantly arguing with the speaker and using profanity (which is hilarious, btw) to keep the class alive. Actually, I think he's just being himself which makes the otherwise dry material very entertaining. Nathan scored a 179 on the LSAT so it seems he can do most of these in his sleep if he wanted to. The class is located at the Westfield mall right above the Powell Street BART station so getting there is very convenient if you MUNI or BART. In addition to covering the LSAT section he does a 30 minute Q&A before every class (530pm-6pm) where you can ask him anything related to law school. He is always honest about the pros and cons of pursuing a legal career which I appreciated. He also did a great job of bringing in guest speakers to answer questions you may have. Nathan is always available to his students. You can always email him and he'll get back to you. If you have a question about applying, want to send him your personal statement or got stuck on a question he's your man. I admire how available he makes himself. You can tell he wants to help people succeed on the LSAT and get into the best possible law school they can. One thing I particularly appreciated is he allowed me to pay on a payment plan. This helped ease some of the financial burden of a $500 a month class. His prices are very reasonable and worth every cent but his flexibility was very much appreciated. Nathan also offered proctored tests on the weekends so you get to mimic test conditions. I found those valuable. Unless you're an outstanding test taker my advice would be to take the class for 1-2 months. At that point you start to see the patterns in some of the logic games and get a feel for how to set them up and you may be able to recognize certain types of questions throughout the test. I 100% unequivocally recommend Fox Test prep. I researched a couple of places before choosing Nathan's class and preferred to support a local business and I can guarantee Nathan is funnier and more effective than any of the big test prep services out there. Thanks Fox Test prep!

I am surprised to see some of the negative reviews here. Albeit, I worked with Amanda Mallory in…read morethe late 90s, testing for learning disabilities, dyslexia, and whatever else was commonly tested then. I had no behavioral issues when I was a child, with the exception of a smart remark. I simply needed structure. The school I was attending at the time for dyslexic children coddled me, and I was not prepared for high school at the end of 8th grade. I should say, this was nearly 40 years ago, and I may have worked with some other employees, but I did meet Amanda Mallory directly. Two or three boarding schools in Carmel and the central coast were recommended to us initially. They were not a great fit, but we were patient and knew it was part of the process of finding a good environment for me. Eventually I decided on an all boys, junior prep school in New Hampshire that offered the structure and encouragement I needed to take the next step in life. The type of school I needed was present at several schools in New England, but not California. My parents were nervous to send me across the country, but once we visited, it was a no brainer. We never would have found the school if it were not for Amanda. I remember a few things vividly from my appointments and interviews with Amanda. The first, which was unintended, was hearing Amanda tell my parents I was a normal, nice kid. That was comforting to hear when you are in the middle of a growth spirt, with braces, acne, a cracking voice, and do not feel like any environment fits. The second thing I remember is that Amanda asked me, while I was by myself in the interview, what I was interested in. She made it clear this was my choice ultimately. I wasn't being sent away, and I had an incredible opportunity ahead of myself to study, play sports, and make great friends with a bunch of guys that would become life long friends. I wanted to share my success with Amanda. I would take many of the negative reviews here with a grain of salt. Not everyone is a success story and no two children have the exact same needs.

We used Karen Kindler as our educational consultant for my son. Karen helped us with boarding…read moreschools' application/admission process. She was highly recommended to us by some other family who had a pleasure working with her last year. Karen Kindler is a very kind, polite, and patient person. She is very professional and is a true expert in her field. Karen guided us through every step of the process including checking the necessary paperwork, calling the schools, and correcting our son's essays. She also talked to admission people and was constantly in contact with them via email or phone conversations. Thanks to Karen, our son got accepted into 4 very prestige boarding schools, the best in the country. We are very happy with Karen's services, and we highly recommend it. We can guarantee you won't be disappointed with her work. Anna, Boris, and Daniel (happy clients)

It's the same in every profession…read more Whether we're talking about doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, or educational consultants, the very best providers give you the right answers. They don't waste your time, and are worth every penny they charge. Those at the top of the pile, the experts, the seasoned pros, the 99th percentilers, these are the people you want to work with. Unfortunately, finding such individuals can be extraordinarily difficult and time consuming. Look no further. David Montesano is your man. David did a great job consulting with our daughter as she was preparing to do the whole daunting "college application" thing. He met with our daughter and helped her to future-project, seeing herself 10 years down the road, already through with college and beginning her career. David's wealth of knowledge about various college and university programs - together with his insider status in the field of educational consulting and brilliant marketing acumen ("everything is sales," including applying to college!) - enabled him to suggest particular programs and schools based on his uncanny insight into our daughter's personal strengths and potentialities, helping her present herself effectively to a wide range of excellent schools. Although our daughter chose to attend a liberal arts college (Wesleyan) instead of a large university, she managed to beat the odds and successfully enter the tech field. Now - less than six years after graduation - she's a senior software engineer at a FAANG company, happily married, and a home owner on the San Francisco Peninsula. The arduousness of today's Byzantine college application process is unbelievable, and it's only gotten worse due to Covid. More than ever, it's important to hire the right private college counselor, not only for the sake of the hardworking student involved, but to allay the concerns and save the frayed nerves of parents, as well. A great college consultant will not only give you the right answers and make good use of your valuable time, he'll reduce family stress and anxiety to a minimum. Every family with the means to do so should hire one as teens enter high school and begin planning for college. I can attest, both from personal experience and from his reputation which precedes him, that David Montesano is one such great college counselor. He's absolutely top self. David has earned my sincere thanks and my highest recommendation. I urge you to contact him right away.

Unprofessional way of talking and not giving enough information on the college process but trying…read moreto market himself

I had an amazing experience with ESM Prep and Katie Lawrence. Katie was organized, thoughtful, and…read moretruly cared about my application process. I appreciated that Katie talked me through my thoughts on WHY I was interested in business school and helped me flesh out all of my thoughts and ideas, before I started to write things down. Katie would meet me in person for lunch in San Francisco, talk on the phone, or chat over text! She spent an incredible number of hours talking me through the narrative of my application, my interview prep, and proofreading my essays; considering that Katie worked with me for so many hours, the value for this service is unbeatable! Not only did I have a great experience during the application process, I got into my dream business school! I highly recommend ESM Prep and Katie to anyone working on an application.

ESM tutor John Sheffield was incredibly helpful in preparing my son for the ACT test. By analyzing…read morethe results of my son's practice ACT, John knew what to focus on during their sessions. He patiently taught both content material and test taking strategy. My son's test score improved by 4 points after working with John. We also appreciated that John was a great resource for all our questions about college testing. John was always on time, well prepared, and fully engaged when working with my son. We have recommended him to our friends and would be happy to provide a reference for him in the future.

We couldn't be happier with the results! Daron connected us with Jillian who worked with our son in…read moreHonors Biochemistry and helped him build both his understanding of the material and his confidence in the class. Thanks to Jillian's expertise and ability to explain complex concepts in a way that made sense, our son earned an A in the class! Daron is very easy to work with, flexible and rates for tutoring are very reasonable! I'm sure we'll be working together again in the near future as our son advances to physics and sports medicine courses.

Hi Bay Area Tutors, Just a quick note to say THANK YOU! We received report cards this week and my…read moreson ended up with a "B" in Itegrated 2 math. He would not have been able to do it without the two amazing tutors we worked with. Please pass along our gratitude to them both. Thanks again! I'll be in touch for next school year and Integrated 3!

As one of TestMagic's success stories, I can honestly say that this company was critical in helping…read moreme get into my dream school, UCLA. The boss of the company, Erin, cares about his students more than your average test prep tutor. He even cooks his students hot dogs if they are too hungry to focus. My high school GPA was not that high. It was a 3.5 weighted. However, after doing a lot of practice tests, my SAT score went from a 1300 to 2010. (This was back when it was out of 2400). Test Magic didn't look at my low GPA score and give up on me. Their excellent service in personal statements helped me to shine the best light on myself so that my application could be as strong as possible. I was so proud of the final essay that I sent a copy to all of my friends. Now I am an architect working on Google projects. There is no shame in getting extra help if it will lead you to a better future. Thank you TestMagic!

My daughter attended Erin's writing class for 3 years and really loved it. Her writing improved…read moresignificantly over the years and she enjoyed the time with her classmates. We both greatly appreciated Erin's flexibility moving to Zoom during the pandemic. Not only is Erin a great tutor with a steady offering of classes, he was a great advisor when it came time to assess high schools and go through the application process. Our daughter's middle school experience was much better after having connected with TestMagic and Erin. I high recommend his services.