Joseph was very helpful with reviewing my college essays! Before I had my essays revised with him, I felt like something was off with my supplementals, and through his help I was able to identify areas that were unclear or deemed disingenuous. He is also great for short deadlines and was able to give me feedback within a day even during holidays. Thanks to his help I got into UPenn, Duke, Washu (Annika Rodriguez Scholar), NYU, Northeastern Honors Program + Scholarship, USC IYA + Honors, UT Austin Plan II Honors + Honors Scholarship! read more

Thinque Prep - Test Preparation Near Me - Lake Forest, California

I first learned about Joey Lin's services after reading some of his insightful and informative posts in a college-focused parenting group that I'm in. Parents thank him by the hundreds for his invaluable contributions to our discussions - and his YouTube videos are a great resource, too. Although we don't live in the area, when my daughter needed guidance on some very specific questions regarding her UC application, I knew that Joey had the exact expertise to help her through the process. As a UC expert, I felt very confident that his consulting services would be beneficial in helping my daughter put her best foot forward as we slogged through the complicated journey of applying to these highly competitive, top-tier flagship schools here in California. Utilizing Joey's services was a great decision and my daughter was very comfortable working directly with him as he reviewed her application and made meaningful suggestions to help her through the final application phases. I appreciate his responsiveness and kindness in working with my daughter through this stressful time. I would not hesitate to recommend him to other parents also seeking a professional consultant who is well-versed in the mechanics of how to produce impactful and successful UC applications. read more

I was very fortunate to have Joey's help on my supplemental essay that UCLA requested. Not only did he provide thorough, thoughtful, constructive, and extremely helpful feedback, but he was kind and accommodating in the process. The feedback, help, and support that he provided allowed me to create an essay that I was confident in submitting, and he responded to emails within an hour and maintained communication throughout the entire process. He helped me address both grammatical errors in my essay and areas where my content could be strengthened and elaborated on, and asked insightful questions that allowed me to organize my thoughts more clearly on paper. I highly recommend his services, especially if you are submitting any UC Personal Insight Questions or the Common Application Essay! read more

Thinque prep provided my son top notch help in AP review, SAT prep and college counseling. There are tons of other counselors out there, but a majority of them don't have the background and experience necessary to cover the wide range of needs a high schooler(and clueless parents) has. Joyee's background as an highly experienced college application reader, SAT/ACT perfect scorer and combined with his Math skills made it as easy decision to choose Thinque Prep. His Youtube videos are invaluable! He and his team have a strong work ethic and were very patient in responding to all the questions which came up over the last 2 years. I highly recommend Thinque Prep! read more

SO HAPPY with the tutoring service provided by Thinque Prep. After interviewing many different companies, our son immediately felt the team at Thinque Prep would be the perfect fit. It should be noted you don't need to live in California to benefit from their expertise. We live in Chicago and Catherine made the on line scheduling sessions easy. Sam and Hiro were amazing. Our son looked forward to his sessions. They not only provided the online tutoring but they provided ongoing encouragement which helped his self confidence. In addition, their communication with us (parents) helped in understanding what he could be doing on his own time to better prepare. He improved his ACT Reading score by 8 pts to reach a 35. He was accepted into all 6 schools that he applied to. We can't recommend the team at Thinque Prep enough. It doesn't matter what state you may reside in. read more

Thinque Prep was a tremendous help in preparing my son for his 2025 AP exams. Thanks to their tutoring support, he scored 5s on some of the more challenging subjects: AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics 1. Highly recommend! read more

Joyee is the absolute best! Joyee helped my younger brother with his college admissions process, and he helped me complete my transfer applications to my dream school. To say we are grateful for his guidance and support is an understatement. Speaking to my experience working with Joyee, I was wowed by the breadth of knowledge that Joyee has with the entire college application process and all his expertise on how to craft the perfect supplement. Some college counselors will blindly make revisions to your supplements without explaining to you why they do what they do and, in turn, completely change your work and your writer's voice. Joyee worked with me through the whole process, offering modification suggestions that made my work more concise and coherent while explaining his thought process along the way. Joyee also ensured that I was happy with my supplements every step of the way, and without his tutelage, I wouldn't have been able to put together the application that I did. My brother and I are so thankful that we were able to work with Joyee. Huge shoutout to Joyee and the entire Thinque Prep team! read more

Joyee is, hands-down, the best SAT/ACT tutor I have ever sent my students to. He has a way of making each student UNDERSTAND the material, rather than just teaching rote memorization. Every student I've sent to Joyee always improves on their next SAT/ACT. Thanks for being such a great help, Joyee! read more

Joyee Lin was very helpful throughout the SAT prep journey and also during our college decision process. Joyee and Thinque Prep can customize the sessions to the exact needs of the child. read more

Joyee and his staff at Thinque Prep have played an integral part in my son's academic journey. Starting with a comprehensive SAT/ACT prep course the summer before Junior year, this program raised my sons scores substantially, and helped cultivate more focused study habits, inspired confidence, and prepared my son for a rigorous Junior year filled with AP classes. The course culminated with a seminar that taught the students about the college application process, and how the admissions faculty evaluate the whole person, not just the test scores and GPA. During the Pandemic, Joyee offered remote tutoring and sessions with AP US History, and AP Language and Composition, which he then received and 4 and 5 score respectively. The summer before senior year, Joyee mentored my son through his essay writing process. He applied to a variety of public and private schools, and Joyee's tutelage gave my son the framework to hone his thoughts and create meaningful essay prompts. My son will be attending UCLA in Fall 2021, with a Herb Albert Music scholarship. He received 10 acceptances and multiple scholarship offers. I wholeheartedly believe he would not have achieved this goal without Joyee's help and expertise over the last few years! Thank you Joyee and the whole Thinqueprep Staff Acceptances *UCLA *UCI UC SANTA CRUZ *LMU *CHAPMAN *PEPPERDINE *CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO *CAL POLY POMONA *UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CSUF *scholarship money offered read more

I did the College Admissions Workshop for a week. This year the program went online. While this may have prevented a smooth flow of activities, it was a nice way to push communication skills for students. The program is geared towards Californian students as there is ample advice regarding the nuances of the Cal system. However, as a Minnesotan in the program, these portions were not useless. You could opt out of this section if you preferred, either way it was a good use of time. The open-ended FAQ section with counselors was especially helpful, along with the last day, where students had the opportunity to meet one on one with mentors. Getting a range of opinions was key to getting helpful feedback to improve on. I also enjoyed the essay-writing tips/material, which I believe came from TheEssayGuy's material (I believe Joyee knows him). Good stuff, straight to the point. Like other reviewers mention, Joyee is incredibly knowledgable on the college process. If you need general advice, about majors (where to go for a particular major) or possible routes to take, he is very helpful in that world as well. Thanks Joyee and ThinquePrep team! read more

I have just joined this service through Andre who have always been so prompt and helpful to get the help that I need. They sent me emails with all the answers that I asked and very organized. I reached out to them through my younger daughter's friend who highly recommended!! Their package price is also reasonable, too. This is my first time getting a help from a professional college counseling so I was a bit skeptical and unsure of the need for it. But, Joey, college counselor, made my daughter and me feel comfortable in the introductory zoom meeting. I look forward to getting further support for my daughter's college application process !!! read more

I was looking for test prep and college counseling for my nephew. The staff here is really great, and they provide really good feedback that was motivating for him. They convinced him (and his family) that college is all about fit not necessarily about getting into the best ranked school. He's excited to be starting his college for next year. read more

Thinque Prep and Joyee are amazing. I worked with Joyee to prepare for the GRE and he helped immensely. I couldn't get myself to take practice tests on my own and Thinque was the structure I was missing. The 1x1 time with Joyee was also beneficial and helped improve my verbal scores just in 6 weeks. He has great tips to make studying easier to do when you are on a tight timeline. They are always willing and trying to work you into their schedule, even if it's last minute. I got into my top school with Joyee's help. Thank you! read more

Thinque Prep has been a life changer. Joyee Lin and his team really pay attention to all the details. Joyee was able to teach in a way that was specific to my learning and relate to me in a way I understood using real life examples. He's one of the hardest working tutors I've ever met and held me accountable so I could reach my academic goals. I had a great experience and learnt a lot. If you're looking for a great math tutor. I strongly recommend Joyee and his team at Thinque. Also, special thanks to Hiro who was able to fill in when Joyee's schedule was booked. The overall team at Thinque are on top of their game. Thank-you Thinque for helping me reach my goals! read more

If you can get Joyee himself to act as a tutor - your scores might improve. However, my son was set-up with different tutors instead. My son has a 4.5GPA and a decent starting score - he is not a bad student by any stretch! In spite of the time spent with these "tutors"- his score went down! Total waste of time and money!! To make matters worse the staff was rude and literally did not care about the drop in his score. Terrible experience all around. My son needs to now un-learn all the silly tricks he was told to use (that don't work) and really prep with a different company. Save your money. There are much more reputable, proven companies out there for this sort of thing. Do your research. I wish I had. read more

Joyee and his team are awesome! I have kid #4 going through his program and I'm positive she will get great results like her siblings! We drive all the way from North OC to attend Thinque Prep's summer program- it's definitely worth it! read more

Hello Joyee, I thought I would let you know that I have referred some of my son's teammates to you for test prep. The parents of the junior players were asking several questions about the SAT and ACT exams and test prep. I told them who Dustin used and the results he achieved. I'm sure if we would have found you sooner, his test scores would have increased even more. Once again, thank you very much for working with Dustin to increase his college entrance test scores! We appreciated the flexible schedule and you working him into a group to make it affordable. Dustin has been accepted to 7 of the 7 colleges/universities he applied to. The 700 math score on the SAT really helped his overall score and we have you to thank for that! He is not sure where he is going to go yet, but at least he has options. Thanks again Joyee! Now it's time for the AP Calc test prep! read more

Joyee did an amazing job helping my daughter with both her SAT tutoring and refining her college essays. He was conveniently available via zoom during COVID and offered flexible scheduling. She also attended his college workshop which comprised of experts in the college admissions process. read more

My daughter is a senior in high school and took a few ACT/SAT tests and it was apparent she needed a tutor to increase her scores. After researching several tutors we ended up at Thinque Prep. When hiring a tutor you are basically taking them at their word they can increase your child's score. We met with Joyee, he came across knowing a lot about the college process, testing process and results. Joyee was my daughter's tutor for two months, meeting with him 2 times a week (90 minute) sessions. He was AMAZING!!!! He really took the time to work with her. When she didn't understand a problem he really took the time to explain. I would highly recommend Joyee. He is an amazing tutor. My daughter increased her ACT score 4 levels. I know she really put in the effort but couldn't have done so without the tutoring from Joyee at Thinque Prep. read more

Joyee is an amazing tutor who is willing to go as far as you're willing to dedicate. He makes sure that you understand the best way of approaching a problem and gives additional ways to solve the material without feeling overwhelmed. I have been working with him on prepping for my GRE round 2 after getting a score I wasn't happy with. Going over existing problem sets I have from online resources like Magoosh and Manhattan Prep, Joyee encourages exploration of the problem by having you think aloud of your thought process, analyzing how you think and providing additional, creative ways in how you can reach a solution. If you needed additional help to push your score above the hump you're struggling to reach, I recommend Joyee to help get over that hump! read more

My daughter just attended Thinque Prep's 3-day workshop "Demystifying the College Admissions Process". The workshop provided current information about completing college applications, writing effective essays, and interviewing. The students had access to collegiate professionals who provided guidance and insight. My daughter had a great experience. She feels more prepared for her college application season. Highly recommended. read more

Joyee is a fantastic tutor who is laser-focused on coaching and guiding young students the right way to maximize test scores. He helped my son achieve a near perfect SAT score on his very first try and was especially helpful in the EBRW section. His coaching techniques are excellent and helped my son focus on the key areas that he needed to. I'd highly recommend Thinque Prep to anyone and would reach out to Joyee again if my son needed help in any of his subjects. It also helps immensely that Joyee in well-versed in coaching most subjects. Thanks, Joyee for all the help! read more

I hired Joyee as an aid to guide me in brainstorming, proofreading, and revising essays for college applications. He helped me brainstorm topics and I ended up with a Common App personal statement that made me sound like a poetic genius, but didn't reflect who I really was. I eventually decided to start from scratch and write a new essay, minus all the unnecessary embellishments and wrote it from the heart instead, which got me accepted to Cornell University (this essay received no help from Joyee or his team). We thought Joyee would like to hear, but was only interested in getting a copy of my acceptance letter for his "files" to strengthen his own credibility and to write him a review. We didn't received as much as a "congrats" or "good job" from him. So all in all, if you want someone who genuinely cares about your child as a person and not simply an entity that helps him get new customers, this is NOT the right guy for you. read more

For some reason, my review was removed because it presented a "conflict of interest," while no conditions for a conflict of interest are present. I stand by my review and can say objectively that administration and communication was poor. I was also not handed paperwork until halfway through my paid tutoring period and the instructor did leave one weekend without warning and without coordinating my lesson before going. These statements are factual, and if the company or Yelp wants to flag this review as "conflict of interest," then they do not understand the legal concept. If the company had a sense for customer service, they could address this review publicly on this page. read more

Joyee is one of the most hard working and supporting people I have ever met period, nonetheless a tutor. He rapidly increased my SAT scores, and he helped me through AP Calculus when it was borderline impossible for me. He also helped me in AP statistics in which I would set the curves on tests because of him and got A's both semesters. He would also tutor me after hours if I needed it late into the night even if he had other things to do, and even though for a time I was lazy and didn't do my assignments he still believed in me, and I eventually turned it around. He is a HUGE reason I got into college and I wouldn't have been able to do it without him. Also, it doesn't hurt that he knows everything. There really isn't an area of high school academics he doesn't know. He's the epitome of an expert. He also can find plenty of practice material for you and he really does tutor you to your style If you're having second thoughts about his work ethic, intellect, or teaching ability, don't. He is by far the best tutor I've ever had and I doubt that will change. Jay read more

Joyee is an amazing tutor. After only two months, I was able to reach my target ACT score. I think what sets Joyee apart from other tutors is that he genuinely cares about each of his students. He wanted me to succeed and was more than willing to set up late appointments if I was busy all day. I would definitely recommend going to Thinque Prep over companies like Elite as the one-on-one attention here makes a huge difference. read more

This past summer, I was in search of a tutor to assist my brother with his preparation for the ACT. A number of conversations with local tutors proved fruitless, as they were either too expensive or had rigid schedules. After doing some research online, I came across Joyee's profile on Wyzant. I was particularly impressed by his extensive background in ACT tutoring having worked for some well-regarded test preparation companies. In addition, his rates were extremely fair. I enlisted Joyee's tutoring services via skype, and my experience was remarkable. In spite of the three hour time difference between the East Coast and West Coast, Joyee remained a consummate professional with regard to his scheduling and punctuality. Most importantly, he is fully invested in his students, demonstrating patience and understanding whilst pushing them to achieve their full potential. Prior to working with Joyee, my brother had an initial diagnostic score of 27. After six weeks of tutoring with Joyee my brother scored a 35 on the September 2015 ACT. I highly recommend Joyee, his tutoring services are the perfect complement for any motivated high school student seeking help with test preparation. read more

Joyee Lin of Thinque has been nothing short of amazing. Professional with results to show. My daughter started working with Joyee a couple of months ago. Within six lessons, my daughter's composite ACT score went from a 28 prior to working with Joyee to a 32. Amazingly, her science score went from a 25 to a 32. Those numbers are the end result of Joyee's professional approach to teaching. During the lesson, Joyee utilizes a number of methods to present the material. It must be said that my daughter took his instruction seriously and worked hard on the material which was provided to her. The result was a good example of team work in which my daughter could receive, in addition to immediate instruction, quick review and understanding after working through the material. Joyee makes it easy to work around a busy lifestyle as he schedules and responds to correspondence promptly. We can't offer him enough praise. Joyee is offering an amazing service and we were so glad to have been referred to him. read more

After only 5-6 weeks in working with Joyee. our daughter had a significant jump in her ACT score. Effective sessions via Skype were ideal to avoid the commute to Lake Forest. Our daughter took several practice exams, Joyee was abe to identify areas that needed improvement / question comprehension. Joyee was recommended to us, we have already recommended him to others, including the high school counselor! read more