Our son has had a bad experience here.  He says that he gets a piece of paper to work off of, and…read morethe coaches come by every once in awhile and ask if it is ok, and that is about the extent of the coaching.  He has had problems with parts missing from his project as other students take things out of his bin when they can't find something.  They are usually the high demand parts, so he has a really tough time replacing them.  When he asks the coaches, they tell him to go look for the part, and he spends a good portion of the time looking for parts as they don't provide it for him.   He says when he has a question, several other smaller kids interrupt, and the coach's attention gets scattered, and they don't answer his question ultimately.   So, all in all, he is not able to make much progress week to week.  I was shocked, as the per lesson cost of this program is almost the price of private music or tennis instruction, that he would get so little attention and help.  Something so simple as the low availability of parts is something that could be managed, and there should be enough coaches to answer the kids' questions. I had asked about the competition path last summer and was told our son had to learn the basics for about a year first. When we said we would like to cancel, all of a sudden, this competition "class" was an option. I suspect that this basically operates like a daycare with legos for most, and all the actual coaching gets saved for the few kids in competition.

My favorite website for all the Dublin News!!! It is on Facebook, too!!read more

My exprience with Brilliant Minds has been awful to say the least…read more My first interaction was with the owner Syeda Tabassum. We had a very candid conversation where I set clear expectations for what I needed in order for my son to attend. Because I commute far distances for work and travel frequently, one of my requirements included drop-off service. When I asked if they offered this service, Syeda advised that she needed to speak with the center Director Mrs. Ramala and follow-up. Later that week, I attended open house (Per Syeda's recommendation) and met with Syeda and Ramala in-person and discussed requirements further. Drop off service was a primary area of concern because my son had attend Glitter Kids (their direct competitor) a couple of months prior and after a week or so they advised they could no longer provide drop-off services. However, both assured me this would not be an issue at Brilliant Minds. On 8/2 my son started their summer camp as a way to get acclimated and prepared for the new school year. On 8/14 he started their after school program. On 8/16 I was told by Syeda they could no longer provide drop off services and that I had 2 weeks to locate another facility for my son. This mishap is very unfortunate and has created a very stressful situation. As a parent finding a reliable, honest and trustworthy center is critical for our children's long-term success.

My son is here for summer camps, he is enjoying all the field trips, basketball classes, fun events…read morelike laser tag. I like that school take care of maths, writing, and art projects too. Overall he is really happy and wants to join after school program when school starts.

I worked at ALOHA over the summer and it was one of the best job experiences I've ever had. The…read morework environment is amazing - ALOHA's unique curriculum keeps the kids engaged which makes the job so much more fun and easier. Working here was one of the highlights of my summer and I learned a lot myself. The boss and staff are also very nice!

My daughter started going here about 2 months ago and I am so impressed with Priyanka. My little…read moreone looks forward to her class and I am amazed by her progress. The reason I mention Priyanka specifically is because there was a sub once and I could notice my daughters loss of interest. So kudos to Priyanka and her commitment in keeping the kids engaged.

During application season, I was looking for someone to help me improve my essays and narrow down…read moremy list of schools to ones that would be a good fit for my profile. Haruka is incredibly knowledgeable, detail-oriented, and always sat down with me for as long as it took to get all my questions answered. She always went the extra mile to come up with new suggestions, and updated me regularly with any articles she found that would help further my research. Very helpful and always positive; couldn't have done it without her!

Mrs. Haruka Yamashita helped me out with the whole process of writing essays. She guided me through…read moreeach step, which made it easier to organize my thoughts and write clearly. As someone with immigrant parents, I didn't really have anybody to ask for advice about American colleges. Mrs. Yamashita and I discussed about how we can incorporate my Japanese activities in my application. I'm so happy that I was able to show how I've connected with my culture throughout my life through Japanese school, abacus, volunteering, etc. Mrs. Yamashita also provided useful resources that helped me write essays and the activity list. She also added detailed comments on my essays, so I knew which areas to make improvements on. I recommend her counseling service to anybody who's feeling lost in the application process. Thank you so much Haruka-San!

The owner here is insanely good peoples. He always greets us when we come in. The place is like a…read morelibrary. Every kid in there seems to be taking their math seriously, and they should! I like it here, my kid likes it here, and she seems to be learning. Although anything would have helped my little struggling kid. The neighborhood is a tiny bit sketch (by Tri-Valley standards i guess), but it's fine. It's near a dollar store and a pub. If you'd like to connect the dots, you may. But anyhoo, if your kid is struggling with math, take them here. You'll see a nice improvement. We're leaving for a bit, only because we have to tighten some finances. But we'll be back for sure.

I had originally considered enrolling my children in Mathnasium summer programs, but after today's…read moreexperience, I no longer feel comfortable supporting this location. While picking up my child from middle school, I briefly stopped in the red zone because I was not feeling well and currently have a fever. Within seconds, the business owner, Mr. Siva, approached my vehicle aggressively, yelling and cursing loudly in front of my children and other students. He was not law enforcement or school staff, yet his behavior was intimidating, hostile, and completely inappropriate for someone running a business centered around children and education. My children were genuinely frightened by the interaction. Regardless of parking frustrations, there is never an excuse to speak to parents that way in front of children. What concerns me even more is that Mathnasium as a brand chooses to franchise locations to individuals who conduct themselves in this manner. It seriously makes me question the professionalism, judgment, and values of the company as a whole. Because of this experience, I will be taking my children to another math tutoring center moving forward.

We used IvyMax for college consulting last year. Experience was pretty bad for that price. As a…read moreparent, I learn nothing new from them. Many of their advices are just too general. You can learn that from youtube videos. Also, it's hard to get in touch with our college consultant, Mr. Wei. Every communication (phone call, text chats) had to go through his secretary. Very time consuming. They also tried to sell you more services in some meetings. The essay review was helpful but that's it. Unless you really don't know anything about college admission, you should look somewhere else.

I have sent my kid to IvyMax. At the beginning, just for a…read moreSAT class. Their class is very helpful. Teacher actually has good reputation because my daughter said she has some classmates come from Stockton! She got a 2380 in the real test (her diagnostic test was only 1940, after the test, her general counselor analyzed what were her weaknesses so she could really work on those parts). Class management was satisfying, teacher assistant reported to us how well she was doing, so we could keep tracking her progress. Later, we had a counseling meeting with their counselor and agreed that extracurricular was important but also her weakness since we didn't know much about how and what to do was good for her. Then we joined IvyMax's counseling program. I have to say, this one year so far, overall is good, even though not all the time being extremely satisfying, they have been adjusting and coordinating, willing to listen and communicate. My daughter now enjoys participating in their students actives. They have provided many volunteering opportunities and encouraged my daughter to try and challenge. I have seen how my daughter have changed!

I don't often write Yelp reviews, so it is testament to Swati's incredible service and skill that I…read moream posting this! Swati was such a gift to our family during the college application process. She is organized, knowledgeable, supportive and realistic in her assistance, with both students and parents. She took the time to get to know our son, and was then able to speak honestly about a variety of college options for him in a way that he appreciated. She was also able to coach him through the disappointment of rejection, to celebrate his acceptances, and to navigate the final decision-making process with him. He feels so good about his college decision, and that is due in no small part to Swati's support. Thank you Swati! You will absolutely be meeting our younger son in a year or so! :-)

Swati is an absolute expert in the college search and admission process. From the UC campuses to…read morethe most highly selective private schools, she has a deep understanding of the ins and outs of college applications. I have had the pleasure of working with her. She is professional, knowledgeable, and, most of all, has an incredible ability to connect with teens and understand their needs. Swati is amazing and I highly recommend her services.

We've had a great experience here. Our son Aiden goes there after school and he honestly loves it…read more The teachers are super kind and patient, and the whole place just feels warm and welcoming. He comes home happy every day and always has something fun to share about what he learned or did. We really appreciate how caring the staff is and how comfortable they make the kids feel. Highly recommended.

I don't know how we got this lucky! This childcare center is amazing. The Director is incredibly…read moreprofessional, sweet, thorough and friendly. My first-time preschooler felt safe and comfortable with her instantly. From the tour to now the first completed week, our experience has been top notch! This center is clean and well designed for learning and fun. The curricular and extracurricular focus is so well balanced and completely surpassed our expectations. I love how they keep us informed with photos throughout the day. My little one couldn't be happier. She is absolutely thriving at Genius Kids Club. She is so sad when it's time to go home and excited every morning she gets to go to school. She has formed a special bond with classmates and the Program Director. I don't understand how all of this is wrapped into such a convenient, full-service and affordable package. I cannot wait to see my daughter further develop her social, creative and educational skills here. Wonderful experience so far - 10/10 recommend!

We love this learning center! My son has a wonderful time there and he always wants to get back to…read morethe center, even during the COVID-19 time. Luckily, the center offers free classes every week to give kids chances to meet and chat with each other, and learn together online during this difficult time. In the past two years, my son gets help on his academic learning as well as explores new interests in many areas, like aerospace knowledge, world war I & II, chess, public speaking, art, and most important one - outdoor fun. He makes friends from different grades, also with teachers: Mr. Chris, Mr. Armando, Mr. Marty, and some others. We are grateful to know about this place! Since another parent of my son's classmate recommended this center to us 2 years ago, we can always maintain smooth and efficient communication with Ms. Susan. With her help, we are confident that our child can have a meaningful and enjoyable time. Ms. Susan is very considerate. She is like a family and is willing to support you in raising children together. I feel like she is not doing this for money but for the future of our kids. We highly recommend this place to everyone. ****** below information is from my son ****** Ms.Susan is very caring. On holidays, she sometimes takes us to the parks or throws a party with yummy treats like ice cream, hot cocoa, donuts, candies, and even root beer floats and pizza.

Mind Craft Academy is a great place for your kid to get after school activity. Both my kids go to…read moreMind Craft Academy Afterschool and summer camp. They offer Chinese class, chess club, math, space knowledge and varies other activities throughout the week. The director Susan is very patient and take good care to every single student.

Great customer service. I came here after work to pick up my daughters new debit cards and Christy…read morewas able to get me in and out with no wait time. She helped me open my daughters checkings and savings. She's amazing!!!

I am a former tutor at Keypoint Education, and I can say this is the best place to take your…read morestudents to, especially if you're looking for tailored tutoring for great teachers at reasonably-priced offers. Tutoring in the Bay is usually very expensive (I've tutored for $100/hr in the bay) but the director here takes all that into consideration with great attention to detail to your children's educational needs. I tutored AP biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and SAT and ACT at many places across the East Bay, including Pleasanton, Mountain View, and San Ramon. Keypoint in Dublin, by far, had the most capable director that understood both the needs of the tutors and that of the students. The director pays attention to the quality of materials presented to the students, but he is not overbearing. He prepares a lot of the materials himself for the students. Some places in Mountain View just had awful directors with transactional manners, and some places in Pleasanton just leave it all to the tutors with little to no followup from the directors. But the director of this institute cares-- a lot--and it shows. The tutors here always come prepared. Every tutor is interviewed personally by the director, after having to pass written examinations to verify their aptitude. I hear after Covid, many of the services have moved Online. There are pros and cons with that, but the kids are still getting that same quality of education at the comfort of their own homes, and frankly, I'd prefer that if I were the student. When I have children, I would want to send my kids to this place (that is, unless I'm teaching them myself.)