ACT tutor in Carmel Valley (San Diego), near you, & online
Check out our 250+ Google Reviews here!
"Blake was amazing at what he does!!! I had my twin girls work with him and one received perfect score of 36 and other super score of 36 on the ACT. Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to improve sat or act score. Thank you so much Blake." - Haena Min (read this review on Google Maps)
Blake Jensen
Blake: I’m a native San Diegan, father, and an aficionado of basketball, vintage video games, pitchy karaoke, and lecturing my son on how much better Star Wars was "back in the day." I played college basketball at St. Mary’s College and Whittier College, where I earned my B.A. in Psychology in 2002.
I’m an SAT and ACT specialist with nearly 20 years of experience guiding elite students to top college admissions and scholarships. As a former Division 1 college basketball player, I understand the pressure of high-stakes performance and the demands of being a competitive student-athlete. My approach goes beyond test-taking tricks—I teach students to identify what each question truly requires and spot the test’s patterns, making them faster and more accurate under pressure.
This is especially valuable for recruited athletes, where hitting Academic Index targets can make or break a scholarship offer, even for blue-chip recruits. For example, I recently helped a fencing athlete earn a perfect 36 on the ACT, required to secure a scholarship on the fencing team at Johns Hopkins. My students have achieved perfect scores and extraordinary improvements, opening doors to Ivy League and other top universities, and a number of my student’s families have received over $200,000 in scholarships.
While I specialize in working with elite scholar athletes, recruited athletes in sports where admissions still require top academic credentials—like fencing, golf, and squash, I continue to enjoy helping any students with ambitious goals and the motivation to reach them.
SAT tutoring with Blake is $350 / hour (or $315 / hour for 15 or more hours).
He meets clients in his Carmel Valley office or online via Zoom.
"My 17 year old daughter used Blake this past summer for a month to help her improve her SAT scores for college admittance. Blake thoroughly trained her for the test and she felt prepared going in on test day. Her scores went up 200 points with Blake's fantastic tutoring help. She is thrilled. Blake is worth every penny of your time." - Stephanie Asuncion
Video: How SAT / ACT Prep is like the Pizza Industry
The most important factor in SAT / ACT prep is the person teaching you.
One-on-one ACT and SAT tutoring from veteran tutor Blake
Meet Blake Jensen here!
In our view, the very most important question for parents to ask is this:
"Who, exactly, will be the person teaching my kid?"
Blake might be the most expensive ACT / SAT tutor in San Diego. Why? In stark contrast to our competitors who employ a rotating cast of 23-year-olds, He has 15 years of experience. We pay him really well because we only hire tutors who are extremely good at what they do. We're definitely not trying to serve everyone, but if you're a savvy parent with a smart, motivated kid, you're probably in the right place.
One-on-one tutoring, with us, is completely customized to your learning style, personality, and needs.
Talking through the nuances of practice questions not only allows us to explain, in detail, the strategies that work, but that conversation also allows us to see what a student is thinking, ask the right questions to test understanding, and adjust our instruction minute-by-minute.
Meet Blake Jensen here!
FAQ
"What are the benefits of SAT / ACT tutoring?"
- Instruction tailored to your child's learning style, motivation level, and personality
- The opportunity to talk through the nuances of questions with someone with several years of experience with the test
- Homework adjusted to your specific needs
- Accountability and encouragement :)
"When should SAT /ACT tutoring begin?"
About 10-12 weeks before a certain official test date, but that might depend a little bit on a student's situation. A great time to start SAT or ACT prep is the summer before junior year - and often students take the test once in the fall at the beginning of junior year and once in the spring, though some take it as late as the fall of senior year.
"How often should we meet with a tutor?"
Typically, SAT / ACT tutoring works well if we meet once a week for 90 minutes, though that can vary. Ideally, the student will also have time to do about 3 hours of homework for us each week to practice more on their own.
"Can you help with college admissions?"
We work closely with some great consultants if you'd like help with college admissions. Let us know if you'd like a referral.
Private SAT / ACT tutoring is simply the most effective and efficient way to raise scores.
Look for Blake's location and pricing in his bio. Questions? Contact him directly.