ACT Tutoring in Carmel Valley (San Diego)
If you’re looking for an in-person ACT tutor in Carmel Valley, we offer private 1‑on‑1 tutoring in our Carmel Valley office, plus Zoom sessions when you need flexibility.
This works best for families who want a structured plan. We figure out what’s holding the score back, set up a weekly plan with customized homework, and keep the student on track until test day.
Blake Jensen has nearly 20 years of experience helping people raise their ACT scores for competitive college admissions.
(Blake also offers SAT tutoring at this location.)
Why Hire An ACT Tutor?
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Strategy. Working with all different kinds of students over many years has given us a deep database of strategies and tactics. It makes it easier for us to figure out effective ways to explain these tricky tests to students who don't naturally test well. We teach test-taking strategies that are tailored to your skill level, learning style, and goal score.
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Support. Mastering the ACT is a process, and it's vital that tutors can not only explain the material well but also that they can be kind and encouraging along the way. Unlike a class, tutoring is adjusted to your particular learning style and speed.
How Blake Works
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Who it’s for: Anyone, but Blake specializes in helping motivated students achieve ambitious score goals.
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Format: Blake meets students in his Carmel Valley office or on Zoom. Office address: 12625 High Bluff Dr. #113, San Diego, CA 92130
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What’s included: a complete study plan, customized homework.
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Pricing: $380 per hour, or package pricing below.
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Availability: We're on Pacific time - scheduling is flexible.
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How to get started: Contact Blake to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
How our private ACT tutoring works
1) Free consultation
We’ll talk baseline ACT scores, goals, timeline, school workload, and what hasn’t worked so far. Then we’ll tell you exactly what we’d do next, and whether we’re the right fit.
2) Baseline and score goals
If you already have a recent ACT score, we start there. If not, we’ll point you to the right diagnostic. Then we turn your goal into a realistic weekly plan.
3) Pick a plan
Most families choose a package because it builds consistency and accountability into the process. (Hourly works too if you want targeted help.)
4) Weekly sessions (Zoom or in-person)
Sessions are focused and hands-on:
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We identify why points are being lost (timing, content gaps, recurring traps, endurance, or decision-making under pressure)
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We build repeatable strategies that hold up in a timed setting
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We train pattern recognition so students get faster and more accurate across English, Math, Reading, and Science
5) Customized homework and review of missed questions
The questions a student misses decide what we work on the following week, so progress builds from one session to the next.
6) Accountability between sessions
Quick check-ins by text or email between sessions help students keep up with the work, especially during busy school weeks.
7) Practice test / section reviews when it matters most
As test day gets closer, we spend more time on timed practice tests and section reviews, so the real thing feels familiar.
Testimonial
"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 (see our Google reviews)"
Meet ACT tutor 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. Test-taking tricks only go so far. I teach students to see what each question is actually asking and to spot the patterns the test repeats, which makes 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. I recently helped a fencing athlete earn a perfect 36 on the ACT, which led to his recruitment at Johns Hopkins. My students have earned perfect scores and big improvements and gone on to Ivy League and other top universities, and several of my students’ families have received over $200,000 in scholarships.
I specialize in scholar-athletes, especially recruits in sports like fencing, golf, and squash, where admissions still require top academic credentials. But I still enjoy working with any student who has ambitious goals and the motivation to reach them.
Blake 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
Blake's Tutoring Packages
Foundation, 6 Hours: $2,250
A short package for students who need help in a few specific areas or want to get started quickly.
What’s included
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6 hours of tutoring (in-person Carmel Valley or online)
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Baseline assessment + score-improvement plan
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Weekly practice checklist
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1 quick check-in per week between sessions (text/email)
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One parent progress update
Typical use: 6 weekly sessions, or a short-term sprint.
Momentum, 12 Hours (Most Popular): $4,200
Our most popular option: steady weekly work over about 12 weeks, with regular check-ins between sessions.
What’s included
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12 hours of tutoring (in-person Carmel Valley or online)
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Diagnostic + personalized 12-week plan
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Targeted practice assignments and review of missed questions
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2 quick check-ins per week between sessions (text/email)
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Parent progress updates every 3 sessions
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Priority scheduling
Typical use: 1 session per week for 12 weeks (or 90-minute sessions using 1.5 hours).
Premier, 24 Hours (High-Touch Concierge): $8,700
For families who want more sessions per week and more contact between sessions.
What’s included
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24 hours of tutoring (in-person Carmel Valley or online)
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Everything in Momentum, plus:
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Up to 4 quick check-ins per week between sessions (text/email)
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Parent progress updates every 2 sessions (optional)
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Concierge scheduling flexibility
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Two full practice-test/section reviews (time-boxed)
Typical use: 2 sessions per week for about 12 weeks, or spread out over a longer period.
Location
12625 High Bluff Dr. #113, San Diego, CA 92130
We are located near the corner of Del Mar Heights Rd. and High Bluff Drive in North County San Diego. Go down the stairs into the courtyard, and Blake's office is in the back right corner.
Services
Blake offers SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT tutoring at this office.
Video: How SAT / ACT Prep is like the Pizza Industry
ACT Tutoring FAQ
We're the most expensive ACT tutors in San Diego. Why? In stark contrast to our competitors who employ a rotating cast of 23-year-olds, Blake has nearly 20 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 ACT 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.
- Instruction tailored to your child's learning style, motivation level, and personality
- The opportunity to talk through the nuances of questions with someone with nearly 20 years of experience with the test
- Homework adjusted to your specific needs
- Accountability and encouragement :)
About 10-12 weeks before a certain official ACT date, but that might depend a little bit on a student's situation. A great time to start 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.
Typically, 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.
Here's the latest concordance table.
We work closely with some great consultants if you'd like help with college admissions. Let us know if you'd like a referral.