GRE quant tutors in San Diego, near you, & online
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One-on-one GRE math tutoring
Whether you're bad at math or you only need help with the tough stuff, we're happy to help and can tailor our instruction to your particular needs and situation. Not only can we teach the math to you, but even more importantly, we can show you what and how to study on your own, because let's face it, talking through math questions with a tutor only goes so far. However, the combination of tutoring AND a customized GRE math study plan can be quite powerful for score improvement.
We also offer GRE verbal tutoring and we help people write their graduate school admissions essays and statements of purpose!
We'll start off with a free phone call to discuss your situation, challenges, and goals, and from there, develop a study and tutoring plan to make the most of the time you have.
Military members get a 15% discount - learn more here.
Why us?
The most important question to ask, we think, is this:
"Who will be the person tutoring me?"
We're probably the most expensive tutors in San Diego. Why? In stark contrast to our competitors who employ a rotating cast of 23-year-olds, our tutors have an average of 10 years of experience. We pay them really well because we only hire tutors who are extremely good at what they do.
One-on-one tutoring, with us, is completely customized to your learning style, personality, and needs.
In our GRE math tutoring sessions, talking through the nuances of practice questions not only allows us to explain, in detail, the strategies that work, but those conversations also allow us to see what you're thinking and adjust our instruction minute-by-minute - something you can't easily get from a big class and that you certainly can't get from a GRE video course.
(Above: Vince teaching an important GRE math strategy.)
Conversation is what makes private tutoring so valuable. It allows us to see the best way to help you, whether the problem is content, strategy, timing, test anxiety, or even your personal approach to studying and test-taking.
"Is GRE tutoring worth it?" Here are some of the benefits:
- A study plan and schedule tailored to your specific situation and adjusted as you go
- Talking through questions with someone with several years of experience with the GRE and its many quirks
- Math explained in plain English
- Feedback on your essays
- Accountability and encouragement :)
One-on-one tutoring is simply the most effective way to raise your GRE score.
Look for each tutor's location and pricing in their bio.
Vince Kotchian
Vince: I grew up in small-town Connecticut and completed the honors program at Boston College, graduating with a B.A. in English Literature. I moved to San Diego in 2007, and I’ve been working full-time as a test-prep tutor ever since. I've scored a perfect 170 in verbal (twice) and a 167 in quant on the GRE.
GRE prep is literally all I do. I've co-authored prep books and created GRE courses and apps, but I spend most of my days working with people one-on-one. I enjoy tutoring since it's a conversation, and discussion is actually what makes the process so valuable. It lets me follow what you're thinking and focus on what you need most, whether that's content (like understanding math concepts), strategy (like figuring out if a reading comprehension answer choice is right or wrong), timing, or even something like study skills or test-taking skills.
All of Vince's tutoring clients get a customized GRE study plan so you know exactly what to work on for homework between sessions.
My goal is to give you the best chance of both mastering the GRE and to help you be as efficient and productive as possible with your study time.
Vince is a true GRE specialist - he's one of the very few tutors out there who ONLY teaches GRE prep. His publications include Barron's 6 GRE Practice Tests, LinkedIn's GRE prep course, and the apps "GRE Math Knight" and "GRE Vocab Cartoons". He also teaches for GregMAT+ and is a moderator of the GRE subreddit.
If you're interested in working with him for private GRE tutoring via Zoom, please contact us with a description of your situation, and we'll set up a free 15-minute consultation. Most people work with Vince for 5 to 15 hours in total.
"I came to Vince having just decided to apply to grad school and wanting to take the GRE 5 weeks from our first conversation. I was fortunate to do private tutoring with Vince himself. With Vince’s expertise, thoughtful structure, and efficient set of resources, I raised my score by 10+ points and reached my personal goal. I frankly could not have accomplished this goal without Vince in this timeframe. I would 100% recommend any of Vince’s services and guidance for anyone looking to do better on the GRE." - Claire Watanbe
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.
Having been a full-time test prep coach for over 13 years, I have seen just about every type of student and tutoring situation. This allows me to give my students exactly what they need to reach their goals.
My years of experience have also led me to coach my students a little differently than most. A lot of test prep revolves around how to answer a question. While that is a necessary component, identifying what is needed to answer a question is at least as important, especially for timed tests like the GRE. I show my students how to look at the test the way I do, to the patterns and tendencies of the test to make them faster and more accurate.
GRE tutoring with Blake is $199 / hour (or $179 / hour for 10 or more hours). Most students use between 10 and 15 hours total.
He meets clients in his Del Mar Heights office, or online via Zoom.
"I worked with Blake Jensen at Vince Kotchian test prep to improve my GRE quantitative score. Within 6 weeks of tutoring, I saw a 9 point improvement on the quantitative section! Blake was prepared, professional, and ready to answer any questions I had during the process in addition to being highly flexible given my full time employment. I am grateful for his help and would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone who needs a boost when studying for the GRE." - Max Kramer
Blake Jensen
Kaitlin Douglass
Kaitlin: I am originally from Amarillo, TX, where I developed a love of BBQ, country music, and beautiful sunsets (I can still get about 2 out of 3 of these things in San Diego).
I attended the University of Pennsylvania, and received a B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering with minors in Spanish and Nanotechnology. Following that, I worked at Siemens for a couple of years in building automation. I then made the move to teaching and am a high school credentialed chemistry teacher at a local private school
At the same time I started teaching, I began teaching test prep. I currently tutor private GRE clients and teach a GRE prep course at CSU San Marcos. I use my extensive training in classroom teaching best practices to infuse my tutoring sessions and group classes with strategies and activities for students to help improve their scores. I love helping clients do well on these tests so that they can shine in other areas of their applications. I never want a test score to limit a student from their potential dreams and goals.
I have also gone through the process of taking the GRE and being accepted to graduate school (twice!) I understand the stressors associated with applying to graduate school, often on top of working or family commitments. My goal is to not only help you understand the test, but to also figure out a reasonable plan of action for studying and preparing.
GRE tutoring with Kaitlin is $159 per hour ($143 / hour for 10 or more hours). Most students use between 10 and 15 hours total.
She meets students in person or online.