GRE tutors in San Diego, near you, & online
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One-on-one GRE tutoring for LD / ADHD
How we can help
Three things come to mind:
1. Prep strategy. We'll make sure expectations and directions for homework are as clear as possible, and use reminders proactively. We chunk homework into more manageable pieces.
2. Test 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 this tricky test to people who learn differently and to help people stay in the moment during the test.
3. Patience and respect. Mastering the GRE 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.
BTW, Vince also offers a personalized GRE study plan if you're not sure you need live tutoring.
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.
If you're also dealing with test anxiety, having someone to talk with (and vent to) can help! Below is a quick video I made with some GRE test anxiety advice:
P.S. We also help people write their graduate school admissions essays and statements of purpose!
Why us?
The most important question to ask, we think, is this:
"Who will be the person actually 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 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 explains a high-level GRE reading 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, motivation, 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
About me: GRE prep is literally all I do.
I grew up in Connecticut and completed the honors program at Boston College. 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 and a 167 in quant on the GRE.
I've co-authored GRE 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, test anxiety, or test-taking skills. Plus, I can give you support and reassurance during what can be a stressful process.
My specialty is helping MBA applicants get their scores above the 320 mark. If you're applying to a competitive program and want to give yourself every possible chance to score well, I'm your guy. Of course, I am happy to work with anyone as well.
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.
Rates: You can either pay for tutoring with Vince hourly at $295 per hour, or pay a flat fee of $2900 for his flexible tutoring package:
- In the flexible tutoring package, you can schedule 1 hour of tutoring each week for six months.
- Tutoring appointments are Monday through Friday as early as 9:30 a.m and ending no later than 6 p.m. Pacific time.
- The $2900 can be paid all at once or in four payments of $725.
- Hourly tutoring or personalized study plan clients can convert to the flexible package and subtract what you've already paid from the $2900. Another way to put this: you will never pay me more than $2900, no matter how much tutoring and study planning you need.
- Not sure it's right for you? After our first meeting (but before our second), you can get a complete, no-questions-asked refund.
- My 15% active duty military discount does apply to my hourly tutoring rate, but it does not apply to the flexible plan.
The package also includes a free hour of personal statement tutoring with Lauren Hammond, our graduate admissions essay expert!
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.
P.S. Still need to write your personal statement? Learn more about how our admissions essay expert, Lauren Hammond, can help.
"I struggle with anxiety and ADHD, and Vince’s teaching style is clear, helpful, and encouraging. He teaches you how to break down and approach the different types of questions. I boosted my verbal score from 160 to 163 in a few weeks." - Ali L.
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 15 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 $275 / hour (or $248 / hour for 15 or more hours).
He meets clients in his Carmel Valley office, or online via Zoom.
Blake Jensen
