SAT Tutoring in San Diego (Carmel Valley)
If you’re looking for in-person SAT tutoring in San Diego, we offer private 1‑on‑1 sessions in Carmel Valley.
Work directly with Blake Jensen - an SAT tutor with more than 15 years of experience helping students raise their scores.
Quick details
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Location: Carmel Valley (San Diego) - in-person tutoring
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Format: In-person sessions (with Zoom available when schedule/travel demands it)
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Best fit: motivated students with ambitious score goals (including high scorers and student‑athletes)
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What’s included: a customized plan, targeted practice, and a feedback loop that compounds week to week
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Options: hourly tutoring + packages
Next step: Contact Blake directly to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Availability note: Matt is not currently accepting new SAT students (you can contact him to join a waitlist).
How our private SAT tutoring works
Private tutoring works best when it’s not random. We run a simple loop: diagnose → plan → execute weekly → review mistakes → adjust → repeat.
1) Free consultation
We’ll talk baseline scores (or none yet), goals, timeline, school workload, and what hasn’t worked so far. Then we’ll tell you exactly what we’d do next.
2) Baseline + score goals
If you have a recent SAT score, we start there. If not, we’ll point you to the right diagnostic so we’re not guessing. Then we translate the goal into a realistic weekly plan.
3) Pick a plan
Most families choose a package because it builds consistency and accountability into the process.
4) Weekly sessions (Zoom or in-person)
Sessions are focused and hands-on:
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We identify why points are being lost
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We build repeatable strategies that hold up under time pressure
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We train pattern recognition so students get faster and more accurate
5) Customized homework + review of missed questions
We’re not just assigning practice. We use missed questions to drive the next week’s plan so improvements compound.
6) Accountability between sessions
Check-ins (text/email) help students follow through, stay on track, and keep momentum between sessions.
7) Practice test / section reviews when it matters most
As test day approaches, we shift toward pacing, endurance, and precision—so test day feels like a normal week.
Testimonials
"Blake's SAT preparation was a game-changer for my son, especially as an international student aiming for a top score to secure admission to highly competitive US colleges. Blake's personalized strategies and patient, encouraging guidance were instrumental in boosting my son's score by an impressive 110 points. This improvement definitely played a significant role in helping him get into one of his dream schools. Blake's dedication and teaching methods, which were tailored to my son’s strengths and weaknesses, transformed my son's approach to the exam and instilled confidence along the way. I wholeheartedly recommend Blake's SAT prep services to any student aiming to achieve and exceed their target score. Thank you, Blake, for your invaluable help—we're incredibly grateful!" - Daria Salus (read this review on Google Maps)
Meet SAT 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. 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.
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 focused start for students who want immediate traction or targeted help in a few areas.
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
The best option for meaningful score gains over ~12 weeks. Built for consistency, accountability, and momentum.
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 a higher-touch experience, heavier weekly volume, and more support 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 ~12 weeks, or a longer runway with built-in support.
Meet SAT tutor Matt Sheelen
Matt: I am originally from Hopkinton, Massachusetts - the start of the historic Boston Marathon. I went to college at Northwestern University, where I graduated with a degree in Theatre. After college, I wised up and moved to the warmer coast. I worked in Los Angeles for many years as a full-time SAT / ACT tutor and part-time arts educator.
I have been tutoring for over 10 years and have spent thousands of hours helping students improve their scores. Recently, I moved to San Diego after getting a M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and I currently work as a credentialed classroom teacher.
When I’m not working, I enjoy good books, performing improv comedy, surfing, watching Game of Thrones, and enjoying the charms of San Diego. I live in North Park, where I love to get out and take advantage of all the delicious food in the area. I am also a huge Boston sports fan - the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics are my favorite teams. I usually have something in common with every student - my interests are really diverse!
SAT tutoring with Matt is $250 per hour ($225 per hour for 10 or more hours). He meets with students online via Zoom. Matt specializes in helping students set and achieve ambitious score goals, as well as helping them build their confidence and test-taking abilities.
"My son had Matt as an SAT tutor. Matt's personality made him look forward to the sessions and made studying much less boring. The math text that Matt used was very helpful in assisting with conquering the more challenging problems. His score bumped up 320 points after 10 sessions with Matt and completing the problems that Matt assigned. Thank you!" - Lance Moore
(note: Matt is not currently accepting any new SAT students; contact him to join a waitlist)
Video: How SAT / ACT Prep is like the Pizza Industry
One-on-one SAT tutoring from veteran tutors
Meet our SAT tutors here!
SAT Tutoring FAQ
Yes. Most of our online SAT tutoring is done via Zoom with students across the U.S. (and internationally). We’re based on Pacific Time, but we schedule students in every time zone.
For most students, yes—and sometimes it’s better. Zoom + screen share lets us work directly on questions together, in real time, while keeping everything organized and focused. The key isn’t the room you’re in; it’s the plan, the weekly execution, and the feedback loop.
We’re a premium, boutique tutoring team. You’ll work with a senior-level tutor—not a rotating cast of new grads. Blake and Matt each have 15 years of experience. We pay them 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 SAT 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.
Three things:
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Senior-level instruction: not a rotating cast of brand-new tutors
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A real weekly system: plan + practice + review + accountability
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Pattern training for timed tests: so you can execute strategies on test day under time pressure
Yes. We tutor the current Digital SAT format and tailor practice so it matches what students will see on test day (including timing, question style, and section strategy).
Yes. Homework is customized, and we use missed questions to drive the next week’s plan. That review process is where a lot of score improvement happens.
- 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 :)
About 10-12 weeks before a certain official SAT date, but that might depend a little bit on a student's situation. A great time to start SAT 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.
A laptop or desktop, reliable internet, and the ability to use Zoom with screen share. For the Digital SAT, it also helps to practice in the official digital format so timing and endurance are realistic.
It depends on goals and runway, but here’s a practical rule of thumb:
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6 hours: targeted help or a short sprint
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12 hours: the most common “meaningful progress” plan over ~12 weeks
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24 hours: high-touch support for ambitious goals, heavier weekly volume, and more between-session help
(We can recommend a range after a quick consult.)
Most students do best with:
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1 session per week (often 60–90 minutes), plus
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~3 hours of homework (varies by timeline and goal)
If your timeline is tighter, we can scale up. If your schedule is intense, we’ll build a plan that’s realistic instead of optimistic.
Yes. Confidence is often a skills issue in disguise: timing, decision-making under pressure, and knowing what to do when you’re stuck. We train those situations explicitly so students feel calmer because they’re prepared.
Yes, and sometimes it’s smart to consider both tests early (especially if a student’s strengths match one format more naturally). We can advise after a baseline.
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.