In-person SAT tutoring with Blake Jensen
If you’re looking for in-person SAT tutoring in San Diego, we offer private 1‑on‑1 sessions in Carmel Valley.
If you’re looking for SAT tutoring in La Jolla specifically, we work with La Jolla families both at our Carmel Valley office and online.
Work directly with Blake Jensen, an SAT tutor with nearly 20 years of experience helping students raise their scores.
Quick details
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Location: Carmel Valley (San Diego), in person
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Format: In-person sessions (with Zoom available when schedule/travel demands it). Outside the US? See our SAT tutoring for UK and European students.
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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 weekly review of the questions you missed
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Options: hourly tutoring + packages
Next step: Contact Blake directly to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Or call or text Blake at (858) 367-0187.
How our private SAT tutoring works
1) Free consultation
We’ll talk baseline scores, goals, timeline, school workload, and what hasn’t worked so far. Then we’ll tell you exactly what we’d do next.
2) Baseline and score goals
If you have a recent SAT score, we start there. If not, we’ll point you to the right diagnostic. 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 and review of missed questions
The questions a student missed this week decide what we work on next week.
6) Accountability between sessions
Quick text or email check-ins between sessions make sure students actually do the work.
7) Practice test / section reviews when it matters most
As test day gets closer, we shift to timed practice and section reviews to work on pacing and stamina, so the real test feels familiar.
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 (see our Google reviews)
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’ve specialized in the SAT and ACT for nearly 20 years, mostly with high-achieving students aiming for top colleges and scholarships. I also played Division 1 college basketball, so I know what high-stakes pressure feels like and how much a student-athlete has on their plate.
Tricks only get you so far. I teach students to figure out what each question is actually asking for and to spot the test’s patterns, 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 score jumps that helped them get into Ivy League and other top universities, and a number of my students’ families have received over $200,000 in scholarships.
I specialize in elite scholar-athletes, especially recruited athletes 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
For students who want a quick start 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 students who want a real score gain over about 12 weeks, with steady weekly sessions and regular check-ins.
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 each week 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.
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. With Zoom and screen share we work through questions together in real time, and everything stays organized. Results depend far more on the plan, doing the work each week, and reviewing mistakes than on where the session happens.
We’re a small, premium tutoring team. You’ll work with a senior tutor, not a rotating cast of new grads. Blake has nearly 20 years of experience. We pay our tutors really well because we only hire people 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 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 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 timeline, but here’s a rough guide:
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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 tight, we can add sessions. If your schedule is packed, we’ll build a plan you can actually stick to.
Yes. A lot of test anxiety comes from specific skill gaps: timing, making decisions under pressure, and knowing what to do when you’re stuck. We practice those situations directly, and 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.