Private Math Tutoring • Grades 7-12
Algebra • Geometry • Trigonometry • Precalculus • Calculus
This collection of hundreds of parent and student testimonials along with prominent named endorsements is a tribute to all my tutoring students over the decades. It’s about the intellectual journeys we have taken together, your love for learning, your hard work and perseverance, and your achievement of educational excellence. Congratulations to every one of you; approbation with distinction and well done!
Dr. George
Harvard Ph.D.
MIT B.S.
Perdocere Inc.
phone: 833-MATH-833
Prominent Endorsements
✏️ From:
Marlyn E. McGrath
Director of Admissions
Harvard University
“I think George is not merely a tutor – he is a real educator. He knows that what helps students perform well on tests is the same as what makes them good students. A solid academic foundation pays dividends throughout schooling and careers, and George never loses sight of that in his work.”
✏️ From:
Prof. William A. Goddard III
California Institute of Technology
(Caltech)
“I have known George for decades. He has a very clear and dramatic effect enabling students to think and rise to their full potential. George’s influence on so many lives has had significant impact, and I greatly admire him for doing this.”
Parent and Student Testimonials
✏️ “George has been an excellent tutor and mentor to me. When I started with him I was failing my geometry class. Within only a couple months he helped my grade go up by three grade letters. Thanks to him I will be finishing the years with a solid grade. Not only has he helped me academically but he has also made me more confident in my classes and work. At my hardest struggle, George took his time to spend many extra hours with me. He teachers like no other teacher and is able to make strong connections with his students while teaching the best techniques and strategies to solving problems.”
✏️ “George was a great teacher to have while I was preparing for the SAT. He really took the time to get to know what my strengths and weaknesses were, how I worked under test conditions, how I approached problems, etc. Just after one session he knew how to guide me and helped me set realistic but challenging goals. George made sure that I had clear and basic foundations for solving problems and then worked with me step by step until everything was clear and I was confident about how to handle similar problems. His teaching not only helped me through the SAT but has also followed through into my everyday school work. His enthusiasm and dedication is really meaningful and one thing for sure is that George knows how to teach.” (280 point SAT math increase)
✏️ “George made a huge difference in how our son approached math problem solving, as well as in how to take the SAT. George quickly identified fundamental mathematic deficiencies and provided the education required so that these principles can now be applied in any setting, not just in taking the SAT. We look forward to working with George again next year. Thanks George from all of us!!!”
✏️ “I’m proud of my accomplishments since he has worked with me.”
✏️ “After trying several other tutors we had almost given up hope. We then found George and he has been amazing. Our daughter is now an A student in math and stress at home has vanished. Thank you George!”
✏️ “We are ecstatic about the progress George has made with our daughter’s math scores. He has instilled possibility when she knew only defeat. The experience of success in math has given her tremendous confidence. Higher math had been out of her reach, but now it is easily grasped. George’s knowledge is boundless, not only in math, but also in knowing how and when to motivate psychologically and emotionally. He is always prepared and upbeat and he keeps each session moving enthusiastically. Our hope was that George would just give our daughter the ‘jump start’ she needed, but in fact, he has become a part of our lives for years.”
✏️ “Over the last two years, week after week, month after month, George sits patiently with our son doing what George does best: teaching thoroughly. Being able to communicate with a teenager so he understands math inside and out is a gift, George has that gift.”
✏️ “When I began my sessions with George, I was very apprehensive. I didn’t enjoy math and spending two extra hours outside of school was not something that I looked forward to. As the weeks went on, my confidence in my abilities skyrocketed. George quickly defined my problems, and made a long lasting impression on the work I now do. Not only did my scores dramatically increase but so did my school work. I now approach problems differently and find math to be more enjoyable. George is a wonderful teacher and I cannot explain how much he changed my approach to math. If I have any advice, it would be to listen to everything he says. He knows what he is talking about and the next time I walk into a mathematical minefield I know there will be a trap in the dusty corners that I can conquer. Thanks for everything George!”
✏️ “George not only taught me math and chemistry, but taught me in a way that was practical and easy. Compared to school teachers, George actually explains things in a simple way and most importantly taught me how to think through any problem, which is by far the most valuable lesson I have learned from him.”
✏️ “George has helped me tremendously. I get a solid A in math since George has started tutoring me. I also am doing much better on my SAT’s. Before George I couldn’t even get passed the first question. George is a great tutor.”
✏️ “Who would have thought that my son would become a curve breaker! Through the years George has instilled a great store of fundamental mathematical knowledge. On this foundation our son was able to grab Calculus by the horns and completely master it.”
✏️ “George is a tutor extraordinaire. He is a born teacher who genuinely enjoys the kids he teaches and the work he does. He inspires his students to do their best and is able to establish a rapport with each of them. George has tutored my three teens for several years, responding to each one’s different abilities. He has helped them in all kinds of math, chemistry, physics, ACT, SAT – you name it, George can handle it! George has given each one a very positive learning experience, leading to greater self-confidence and enthusiasm for the subject matter. George encourages each child to take responsibility for his or her own learning. George has a wonderful ability to present concepts in a highly organized manner. All three of my kids report that George’s explanations are better than what they received at school and help them to really understand the concept as opposed to a mechanical application of ‘the rule’. None of the three ever grumbled about working with George. If they are having difficulty with a topic, they don’t panic because they know George will explain it and help them understand the issues. They all three see George as a friend as well as a tutor, as do I. When my two oldest are now home from college, they love to visit with George and bring him up to date on their academic progress.”
✏️ “We felt like we struck gold shortly after George began to tutor our son toward the end of his junior year. The impact was almost immediate. He skill level went from a fail to pass in a few sessions. George has an expertise in communicating math and science surpassed by no one. He was able to identify and fill in the gaps in our sons math education in two-hour per week sessions when regular classes and after school failed. Our sons precalculus and calculus teachers were unable to communicate the subject matter in a way that our son could understand. Our son proclaimed that George was the best math teacher he ever had in his entire high school career. He had somebody who could explain abstract concepts in a way he could understand. George prepared our son for the SAT exam and continued tutoring our son during his senior year in high school for advanced math. Honors precalculus and calculus are hard enough subjects for anybody to grasp or master, but they are especially difficult when you have a learning disability. We have no reservation in giving George our highest recommendation.”
✏️ “George is like no teacher I’ve ever had. He takes what looks like a hard Math SAT problem and simplifies it so everyone can understand.”
✏️ “In preparation for high school, I asked George to find and patch the holes that we knew existed in my daughter’s math knowledge. Although my daughter has been an A student in math, it was apparent to me that she was getting by without really understanding the logic and meaning behind what she was doing in math. Because of this mechanics, memorization based approach to math, she found the subject to be her least favorite. George promised that he would find the holes in her knowledge and would then equip her with a deeper, more functional way of attacking math problems. In only a few sessions, the change in my daughter was evident. Her test grades improved, but most importantly, so did her confidence and creativity in finding solutions to math problems. My daughter happily sits through her sessions with George and is 100% engaged and happy. George is brilliant, thoughtful and kind and really understands how to work with kids. I feel that George is fully invested in my daughter’s success. I wish that all teachers were as wonderful and George!”
✏️ “We would heap praises, but facts speak better. With a ‘C’ in 8th grade math, and teachers happy with ‘the C’, which translates to just passing 8th grade MCAS at the cut-off grade, we looked to George to teach our child. The weekly two-hour session is productive and fun for our child! We would never have imagined our child sitting for two hours on High School Algebra – but it happens every week – only with George. George finds a way to teach and convey concepts in math – overcoming our child’s learning disabilities. Our child brought home a B+ in Algebra, and in one Algebra quiz, got the first time ever 100%. Our child has gained confidence which beats the frustration and ‘I hate math’ during 8th grade.”
✏️ “When I first met George, he gave me a diagnostic practice SAT math, and I scored a 530 on the SAT. Now, I can hit 800’s with time to spare. George has taught me new math topics, but he has mainly taught me how to think. He has shown me that each math problem can relate to the other, so you can solve each problems in a myriad of ways. We have sat down together and searched for new ways to solve the most difficult problems. It is almost like George unlocked something in my brain that now allows me to see all of the different solutions to each problem. Once I see all the possibilities, I can choose the most efficient and safe solution which now allows me to score 800’s.”
✏️ “George started working with our teen last year after being recommended (highly) from a friend. We were impressed immediately – he connected with our son and tuned into his style of learning from the very first session. Not only has our son improved in math, but the PSAT/SAT prep work he is doing now is sure to reap benefits during this coming year. We just wish we had found George years ago!” (700 SAT Math)
✏️ “He is very patient and explains complex terms in simple English. He also works hard to keep a smile on your face even when things are difficult.”
✏️ “George’s results have been spectacular in terms of overall grasp of subjects and preparation for specific exams. He is the cause of one or more of our children getting perfect or nearly perfect scores on SAT or AP tests where, in some instances, the effort was there but, prior to George, not much interest or aptitude a specific subject. He visibly changes good students into superlative students.”
✏️ “Although I’ve only been with George for a short while, the most important thing I have discovered about him is that his teaching style is highly effective. Not only does he teach you how to do something, he teaches you why it is done that way. He is able to show you how basic concepts can be used to solve highly complex problems. Now, I am able to see the building blocks of each individual problem, and, from there, I am able to find the solution. He is totally approachable and will help you with anything. I know on countless occasions he has also given me advice that I find applicable to my physics homework. He truly does instruct his students very thoroughly, and if you are unsure of something, he will go over it as many times as you need. Because of him, I feel thoroughly prepared to take my SAT exam.” (700 SAT Math)
✏️ “I cannot express my gratitude to George who is devoted to my son’s education. George ensures that the time spent is productive. My son’s experience has been excellent, and the results were exceptional. George is not only the best math teacher for my son but also a mentor who helps him open new doors for the future.”
✏️ “George has been an inspiration to our son! He now has the confidence that he can actually understand and be successful in math.”
✏️ “Frustrated by the lack of tangible Math achievement in my children, who are good students, through their middle and early high school years and with one facing the SATs in the spring I needed to act fast… I decided to tutor them. After trying a few tutors where the fit was never quite right I stumbled on to Perdocere and from day one my problem was solved! George understood completely what I wanted: to improve their math school work, prepare for their SATs, but also to make sure that they knew MATH. I asked George to make sure that all his math tutoring would stick; I didn’t want them to ‘just learn it for the test’. His success is tangible. They have great grades and success with the SAT. One of them said to me ‘Mom I learned more in four hours with George than I did all year in my math class!’ ”
✏️ “George has been active in the academic lives of our two sons for the last four years. Each learns in a very different manner but, amazingly, George has been able to unlock both of their intellectual personalities. He consistently gets to the whys and wherefores of mathematics and is tireless in ensuring that his students’ math foundations are strong. He motivated our oldest son so much that he now is majoring in math in college. He has guided our second son to the top of his math class and now beginning to guide his SAT studies. George proved that an ‘800’ was possible; perhaps he can make it two in a row. George is always willing to go the extra yard to help his students and takes a sincere interest in their success. George has a gift that few have – a brilliant intellect coupled with an intuitive ability to teach. I count on him as part of our family because of the time and effort he has devoted to the education of our children.”
✏️ “George is a brilliant mathematician who has the rare ability to convey that knowledge to our teenagers. He is an effective communicator who teaches with patience, determination and perseverance. George understands that confidence is the most important ingredient for learning and empowers our children to believe in themselves.”
✏️ “George, over the past few months, we have been amazed at the progress you have made with our daughter. While the improvement in her ‘trial run’ SAT scores has been significant, of equal note has been the change in the way she now approaches math problems: she thinks differently! Your ability to explain the processes behind the formulae, and the way that you teach to each student’s strengths, is a thing of beauty… For a 17 year old to stay focused on math over and entire summer is a testament to your ability to engage someone’s imagination and intellect. I am grateful for all of the encouragement and focus you have provided. And, while I look forward to much improved success in our daughter’s upcoming SAT scores as a direct outcome of your work, I also appreciate the confidence you have helped her build over the summer. She is clearly far more prepared for the tests ahead than she was in early June. My only regret? We didn’t do this sooner.”
✏️ “George is very patient and explains everything in language that I can understand. He always encourages me and praises my accomplishments. I know that my SAT scores will be the best I am capable of. George has really made a difference!”
✏️ “George has helped my daughter realize that she really could understand math. Her improved test scores inspired her to work harder, not just in math, but also in all her classes. Her confidence and ambition both grew as she realized that she could master a difficult topic. George has the gifts of a good translator and teacher, he listens extremely well and then uses words and descriptions that can help students decipher difficult concepts. George’s approach to learning, studying, and preparing are completely transferable across many subjects.”
✏️ “Math has always been an interesting topic to me; however, I never liked math class and the ways most of my teachers taught. George has been teaching me for two months so far and I feel like he has opened a whole new door of math for me. He has taught me many new topics and new ways to think. I really enjoy learning from George and I am very thankful that I was able to meet such a great teacher.”
✏️ “After reviewing the yellow insert in the newspaper, I made a note to myself: Call Perdocere? I wondered: What does Perdocere mean? After my daughter’s ACT math results, I felt it was important to take action, so yes I did call Perdocere and spoke with George. After listening to our story, George met with my daughter to begin immediate math tutoring. We had limited time, six months, to accomplish a lot of learning in order to achieve a more successful math test score. Equally important, my daughter was to improve on her math for success when at college. George is a brilliant and enthusiastic teacher. He shared his plan with us and we quickly moved ahead. He had my daughter take both the SAT and ACT practice tests to see which would be best for her. He watched her to see how she worked. He prevailed upon our busy schedule for intense tutoring. George expects a lot from his student, but he gives much in return. For my daughter, she learned that math from him, and he instilled confidence. For me, he kept me in the loop and patiently worked with our schedule. At the six month point my daughter retook the test with George’s best wishes (and his calculator as her calculator shut down days before the test), and she exceeded her goal. Perdocere means to instruct thoroughly, Perdocere is George! Thank you!”
✏️ “George is a great SAT Math tutor. His thorough knowledge of every part of the test definitely helped me to understand how to take the test in a better and more efficient manner. We tackled each problem as it came and not only solved it but broke down each component of the question so that we could easily tackle a harder version of the same problem down the road. In just three sessions of preparation with George my test scores increases by sixty points and branched into the 700 range. I believe that George’s attention to every detail of the test is what sets him apart from other tutors I tried and is what allowed me to do so well.”
✏️ “George gave me the confidence to believe that I could succeed in exams. He is a very patient teacher and is just the best at explaining difficult concepts. He makes it easy to concentrate and focus on the key parts of the course content.”
✏️ “It is with both pleasure and sadness that I write this testimonial for George who has tutored my three children over the last five years in a wide range of subjects (math, pre-calculus, chemistry, physics, biology, computer science, and a little engineering on occasion). George has been an extraordinary resource and has become an honorary family member and a dear friend to me and all my children. He has seen my children through quizzes and tests, helped with tricky homework assignments, and led them to superlative performances on their SATs, APs and ACTs. George has been a terrific mentor as well as a tutor, giving advice on school, the college application process, and the like. George keeps up to date with all assignments posted by the school and helps even disorganized kids get organized. He is terrific at reminding the kids of deadlines for projects, assignments, quizzes and standardized tests. He has always made time in his busy schedule for extra sessions when a big test or project is due, he explains why and how rather than tell a student just to apply the formula, he adjusts his method and style of tutoring to each individual child, he is reliable and efficient and always pleasant, and his range of subject matter knowledge is superb. I honestly believe that George’s tutoring has had a big and most positive impact on my children in many ways. On the most obvious level, he truly did help boost their test scores and probably did impact the level of college to which they were admitted. Beyond that, however, he really gave them a greater appreciation and understanding of subject matters that they were not as comfortable with, and gave them the tools to help them think, analyze and solve. These are tools that they will carry with them and use all their lives, whether they ever take another math course or not. That is what a real tutor does not just get you through the next exam. And even further, George honestly cares about his students not just their performance but also their minds, their interests, and their character. Whenever my two oldest are home from college, they are delighted to see George again, and I know that my youngest will miss George when he starts college this year, as will I. George has been a big part of our lives. We are better of for the experience in many, many ways. Thank you, George.”
✏️ “George’s capabilities extend well through college topics. After taking BC calculus my senior year of high school, I took a semester off before taking Calculus III in the spring term. What began as a speed review of single-variable calculus expanded to encompass numerous topics neglected in the high school curriculum, as well as proper explanations and proofs of many other topics. George’s first goal is to establish a solid mathematical foundation; or in a case like mine, backfill the incomplete foundation. From there, working into sciences or high level math becomes far easier.” (800 SAT Math)
✏️ “George brought my grade from 63 to 100. Enough said.” (Honors Algebra II Student)
✏️ “During my sophomore year in high school, before I began tutoring with George, I worried constantly about the effect my math grade would have on my grade point average. George started teaching me during the beginning of my junior year, and now, having graduated from high school, I can look back and say that George’s superb skills as a tutor led me from getting B’s in Algebra II to A’s in BC Calculus. Thanks to George, math stopped being a constant source of worry for me and became a course that helped me maintain my GPA. I studied under George for two years, and my attitude towards mathematics changed immensely during that time. George’s patience and creativity make him an ideal tutor for both struggling students and those who wish to broaden their understanding of mathematical concepts.” (770 SAT Math, 770 SAT Math IIC)
✏️ “George has been a helpful, effective tutor whom I would recommend to most anyone. He quickly shows you everything there is to know about SAT math and installs it into your memory. Furthermore he is a nice guy who genuinely wants you to improve.”
✏️ “The best tutor we have ever had, and the nicest!”
✏️ “I’ve always struggled with pre-calculus and calculus. My teachers never taught the theory behind the problems, or how it was connected to the big picture. George makes it his mission to make sure you thoroughly understand the concepts of the subject.” (college calculus student)
✏️ “George’s math skills and patient manner have increased my son’s confidence and competency in his own math skills. He is able to explain complicated math concepts in simple terms while making the process enjoyable. George’s enthusiasm for math is contagious and helps ensure his students to be equally enthusiastic.”
✏️ “The SAT Subject Test for Math Level 2C is not like the normal SAT math section. The normal SAT math section has easy math that really just tests one’s problem solving skills. On the Math Level 2C test, both one’s math skills and problem solving skills are tested with more rigor. George taught me how to link all the topics I needed for the test and more to allow me to see many different methods of solving each problem. On top of that, he taught me how to pick the most efficient and accurate method so I would have plenty of time to spare to check my answers of at the end of the test. Because he taught me how to connect so many topics, sometimes solving one problem a certain way would reveal the solution for another problem on the practice tests. On the practice tests I was able to score very high with ample time left, and on the actual test I scored a 780.”
✏️ “George hands down takes the prize for the best overall math tutor. He brought my math SAT score up 220 points while maintaining my honor role status. George is an authentic man who truly cares about his students.”
✏️ “George is not an ordinary math teacher. Not only did my son receive phenomenal math tutoring, but George also boosted his confidence. I’d overhear George encouraging my son, ‘Let’s look at the problem carefully, it’s easy…’ By upping my son’s self esteem, George was able to improve his score. George also built up my son’s stamina by having him take full length practice tests so he’d be prepared for the actual SAT.”
✏️ “Who you gonna call?? We have relied on George for both of our daughters in tutoring Mathematics and Chemistry. I noticed George’s ads, called him and the rest is history. For my older daughter, we began seeing George in the second half of her junior year. She needed a quick review for her upcoming SAT, after having scored in the 600’s for her PSAT. She received a 730 on her first try. In addition, my daughter was struggling in her Precalculus course, despite studying under a different tutor earlier in the year. George salvaged my daughter’s junior year math grade, and she ended the year with an A-, after a rocky first half. He takes a very methodical approach to teaching, and doesn’t believe in shortcuts. To excel, the student must understand the concepts, and not simply memorize rules. We called on George again to help my daughter through her senior year Calculus BC course, as well as to tutor her for the retest of the SATs, for the Math II exam and for her AP exam in BC Calculus. Needless to say, the results were stellar. She improved her SAT math score to a 780; received a 790 on her Math IIC exam; eeked out an A- in her BC Calculus course for the year, and topped it off with a 5 on her AP BC Calculus exam. She was thrilled particularly with the AP score, because it satisfied her Math requirement in college. But guess what? She may become a Computer Sciences major, and is probably going to have to take a lot more math. And she can approach college math with confidence, given the solid foundation George provided her. My younger daughter is a junior in high school and is taking AP Chemistry. She loves the subject, but was finding the subject matter increasingly challenging during the fall semester. We called George, he taught her for three sessions and she was thrilled to get an A on her mid-term, and an A for the fall semester. She was impressed with his thorough understanding not only of the subject matter, but of how the teacher required questions to be answered. He discerned that the teacher required responses that exactly followed the AP test… my daughter adjusted her answers accordingly. I think we are going to have to call on George again soon…the material is becoming challenging again, significantly more difficult than the questions on the Chemistry AP exam, and we take comfort in knowing he has complete mastery of the material and boy, does he know how to teach! — A happy parent.”
✏️ “George’s stand-out credentials and many years of experience made him our first choice when we searched for a math tutor for our high school-aged grandson. As it turns out, George’s singular talents go far beyond these qualifications. He quickly established a genuine rapport with our grandson and made a thorough assessment of his academic strengths and weaknesses. In this context, he went back and rebuilt our grandson’s foundations in math, filling in gaps that would no doubt have become increasingly problematic in the coming years. He improved our grandson’s attitude toward learning and noticeably grew his confidence. He showed him what and how to study and how to apply his new knowledge effectively. George’s mentorship has surpassed our expectations and has proven to be an invaluable asset for our grandson. We are very pleased to have found him and recommend him highly.”
✏️ “George is a natural; he not only tutors but teaches the student how to study and how to approach each subject. Math becomes an enjoyable experience. His teaching habits take over and the student shows a remarkable improvement in his all around school work. His method of cultivating a close relation with the student and his involvement in their overall school work is producing great results. I only wish we had someone like George when I went to school.”
✏️ “This is exactly what we have discovered in George – To Teach or Instruct Thoroughly. George not only has read our son’s Advanced Algebra book, he has wrapped himself around it. He teaches with enthusiasm and a deep concern for our son. He genuinely cares that our son not only understands the many different concepts but also makes sure that our son is able to effectively apply them. Our son has 125 new problems every week and George makes sure our son fully understands each and every one. Our son’s grade has improved from a B- to an A- and we expect this trend to continue along with his growing mathematical confidence. Our son smiles broadly at the end of every session. George is the MVP of the academic playing field! Thank you George.”
✏️ “Math has never been my forte – even though George tells me I’m good at it every time I meet with him. Which in a way is true – because when George is teaching me I am good at math. Instead of only showing me how something works, he’ll explain why it works, which is exactly the teaching style I need. The difference in style, and therefore effectiveness, between George and my teachers at school is so vast that there’s a distinct possibility I would be failing math without him.”
✏️ “George gave our son the tools and confidence to achieve results above and beyond what he believed was possible. He is a terrific teacher.” (college student parents)