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
✏️ “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 taught me a new way of thinking. He retrained my brain to think the way he does. I never have to memorize formulas, or remember a certain method. George taught me how to analyze the core math behind a problem, and derive how to solve it on the spot. It is a skill that has paid off incredibly. Thank you George!!”
✏️ “800 – we thought that sort of score was something unattainable – something that only a few gifted students achieved. And now our son (who we love dearly but never considered to be a particularly gifted math student) has brought home 800s twice – once on the SAT and once on the SAT II. We attribute so much of this achievement to George. He restructured fundamentals and taught our son to enjoy math once again. George consistently challenged and pushed – but never too much. He displayed patience and a wonderful gift for explaining things. As our son told us, George not only works through problems but teaches how everything evolved and why everything is what it is. We couldn’t ask for a better teacher. We really don’t have enough adjectives to describe George’s teaching ability. He is absolutely the best teacher that we have ever seen!!! George – your job with number one son is almost done – it is now time to move to number two.” (800 Math SAT, 800 Math IIC Subject Test)
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “Math had never been my strong suit, but in only a short time tutoring with George, my math SAT score increased by more math 100 points. More importantly, I find myself realizing that math can, indeed, be fun and interesting. George’s teaching style is engaging and his enthusiasm for even the most mundane math is contagious, spurring me to apply myself to my studies. George delineates even the most impenetrable concepts with patience and clarity. I greatly appreciate the deeper understanding of math that George has imparted to me, and I look forward to the future!” (780 SAT Math)
✏️ “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 wish we had found George sooner! He has done a wonderful job of not only teaching the current year’s math, but also of going back and filling in the missing pieces of our son’s mathematical foundation. He has helped him in the sciences, and as we move into SATs, I expect to see his positive influence there as well. Our son in a more confident student because of George. However, I think George’s greatest strength may be sensing what learning style fits our son and being able to adapt on a given day to what he needs, both emotionally and scholastically.”
✏️ “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 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.”
✏️ “Thank you for all that you do for our son!”
✏️ “I am happy to have George as my daughter’s tutor. He is thorough and organized and has helped my daughter understand the subject better. I am pleased with my daughter’s improved performance in her school quizzes and tests. I highly recommend George.”
✏️ “George has been working with my son since June. When I called George we had a great conversation and I explained the math issue my son was having. He understood the issues and had a solution and a game plan to attack the problem. Since working with George my son’s math comprehension and retention has improved. But more importantly, my son looks forward to working with George weekly and requires no prompting to be prepared for tutoring. He uses positive reinforcement to engage my son. Currently, George is working with my son on SAT preparation. The strategies put in place will allow my son to do well on the SAT exam.”
✏️ “Beginning with the very first session, my school work became much easier. George helps me understand math in a way I never did before.”
✏️ “In my junior year in high school I was taking some challenging courses, courses which on my own I would have had trouble handling in combination with SATs and AP exams. However, George helped me manage not only my classes but also my standardized tests. I ended up with solid grades in my math and science classes as well as an 800 in the math portion of the SAT and a 780 in the SAT IIC for math. Without George’s tireless enthusiasm and unstoppable will to help me I don’t know how well I would have done.”
✏️ “He takes the time to understand the individual needs of our child, and goes the extra mile to make sure our son has all the material needed to be successful. He builds a clear picture for success with forward thinking and planning, makes sure the child is at ease, and provides great feedback on each lesson.”
✏️ “George has worked with my children on test prep for the SAT, ACT, AP exams, and the SAT subject matter tests. My two oldest — for whom math is their worst subject — scored a 740 and a 790 on the SAT math section. My youngest just scored an 800! I, and they, attribute the high scores to their work with George. He not only helps them with the substantive skills needed for success, but also with the practical hints that come in so handy on standardized tests. He works through many practice exams and works to educate them about their particular strengths and weaknesses so that the right emphasis in studying can be made. All three of my children report that they feel that working with George has made a big difference in their school performance and test scores.”
✏️ “I love working with George. He is so intelligent and can explain concepts in so many ways that it is easy for me to understand. What I appreciated the most is how supportive he is. He makes me feel that I can achieve anything!”
✏️ “We just keep coming back for more! George has been working with at least one of our children for the past five years. He has firmly grounded them in mathematics and physics and has given them the confidence to handle any problem set that is assigned. Perfect or nearly-prefect SAT and SAT-II scores have also come the children’s way during this time – and George can truly take credit for readying them for these standardized tests. He knows that strength in fundamentals and hard work are the most important variables in the success equation. George is an educator first and foremost. He explains concepts in a clear and concise manner and has a way of consistently reinforcing these concepts. He pushes his students to achieve… but always in an extremely supportive manner. George does what is necessary to ensure that his students understand what is being taught. He wants all of his students to succeed – and is truly vested in their success. In sum, we can’t say enough good things about George… now if only we could clone George for the SAT critical reading.”
✏️ “In preparing for the SAT, George helped me dissect each problem into its basic parts. There is no better preparation for the Math SAT than with George.”
✏️ “My senior year brought with it an abundance of math challenges. I had decided to enroll in BC Calculus, as well as take the Math II SAT2. I never considered myself to be particularly good at math, so I was very worried about how my various math undertakings would pan out – but, under George’s tutelage, I ended up doing better than I could have ever expected. Often investing extra time into lessons, George Patiently taught me enough about precalculus and calculus to raise my average SAT2 by more than 180 points and nudge my math grade to an A. George takes the time to explain the underpinnings of each theorem, never resorting to memorization when there is understanding to be had. Whenever I brought my confusions to George, he could explain with perfect clarity what had gone wrong in my calculations. Two years ago, I never would have envisioned myself having my current relationship with math – one where I can look forward to new challenges rather than dread tests and quizzes. Without George’s unparalleled skill as a teacher, I would never have improved in math to the point that I have. As a student, I cannot recommend George highly enough. More than achieve tangible results in terms of grades and numbers, I have developed an entirely new attitude towards mathematics thanks to George.”
✏️ “Along with information, George offers support, encouragement and understanding. He communicates complex ideas in a very comprehensible way.”
✏️ “My daughter went up two letter grades from a C to an A. In my book George gets an A+.”
✏️ “George was flexible and accommodating when my daughter and I found ourselves overscheduled one month before three scheduled SAT-2 examinations. He organized a study program, identified the appropriate tools, and worked out a mutually acceptable schedule on short notice. His thorough understanding of the information and the test process coupled with his kind and cheerful personal style was very effective. The outcomes met our very high expectations, and we look forward to working with him in the future.”
✏️ “Initially we brought to George tutor our daughter in AP physics. He ended up tutoring her in both Physics and Pre-Calculus. He also provided help in preparing for SAT and ACT exams. We were very pleased by his dedication as a teacher. He goes above and beyond the average tutor by following up on exam results and checking in the night before to make sure she was ready or to answer any last minute questions. My daughter truly believes she would not have made it through those classes without George’s help.”
✏️ “George has a very nice personality and is very smart. He has a nice way of conveying information to hold my son’s attention. George has been very helpful to my son, bringing his grades to a passing A and building his confidence in math.”
✏️ “Not only has George quickly and effectively helped my daughter to significantly raise her ACT math scores but he has boosted her confidence ten fold!”
✏️ “George is hands down the best tutor we have ever encountered. He understands that students cannot excel in math unless their knowledge is built on a solid foundation. In tutoring my daughter, he returned to basics, discovering areas of weakness and explaining misunderstood concepts. A comment that my daughter made in passing, “I can ask George any question about math, and he can answer so that I can understand.” While he is conservative in making promises about outcomes, he committed himself 110% to ensure as successful an outcome for my daughter as possible. Our first goal was to achieve strong performance on the math SAT, where he approached the subject matter in a methodical, knowledgeable way, she scored a 780 on her first math SAT. With that successful experience under our belt, we then wanted to ensure strong classroom performance for the fourth quarter of her junior year. My daughter was receiving B+’s in her honors pre-calculus class (and averaging B’s on her tests and quizzes), but the subject matter became increasingly more challenging, and she was faltering in her ability to grasp concepts, particularly with respect to the topic of probability. George worked week in and week out to review the various chapters with my daughter, preparing her for tests, encouraging her after a difficult test. She received a B+ for her fourth quarter work, which I believe would have been significantly lower without George’s help. In order for my daughter to achieve an A- for the year, she needed a 95% on her final exam. George worked tirelessly to help her achieve this goal, but again was cautious in guaranteeing any results. My daughter and I were thrilled to see her report card a month after her final, with an A marked clearly for her final exam! We look forward to George helping us negotiate BC calculus as well as the Math Subject II test in the fall!”
✏️ “George is working math-a-magic with my daughter! She so enjoys her sessions that she not only laughs with interest as she progresses, but she also giggles in surprise as she learns from her mistakes. She is advancing at a tremendous rate; and this from a child who never before knew math without tears.”
✏️ “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 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.”
✏️ “I have had many math teachers in the past, but I have never had a math teacher like George. George is the best math teacher I have ever had; no other teacher I have ever had can even compare. It seems like my other teachers has a lesson plan and tried to make me adapt with the lesson plan. George builds his lessons around what I am capable of, so each lesson is completely learned to its fullest. He has even helped me catch up after past teachers have brought me down and held me back. I am extremely thankful that I was able to meet and learn from George, and I hope I can continue to learn from him.” (‘A’ in Honors Pre-Calculus)
✏️ “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)
✏️ “Whenever I am concerned teachers may have assigned material that is too difficult, my daughter says “Don’t worry, I have the best tutor ever.” With George, you couldn’t ask for more. Brilliant and charismatic as a math tutor, and with a special winning personality, George is gifted in explaining math to teenagers.”
✏️ “What a revelation to learn that instead of being bad in math, our daughter just wasn’t being taught in the manner in which she learns best. George identified her individual learning style and the results have been astonishing. He does a superb job of dovetailing his tutoring of math at the high school level with his preparatory course for the math portion of the SAT.”
✏️ “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!”
✏️ “We can’t say enough about how good a teacher George has been throughout the years. We feel that our children are well grounded in fundamentals and have the confidence to take on any academic challenge in the future. George is devoted to his craft and a truly unique academic tutor.”
✏️ “I used to hate math and everything to do with it. But now that I’ve been working with George and I am ahead in my work, I absolutely love math now. I can’t even tell you the satisfaction I get when I know all the math in class the first time the teacher tells us. Also, my grades couldn’t be better right now, and it is all due to George”
✏️ “This year our son attended the Perdocere Math SAT Prep Course. George’s clear, well-presented explanations and thorough review of the SAT Math was very helpful. We finally found someone with a high-level math knowledge base and also with the unique and most important quality – the skill of teaching in a manner that is understandable. George has helped our son gain knowledge, skill and confidence.”
✏️ “George, many, many thanks for all your hard work with our son. You were the only outside tutor we used that truly put your heart and soul into his success – from identifying weak areas to intensively reinforcing all areas. His results speak volumes about how you opened up his understanding of math (and helped jack his score up to a very competitive level). Personally, your commitment and steadfast resolve towards his SAT results was remarkable.” (740 SAT Math)
✏️ “George recreates the art of tutoring: he is like a muse who inspires learning as an art.”
✏️ “I’ve been working with George for close to three years now and he is unlike any other tutor I’ve had previously. With comprehension comes good grades and self satisfaction I can’t get through just memorization. George’s plethora of knowledge has helped me through numerous courses and standardized tests. Whether it be science, math, and even the SATs, George has been there to help me.”
✏️ “Following a couple of years with disappointing math teachers, my son was struggling in his Algebra 2 course – and then the pandemic hit, and distance learning compounded his problems. At this point we reached out to George. George took the time to work back through the older material to build up a strong foundation for future success. The first few months were triage; even so, we noticed improvements in performance almost immediately. In addition to laying a strong mathematical foundation, George has done a great job teaching my son solid study habits and test-taking strategies. My son is comfortable with the material and confident that he will perform well on his tests. I am certain that my son is now on a trajectory that will guarantee success in math through the end of high school and beyond.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “George is a great tutor. His math knowledge and his ability to teach it in such a way that my son understood it was amazing. My son improved his Math SAT score by almost 100 points. I highly recommend George both as a tutor and as a person. He made a huge impression on my son. Thank you so much.”
✏️ “George is an amazing teacher. He is the best tutor a parent can hire to help their child succeed in both mathematics and science. George is true to his thorough teaching; he goes beyond the knowledge taught at school to explain concepts. Having George as a tutor has been invaluable to me throughout high school. Whether you seek to improve grades in school, or simply to study advanced topics, no one can do a better job at helping you than George. George taught me basic calculus the summer before my AP Physics B course, which allowed me to view physics in a whole different perspective than the rest of my classmates, and has led me to decide to major in Biophysics next fall. And as I sit in my AP Calculus class this year, I can only smile and think, ‘George has taught me well.’ ”
✏️ “My son has been tutored by George for the last three years. During that time he has gone from a struggling student to one who feels a confident mastery of the subject. George has built up his understanding by patiently explaining the basic foundation of math as well as adding enrichment when my son was ready. He now loves math and we owe it all to George!”
✏️ “The children never complain that George is boring or off topic or that he is a waste of their time, and they would if they thought that. Almost any other teacher or tutor did elicit those comments sooner or later from the same children. They tell us that even though George makes them work hard, the effort is worthwhile and that they are being exposed to something uniquely valuable and not duplicative of school work.”
✏️ “In teaching me how to do math for the SAT’s, George has taught how to work around any math problem that I may come across.”
✏️ “Having George help me kept a smile on my face. I was never left hanging before a big test.”
✏️ “George knows his math. His educational accomplishments speak for themselves as does his many years of experience tutoring the subject. He has done a great job with my son. He has awakened his love of math. He simplifies where it is complex and enriches where it is too simple, balancing the subject and keeping my son engaged. This year my son has earned an A in math so obviously he gets results. More than that, George is a great person and my son truly looks forward to and enjoys his sessions. Working with George was one of the best decisions I ever made.”