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
✏️ “We thought our daughter’s ADHD was a liability in learning math. George recognized her different learning style and speed and has worked it to her advantage. He truly understands the principles in learning how to learn. We have had many tutors for many subjects, but the confidence she has gained from George in math has generalized to all her other subjects.”
✏️ “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 is the best math tutor imaginable.”
✏️ “I have been extremely happy with George tutoring my son for honors Geometry in his first year of high school. My son had a difficult transition to the rigor and demands of high school for which he was not prepared coming from a quite weak math background from middle school. George became his tutor in the most complete sense of tutoring, meaning that he did not only teach my son all the concepts in a way he could understand and without memorization but also gave him a method to study and trained him to think and solve problems. This allowed my son to regain his confidence and to learn how to study not just math but other subjects as well. George’s dedication, for all aspects that could benefit my son impressed me from the beginning. He knew from the start how to engage him, how to make him confront difficulty in a rational way, something that requires besides a deep understanding of the technical concepts a strong educational knowledge and experience. I will recommend George without hesitation to anyone that wants to truly understand math and succeed in academics.”
✏️ “A word of advice: start with George early. Building the proper foundation in math is crucial to getting good grades in all years of high school as well as good SAT math scores.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “For the last two years, George has done everything he could to help me in both Algebra 2 and Honors Precalculus. My grades improved significantly in a very short period of time, and were maintained throughout the school year thanks to him. He knows the material very well, he is extremely good at explaining it in simple terms, and above all, he is a very easy person to get along with. I highly recommend George as a tutor, not only for the effort and attention he put into preparing each of my lessons, but also because I know he invests that same effort and attention in every lesson he gives.”
✏️ “George’s teaching has not only allowed me to conquer complex calculus problems, but has also taught me the specific processes needed in order to crack several SAT problems. Immediately after entering Advanced Pre-Calculus my junior year I fell behind, unable to solve problems and make critical connections. However, with George’s help, I improved dramatically, impressing not only myself, but also my teacher. I ended up finishing the year with an A, a real feat in the challenging math department at my school. After George boosted my confidence in solving problems, particularly by breaking them down into manageable pieces and explaining proofs behind equations, I knew I could take on the rigorous AP Calculus course at my high school. Sure enough, his relentless attitude and determined spirit earned me an A for the first trimester and on my midterm exam. After starting with George in the 9th grade, I would have never thought that I could make it this far. Our compatible personalities and George’s vested interest in my success led me to gain a high SAT score and consistently excellent grades. For George it is never ‘I can’t do this,’ but rather ‘how can we solve this problem in more than one way to truly understand the concept?’ I am confident that George has provided me with a solid foundation that will allow me to succeed in college mathematics and ultimately my desired career path.”
✏️ “Our son was diagnosed with lymphoma during his freshman year and has been out of school for a year and a half. In addition to feeling sick from all of the chemo treatments, he was feeling hopeless that he would ever be able to catch up with his schoolwork. What he wanted the most was to catch up in math – Algebra II. George was the answer. For almost a year now George has been teaching him in our home for 4-6 hours a week. Not only is he catching up but he is also maintaining an A average and he will be able to enter his junior year this fall feeling completely confident in his math knowledge. We are so grateful to George for that. Although he has a long way to go catching up in all his other subjects and he still has another six months on chemo treatment, he is ready to get back to his life as a normal high school student. Couldn’t have done it without George! Thank you for your dedication to our son – mathematically and emotionally!!”
“George is a great tutor and a very nice person to talk to. I would recommend him for anyone.”
✏️ “George enthusiastically provides the most positive atmosphere for thorough understanding, solid development and concrete achievement in mathematics. He teaches in the spirit of a love for learning and instills an intrinsic desire for continued learning and understanding. George holds our daughter to a higher standard of achievement which she reaches for with great pride in accomplishment.”
✏️ “My son is a freshman in honors geometry – a really tough course!! George has been instrumental in explaining the concepts, teaching him how to solve the theorems and encouraging him throughout the year. Without this assistance – this year would have been much tougher. The insight into my son’s learning style and his clear and thorough explanations of each concept have given my son the confidence to tackle this vigorous course. He looks forward to meeting with George and doing his math.”
✏️ “George is a super tutor that has made a significant impact on our daughter’s learning. Her progress has been beyond belief. He has worked diligently and patiently with her to fill in the gaps in her learning. She no longer memorizes formulas without knowing the why’s and how’s of problem solving. She is well grounded in the fundamentals and has gained the confidence to take on additional academic challenges. George’s math knowledge isn’t his only recipe for success, he also knows how and when to motivate a student.”
✏️ “George has a superior understanding of higher mathematics and science which combined with his ability to communicate abstract subject matter to the kids is like no other teacher we have known. As for results, George has guided our son from mediocre to excelling. His high MCAS scores are a measure of his dramatic improvement. His SAT practice scores steadily climbed to impressive levels, and he gained 240 points on the SAT math. George mentors and provides guidance with understanding to his students. Our son has developed a strong sense of purpose to do well which we attribute in part, to his mentoring. We’ve had George tutor both our sons. George is the best gift you can ever give to your son or daughter.”
✏️ “I could tell, my son really liked you and already is getting huge benefits from working with you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
✏️ “When George takes on a student, for him it is not just a job, for him it is a commitment which he honors spectacularly. A commitment to help you do well in school and also a commitment to actually learn the subject matter.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “George is very involved in making sure our son is studying the material he needs to succeed and getting a clear understanding of what is expected of him. George takes time each week to prepare for our son as an individual. Our son enjoys the way George teaches him; it’s a great mix of teaching and really caring about the student. We know George was the right choice, our son went from failing to passing with an A.”
✏️ “George makes sure his students believe in themselves and their abilities, thus setting the stage for academic success. He also takes the time to emphasize that it isn’t inspiration that creates success, it is perspiration. It is the mantra that is followed as he prepares students for the SAT. And there is success; both of our sons have done extremely well on both the SAT and SAT Subject Tests – and by extremely well, we mean a consistent pattern of scores at or just below 800.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “Even though my strength has always been in writing and English, I am now an A student in math and science as well because of George.”
✏️ “You helped our son have a dream come true, thank you.”
✏️ “I wish all students could have the opportunity to have such an excellent teacher.”
✏️ “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)
✏️ “During junior year, Perdocere helped me prepare for several standardized tests in both math and science. Perdocere was distinctly more effective than the other tutoring organizations I tried. With Perdocere’s help, I earned a 740 on the math portion of the SAT I, a 760 on the SAT II Physics, and a 5 on the AP Physics B exam. George helped focus my hard work and succeed where I had to.”
✏️ “George has helped me ace my honors precalculus class and, by doing so, he has rekindled my appreciation for math as well as my confidence.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “I am very impressed and happy with George as a tutor for my daughter. With his extensive knowledge, he can instruct her in both math and science, both for the classroom and SAT prep. I think he is very patient as he works with the student and is able to quickly discover how best to work with them.”
✏️ “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”
✏️ “With SAT’s looming, I hired George to access and fill in the gaps in my son’s math knowledge. My son scored a 550 on his first practice SAT with George, so there were plenty of areas that needed attention! George came up with a comprehensive plan to rebuild my son’s math knowledge from the ground up. George taught my son to look at math through a completely different lens, which enabled him to think creatively as opposed to mechanically when he approached math problems. This strong foundation coupled with a creative approach to problem solving resulted in a 780 on the SAT. George was professional, methodical, and thoughtful during each session, and knew how to motivate and inspire my son. Although the work was hard at times, my son was always happy and grateful to be working with such a brilliant and kind teacher. I only wish all of my son’s math teachers could be as exceptionally qualified and compassionate as George!” (780 SAT Math)
✏️ “George has not just taught me, but he re-wired my brain in a way that allows me to comprehend subjects I haven’t gone over with him. He has given me the tools to understand any math or science problem out there.”
✏️ “George is a good teacher because – he makes me think the math out, he is always prepared for what I need to learn, thinks of problems to illustrate a math concept on the spot, drills me on what I do not know, makes me tell him how I arrived at the answer, understands me and how I learn, focuses and encourages me, talks to me.”
✏️ “George brought my grade from 63 to 100. Enough said.” (Honors Algebra II Student)
✏️ “George is the best tutor that our family has ever used. No one else is even close. He quickly identified my son’s strengths and weaknesses, and then set about in an orderly, sensible and strategic way to fix the weaknesses. There was a purpose to every problem set or test that he assigned. George customized his approach to the individual child which in turn created ‘buy-in’ from my son, who realized that he was not going to be assigned busy work, but focused problems designed to address areas that needed work. Bottom line my son got a 55 on the PSAT math and 8 months later, with George’s help, got a 770 on the SAT math.”
✏️ “I understand my math now, I can go to class knowing the material on the test and am confident on what I need to know to get a good grade, I have gone from failing in math to being an A student.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “Believe it. It’s true. Before George started tutoring our daughter, I read every single one of the testimonials on this website. It was clear the students and families were overwhelmingly pleased, but could he teach our child? It took mere minutes before I heard our daughter say, "Oh I get it! That’s easy" At that very moment, two things happened. I quietly breathed a sigh of relief because I knew we had found the perfect tutor, and our daughter began to believe in herself. The big question in our house a few months ago was “What are we going to do about math?” Now we’re looking far ahead and wondering to ourselves, “What will she do with math?” ”
✏️ “George has tutored my daughter in Pre-Calculus and Math SAT prep for the past year. George has very impressive credentials, but even more impressive is the math rapport he has with my daughter. Clearly, George understands math at a depth and breadth that few of us do. But his ability to teach it and be a successful tutor is really what impresses me the most. He is a natural teacher. He can see when a student isn’t “getting it” and he can explain a concept in a variety of different ways instead of merely repeating the same explanation again and again. And finally, George truly seems to love his job. He appears to be genuinely happy when my daughter accomplishes her goals or nails down a difficult concept. My daughter feels her time with George is always productive as he’s always prepared for their session.”
✏️ “George has been the best investment we could have made for our son. He has been tutoring him for over two years now and our son has been in honors math ever since. He and George are now in the process of SAT ‘training’, if you will. We just know that his scores will be nothing but impressive. Thank you, George.”
✏️ “George has been an inspiration to our son! He now has the confidence that he can actually understand and be successful 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 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.”
✏️ “He has genuine passion for teaching in its most basic sense. His subject knowledge and teaching style encourages our child’s participation in a planned roadmap for success.”
✏️ “George is the best tutor out there. With his thorough teaching, he has increased my Math SAT score by over 200 points in the past year. Since the eighth grade, George and I have been working to increase my math grades at school, and together we have been nothing but a great success. George is extremely talented. I think that to him, Perdocere is more than a clever Latin name for his tutoring business, it’s a philosophy. George knows everything about the system, whether it be public school, the SAT, or math in general. He didn’t acquire this knowledge through tricks and memorization. He learned it through simply learning the math thoroughly. I can speak from experience. Once George and I had conquered Algebra, I had the skills to conquer problems that would have been insurmountable to me just a few months before. It’s quite simple. It all comes down to his philosophy of teaching thoroughly. George produces results.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “Our middle school son started to have difficulties in mathematics. After working with him, George was able to assess and pinpoint his areas of difficulty. In addition, George had the patience and teaching strategies that worked with our son. Now he enjoys the challenge of math and feels so much better about his abilities. His grades have gone from a C+ to a B+, and now A’s.”
✏️ “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.”
✏️ “George enabled me to get an 800 on the math SAT and, for most parents, that may be all they need in a tutor. However, George isn’t just an effective tutor, he actually cares about the student. When I first started with George math was my least favorite subject, mainly because I just didn’t ‘get it.’ However, now, math is my strongest subject and I adore the class. George allowed me to not just ‘get by’ in my class, but to understand the material, and, through understanding excel. I can’t recommend George enough on both a professional and personal level.” (800 SAT Math, 36 ACT Math)
✏️ “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!”
✏️ “Dear George. You saved the day. Or rather, the semester. The few sessions you spent with our son made a world of difference – not only to his grade but to his state of mind. You showed him not only that he could grasp the concepts of his math class, but that he could enjoy the process. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We are forever grateful.”