Rives Tutoring • Hundreds of Testimonials and Prominent Named Verifications

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.”

Perdocere Tutoring - Prominent Named Verifications

✏️ 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.”

Perdocere Tutoring - Hundreds of Parent and Student Testimonials

Parent and Student Testimonials

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “Our daughter would have never gotten accepted to the highly selective college she now attends without George. Meaning she would have missed the opportunity to go to the school that’s turned out to be perfect for her. We thank our lucky stars for George every single day.”

✏️ “You helped our son have a dream come true, thank you.”

✏️ “George has been more than just a tutor. He is a friend and a mentor for both our children. Perfect SAT and ACT scores were just the beginning. George is still with them in college. His methods and teaching skills are more than what we imagined. The sooner a child starts with George the better his foundations are made solid, and the confidence the student acquires with his help goes beyond math to encompass all the curriculum.” (800 SAT, 36 ACT)

✏️ “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)

✏️ “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 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.”

✏️ “As parents, we all know how different our children are – and this certainly translates to learning styles. George has had to adapt to three very different types of learners over that last seven or eight years. He has successfully navigated one child through a string of 800s… brought another near that coveted goal, thus ensuring his place at the college of that child’s choice (thank goodness!!)… and now has the unenviable task of guiding our daughter through the shoals of high school mathematics and preparation for the SAT. All three of our children have enjoyed working with George; he has related to each one on a very personal level and he has adjusted his teaching style to match how they learn. He is always encouraging and has instilled in all of them the ability to ask questions and explore the whys and wherefores rather than just the answers. At the same time, however, George sets the bar high for each one of them and pushes them to achieve. Not only have they and will they be accountable to Mom and Dad – they are also accountable to George – and they seem to be more concerned about the latter rather than the former (which is fine with us). George has an extraordinary gift for teaching and for instilling a love of learning in his students. He is insistent that fundamentals be strong and he works those so that his students are equipped for higher tasks. On child ended up majoring in math in college and is now doing sophisticated quantitative analysis in an investment firm; another is doing a wonderful job navigating econometrics. We can only hope that our last one can achieve this success. With George on our side we think that this can be achieved. We heartily recommend George to all.”

✏️ “George re-defines the definition of tutor. We have never met anyone with his credentials, mastery of the subject and infinite sense of caring and can-do attitude. The stress level as it relates to school work has gone way down in our home since he began tutoring our daughter. We only wish we had met him years sooner.”

✏️ “Along with information, George offers support, encouragement and understanding. He communicates complex ideas in a very comprehensible way.”

✏️ “I’m proud of my accomplishments since he has worked with me.”

✏️ “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 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.”

✏️ “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)

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “All three of my children are tutored by George in math, chemistry, and physics. Not only is George capable of tackling all three different subject areas, he is able to relate to the very different learning styles of each child.”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “This year, I am taking the most rigorous math course my school has to offer, AP Calculus BC. BC calc is extremely fast paced because of the AP test in May. Some of the topics are only covered for a fraction of a class; however, with George’s help, I am a month or two in front of the class. Because of the two month lead, George is able to show me more advanced topics that will never be covered in BC calc. The way that George teaches calculus incorporates everything that was previously learned in calc while still covering a lot of material extremely thoroughly. In class, I have done well on all of my tests. George has allowed me to obtain an understanding of calculus which seems impossible to get from the class alone. I am very thankful that I have George guiding me through BC calc.”

✏️ “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’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.”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “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 got a perfect PSAT math score, thank you!”

✏️ “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)

✏️ “The first time I took an SAT math practice test, I scored a 540. I was confident in my math skills, but I still scored quite low. After learning with George, I realized that my problem solving skills were not refined. George taught me how to think. The SAT math section does not actually have any extremely difficult math. The real tough part is solving a problem efficiently and accurately. George taught me how to connect many topics of math together to do this. By the time I was ready to take the real SAT, I was scoring 800’s on the practice tests.” (800 Math SAT)

✏️ “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!!!”

✏️ “Once your child has worked with George, you realize what an extraordinary teacher he truly is. George not only teaches in a professional and organized manner, he has instilled self-confidence in our son that goes beyond mathematics. Our son respects George not only for his ability to teach him, but also because he takes an interest in him personally. George not only gives careful consideration about what is being taught now, but what skills will be needed in the future. Our son took a higher level mathematics course this year than was recommended, and with George’s help he was very successful! He is a wonderful mentor, something we never expected! Thank you George!!!”

✏️ “You are the best!”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “George is a master at his field. He connects well with students and genuinely takes an interest. My son has improved his math performance in school and has increased his math SAT score by 220 points in less than nine months. George not only teaches math, but teaches strategies and encourages deeper thinking skills. My son is always fully engaged and has a desire to learn with George. They have two hours of fun every week.”

✏️ “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 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.”

✏️ “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)

✏️ “Math SAT 800, 36 on the ACT Math, and 99% in Math Honors Pre-Calculus. In the time that we have worked with George that was the result. I do not believe anybody could have achieved better results. George, however, makes it look easy. What else can you say.”

✏️ “My son is a typical middle school boy – more interested in sports than school. George has been able to motivate him to want to learn and excel in math. His teaching approach has been tailored to my son’s learning style with good results. His enjoyment, understanding, and confidence in math has increased significantly. To realize that my son’s math foundation is solidifying for the high school years is a comfort.”

✏️ “George is the best teacher I ever had.” (780 Math Level IIC, A in Level 1 Precalculus)

✏️ “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 is a fun guy who knows his stuff. He is enjoyable to work with and the results are astounding.”

✏️ “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!”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “Thank you so much for all you do for our son, and for us!”

✏️ “The best tutor we have ever had, and the nicest!”

✏️ “Dr. George is one smart man! Not only has he brought our son’s math and science grades up to A’s, but he also shows our son the possibilities for his future! While some students crave the latest video games our son craves knowledge that Dr. George unfolds for him every week in a kind and consistent manner. Our student is looking forward to taking the SAT’s because Dr. George is preparing him fully! We know you can’t ‘cram’ for these tests and we feel privileged to have Dr. George teach our son now while he has ample time to prepare fully!”

✏️ “Working with George has improved my math skills immeasurably. I was able to achieve a near perfect score on my Math SAT as a result of George’s dedication, patience, and skill in our tutoring sessions. He made sure I not only understood the concepts but had a deep knowledge of them. I also worked on my school work with George and felt that our work together put me well ahead of my fellow students.” (790 SAT Math)

✏️ “George started late in the year tutoring our son, in a very short time his grades were up. His scores on the SAT and AP exams were exceptional. However what is more important is that George is coaching him on how to study and not only tutoring him in a subject. He is helping him choose his courses, as well as guiding him through his high school years. The look on both their eyes while studying is one of pure joy. George is an exceptional tutor as well as a dear friend.”

✏️ “SAT, PreCalculus, Mid Year Exams – not something you want to think about, especially not all three and trying to cram all of them in less than five months. Before George I can say that to do all this and do well would be impossible; I had no confidence in myself. Finding George and getting tutored by him has been one of the best decisions my family made as he turned something that seemed hopeless to something achievable. As a student, I know that schools have a set curriculum where their goal is to teach everything they need in one school year, but sadly in doing so they rush; they teach their students to solve things a certain way with the no explanation of why or how they got there. So before George I was basically a robot taught to memorize everything with the explanation of ‘because that’s just what you do’. George, on the other hand taught me the basics, teaching how and why things worked, what is really going on in a formula or an equation. He taught me each and every bits and pieces of math to help understand why things are the way they are. I now understand math more that I have ever did. Not only that but after really understanding something he goes above that to where he introduces more complex things to keep the mind going, building on the strong foundation that he has created. This showed its work on the SAT and in school. The SAT (Math) is all about understanding and thinking skills; George helped me to improve my thinking skills and understand math problems. At the same time he help me to easily do things in school with his teaching; things that seemed difficult before are now much easier to where now I can see how it works, identifying the building blocks of math to help me solve the equation. George is the best tutor and teacher I have ever had in my life; he has a superior understanding of math and he used it to help me get high scores on the SAT and high grades in school. He has proven to me that he loves his job, to help and see his students succeed, using every bit of time productively, encouraging his students that they can succeed with his teachings and hard work. George has done so much to help me succeed in school and on the SAT. I could not have asked for a better tutor. Now it is time for SAT II, where I am certain that George will help me achieve a high score.”

✏️ “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.”

✏️ “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.”

Click Here for the Complete List of Hundreds of Parent and Student Testimonials. What’s Shown Above is a Small Sampling.