Student Testimonials
Hello, self-confidence.
“Wise Student has impacted my organizational skills tremendously. Every meeting that has taken place is one more step towards success. Our Sunday meetings are fantastic! They help me gain control of my week one assignment or test at a time. They have brought my self-confidence back to the arena. I now feel prepared for any obstacle in the coming weeks!”
— Niko B.,
Marianapolis Preparatory School, CT
The big picture matters.
“Penny was one of the teachers who really cared and valued me both as a student, but as an individual. She wanted me to succeed — but also to be happy, and fulfilled, confident and believe in myself. Her care not only helped with my test scores, but to be an all-around resilient person making decisions when I went out in the world.”
— Alina U.,
Burlingame High School, CA
Stanford University,
Marshall Scholar Queens University, Belfast
Maximize time.
“Attending Penny’s Sunday meetings has really helped me plan my weeks and weekends and maximize my free time. When I organize my upcoming important events and goals, I feel more relaxed and well-rounded as a person and a student.”
— James B.,
San Mateo High School, CA
Planning ahead works.
“My senior year I was introduced to Penny and school felt possible again. More than academic support, Penny provided a sanctuary away from all the craziness that was my competitive school. One technique that Penny introduced me to that I still use today is test scheduling. I tended to let tests creep up on me and not spend the time I needed on studying. Every week we would make calendars devoted to my study time for that week. More than just relieving the stress of my upcoming tests, Penny was able to help me realize that getting though my examinations was possible.”
— Ravella R.,
Aragon High School, CA
Willamette University
Tools for long-term success.
“At the end of senior year of high school, I began seeing Penny as an academic coach. She helped me plan my week and set goals which kept me efficient and organized. I was able to effectively study for all of my AP tests, maintain a regular exercise schedule, and attend all my extra curricular activities and meetings. Now I attend UC Berkeley and Penny was definitely an important factor in me getting here. I still use the planning skills she taught me — they are essential to my success and I am so grateful for her help. Penny is a warm, calming, and caring person - important qualities for me in a mentor. She's also young and down to earth so I felt extremely comfortable working with her.”
— Mia S.,
Burlingame High School, CA
University of California, Berkeley
Easy to follow.
“Working with Penny was easily one of the best decisions I have ever made in the interest of my education. She is understanding and gets down to business right way. Her step by step explanations are easy to follow and it was relieving to finally have the tools to help me understand material I had struggled with before.”
— Nicholas Y.,
Burlingame High School, CA
University of Nevada, Reno
Goodbye, chaos.
“Penny’s coaching has helped me become a better student over the years. At first, I was completely unorganized and careless when it came to completing homework. Not only has she helped me with a method to correct my previous chaotic behavior but she has also helped me understand the material I was learning. Without her I would have never been able to improve in school and accomplish so much. The quality of her teaching is outstanding and I will never be able to thank her enough.”
— Anna U.,
Burlingame High School, CA
American University
conquering fears.
“Penny has helped me so much throughout the year, especially during the time of finals when it is my first time ever. She taught me not to be stressed, to spread my work out evenly over the weeks, and just follow the schedule. It was helpful for me because I was scared of new challenges but she helped me conquer them.”
— Grace M.,
William Penn Charter School, PA
PARENT TESTIMONIALS
Creating advocates.
“Penny has done a wonderful job of making school so much more manageable for my daughter. Her positive reinforcement and strategies has given my high school student confidence in the classroom and resulted in her being able to advocate more effectively with her teaching team at school! Overall, my daughter’s stress level has decreased which in turn has made our family life much more manageable and positive!”
— Melinda A., San Mateo, CA
Peace of mind.
“Balancing the life of a highschooler with their extracurricular activities and studies can be overwhelming. Penny helped our daughter break it down into manageable components that gives her piece of mind and keeps the stress level down at home. Our daughter participates in Penny’s weekly Sunday online sessions which is a valuable tool to start the week off right. Taking time to plan the following week’s schedule helps to stay on target and use time efficiently.”
— Maria P., Belmont, CA
Instilling calm.
“Penny has proven to be extremely effective in honing in on the academic needs of our children, and is well versed in tutoring a multitude of subjects. In addition, Penny has the ability to instill calm and confidence in a student. On some days our children would feel anxious about an upcoming exam, and after a session with Penny not only would they feel more confident with the knowledge they had learned, but also, they would go into the exam more relaxed thereby enabling them to do their best.”
— Lisa & Jim B., Hillsborough, CA
Nurturing responsibility.
“We met Penny when my older daughter was preparing for the Catholic High School entrance exams in California. They developed such a unique and wonderful bond we continued the relationship 3,000 miles away in Philadelphia via the internet. We even added my seventh grade daughter into the mix. They have worked on everything from Advanced Geometry, Algebra, thesis statements and essay writing to study and organizational skills. I believe it is Penny's approachable personality and the way she speaks to them not at them that really helps both girls to flourish and feel respected, as if they are in the driver seat. She has helped nurture a sense of responsibility, ownership and confidence that is very important to any person's success.”
— Nicole M., Philadelphia, PA
Structure for success.
“When my 13 year old stepdaughter moved in with us, she had to adapt to a new school and create new friendships. During the first month of attending her new STEM Academy for 8th grade, she began to struggle with Algebra because of the different way it was taught here. After their first session, my daughter and Penny had a magic relationship. Her grade went from a low C to an A! Penny is clear with her teaching and gives advice based on the students capabilities. Penny inspires her students to reach for realistic goals while also challenging them to achieve more than they thought they could. As a Freshman in high school, my daughter is in Geometry and is keeping an easy A. Penny’s guidance has given our daughter the structure she needed to apply to all her classes to be successful.”
— Charlene H., Burlingame, CA
Productive and confident.
“Penny has worked with two of my children on a wide range of subjects and tasks (math, Italian, Spanish, English, organization, calendaring...). Her energetic and positive personality is a draw for the students and they want to succeed and make her proud. Instead of nagging my kids, I bring them to Penny and they spend amazingly productive time with her and walk out smarter, more confident, and well prepared to take on their week and their work.”
— Leslie R., Hillsborough, CA
Bolstering maturity.
“I highly recommend the Sunday coaching sessions! As the mother of a 16 year old son, I can honestly say it feels wonderful to step aside and let someone else ‘take the wheel’ and hold him accountable for his weekly academic deadlines. The ease of joining the online sessions, as well as how informative the discussions are, make these meetings an absolute MUST! After just a few weeks into the program, I can see how much my son looks forward to joining every Sunday night and also how he tackles his vigorous academic schedule with more maturity.”
— Maria H., Hillsborough, CA
The value of support.
"Penny has been a great support for my kids in so many different areas from executive functioning to deep subject knowledge. She is multi-faceted in how she works with kids. Before diving into content, Penny makes sure the kids are organized and understand expectations. Penny clearly explains concepts and builds the kids' confidence. Penny has great rapport with my kids, and they have very different personalities. Both my kids see the value in Penny's coaching and self-advocate for time with her."
— Kathleen M., Hillsborough, CA
One of a kind.
“Penny is truly one of a kind in the work she does and services she performs. She cares so deeply for her students in the academic and emotional support she gives them, the follow up with parents, and the energy she brings to each session. I have not met a fellow parent who hasn't raved about her, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have found her for my son as he moves through middle and high school. Her support is tremendous and she's the first person I recommend when parents come to me for any kind of subject tutoring, final exam preparation, or executive functioning skills support.”
— Emily C., Hillsborough, CA
JOYFUL LEARNING.
“Penny is an outstanding teacher! Three of my children have worked with Penny for test preparation, and all of them looked forward to seeing her each week. She has an encouraging teaching approach that helps kids build confidence and truly enjoy learning. One of my kids even said, ‘School would be so much better if Penny was my teacher all of the time.’”
— Jen N., Hillsborough, CA
