Manhattan/Williamsburg GRE & GMAT Math Tutor

Feel free to visit my yelp page here, or read ahead:

Jason K.
:
2012-09
Having never been to a tutor before, I have to admit I was skeptical to get one to help with my GMAT prep. I had taken the GMAT once before and done well, but not to the level that I thought I could, so I really wanted to hone my math skills, and thus decided to get a tutor

Stephen was great - he took me back through the base skills so I'd have the foundation I needed for the GMAT subject matter, and was great at breaking down difficult problems into simple solutions. And he did it all in a short time frame - I had less than a month to prepare, and Stephen was more than accommodating to meet with me twice a week.


Mike L.
:
2012-03
Steve was great- I started working with him when I decided I want to give the GRE a shot after taking the GMAT. I had previously struggled with my math performances on standardized tests, and although my first hope was to learn the "tricks" associated with the GRE or GMAT math questions, Steve kept me on track to learn the basic concepts and understandings that make up the questions. Steve made sure we did not cut corners, and I felt he truly cared about my improvement. With his focus, I truly felt like I mastered the material in a much better way than simply memorizing rules or tricks. We ended up Skyping for nearly all of our meetings and it was just as effective as in person meetings. I ultimately scored very well on the GRE and will use that over my original GMAT score when applying to business schools.


Peter S.
:
2012-03
I studied with Steve over the course of four months preparing for the GRE exam. From the beginning, Steve laid out a well defined syllabus of topics to be covered each week. We started out with the basics and worked our way up to more abstract problems over time. More importantly, I learned a lot of test taking strategies that I know were key to my success. He is very friendly and I could tell that he was sincerely interested in helping me learn all of the material. I work full-time and there would be times when I just didn't have the time to do all of the assigned homework he had given me. He was always patient and understanding to my situation and as a full-time professional math tutor he was always able to schedule our meetings around my busy work schedule. I took the exam last week and scored within one standard deviation of the mean of the normal distribution of people applying to similar PhD programs. I would not have been able to phrase that last sentence before our tutoring sessions, lol. Overall I would say that the tutoring I recieved from Steve was one of the best investments I've made in myself and I would definitely recommend Steve as an excellent math tutor!


Alexander C.
:
2011-12
Stephen was a fantastic GMAT tutor. Very patient and had a solid understanding of every topic I wanted to cover. I enjoyed the way he deconstructed problems into their workable components and helped me build my confidence to succeed on test day. He is extremely laid back and also reachable in between sessions on email, which is very helpful. I would highly recommend him as a tutor.


Gabrielle A.
:
2011-10
Stephen is a huge asset for anyone who is time constrained, rusty/weak in GRE math concepts, and perhaps somewhat lacking in self discipline. I began working with Stephen a little less than 6 weeks before my test date with a set goal of scoring as close to 750 as possible. Having taken the test before, I knew that I really needed to improve my speed and my strategy in terms of how I approached each question.

The first few weeks were really tough in terms of the workload, but I'm so glad that I pushed through it. Going through the basic Algebra book Stephen assigns is not something one would normally encounter in a GRE prep course, but it really made all the difference. After working through a few hundred practice problems each week, it becomes much easier to see which specific areas you are weak on and how the rest of your time before the test would be spent most effectively. This is a huge advantage of Stephen's system over other test prep plans.

The other really great thing about Stephen's system is that by the time I took my test, I had essentially completed every practice test out there. Spending the last week or 2 solely focused on practice tests was critical, particularly for getting my comfortable with the problems and calming my nerves (a fairly big issue for me). When I finally took the test, I felt completely relaxed and prepared--and, by some grace of god, ended up surpassing the goal I had come to Stephen with 5 weeks earlier. I cannot imagine a scenario in which that would have happened had I not worked with Stephen. Definitely recommended.


Nikki D.
:
2011-10
Simply put, Stephen is an awesome tutor. Very flexible with scheduling, easy to work with and really fun! I'm supremely bad at anything math-related, and he was somehow able to help me raise my GRE math score almost 200 points in just 2 months. I tried doing all the tricks with Kaplan and Princeton Review, but after failing miserably during my first GRE attempt I realized I needed a different approach. Although I hated doing math, relearning how to actually do the problems and not just use tricks was the best thing Stephen taught me. The problems look really simple once he shows you how mostly everything boils down to comparisons. Stephen made me somehow enjoy (re)learning math, and to that I give him props.


Skye Y.
:
2011-09
Stephen was great - in less than a month i raised my GMAT score over 100 points!! He's is very thorough, explains concepts in an easily understandable manner and is willing to go the extra mile to help you grasp the subject matter. I recommend him whether you're looking to freshen up on a broad array of math topics or have specific areas of need - he customizes each session and your overall progress plan.


Libby W.
:
2011-09
Stephen is very very good at what he does, and definitely exceeded my expectations. We worked together for 3 months on skype, and I ended up getting a score much better than what I had hoped for. I knew that getting a math tutor to help me prep for the GRE would help, but I had no idea how much. As a teacher Stephen is patient and pushes you enough to help you do more than you think you can without overwhelming you. This was probably one of the best investments in my education I have ever made.
Not only is Stephen good at math, he is good at GRE math. His approach involves actually learning the math skills, rather than just learning how to guess. And he knows what it takes to learn the math skills. It was a lot of work, but he knows exactly what you do and don't need to learn. His plan is much more efficient than going out and taking an algebra course or reviewing on your own.
Thank you Stephen for helping me get such a high GRE math score, I could not have done that without you.


Katherine W.
:
2011-07
I came to Stephen with just 2 months before my first GRE test date and 2 months and 3 weeks from my second (with the new GRE coming out in August, I was trying to fit it all in before the transition). I hadn't done any math since freshman year in college (I am 5 years out of college, so 8 years math-free before Stephen) and I desperately needed an excellent score (not just a good one) to apply to vet school. With Stephen's help, I relearned math and gained GRE problem solving skills. I was able to beat my target score (top 10 percentile) on my first test date, which allowed me to enjoy July instead of worrying about taking the test again! Stephen's approach to test prep is unique in that, rather than just teaching you the test question format and tricks, he starts by reteaching you the fundamentals of the math you need to know for the test. With this technique, the math itself becomes second nature, allowing you on test day to instead focus on the tricks and problem-solving of test questions and save critical time to double-check for mistakes. You will work hard, there is no question about that, but it will be time and money WELL spent. I am so pleased I found Stephen here on Yelp 2 months ago and I am equally pleased to be enjoying the summer sun with the comforting knowledge that I have the GREs behind me and achieved scores above and beyond what I thought possible. Thanks Stephen!!


Omi C.
:
2011-06
I came to Steve because I was struggling with my Calculus class, I wasn't sure how much i can get out of in an hour class but Steve's teaching method made everything easy. I haven't taken pre-calculus and went straight to Calculus 1, Steve patiently went through everything i needed to know. I have to say Steve's teaching methods were much better than my School's math teacher.


Margaret M.
:
2010-11
Steve rules.
I was Steve's first Skype student, and although I was somewhat skeptical (and in a serious time crunch), I figured I would give him a try. I've never been a fabulous math student, and I've never been able to score above the mid 600s on practice tests, but I desperately needed a score in the 700s. Over the course of 5 weeks I spent a lot of time doing math (let's be real - you've got to do some work on your own) and I got the score I was looking for.
However, the amount of time I spent doing math to prepare was not the only factor in my success. Without Steve's flexibility, honest feedback, patience, and teaching ability I am positive I would not have reached my goal.


Kim G.
:
2010-09
Steve is a fantastic resource for anyone who needs help preparing for the math section of any standardized test. I had not taken a traditional math class for at least seven years when I came to Steve for help preparing for both the GRE and GMAT. In a short period of time, I re-learned all of the content I had long forgotten. Steve actually introduced me to new math techniques that were more helpful than the traditional methods most people learn during their primary educations. His strategies proved immensely helpful for the standardized tests. Both of my test scores improved, and I was satisfied with the results. Friends of mine have attended courses at Kaplan or engaged very expensive one on one tutors and did not meet the success that I had with Steve. Additionally, Steve is very accommodating, patient, and genuinely cares about the success of his students. I highly recommend his tutoring services.


Carolyn
:
2010-09
I first found Stephen through Yelp and was a little skeptical at first of finding someone on the internet, but Stephen was excellent! He is one of the best tutor's I've ever had and definitely worth my time and money. I was initially worried about the GRE, but after working with him I improved about 100 points over the span of 6-8 weeks. Not only did I improve in test taking strategies, but he also helped me feel confident in understanding the math that goes behind the GRE questions. Unlike Kaplan, which focuses on how to make strategic guesses if you don't know the answer, Stephen makes sure you understand the math so that you can solve the problems confidently. He really wants to make sure that you do well and will tailor your studying plan accordingly to your needs. He really cares and will try his best to help you get your best possible score. Also, the price he requests is totally worth it! I've seen many tutors in the past who have charged more and have been of low quality. I'm really so thankful that I met Stephen because he helped me get my target score and that makes me feel more hopeful about applying to graduate schools. You really don't need to look any further for the best GRE and math tutor in town.


Laura R
:
2010-03
Steven is a great math tutor! He helped me raise my GRE math score 250 points in only two sessions. He taught me some great shortcuts to finish the math problems in the time provided on the test. Before going to Steven for tutoring I felt so unready for the test and after the two sessions I was able to go into the test with much more confidence. If you are looking for a math tutor... Steven is the one!


Alex C.
:
2009-11
Steve is an excellent math tutor. I came to him having not seen any math for eight years, and having not actually learned much of the math I had taken in high school. He started at the beginning and patiently made his way through all of the material I had to cover in time for the GRE. Even though I started my tutoring really late in the game for the my test date, he made a big effort to meet with me as often as I needed to and tried to teach me as much as possible in time for my test date. He is really patient and very encouraging, and does an excellent job of explaining concepts that are confusing to people. I have had a lot of math tutors over the years, and Steve is by far the best one - working with him led to me improving my score by 100 points. I would highly recommend him to anyone.


Holly
:
2009-11
Prior to working with Stephen I had no confidence in my ability to understand the math needed for the GRE. I have failed, barely passed or dropped out of more math classes than I can count on one hand. That said, I was extremely impressed not only with Stephen's skill as a teacher, but with his persistence and seemingly endless reserves of patience. He has a talent for spotting where a student's specific areas of difficulty lie, and for helping one understand the basic concepts needed for more advanced problem solving. All in all, tutoring was a wonderful investment not just for improving my chances of getting into graduate school, but for remedying years of "learned helplessness" and academic failure. Highly recommended!


Michelle
:
2009-11
Stephen was a very patient, knowledgeable, and incredibly helpful resource for me as I studied for the GRE. I would highly recommend him; whether you need a refresher is math you learned long ago in school or more intense lessons to significantly really improve your test scores, his tutelage is well worth the money (and cheaper than any other tutor I looked at).


X.W.
:
2008-09
Stephen was an excellent tutor. My math skills had eroded over time, and he helped me build my confidence and skills, parlaying them into a GRE score.
for those wondering - yes, his credentials do check out. His teaching methods work, and I recommend him to anyone. The amount of effort and work he puts into each session, relative to the price, its a bargain.


Justin
:
2008-04
Stephen is an amazing tutor! I actually decided to take advantage of his relatively inexpensive tutoring when I needed to get caught up in a math class fast. I had actually been about two monthes behind and thanks to his amazing tutoring I was able to place into the next class and out from the stagnation of having failed the last one three times.  He makes tutoring fun and enjoyable and is one of the brightest people I have ever come across. If you get the chance to have him tutor you take it up because you will truly not be sorry.


Julie
:
2008-04
Stephen helped me to raise my GRE scores close to 200 points in less than 1 month. A very patient person with a great memory for what needed to be worked on each time we met, we were productive from the minute I walked in to the moment I left.

I had not studied math since HS (I studied logic through college) and he really helped me, as a novice math student, with all concepts of mathematics.

As a teacher myself, Stephen is a highly recommended tutor.