Edwin, Parent, Sacred Heart Prep and NYU

Mr. Mai has been the tutor for my daughter the past four and half years since her junior year in high school, helping her with the social sciences and English.

She has a very strong personality; in her work, she seeks perfection. This urge interplays with her condition of OCD. 

Now , she is doing well at  NYU, but she still seeks his guidance to continue her academic and professional development.

Bunny, Teacher, Sac School District

I needed to pass my credential exam under a tight schedule. I struggled to pass it before reaching out to Samson. Not only did he help me pass under a tight schedule, he helped guide my thinking—he made me realize that I could pass the test. I could not be more grateful because I can move onto other milestones in my education career.

I would highly recommend Samson for any tutoring you may need.

Tyler, Student, Emory

Through Samson’s teaching philosophy, I bumped my SAT score from a 1340 to a 1510. Samson’s methodology is to find out the root cause of the error and correct it with a thorough  customized process. He helped me to discover the deduction to my own answers and insight. Samson’s attention to detail pertaining to grammar usage and attention to detail with SAT reading passages were crucial to bumping my SAT score by 170 points.

Ivan, Student, Lincoln High

After a tough junior year, I sought assistance from Samson. With senior year knocking, I improved my 1170 to a 1310 in under two months. He also helped with my classes particularly in Precalculus; overall, my grades went from B-C average, to an A-B average. Yeah, in our sessions, he did bug me, but his methods did compel me to improve. Plus, I was entertained. No regrets.

Mike, Student, Crystal Springs Uplands

I remember when I first started tutoring with Samson, and he said we would watch a TV show about John Adams to improve my vocabulary for the SSAT. His idea was as effective as much as it was fun. I copied down unfamiliar words in the movie– words such as "egregious" and "pejorative." I very much looked forward to building on my vocabulary because of Samson's creative approach to teaching.

Gigi, Student, UC San Diego

The end of my high school career was filled with anxiety due to my below average SAT scores. My family sent me to an "SAT boot camp" with the popular test prep service called "Elite.” Still, my scores did not improve.

I did not see improvements until I started private tutoring with Samson. With his help, I got the score needed to get into one of the top public schools in the country, University of California, San Diego.

His greater impact was far more: he changed my outlook on life entirely. Not only did Samson worked with me help me gain a better understanding of the English language, he took the time and effort to work with me in gaining my personal and academic confidence. He never treated me as someone beneath him. Instead, he saw me as an equal and a friend. Samson showed the faith in me when others would not. I am grateful to be given the chance to work with him.

Kristen, Student, UCLA

Through Samson’s teaching philosophy, I bumped my SAT score from a 1340 to a 1510. Samson’s methodology is to find out the root cause of the error and correct it with a thorough  customized process. He helped me to discover the deduction to my own answers and insight. Samson’s attention to detail pertaining to grammar usage and attention to detail with SAT reading passages were crucial to bumping my SAT score by 170 points.

Alina, Student, Cleveland Institute of Music

Not only was Samson an extremely effective tutor, but he understood well my time constraints and priorities as a musician. In his pursuit of making math approachable, he patiently guided me through the concepts that I did not understand. Math has never been my strong suit, but he was able to make me enjoy the pursuit.  

Monique, Student, Saint Ignatius

By going beyond taking practice tests and reviewing them, Samson helped me improve my English and reading scores on the ACT. I learned importance of critical thinking and “repetition without being repetitive” in his lessons. Most of all, he doesn’t focus solely on improving test scores; he makes sure that the information and skills can be used in everyday life.

Eric, Student, Lowell High

Samson is not the normal type of tutor: regurgitate an explanation, give me the work, and expect me to do it. He endeavored to understand me and what was preventing me from reaching the level of success I knew I could achieve. I’d remember the times when I would completely forget to read something or practice; instead of being angry, Samson went over it along with me, taking the time to make sure I understood the material fully before moving forward. If you want numbers, my SAT went up to 1510 from a 1350, and my essay score improved to a 6-6-6 from a 6-3-6.

Emanuel, Student, UC Irvine

With the guidance of Samson, I  transitioned from a clueless knucklehead to a mature adult; as such, I admitted to UCI (placed top four out of all public universities in the whole nation). On top of that, I learned how to craft a great essay—on my SAT essay, I got 21 out of 24 possible points. It’ll be a great experience with Samson.

Brandon, Student, UC Davis

I attend UC Davis, and I am doing quite well—regularly getting on the Dean’s list. Despite this performance, I do not feel the learning is sticking, nor do I feel that my reading and writing are at the level I aspire it to be. Over time, I have begun to fully understand your intentions and techniques along with its impact. That is why I want to receive your guidance once more. 

Ben, Student, SF State

Samson helped me complete an assignment under a tight timetable. Due to his efforts, I received a VERY good grade given the difficult circumstances. I would use ask for services again in a heartbeat!

Cecilia, Student and Mentor, San Mateo High

I have been working with Samson for approximately three years to help elevate my language skills to the next level. Unable to learn many vocabulary and grammar skills at school, he committed himself to correcting this unfortunate circumstance. On top of that, he has provided insight on improving my life skills. Naturally, this includes learning how to study better. This isn’t just about getting better grades or scoring higher on the SAT; it also about transforming oneself to become better the next day.

J.Z., Student and Parent, Senior Level Accounting Executive at San Francisco Bay Area Semiconductor Company

I hired Samson to coach me on improving my English skills (i.e. vocabulary, grammar and writing) to give me an edge in communicating in the professional world. Samson focuses his teaching philosophy around the learning through meaning. He does not do rote memorization. To complement my learning, he referred to me many quality pieces of literature on many topics. As part of the exercise, we would dig into details such as the rhetoric, background knowledge, and grammar. Most importantly, he provided me with new perspectives on matters beyond improving English.

Matthew, Student, UCLA

Samson taught me how to craft college essays that landed me at UCLA. But I’ve benefited more from his philosophy that targets the macro aspects— habits, lifestyle, logistics— of being a successful learner. 

One of the things he taught is to compound my learning by repeating a small habit, leading to tremendous growth in the long run. Over the course of repetition, he told me to vary the habit. He mentioned that his performance coach inspired the idea with, “Repetition with repetitiveness.” Based on this principle, I picked up a habit of listening to scholarly podcasts during my downtime. 

Overall, his teaching made me more intellectually voracious, less narrow-minded, and more analytical.