Unedited Test PrepTestimonials
By Real Students & Parents With Real Scores
In working with Tatum I added 160 points to my SAT score.
I'm incredibly proud of my new score, and I'm amazed how simple it was. Tatum customized each lesson to be a thorough review and explanation of my previous mistakes; and as a result, I practiced my weaknesses more than traditional preparation courses. She frequently asked questions to aid my understanding, and she answered all of my questions helpfully. I would highly recommend her test prep services to anyone who is motivated student who wants to increase their test scores!
-Beck Orion
Kehillah High School 2025
I was studying to take the GRE after being out of college for 3 years, so my math skills were especially rusty. I had taken a GRE prep course through Princeton Review, but I was quickly discouraged because it moved too quickly for me and assumed I already had certain math skills that I hadn’t practiced since high school! When I started with Tatum, however, she made it clear that her goal was to go at a pace that would work for me - taking into account the fact that I have some learning differences and the fact that I’m a working professional with a full-time job. She was so reassuring at every step of the way and one of the most patient tutors I’ve ever worked with. She has the rare ability of being able to explain one thing or concept in several different ways, so as to accommodate every learning style. It’s been about a month now since I took the GRE and I’m so happy with my scores (not to mention how much they increased since starting with her) that I finally feel prepared to start applying to grad school programs! I would ABSOLUTELY recommend Tatum and Tutor Time Now - I wish I had known about her back in high school when I was pulling my hair out over the SAT!
-Amelia S.
San Francisco State University
Grad School Class of 2023
Tatum helped my son prepare for an admissions test. She gathered previous test results, and assigned a few assessment quizzes. From this data, she provided an overview of areas of strength and development, and discussed his reasons for working with her. Together they made a plan to help him achieve his goals. In eight weeks of prep time, Tatum was able to help my son improve his raw score by 100 points. This translated to moving from the 5th to the 9th quantile (98%) in an area where he had struggled previously.I think that these results are remarkable, but what was really valuable, was that my son remained engaged throughout the process, and is eager to work with Tatum again.
- Lynn T.
Parent of Nueva High School Graduate 2020
Tatum had a knack for quickly connecting and building rapport with my daughter for effective HSPT prep. It was time and money well spent. Tatum herself is brilliant and has a magical way of helping my 8th grade daughter to feel confident and smart in a math class that she struggled in.
- Kate B.
Parent of Notre Dame High School 2020
I have discussed standardized test tutoring programs with my friends and I have yet to hear of a prep course as influential as Tutor Time Now. Tatum helped me to not only improve my scores and test taking skills immensely, but also identify which standardized test was best for me. At first, I began studying for the SAT but later we realized that the style of the ACT came more naturally to me. Tatum seamlessly helped me through this transition from the SAT to the ACT and I was able to play to my strengths and ultimately earn a score that reflected my work ethic and academic performance much more accurately. Since she devotes time to getting to know her students both personally and academically, Tatum was able to recognize that I would benefit much more in taking the ACT and save me time and frustration in my future. I am extremely grateful to her as a tutor and support system during this process.
- Emily S.
Sacramento Waldorf School, 2018
The first time I took the PSAT, I did not exactly get the score I had hoped for. However, I knew my score would improve since I was only a sophomore at this time. I had lots of time to study and raise my score. When I took the PSAT a year later, my score was almost the same, and all of the sudden, my time was running out. I was applying to colleges soon, and my SAT score was not where I wanted it to be. When I started SAT tutoring with Tatum, my worries and anxiety about my situation were already becoming less apparent. I was starting to feel excited about how I could do on this test with the help of a tutor. Tatum’s teaching methods make perfect sense and should work well for any student. Instead of making you take practice tests over and over again, she actually sees where you’re struggling specifically and helps you figure out how to deal with these certain problems. After months of tutoring and hard work, I was able to get the score I needed to get into the schools I had always wanted to go to. The difference between my first PSAT and my last SAT was 170 points. I don’t think I could have done this without Tatum. Whether you want to take the SAT or ACT, I would highly recommend Tatum Hutton as your tutor and guide throughout all of this.
-Leah K.
Half Moon Bay High School 2019
UC Davis Class 2023
Tatum has helped me so much with the SATs. I went into the tutoring sessions not knowing much but throughout the sessions Tatum taught me so much and helped me get a SAT score I was proud of. Tatum is so dedicated to helping each and every one of her students succeed. She doesn’t just help you with the SATs she gives you advice that you can use in your classes and in everyday life. I am forever grateful for her help I could not have done it without her. I could not have asked for a better tutor!
-Jessica A.
Half Moon Bay High School 2019
Tatum helped prepare my daughter for the SAT/ACT exams. My daughter was very anxious about having to take such high-stakes tests but Tatum's gentle and kind manner combined with her knowledge and professionalism helped her feel more confident and capable. Tatum was able to communicate details about my daughter's learning style and ability that attested to her capacity to individually tailor her tutoring to each student. My trust in Tatum was well-placed and I enthusiastically recommend her without reservation.
- Dean S.
Parent of Sacramento Waldorf Schooll 2018
I have always been a “creative student”; I enjoy exploring many answers to a problem and taking my time. So, the ACT, with questions meant to trick you and a harsh time limit, was my worst nightmare. Before going to Tatum, I visited a tutoring place that only made me feel worse about my ability in taking the ACT. They assigned two full ACT tests every week and barely went over the answers I got wrong. So, when I got to Tatum, I was pessimistic about my abilities and dreaded any ACT prep. Yet, from the very first day doing ACT prep with Tatum, it was completely different than my first tutoring experience. First, Tatum assigned the perfect amount of homework. Even though I did ACT prep during the school year, I never felt overwhelmed. Instead of giving me a full length test to do every week, she only gave me two in total: one at the beginning and at the end. Instead, every week I practiced math and grammar skills with worksheets she found especially for me... Second, Tatum actually went over every wrong answer I got wrong... Third, and I truly believe this is the most important difference, Tatum made me feel confident in my ability to take the ACT. I mean what can test prep really give you? The answer is confidence. As much as it seems unimportant, the shift in mindset that Tatum taught me not only helped me enjoy the process of admissions testing a lot more, but it also helped improve my score from a 31 to a 33. She often described ACT testing as being in a wind tunnel money machine. Your goal is not to get every single dollar bill, or question right, it is to get as many dollars as you possibly can in the time allotted. This metaphor is ultimately what reminded me to manage my time during practice tests, and it is what calmed my nerves the day of the test. Having the the knowledge and skills to take the ACT is just as important as being confident in your own knowledge and skills. Tatum is the only tutor I have ever had who was able to build my confidence along with my skills. I will forever be grateful to Tatum for dedicating so much time to tutoring me. She was able to raise my score and I had actually have fun doing it. I would sincerely recommend Tatum to anyone. Trust me, she knows what she is doing.
- Stella R.
Los Altos High School 2018
and UCSB Honor’s Program 2023
Working with Tatum has completely transformed my academics! We started working together to improve my SAT score in the late summer of 2017. Previous to our sessions, I lacked knowledge on math concepts I had learned years before, vocabulary that I could never seem to understand and confusion about the best strategies for accurately answering questions in a certain time limit. Not only this, but I was dealing with extreme testing anxiety which gratefully impacted my focus when taking this test. From the very first session, I knew she truly cared about her students and knew exactly what we, as teenagers felt as we applied to college. Over the course of 6 months, she had re-taught me a large load of math concepts I had much forgotten, translations for the vocabulary words I had struggled with and gave me confidence for answering the questions and even dealing with testing anxiety. By the end of our time together I had increased my SAT score with 160 points! Not only this but when solving math problems, reading or even writing, I find myself taking all that she has taught me into my current academic schoolwork.
- Rachel T.
Summit High School 2018
I had Tatum as my ACT/SAT tutor as well as my college counselor and she was an extremely helpful resource and mentor throughout my entire college process. Not only did she help me rasie my test scores sigificantly, but she also helped me get into my dream university. Tatum helped me figure out what college were right for me, write successful essays, and made sure I had everything ready before important deadlines. If you're super unorganized like me or feel overwhelmed with the college process I would definitely recommend Tutor Time Now and College Time Now.
-Danae Hogg
Half Moon Bay High School 2018
UCSB 2022
Tatum is very devoted to her students and makes a point to get to know her students and more important how they each individually learn, allowing them to prosper in their academic pursuits.
I first met Tatum when I began the scary endeavor of the SAT standardized tests. I had taken one or two tests already and had gotten scores that weren’t bad but I knew I could do better. Tatum and I started tutoring sessions and I was definitely expecting a bit more rigorous work but she made the work and studying very easy to manage and I eventually saw progress in my test scores. Contrasting to other test prep programs, Tatum’s approach is to prepare students not so much as to SAT and ACT specific tactics and more of general test taking strategies that allows students to not only apply those strategies to standardize tests, but to any other test a student may come across in their education.
​Andrew O.
Half Moon Bay High School 2017​
Occidental College
University of Washington 2022
Tatum and I mostly worked on the SAT math being that it was my weakest subject. I was not able to raise my score greatly but I was able to get a score that when combined with my critical reading and writing score, still produced a high overall score. Regardless of the SAT, after working with Tatum, I noticed that my math skills in school greatly improved. Since working with Tatum, I have become much more confident and comfortable with math and have been able to make use of the many test taking skills she taught me over the course of our sessions.
- Eman A.
Mercy High School, 2014
UC Davis, 2018​
Our daughter's tutors at Tutor Time Now for AP Physics and SAT Prep were professional, dedicated, flexible, friendly and extremely knowledgeable! It is a great tutoring service and conveniently local.
- Rosalie S.
Parent of Half Moon Bay High School 2017
I remember being so nervous for the SATs and ACTs! It all just really overwhelmed me, to the point where it negatively affected my scores. I'm really grateful I went to Tatum for help because she understands the different ways students learn and the unique difficulties each student has, and listens to her students so that she can tailor her sessions to their needs specifically. She helped me with my scores and my confidence while taking tests which, to me, is invaluable! Thank you!
- Mia C.
Half Moon Bay High School, 2016
Lewis and Clark University, 2020​
My experiences with Tatum have been beyond beneficial for me. She helped me with SAT prep and statistics. With her support, I was able to boost my SAT score 110 points in only 10 sessions and rose to the top of my stats class. She went out of her way to make time for me and catered to my specific learning style. For the first time in my life, I truly enjoyed and appreciated what I was learning. Tatum is extremely talented, patient and caring, and I would highly recommend her as a tutor!
- Natalie B.
Terra Nova High School, 2016
CSU San Diego, 2020
I turned to Tatum and Tutor Time Now to prepare for the MCAT after I received a score of 30 on my first attempt. Tatum was immensely helpful. She focused on my weakest areas on the exams and came up with personalized strategies for tackling those areas. Tatum didn’t just explain to me why one answer was right and the other was wrong; she also took the time to understand my own reasoning and to identify where my reasoning was problematic. Since the MCAT is the bane of every premed student’s existence and can entail grueling mental preparation, Tatum’s patience and positive energy were very encouraging for me personally and helped me persist in my studying. With her guidance, I was able to raise my score to a 35!Tatum went beyond assisting me in just the MCAT. She gave me advice on medical school applications and helped me search for summer premedical internships in order to strengthen my application. She is an excellent mentor and desires to see her students succeed in more than just standardized exams – she wants to see her students succeed in the their long-term goals too. Her study tips, test-taking strategies, and general advice are things I will carry with me throughout my remaining schooling years in college and eventually in medical school.
- Susanne M.
UC Davis, 2014
Ohio State University Medical School, 2019
I originally called Tatum to help improve my SAT score which reflected poorly off my high GPA and extracurriculars. I’m not going to lie, my Junior year was the most stressful year I have ever faced. Knowing my career was on the line, I was blessed to work with Tatum; not only was she a tutor, but a mentor and friend. Tatum made working on SATs out of a thick blue book on Saturdays fun, whether it was right after school or at 8pm, she made working around a busy schedule possible; she was always reachable from text, email, or knocking right on her door. Tatum is so sweet, funny, and patient, which she made sure shined through all the rigorous work; no matter how much I was struggling she always made sure I understood every part before moving on.Tatum helped me get through the worst by improving my score by over 100 points in a short amount of time. Her faith will always follow me because without her I would not have gotten to where I am now. I am so thankful for her support, patience, and passion in watching others succeed; I hope that she continues to spread her success, motivation and inspiration to others as she did to me.
- Lena N.
Half Moon Bay High School, 2015
UC Irvine, 2019
As a parent, I couldn't be more than happy with the outcome that Tatum has helped with my daughter with helping her prep for the SAT and the results.She compassionately cares for your child's understanding and grasp of the materials.I have already recommended Tatum to many parents and will continue to highly recommend her.
- Kim S.
Parent of Burlingame High School 2016
Tatum has been the most amazing tutor I've ever had! She prepared me for my SAT where I was confident and comfortable taking the test. She boosted not only my test taking skills but also my score. I would recommend her to everyone.
- Gina C.
Burlingame High School, 2016
The one on one attention Tatum was able to give was extremely helpful...
We used Tatum to help both our kids prepare for HSPT exams and would gladly recommend her to others. The one or one attention Tatum was able to give was extremely helpful as it allowed the time to be spent on my children's specific areas of need. My kids did great on their exams and were admitted to both high schools where they applied. We also recently used Tatum to provide some early college counseling for my oldest child. Kids don't always want to listen to their parents, so it was great to have a resource like Tatum. Tatum spent an evening with my daughter and me covering all kinds of important college prep things to be thinking about during high school. My daughter came out of that meeting with a clearer understanding of her options and a road map for her remaining high school years.
- Kate B.
Parent of St. Charles Middle School student 2017
I just returned from my daughter’s college orientation and it seems the right time to reflect on how she got there. My daughter is a hard-working student with very good grades, but her standard test taking ability rarely reflects her abilities. She took the SAT class with a local ‘expert’ and learned all the SAT ‘tricks’, and did the prep she was asked to do. Yet, her SAT score was disappointing and she knew it would make getting into a desirable school difficult, if not impossible. We found Tatum and thought we would give it a try. From the first meeting, Tatum earned my daughter¹s trust and successfully over the next 6 weeks inspired my daughter to follow her guidance and instruction. Tatum is exceptionally personable, and truly works to understand the individual. She builds self-esteem while building ability. Under Tatum's direction, my daughter increased her SAT score by 150+ points! In 6 week, with that confidence and ‘can do’ success, my daughter is headed to the COLLEGE OF HER CHOICE to start her career. Since our experience, we have recommended Tatum to a friend to work with their son who is struggling with community college courses. They are thrilled with the results as well. Tatum is truly a gift, and I cannot give her a stronger recommendation.
-Suzanne D.
Parent of Half Moon Bay High School 2014
and Sonoma State University 2018​​
Tatum was able to identify Wyatt's strengths and challenges and fine tune her tutoring program over time, to bring out his best. We had the good sense to sign our son Wyatt up with Tatum early on, commencing sessions in the summer following sophomore year, something I would highly recommend.
For our son working with Tatum not only improved his performance substantively, but, as improvement was documented, the process bolstered his confidence for the tests as well.
He went in as calm as one can be, under the circumstances, and achieved solid results. He'll be attending Cal Berkeley in the fall.
- Jeff Stillman
Parent of St. Ignatius Colege Preperatory School graduate 2016
and UC Berkeley 2020
Tatum has worked with all three of my sons over the past three years. My youngest son first worked with Tatum on SAT and ACT prep. His junior year was academically challenging in some subjects. Tatum was able to tutor him in multiple subjects to prepare for tests and final exams. His confidence and academic performance soared. Tatum has the ability to motivate and give students the confidence, ability, and tools they need to improve in multiple areas. My son was thrilled when his SAT score rose 280 points! I know that the study skills he acquired while working with Tatum will be with him though college and beyond.
Our second son was in his third year of college and was looking for a prep course for the LSAT. His college offered one in a group setting, being away from home we thought it may be the best option. After inquiring about the LSAT with Tatum she said she has worked with other students via Skype. Perfect for my son, Tatum was flexible and could work around a college student's demanding schedule. She also helped him to overcome his anxiousness about taking the LSAT.
After graduating from college our oldest son has decided to apply to graduate school. He knew who to talk to, he had witnessed his brothers' accomplishments after working with Tatum. He is now working with Tatum on preparing for the GMAT. Again, she is flexible and schedules her time around his work schedule. All three of our sons have completely different personalities and Tatum can attest to that! Her ability to connect with all three is truly a gift and we are fortunate to have had Tatum be a part of these important milestones.
- Therese K.
Parent of Serra High School Graduates Classes of 2007, 2010, and 2013
Sonoma State Graduate 2017
UCSB 2013
St. Mary's College 2012
When it was time to start preparing for the SAT's, I knew that a group tutorial was just not going to work for my 16 year old daughter. She would probably lose concentration in the group, would dread attending, and it would be unproductive and a waste of money. Fortunately, right about the time that I was starting to read the junk mail advertisements for SAT individualized prep courses, a trusted professional told me about Tatum. I contacted Tatum immediately, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Tatum has been a God-send to my daughter and to our family. My daughter has had many tutors before, and always got tired of them. Not so with Tatum. Tatum is just young and "cool" enough that my teenage daughter regarded her as a trusted and respected friend. For me, even though Tatum was young and "cool", she was a mature professional who took this task seriously.Tatum is reliable, yet flexible enough to work around a teenager's busy schedule. Tatum is a real support to kids who are struggling. She always builds up my daughter's self-esteem, telling her that she is capable of so much more than she realizes. Tatum is a real role model.
I knew that Tatum really knew her stuff when she predicted exactly how my daughter would do on the different parts of the SAT test; where she was the strongest, and where she needed the most work. The results from that first go-round verified that Tatum was an expert at this business. I am really grateful for the many ways that she has helped my daughter through this anxiety-ridden and intense time. It has also relieved some stress within the family because Tatum has absorbed a lot of the college prep for us.
- Karen T.
Parent of Notre Dame High School 2013
and Slippery Rock University 2017
I have always been a motivated and successful student, but when SAT season rolled around, I was disappointed with my scores. I was frustrated by this test that I did not know how to prepare for, but as soon as I started working with Tatum, I felt much better. She met with me once a week, going over things that were especially difficult for me and giving me helpful tips. She also gave me assignments to do on my own, from reading certain strategy/review books to doing practice problems and tests. Knowing that I have a very busy schedule, she was always respectful of my time. She selected assignments specifically targeted to help strengthen my weaknesses. I never felt like I was wasting time or doing busy work with Tatum. In the end, our hard work paid off, as my final SAT score was 280 points higher than my first test score.A few months later, I turned to Tatum to help me with my college application process. She helped guide me through it all, from choosing which colleges to apply to, to writing my essays and filling out my applications, to preparing for college interviews. We met several times through the process, but communicated mostly over email, sending drafts of my work back and forth, bouncing ideas off of each other. She offered her experience-backed advice, but also made it clear that all final decisions were in my hands. In the end, I was very satisfied with the applications I submitted and the schools to which I was accepted. I finally decided on UCLA, and am excited to start there next Fall.Not only is Tatum helpful and dedicated to her work, but she is a very fun and bubbly character, making meeting with her after a long day of school, sports, and homework as painless as possible. She obviously genuinely cares about the students she works with, and is always proud and excited to hear about our scores and college decisions.
- Erin B.Half Moon Bay High School 2013
UCLA 2017
Tatum is a lifesaver; she helped me survive my junior and senior years of high school, academically and emotionally. I started out with Tatum over the summer prepping for the ACT; any question I was stuck on Tatum found a way to explain it to me. I took the ACT twice and then switched to the SAT in the beginning of my senior year. I missed the December SAT test due to a family emergency and Tatum found a solution. She advised me to call my schools to ask them if it would be possible to send in scores from the upcoming January SAT considering my situation, all of my schools had the same response…“Yes!” If Tatum hadn’t advised me to do so I wouldn’t have done it myself. She came up with the idea and left it to me to decide what to do, she made it clear that regardless of my decision she would support me in any way she could. I know I can always count on her to give me honest feedback in any scenario.Every session with Tatum was a blast, regardless of what we were studying she always knew how to relate the subject to me and make me laugh. In all honesty, there was never a dull moment in one of our sessions. Between her drawings, explanations, and stories I always took away something valuable from those sessions. Thanks to Tatum I’m heading of to UC Davis this fall and can’t wait. THANK YOU TATUM!!!!
- Courtney A.
Half Moon Bay High School, 2013
UC Davis, 2017
When I say the word “tutor”, what is the first thought that comes to mind? For many students, it’s “getting help with school” or “something boring that my parents make me do”. As a student who has known Tatum for over three years, I can honestly say that she is never boring. Whether you are solving for x in an SAT word problem or going through a revision of your personal statement, Tatum always finds a way to inject humor and life into everything. After my first college interview, I felt disappointed because I did not think the interview went as well as I would have liked, but Tatum cheered me up by telling me that someday I would have a funny story about college interviews for my grandchildren.The first monster Tatum helped me tackle was the SAT. I came to her saying that I would be lucky just to get 2000 on the test. Specifically, SAT math was the biggest challenge for me. Before I had ever taken my first SAT, I took classes from Revolution Prep and got a 590 on the official test. A few months after, I retook it and scored a 610.After extensive reviewing and after many practice problems, my SAT math score jumped to 750, and my total score was 2110, more than 100 points over my goal! Throughout the entire process, Tatum was realistic in predicting the score I would get; even though I did not believe I could do so well, Tatum had faith in me and ultimately, she was right. In the end, from the first time I took the SAT to the last time when Tatum tutored me, my score increased by 250 points. I could not have done it without Tatum!
- Andrea H.
Mercy High School, 2010
UCLA, 2013
University of Queensland Medical School, 2017