TOEFL Private Tutoring in Berkeley (California)

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Are you a Berkeley-area student seeking to master the necessary material to obtain the highest score possible on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)? If English is not your native language and you plan to attend an English-speaking college or university, let the test prep experts at Manhattan Review ensure you know everything you need to excel on the TOEFL. When it comes to preparing for this potentially life-changing exam, there's no need to design your own study curriculum or waste time attempting to piece together a plan you hope covers all relevant test-related content. At Manhattan Review, we've taken all the guesswork and worry out of preparing for the TOEFL, and our industry-leading instructors are eager to assist you in achieving your own individual success, regardless of where you are in your TOEFL prep process. When it comes to preparing for a potentially life-changing exam like the TOEFL, no two students learn in the exact same way. Many students enjoy learning in the company of others, finding their peers' questions and comments insightful and inspiring. Other students, however, know that they do not perform to their full potential when attempting to learn in a classroom-style group setting. They worry that they are holding the group back, keeping everyone from moving on because they need additional time to master a particular concept. Alternatively, some students in groups experience frustration because even though they have mastered a concept, they cannot move on until the rest of the group catches up, leaving them bored and unmotivated. If you know you learn best through customized instruction and personalized feedback, consider working with one of our experienced and dedicated private tutors. 

Our private tutors are respected around the world for their ability to break down even the most complex concepts into chunks of information that can be easily retained and recalled on the day of your TOEFL exam. Research consistently demonstrates that those students who prepare for an exam with a private tutor accelerate their learning, allowing them to grasp and remember important information, while also improving their recall of facts and figures and boosting their self-esteem and their confidence in their test-taking abilities. If you want to take advantage of every possible opportunity to improve your TOEFL score, there is truly no better way to take your test prep to the next level than by working with a private tutor. In your study sessions, your tutor will work closely to identify your unique learning style, showing you how to leverage the academic strengths you already possess while overcoming any areas of weakness that might negatively affect your TOEFL performance. Our respected instructors are the best in the business, having firsthand experience on a variety of standardized tests. We do not, however, only hire exceptional test-takers…we hire exceptional instructors, educators with strong backgrounds in teaching and learning theory who are eager to support you in achieving your own academic and collegiate success. We are proud to have curated and created the most effective, thorough, and student-friendly TOEFL preparation programs, and we look forward to designing a custom plan of study that is just right for you and your particular test-related needs. 

The TOEFL is a standardized test designed to measure the English language abilities of non-native speakers seeking to enroll in an English-speaking university. This test is accepted worldwide by over 11,000 universities in more than 190 countries. The TOEFL consists of a group of tests, the most popular of which are the TOEFL iBT and the TOEFL Essentials. The TOEFL iBT requires 90 minutes to complete, whereas the TOEFL Essentials is more rigorous and requires three hours to complete. The TOEFL is composed of four sections—reading, listening, speaking, and writing. A score on the iBT version of the test will fall in the range of 0 to 120, while a score on the Essentials version of the test will range from 0 to 12. Many universities require proof of English language proficiency, and the most selective universities expect to see a TOEFL iBT score over 100.

At Manhattan Review, we have been the leader in standardized test prep services since 1999, and we have used our more than twenty years in the test prep industry to create a syllabus that is unsurpassed. Our TOEFL prep courses are comprehensive, ensuring you know what to expect on the test and do not encounter any surprises, while also being extremely targeted, focusing on those particular areas you need to spend the most time on. If English is not your native language and you wish to attend an English-speaking college or university, a high TOEFL score will set you apart from other eager applicants, demonstrating your commitment to learning and bettering your education. Our private tutoring clients have gone on to attend world-class undergraduate and graduate programs at leading colleges and universities, including Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, the University of Chicago, the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, Yale University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Dartmouth College, Johns Hopkins University, Rice University, the University of Southern California, MIT, CalTech, the University of Texas at Austin, American University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and elsewhere. 

When it comes to preparing for the TOEFL, there is no need to attempt to piece together your own study plan, worrying about what you are studying and hoping you are covering the most relevant material. At Manhattan Review, we have done the work and deconstructed the TOEFL, using our knowledge of the questions to design state-of-the-art test prep materials and resources to help you attain the highest score possible. Motivated students in the Berkeley area deserve the chance to learn from the very best, and our personable and professional private tutors will work closely with you to design the most effective and efficient private tutoring study program to meet all your learning needs. If you plan on attending a prestigious English-speaking university, you will need to demonstrate why you deserve to be admitted, as well as provide some indication of how you will perform as a student. The most competitive undergraduate and graduate programs demand a high TOEFL score and working to your full capabilities and exceling on this exam will never fail to make a positive first impression on Admission Committee members reviewing your college application. At Manhattan Review, we are excited to share tried-and-true test-taking techniques with you to help you achieve the score you need to attend the college or university of your dreams. 

If you desire a customized program of study that is just as unique as you are, look no further than the private tutoring options available through Manhattan Review. Whether you are just beginning to prepare for the TOEFL or have already spent months preparing, we will meet you wherever your learning is at and chart a successful course forward together. We offer in-person tutoring, as well as online, and our tutors are available during daytime, evening, and weekend hours to ensure you are always able to learn at the times that are most convenient for you and your busy schedule. Our instructors are world-class educators who are excited to play a role in your academic success, and they are dedicated to helping future university students become leaders in their chosen fields and professions. We welcome the chance to assist you in achieving the TOEFL score you need to turn your college dreams into reality, and we look forward to partnering with you for all your standardized test prep needs.

Meet a Berkeley TOEFL Tutor: Saanvi C.

Saanvi was born in Chennai, India, and lived there for the first twelve years of her life. "I was incredibly fortunate to learn English alongside Hindi, and honestly, I always thought English was more challenging," she recalls with a laugh. When Saanvi's father accepted a job as a software developer in Silicon Valley, California, Saanvi was nervous about moving away from everyone and everything she had always known. "I'd always been a bit of an introvert, so the idea of moving to a place where I didn't know a single person outside of my immediate family terrified me," she admits. Saanvi's parents signed her up for a variety of clubs and activities shortly after they moved to help her make new friends while exploring her interests, and Saanvi became involved in ballet, jazz, and modern dance. "Dance was great because it wasn't about using my voice," she shares. "It was about listening to myself and expressing myself in ways other than speaking, which suited me just fine." Saanvi began to make friends and soon came to enjoy her life in Northern California, designing sets with the theater stage crew and even helping teach dance workshops to younger students on the weekends. When she struggled to master certain aspects of algebra, her parents found her a private tutor who helped her learn while also showing her that any problem could be mastered through the proper instruction and application of knowledge. 

Saanvi graduated near the top of her high school class and thanks to her impressive high school grades and extracurricular activities, in addition to a stellar SAT score, she was accepted at multiple colleges across the United States. Even though it meant not going very far from what had become her new home, Saanvi chose to attend Stanford University, where she double majored in linguistics and English. "Most people understand how important a thorough knowledge of English is to achieving success in today's global economy," she shares, "but every time I go back to India and visit extended family, I can't help but wonder how things might have turned out differently for them if they spoke and wrote in another language. Everyone deserves the chance to attend college and to learn about whatever they find interesting." After graduating from Stanford, Saanvi moved across the country to complete a master's degree in teaching, as well as a TESOL certificate, from Columbia University. 

Saanvi ultimately accepted a position with an international non-profit organization focused on improving youth access to the arts around the world, and Saanvi was able to combine her love of dance with the love she'd developed for teaching English, and she was incredibly passionate about her work. She was fortunate to travel and teach in numerous countries, including China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, and South Korea. After more than a decade spent traveling, Saanvi decided she was ready for a change, and switched to an administrative position within the company, allowing her to live back in the Bay Area near her family. She offered online workshops and lectures to help non-native English-speaking students improve their understanding of the English language, particularly with regards to preparing for standardized tests, and she developed a reputation as a dedicated and effective instructor whose classes filled up almost as soon as she announced them. We were thrilled when she joined the Berkeley office of Manhattan Review as a TOEFL instructor, and her students appreciate her real-life experience almost as much as they appreciate her patient approach to understanding the intricacies of the English language. When she isn't preparing future college students for their own academic success, Saanvi can be found teaching modern and traditional Indian dance at a local studio, working on her violin playing, and attending comedy shows with friends and visiting family members from India.