MIT Learning Center

Without Don and Cin-​Yee, I don’t know if I could have gotten through high school and kept my sanity at the same time. Through MIT Learning Center I was able to not only learn and get ahead in my classes so that I wouldn’t have to struggle through the subjects of Pre-​Calculus and more, but also meet and make friends through my classmates. Don’s patience makes high school mathematics feel effortless and when he’s not in teaching mode, he’s a fantastic friend. He gives advice that shows his true understanding of his students; I have yet to meet another teacher who can act as pseudo-​father, instructor, confidante, and advisor at the same time. He pushes his students to believe that the only boundaries they feel are the ones they have set for themselves and that it is wholly possible for anyone to get perfect scores as long as they have a willing attitude to do practice and to learn from mistakes. He gives individual attention to each of his students and is always willing to give a little more to those who are struggling with the material.
In Cin-Yee’s classes, she exhibits a relatable nature that is contagious to all who come in contact. Her expressions and wry, witty jokes never failed to make me laugh whether it was during SAT prep or during our counseling sessions. She trains her students meticulously: as long as you follow her tips, you are sure to improve your score, if not perfect it. She really knows what she’s talking about when it comes to vocabulary, grammar, and writing. You can trust her to prepare you for the SAT I Reading and Writing sections as she has the test’s formula whittled down to a handful of rules and types of questions. Through practice and the application of those rules, I was able to achieve a composite score of 2400 on the SAT. Cin-​Yee encourages her students to do practice tests and problems with fervor, but if you staunchly refuse, you will only get so far.
The atmosphere at MIT Learning Center is this: if you put in the work, you will get the results multifold. Don and Cin-​Yee work to encourage their students to do the practice and do the work, but (as I know from personal experience) in the end it’s up to your willingness as well. All the staff at MIT do their absolute best to get to know their students individually, which is something you won’t find at other learning centers. This is the strongest quality of MIT Learning Center and what I attribute their success to – when you join MIT as a student, you become a part of their massive family and like a proper family, they fight to make sure you succeed. This characteristic is something that money cannot buy but that MIT provides freely. Whether it is advice on how to talk to your parents about college choices or where to go for dinner in Berkeley or how to calculate indefinite integrals, Don and Cin-​Yee give their all and more to their students.

I have taken classes before at MIT and I need to say I quite like the learning environment. I made a few new friends in class, several who weren’t my age or didn’t go to the same school as me! Since we were all struggling with the same material, it helped us all sort of bond. The teachers here want to help us succeed and learn. I remember that even though my math classes had already ended, Don still offered to help me if I had any questions. If I did, all I needed to do was come in and ask. This was a big help to me, since I didn’t have any one else to turn to, as my Dad was in Taiwan and my teacher at school was too busy to provide any help.
The SAT II classes were also really helpful. All the practice tests helped me to not only get a grasp of what the SAT II was like, but it also helped me remember and review material. (Unfortunately for me, the practice tests in Barron’s was not enough, so the extra tests and explanations from the teacher helped a lot. I ended up getting an 800!) All in all, I think MIT is a fun and helpful place, though as an individual you need to unlock it. Like any learning/​educational experience, you need to interact in class, asking questions if you need help. Sitting in silence won’t do anything.
MIT is fun and helpful, and it honestly made me feel like they wanted me to succeed and improve myself from an educational standpoint. This bolstered my self esteem and encouraged me to try harder in school. Thanks MIT :)

Only send your child here if you know they are willing to WORK hard for their SAT scores. This place is a real boot camp.
If they’re not, they’re better off studying on their own.
Coming from me who went to this place a couple years ago for SAT prep. I’m not sure if they still have the same teachers/​rules, but the two main things I remember is that the math teacher awkwardly hits on the girls in his class (yes you heard me correctly) and the English teacher makes you rewrite corrections corresponding to the number test you’re taking that week. (For example if you’re taking your third SAT practice test that week, you have to rewrite corrections 3 times for each question you got wrong in the English/​reading category; that my friends, is how you get a writing cramp. Not a very good teaching method).
I wasn’t comfortable in their learning environment so I ended up stop going to class, and the no refund policy didn’t make it any better.
I ended up switching to the ACT, which I prefer much more.
I know they have good intentions and their methods do work on some people, but please know and consider your son/​daughter and what they could be getting into.
This actually applies to ANY SAT prep class. They ain’t fun or cheap. So spend your money wisely.

I first heard about MIT Learning Center through a family member and started taking classes here since I was in the seventh grade. I have been taking classes here for about 6 years and I believe I have gained so much from taking classes here. To start off, MIT Learning Center offers a variety of classes. They offer English Classes, Math Classes (Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Pre-​Calculus, AP Calculus AB), SAT I Classes, SAT II Classes, Science Classes (Honors Biology, AP Biology), etc. They also have many class openings for each subject, which makes it easier to sign up for the classes I want. The staff and teachers there are extremely friendly and caring. The teachers, especially, care about the students individually and as a whole. When I took English classes here with Cin-​Yee, I was always looking forward to coming to class because not only does she make the class a challenge for us, but she also makes it really fun. When I took math classes here with Don, I noticed he walks around the room to help the students individually and as a whole. I felt like I was in a private tutoring session, which was completely worth my money. The office management is very organized as well. Although I graduated high school two years ago, I still like to come back to visit the staff and teachers.

I’ve been a student at a couple of tutoring places around the Bay Area, and I can safely recommend MIT Learning Center. It’s not only filled with friendly, communicative staff, but it’s also a learning center with a healthy, accurate philosophy. MIT encourages practice, but doesn’t put down any students for making mistakes. They are more concerned with a student’s individual improvement and needs than beating out another center or grooming every student to fit a specific schema.
I first went to MIT in my freshman year of high school for Geometry Honors. Under Don’s guidance, my class would learn how to solve problems, practice in class, and take practice quizzes. After about one to two months of the class, I saw a strong improvement in my school test grades and my overall grade jumped up one entire letter grade. As a result, I continued Algebra 2/​Trig Honors math classes with Don in my sophomore year and received A’s in both semesters at school as well.
Math isn’t my strong suit – I was definitely pretty average at it before I attended MIT – but I’m glad Don helped reinforce my arithmetic skills! He gets to know students and makes sure each one is actually learning how a problem or concept works, not just memorizing a specific problem type. Through his math classes, Don did much more than just help me excel in my math classes; he was able to instill some strong study habits into my academic lifestyle and even boosted my confidence in math. Thanks to him, I actually dared to enroll in higher level math classes throughout my high school years like AP Statistics and Calculus and performed well.
Although my first impression of Don was «talkative,» I truly appreciated it in the long run. He grows very close to his students, gets to know them, and actually treats his students as people. He often makes jokes to lighten the mood (he’s fun, but math sometimes gets tiring) and has very memorable life stories that somehow applies to the math lesson we’re learning about.
Even as a high school senior about to graduate, Don still remembers who I am and has conversations with me! This learning center is worth it; not only do you truly understand a subject, but you also walk away with strong study habits and a healthier outlook on this cutthroat, competitive academic world.
While I would recommend MIT Learning Center to prospective students and worried parents, I would also keep in mind that a learning center is not magical: it is a two way effort. MIT Learning Center provides the tools to success, but a student also needs to put in the effort to willingly learn, practice, and improve in order to reach his or her full potential.

At first MIT staff and instructors seemed very attentive and genuinely happy to have my son as their student, and after his assessment they believed he was a good fit. However, as the lessons went on, we felt his frustration level increasing rather than decreasing. Our son is bright, and we brought him in specifically for 7^th grade AP pre-​algebra tutoring to help him through some stuff he was having trouble with in school. The instructor (Jeff) admitted later that he is not very familiar with the Pre Algebra curriculum, and that he’s an Algebra teacher at High School, which is why the work didn’t match what our son was learning in school. Furthermore, we kept hearing about behavioral problems in class that lead us to believe that his skills in handling youth aren’t that great. My son isn’t perfect, which is why he needs tutoring, so we require a learning center that will help kids through problems rather than putting it back on them. I recall when we first signed up the emphasis was placed on their no-​refund policy, now I start to see why. After 2 weeks of missing class because we could not force our son to go, they still have not called to inquire about him or why he’s not attending. I can’t recommend MIT very highly, but perhaps they have better luck with perfect kids.

**The address is wrong! MIT is now in the plaza with Marina.
I went to MIT learning center for 5 years and during that time, I was tutored by Don in all levels of math, SAT I, and SAT II. I was also tutored by Cin-​Yee for SAT I Reading and Writing, as well as college essay prep.
To the reviews that said MIT classes are filled with already smart students, this is definitely NOT true. Going to Don’s math classes trained me to be better at math – I wouldn’t be good at math if it weren’t for Don! His style of teaching is different and unique and it’s extremely effective. He doesn’t give you the answer until you’ve genuinely tried to solve the problem on your own. Then he teaches you how to do the problem and WHY it works, as well as different shortcuts that will help you and why these shortcuts work. He then gives practice problems that are actually helpful, unlike a lot of the ones that high school math teachers assign. With math, most people just memorize how to do problems and they don’t know the concept behind it, but Don makes sure that you understand what you’re doing and why. This has trained me to be a better learner in all my classes! In addition, Don is very aware of the test and quiz dates of high school math classes, so he will make sure you’re ready before your test!
Cin-Yee’s SAT classes were probably the best way to prep for the SAT. My first score was TERRIBLE, but it ended up jumping about 400 points thanks to Cin-Yee’s help. She taught all the tricks to different types of questions and how to best use your time. Basically how to OWN the SAT haha. I was terrified of reading long passages and trick questions, but Cin-Yee’s training made me more confident.
As for MIT being «money sucking,» it’s honestly worth the price. You’re not only paying for good quality tutoring, but for training in improving your study habits and work ethic. Which will help you throughout high school and college and when you have a real job. (Also all materials like SAT books/​homework problems are included in the tuition).
I honestly wouldn’t have gotten into college if it weren’t for Don and Cin-​Yee. They not only taught me academic related things, but encouraged me and taught me life lessons as well. They both genuinely care for their students. I could say so much more about MIT Learning Center but IT’S WORTH IT. Send your kids here!!!

The owner is rude and money sucking! Do NOT go there, he does not know how to handle business and his wife is just as rude!

Aww good memories here at MIT Learning Center! I used to come here during jr. high and high school for math tutoring; I really don’t know how I would have passed honors math from 8^th grade until 10^th without Don. He’s the absolute BEST. He teaches in a way that kids can understand, and remembers to give breaks at least once per class, so we don’t get burnt out.
He actually cares about his students, and goes out of his way to make lasting connections with them. Even though he’s taught hundreds of kids, he still remembers each and every one by name. Even now, when I come back to visit, he still says, «Amy! How are you, young lady?» even though I haven’t been there for tutoring since my sophomore year in high school. I could write about Don forever: P
I’ve met some of my best friends there, and even though we don’t go to the same schools, you can’t deny the bond you share from spending hours together doing math! (;
[Although this Unilocal entry needs to be updated — this tutoring center moved into the Marina plaza!]