In their words.

I started working with Cole in middle school for math tutoring. He helped me improve my confidence in my math skills tremendously, something I am incredibly grateful for. I continued to work with him throughout highschool, occasionally meeting to work on important essays; with his coaching, I have become a much stronger writer. As I moved closer to the testing and essay writing part of the college process, it was natural to turn again to Cole. He helped me score ten points higher on my second ACT and work tirelessly (in person, via phone and email) to help me perfect my personal statement. Cole had truly been a staple in my academic career over the past six years and I take any chance to recommend him to someone looking for a tutor!

He used wisdom and patience to help Anashe's essay. I really appreciated Cole's focus on keeping the writing positive.

Our eldest son has been working with Cole since middle school — providing him with support in a number of areas including essay development, SAT prep, and the dreaded Common App personal statement. Over the years, Cole has encouraged our son's independence as a learner and supported his weaknesses. In many instances, these areas evolved into strengths. Cole's tutoring provide our son with needed guidance, insight, and sometimes blunt honesty that is challenging, if not impossible, for a parent to offer. With Cole's help, our son son has grown into a gifted writer, a very strong standardized test-taker, and was last fall admitted ED-1 to his top-choice school.

My son really enjoyed working with Cole! We were a little late getting started with the college essay writing and SAT test prep process. But Cole gave my son a realistic and clear timeline to help get him going. His straightforward approach and honest feedback is just what we needed. I would highly recommend Cole!

Our very intelligent son, Bryan, developed a writing block and became unable to complete an essay on his own. We hired Cole and saw immediate results. On several occasions, Cole worked late into the night with Bryan. All essays received A's or A minuses. I'm not exaggerating when I say that Cole rescued Bryan's high school career.

Cole helped my daughter write essays for UCs and for financial aid. He also helped her prepare for the ACT. She got into UC Berkeley!

Cole had a very positive impact on my daughter who was struggling to get started and express herself in a way that really conveyed her unique personality and spirit. He patiently helped her brainstorm several ideas and together they refined one into a polished essay that suits her to a "T." His optimism and encouragement gave her the momentum she needed.

Frankly, my daughter, who has ADHD, was lost during the application process. Cole helped her write amazing essays in addition to helping her improve her ACT scores.

I am absolutely ecstatic, as I got into Berkeley with a declared major in Physics! Cole, thanks so much for your help.

Last November, I read great reviews about Cole Filipek while browsing online. After one phone call to him I was convinced that he would be the perfect coach to proofread and critique my daughter's essays before she submitted her college applications. She met him a few times and also connected through Skype. Cole is an amazing tutor and made sure my daughter worked diligently on her essays in a timely manner. She was less stressed and got into many top colleges. I highly recommend Cole because he is very professional, has a positive attitude, and loves his job.

In 2015, my daughter applied to many schools. We used several writing tutors before we met Cole. I only wish that Cole was the first tutor I contacted. They worked successfully together for many hours. He helped her brainstorm and edit her essays, and he made sure that her essays were top quality. With Cole's help, she got into her top choice schools, including Georgia Tech, Case Western, and RPI.

Cole has been a vital part of our son's learning experience over the last 4 years. From the get go, Cole established a fantastic working relationship with our son and our family. Over the years, Cole has developed a keen understanding of our son's learning strengths and challenges. He pushes our son to be a more thoughtful writer and he is helping him master a full range of topics including Spanish and Science in addition to English and History. Not only is Cole incredibly dependable, but he keeps our son focused on key learning priorities for the duration of their tutoring hour. We appreciate Cole's direct communication style and how he challenges our son to invest more time and thought into his academics. As parents, we've come to rely on Cole's sound advice about school selections and academic and extra-curricular choices.

Cole worked with both my sons during the summer and fall of their senior years in high school. He relates very well to kids of that age, they looked forward to working with him, and the results were excellent. My eldest son was accepted at a number of "reach" schools, I think in large part because of his strong essays. Cole not only helped with the writing but also choosing topics and working toward a deadline. I have two more younger kids and will definitely have them work with Cole when they apply to school.

Cole and Esteban worked at school and in our home. After a year of tutoring with Cole, Esteban was a better student, a better writer, and was much more organized. Now he's helping Carlos as well.

Cole helped me understand math better! He's a great tutor!

Hi Cole, I wanted to let you know that I just received an acceptance letter from Stanford. I am really excited about this opportunity. Thank you for all your help with the ACT, the essays, and continuing to push me out of my comfort zone when we talk about poems. You have been a huge help.

Mays improved a lot during his time with Cole. We are very thankful for Cole's hard work!

Cole tutored several of our 8th graders during the 2014-2015 school year with the After School Program. He helped them practice their essay writing, complete their math homework, and hone their studying skills. I know that all of his students went on to good schools and several had their pick of where to go. What made students happy to work with Cole was that he was approachable and friendly while he helped them. Though the results were definitely what parents look for, what leaves a lasting impression with me was that his students were happy to spend time with him. Many students expressed joy and excitement before going to their tutoring sessions, though they would be working on homework and essay writing. A few of his students would come back from their session with him and show me their newly tuned essay with pride. He helped many of his students find a love of learning, and gave them inspiration to take more agency in their learning. Cole is a great tutor!