Testimonials
"I can't speak highly enough about Laura. Her patience and guidance helped me find hope and make progress when I was depressed and debating whether I wanted to drop out of school. She brought an optimistic and warm demeanor to each of our meetings, and she helped me break down tasks so that I could successfully make it through each day and eventually, my program. She helped me schedule and prioritize my tasks in a realistic manner, organize my ideas and research projects, and tackle several writing projects. I highly recommend Laura to students who are eager to make changes and can use a friendly and brilliant person to help them along the way."
Ashley, Claremont Graduate University, '22
"Working with Laura was the catalyst that allowed me to take ownership of my college education. She provided me with the tools and perspective necessary to manage my academics effectively and succeed throughout my time at Harvey Mudd. Her gentle coaching helped me constructively manage the everyday stresses associated with the HMC workload and guided me to build productive and healthy life habits. I could not more strongly recommend her coaching."
-Sunil, Harvey Mudd College, Class of '21
"Without Laura's patient and knowledgeable help, I don't think I could have passed several classes last year. From Brain and Behavior to Russian history to Psych Stats, her assistance proved time and again to be an invaluable resource to help me through school."
- Eli, Pitzer College, Class of '19
"It can be a real struggle for a student who is intellectually ready for the challenge of a college like Harvey Mudd, but whose executive function skills lag behind. We were so grateful to be able to tap into the expertise of Laura Kotovsky to assist our student in building the skills needed to succeed in a rigorous academic environment. She supplied the right balance of scaffolded structure and encouragement to support the growth and development of needed organizational and motivational skills, while simultaneously holding our student to a level of accountability that ensured academic achievement stayed on track. Laura's belief in the ability of our student to succeed and the coaching she provided were instrumental to our student's growth in maturity and self-confidence during the college years, as well as increased academic success."
- Proud parent of a 2016 Harvey Mudd College graduate
"Today as a Claremont McKenna graduate I can honestly say I couldn't have done it without Laura Kotovsky. She is a truly incredible academic coach. I had been unhappy and struggling in school until I was referred to Laura and immediately felt optimistic. Laura was able to help me with every subject in school and was constantly working with me to create strategies for studying that best fit my learning style. Laura's approach to academic coaching is very unique and personalised. One of Laura's biggest strengths is her ability to read her students and adjust her style of coaching to their needs at any given moment. She puts her heart into her job and takes care of her students beyond how any traditional tutor would. Student's health and happiness are extremely important to Laura which was such an important factor for me getting back on track in the classroom. She was always there to cheer me on and made sure I was setting myself up for success in every aspect of my life at school."
-Megan, Claremont McKenna College, Class of '17
"Laura provided a great structured environment to help me manage and organize my busy college schedule. She was helpful in workshopping ideas for projects and papers, and was especially valuable assisting me in organizing daunting research projects (including my final senior essay) into a more manageable process. Laura was flexible with meetings and available over text and phone when I needed the extra support. I highly recommend her service for anyone who wants extra stability in their academic pursuits."
-Katherine, Pomona College, Class of '17
"My son is returning for his junior year at Pitzer. All I can think is, oh thank goodness, he's also returning to Laura Kotovsky. I'm clear on the fact that my children attend college and it's THEIR college, not mine. I don't get access to their grades and I let them check in with me. However, second semester freshman year, my son ran into a wall. Laura has helped him climb over. She gently guides his choices, makes herself available beyond the usual meetings when he gets into real trouble and yet, somehow, still makes it about his own effort. For the first time ever, he asked her for suggestions for rewrites at the end of last year, was initiating meetings with professors on his own, and turning in work on time. She somehow provides tutoring in all areas (he passed statistics!), but never loses sight that it's the student's career and the goal is for them to develop enough skills so that they can take off on their own. Laura, thank you!"
- Proud parent of Pitzer College student
"A good coaching experience and relationship stays with you forever. Laura has worked to maximize my potential. She shows an authentic concern for my growth, and follows that up with a passion for learning and an expertise of knowing how to think and communicate in a truly motivating way. It is an honor to work with her, learn from her, and call her my friend."
-Jared, Pitzer College, Class of '12
"Laura has been my academic coach for about 2 years. She's shown me how to be more organized and productive, which has helped me reduce stress and worry in my life. She's encouraged me to be realistic in my work, happy with my efforts, and to make time for fun. She's been a really amazing addition to my life."
-Tera, Pomona College, Class of '12