IvyMax Academy Millbrae

Please do not waste your money at this place. My nephew who was visiting overseas last summer attended this place with the thought of improving his English. End result, no improvement. Here is what came of it.
Note: He took the Math class as they insisted in him taking it. He was not there for Math just English. So after back and forth he dropped Math and was told we would be reimbursed several 100 for this. After months and months of them playing shell games… not returning phone calls and telling us management is not here it ended in no refund. They insist he did take a full days course including math. HE DID NOT! I would know i dropped him off and picked him up.
What he got out of attending this place:
–he has a new impression of how American kids are spoiled and make fun of teachers. Which, he said, occurred everyday.
–kids play with their iphones and ipads while there is instruction.
–kids make fun of other kids and the teacher does nothing to stop it.
–his parents complained that his english did not improve.
–parents blamed us for picking this useless place
–he said he learned more English living with us than the instructors.
Take advantage of the reviews. stay away! You will have more success in learning English by hanging out at the In n Out Burger across the street!

It may be a little expensive, but it’s well worth it. My little sister was originally looking at community colleges, but with ivymax’s assistance and program guide, she got into Berkeley on her second try.
The advisors were very personable about my sisters needs and the assistant was very informative about the ivymax program.
Their system works; they motivated my sister into studying when before she was slacking in her studies (mainly math).
If you can afford it, I can confirm that the program does offer a higher chance for your children to succeed.

Do not sign up with them! I wasted my time and money at this place!
First of all I went here when I was in high school and I was in the workshop that helped with the UC essays for the application. My parents paid for the workshop and also paid them to help me get financial aid for college.
1. The person helping with my essays looked down upon the idea that I wanted to go into accounting and that it was so boring. doing taxes is boring etc. Well thanks.
2. The counselor told me UCB, UCLA, UCSD were basically impossible for me with my SAT scores and UC irvine was a maybe. Woow… thanks again for making me feel like crap.
3. They did not even do any financial aid for me and did not even refund our money for it.
4. I only got into 1 college so I went to community college instead. so Ivymax didn’t really help.
Conclusion: After going to community college after high school for 2 years and applying for UC a second time and doing everything (essay and application) on my own, I got into UCSD. So do not waste your time here because you are better off doing it on your own or going somewhere who actually cares about the students and not the money.

This is a unreliable, useless, and overly expensive school
What the other review said about «profit first, child second» is entirely true. Once you sign up for one class, they will continue to bug you and beg you to sign up for other classes or join their other programs so they can take more of your money.
The teachers they hire do not teach well. The students could basically just take the booklets home and do them on their own. They would still be learning the same amount as they do in class because the teachers aren’t of much help.
If you are looking for a tutoring school to help your children prepare for college and take classes, DO NOT SIGN THEM UP HERE. I would recommend finding another tutoring school that is more trustworthy and helpful.

If you are seeking college guidance for your children, this is not the place to go.
Some reasons out of many more include:
— under-​qualified and unhelpful teachers and staff
— very shady business practices, especially handling your money
— classes and «counseling» are very pricey and drain the account easily
— counselors are under qualified and do not help the child in any way besides regurgitating «get good grades» and «higher SATs/​ACTs»
— the building was foreclosed and auctioned (doesn’t that say something about the business?)
— profit first, child second
I can elaborate further on the review of this corporation later after I get my money rightfully returned after they — without my knowledge — charged different amounts onto my account, which they tried to cover up as costs of «classes» — my child never attended their services.
Please save your child’s time and invest in somewhere more qualified to help inform your family with college and the crucial time that precedes it.
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