Synapse puts social-emotional learning at the center of its program, and its math and science are built around projects. Our tutors are current and former Stanford students who are warm and patient, and who know the subjects well enough to show a student why an idea works, not just how.
Tell us about your student, and we’ll match them with a Stanford tutor who fits.
We tutor Synapse students in everything from fractions and ratios to systems of equations, and help with essays, research papers and high school entrance exams. Sessions are one-on-one, at your home or online.
Math built on problems and projects
Synapse math asks students to work through problems that every student can start and the strongest can take much further, and it puts understanding ahead of speed and memorization. Middle schoolers apply what they learn in projects: fifth and sixth graders study wing area and ratios, and seventh and eighth graders use geometry and statistics to look at how voting districts are drawn. In seventh and eighth grade, students work with systems of equations, exponents and the start of quadratic functions. A tutor gives extra practice on the skills a project draws on, and harder problems to a student who wants more. Learn more about our math tutoring.
Writing in every form
Seventh and eighth graders at Synapse write in many forms, from personal narratives and poetry to thesis essays and research papers. Social studies adds Model U.N. and news articles written after a simulated cabinet meeting. With a tutor, a student learns to plan a thesis essay or research paper, keep sources organized, and revise until the writing says exactly what they mean. Learn more about our English and writing tutoring.
What parents say
“The tutor (who was a Stanford junior) really connected with my son and inspired him to learn. He had some great study tips and was able to help my son raise his grades by quite a bit.”
Pamela T., Palo Alto
“At each level of math needed, we found these Stanford students to be not just helpful tutors but great mentors as well.”
Christy S., Portola Valley
“It turns out my son also needed help staying organized with all his assignments, something that the tutor helped with as well.”
Amy C., Palo Alto
High school applications
Synapse starts working with families on high school placement in seventh grade, and its graduates go on to schools from Menlo and Crystal Springs to Gunn and Menlo-Atherton. Some of those schools ask for the ISEE or SSAT, and a tutor gets a student comfortable with the format and timing well before test day. Learn more about our entrance-exam tutoring.
Tell us about your student, and we’ll match them with a Stanford tutor who fits.