M-A offers a wide range of classes, from core courses to a long list of APs. Whatever path your student is on, our tutors can help them do their best on it.
Tell us about your student, and we’ll match them with a Stanford tutor who fits.
Our tutors are current and former Stanford students who help M-A students in math, science, English, history and languages. We also help with SAT and ACT prep and college application essays when the time comes.
M-A’s math pathways
M-A offers Geometry at two levels, and the choice shapes the rest of a student’s math. Geometry Enriched, taken mostly by ninth graders, leads with a B or better to AS Algebra II, then Pre-Calculus and calculus. Geometry Benchmark leads to Algebra II and then Finite Math and Trigonometry or Statistics. AS Algebra II moves fast and adds a full trigonometry unit, and the math department says students need to advocate for themselves because new content comes every day. At the top, students take AP Calculus AB or BC, and M-A also offers Multivariable Calculus. A student can change levels in the first six weeks of a semester with nothing on the transcript. A math tutor in those weeks can help your student decide with confidence, then keep up with the pace.
Block days and finals at M-A
M-A runs a modified block schedule. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays students have seven 50-minute periods, and Wednesdays and Thursdays are block days with three 85-minute periods and a Flex Time. A longer class covers more ground in one sitting, so a missed block day or a confusing lesson can leave a bigger gap to close. Fall semester finals come in mid-December, with two-hour exams spread over four days. A weekly session with a Stanford tutor can follow that rhythm: going over what came up on the block days, keeping notes and assignments in order, and building a study plan a few weeks ahead of finals. For students who want help with planning itself, our academic coaching works on those habits.
What parents say
“My daughter went from a C in Algebra II to an A- in one semester. The tutor was great, she really related to my daughter and made learning fun for her. Not only did her grade in math improve, her study habits improved and she’s doing better in all of her classes.”
Eduardo S., San Francisco
“The tutors themselves have been great: well-prepared, thoughtful and on-time. At each level of math needed, we found these Stanford students to be not just helpful tutors but great mentors as well. … This is a first class operation.”
Christy S., Portola Valley
“My son was a senior this year and I reached out to Cardinal Tutors and was lucky enough to find the most amazing tutor. I wish I had found him earlier.”
Sharon C., Los Altos
Sessions are one-on-one, in person around Atherton and Menlo Park or online. Learn more about our Atherton tutoring.
Tell us about your student, and we’ll match them with a Stanford tutor who fits.