Testimonials
What Students Are Saying:
Mollie Owen
JSerra Catholic High School
ACT Prep
Niko Honda
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Kaylee Tu
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Elijah Song
Beckman High School
ACT Prep
Sarah Boothroyd
Northwood High School
Math 1 / Math 2
Caden Daniels
Crean Lutheran High School
Algebra 2 / Pre-Calculus
Terri Yoo
Redondo Union High School
ACT Prep
Jonathan Cha
El Toro High School
ACT Prep
Nick DeMaio
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Math 2 / Math 3
Micaela O’Connell
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Peyton Wagner
Yorba Linda High School
ACT Prep
Britney Zhang
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Hevin Gil
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Math 3
Emily Barrot
Crean Lutheran High School
ACT Prep
Laila Ardalan
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Jenna Kung
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Andrew Wraith
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Claire O’Connor
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Tess Ortego
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Anne Parayil
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Chloe Muller
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Luke Ludwick
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2
Towne Allen
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2
Kathleen Kim
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Mariah Hulbert
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / College Personal Statements
Luke DeMaio
Northwood High School
Algebra 2
Kaitlyn Spellman
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Math 2 / Math 3
Sarah Chung
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
ACT Prep / Essays
Michael Bellas
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / College Personal Statements
Sasaiya Robles
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Brooks Blackburn
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2
Jennifer Cardenas
Loyola Marymount University
GMAT
Justin Doron
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Ben Langdon
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2
Leila Mohammadi
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Julia Glasky
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Geometry / Algebra 2 / Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry
Katie Perkins
Northwood High School
Geometry / Algebra 2
Erika Adler
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Geometry / Algebra 2
Alec Mason Little
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2
Amy Bentrott
Northwood High School
Geometry / Algebra 2
Lindsay Doron
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Ivanna Rea
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2 / Trigonometry / College Personal Statements
Mike Coleman
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Geometry / Algebra 2
Sebastian Cardenas
Northwood High School
Algebra 2 / Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry
Mariana Cardenas
Northwood High School
SAT Prep / Geometry / Algebra 2 / Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry
Kristine Tanaka
Northwood High School
Geometry / Algebra 2
Cameron Kasey
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Richa Roy
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Matthew Sartanowicz
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Isaiah Easton
Northwood High School
ACT + SAT Prep
Moses Shin
Northwood High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2 / Personal Statements
David Cha
El Toro High School
ACT Prep / Algebra / Geometry / Personal Statements
Jenny Leon
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2
Allison Park
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
Geometry / Algebra 2 / Pre-Calculus / Essays
Brittney Maldonado
Mater Dei High School
Algebra / Geometry / Algebra 2 / Statistics
Abigail Lee
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
ACT Prep / Algebra 2 / Essays
Ashley Kang
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
Essays / Personal Statements
Kairos Academics was my first preparation of any sort for the ACT. I had scored pretty high on practice tests but was looking to achieve a perfect score. Young was very encouraging and helpful, and through his classes I learned more efficient approaches to tackle each section. By going over several of my previous practice tests, he helped me identify and strengthen my weak spots. He always believed in me, and due to his teaching, I was able to get a final composite score of 36 on the ACT!
Ananya Karthikeyan
University High School
ACT Prep
Ella Suh
Irvine High School
ACT Prep
When my dad told me I was doing an ACT prep class last summer, I was not thrilled to say the least. But after starting, I found myself looking forward to the classes. Class was never boring, which I think made it so much easier for me to pay attention and absorb all of the information. Young’s method of teaching was very efficient. He had an ability to explain things in a way that automatically made sense. I also loved how positive the atmosphere was. Young was such a supportive teacher and always pushed me to do my best. He celebrated every small achievement I made. I was able to get a 34 on my first attempt, which I genuinely don’t think I could’ve done without him.
When my mom told me I was taking an ACT prep course over the summer I immediately thought “my summer is ruined.” I had been working so hard all year and just wanted a break from school. Even worse, after taking the Pre-ACT and receiving lower scores than a lot of my peers, my confidence in standardized test-taking was shot. I felt like no amount of test prep could help me succeed, especially because I struggle with ADHD. But even from the first session I had with Young, I knew that taking his class was not going to be a waste of time. Over the course of a few months, Young built up my confidence and found ways to help me overcome the obstacles ADHD created for me. Every session was enjoyable, whether I was making new friends, cracking jokes, pranking Young, or even feeling satisfied and excited after nailing a difficult concept. Young was also patient and flexible with me in working with my swim training and competition schedule, which becomes extremely hectic over the summer. In the end, his clever strategies and methods of teaching, combined with his optimistic personality, pushed me to be successful on the ACT. I achieved a 33 composite score on my first try, scoring a perfect 36 on the reading section and a 35 on the English section! I cannot thank him enough.
Katerina Tolkachev
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Ken Yasuda
Portola High School
ACT Prep
The Reading and English portions have always been my weak suits when it came to the ACT, but working with Young for only a couple months, I was able to raise it about 5 points on those sections. Young focuses on the fundamentals and doesn’t emphasize supposed “hacks” on the test. Young really drills into you the basics of grammar and reading comprehension in a way that is failsafe against the ACT. He has been one of my favorite tutors, and attending his class was always a treat. Highly recommend his class as the way he teaches and acts is a great source to learn and grow. With Young’s help, I was able to bump my score from a 30 to a 35, which is better than I could ask for.
I cannot recommend working with Young enough for the ACT. Upon being referred by friends, I was blown away by how engaging and enjoyable the whole process was. His methodical and organized approach from start to finish was exceptional, and I cannot imagine anyone doing a better job. Young not only taught me effective strategies for the ACT but also reinforced my prior knowledge, particularly in English and Math. His lessons were never dull, and he always encouraged us to aim for our highest scores. The weekly practice tests made taking the ACT feel second nature, and the subsequent reviews, supplemented with various resources, enabled me to continually achieve new high scores. Thanks to Young’s guidance, I improved dramatically, going from a 27 composite on my diagnostic to a 33 composite on my final ACT, with significant improvements in every section, especially in English (24 to a 34) and reading (31 to a 36).
More than just an excellent tutor, Young is an incredibly personable and kind individual. He genuinely cares about his students and goes above and beyond to build relationships with them. His lighthearted approach and ongoing jokes kept things fun, and I always had a good laugh in every session. He celebrated every success, no matter how big or small, and provided nothing but encouragement and support when mistakes were made. I felt comfortable making mistakes and admitting when I didn’t know something. Overall, I am incredibly grateful to have had Young’s guidance throughout this whole process.
Ethan Cho
Foothill High School
ACT Prep
Chloe Mun
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Before Kairos, I had no intentions of taking the ACT as I had a history of experiencing test anxiety, especially in a standardized test setting. I started with nothing and felt very discouraged as I constantly doubted my skills and believed I would never be good enough. During my ACT prep with Young, he taught me how to tackle each section and also helped me build confidence over time. What I appreciate the most about Young is his authenticity and how he genuinely cares for his students to do their best and takes the time to analyze their abilities and arrange his lessons accordingly. There would be times when I felt overwhelmed by my extracurriculars and school, but Young respected my pace and created a comfortable environment where I was able to ease in. He truly is a reliant teacher that motivates students through his passion and knowledge, and ultimately inspired me to improve and become a better version of myself as weeks went by. Thanks to his help, I was able to score a 35 and a super score of 36 overall. I would genuinely recommend Young to anyone interested in taking the ACT as he is a teacher that embodies efficiency and authenticity!
As much as I would normally dread doing any sort of tutoring, I found myself actually being excited to go to Young’s class because I knew I’d be improving my skills immensely while also enjoying myself and my learning environment. Young helped me grasp skills I never would have been able to on my own and always worked from the heart rather than simply going through the movements. Beyond the classroom, Young taught me applicable and significant life lessons that helped me grow as a person: perseverance, determination, and confidence were just a few traits that Young helped me channel. Through his ACT prep course and continued practice tests every week, I was able to get a score of 34- a score I genuinely didn’t know I was capable of going into this. Young’s unwavering faith in me and personal connection we formed through this learning process helped me continue at times I felt stumped- because of this I got results. I highly recommend Young as well as any staff member at Kairos Academics. Not just for ACT prep, but for any academic subject you may be struggling with.
Kaya Lee
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Delaney Adan
Capistrano Valley High School
ACT Prep
I was enrolled at Kairos over the summer by my mother, expecting to hate every second of ACT prep. It is safe to say that I did not hate ACT prep with Young at all. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed it very much and looked forward to going to class every day. Young’s enthusiastic attitude, teaching style, genuine care, bad dad jokes, and never-ending patience created an amazing learning environment. Young made every class fun and educational. I was always amazed by how much we had learned in an hour. Young was super understanding and flexible whenever I was not able to make it to class. He would let me zoom into class or record class on zoom so I did not fall behind. He also thoroughly explained anything I didn’t understand and made sure I understood everything before moving on. He truly cares about the wellbeing and future of his students. I definitely would not have been able to increase my ACT score without Young’s help.
Standardized testing can be daunting, especially for a first-time test taker who has no idea how the ACT and SAT work. I’m incredibly fortunate to have met Young and had him as my ACT tutor. Every single one of his lessons were very personalized, and it felt as though he genuinely cared about every student inside and outside the classroom. I took my diagnostic in October of 2021, and after getting a score of 22 composite, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the ability to hit the score I desired. Over the course of the year, having access to Young as a resource drastically improved my confidence in my knowledge, and I noticed a quick increase in my score as I consistently took practice ACTs. Then, taking the official ACT in September of 2022, I was able to hit a composite score of 32. Young blew me away with his ability to create personal connections with students and guide them towards academic success. I cannot recommend him enough.
Kaylin Ger
Irvine High School
ACT Prep
Mandy Chan
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
When the ACT test-taking process began, I was nervous knowing that standardized testing was never my thing. Hearing all of the positive remarks about Young from many friends, I felt that working with him would be worth a try. Young had exceeded my expectations and just after a few classes with him, I felt so much more confident in the concepts. Young broke down each of the subject matters through his detailed and engaging guidance and made sure I understood all of the concepts before I walked out the door. Young also created a learning environment that allowed me to comfortably ask questions and receive the help I would need to better understand the concept, removed the mental blocks that were holding me back from reaching my full potential, and gave me the confidence I needed through his encouragements and care. Thanks to Young, I was able to increase my score in my weakest section, English, by 14 points and saw a 7-point increase in my composite score. Overall, Young celebrates each and every one of his students, and I can’t express how thankful I am to have worked with him throughout this entire process.
The idea of preparing for the ACT was always scary. Walking into my first class, I wasn’t confident in my own abilities to do well on the test. But Young was able to break down concepts in a way I was able to understand and use on the test to improve my score. Also, Young was accommodating with my changing schedule as a student-athlete and would always make sure I had a class or zoom call to go to. Approaching the ACT, I was nervous and unsure of whether or not I could do my best, but Young was always there to reassure and help me remain confident in my skills. Thanks to Young, I was able to improve my composite score by 8 points and reach a superscore of 33. Kairos Academics helped me to improve as a student and feel more confident in my academic skills.
Lindsey Kung
Northwood High School
ACT Prep
Joshua Chang
Laguna Hills High School
ACT Prep
I’m grateful to Young for his tutelage. I was able to raise my composite score 7 points and score in the 99% because of his lessons. He is great at working with the students, building upon their strength and helping them overcome their weaknesses. Overall, he is a chill and dope dude.