IELTS Prep Courses in Berkeley (California)

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Are you a Berkeley-area student planning on taking the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)? If you hope to attend an English-speaking university and English is not your native language, you will need to demonstrate your proficiency with this challenging language, and we at Manhattan Review are here to help you master every aspect of this all-important test. While any new language can be difficult to learn, English is a notoriously challenging language to grasp and requires conversational interaction far beyond simply reviewing English vocabulary words. We are proud to offer Berkeley's most comprehensive, flexible, and student-friendly IELTS test prep program, with options certain to help you succeed regardless of where you are in your test prep process. We offer classroom-style group courses, interactive online sessions, and one-on-one private tutoring, ensuring there is always a prep option that works for you and your schedule. When you partner with Manhattan Review, you receive access to our industry-leading preparatory materials, as well as our extensive study syllabus, intentionally designed to provide you with everything you need to excel on the IELTS. You also receive the opportunity to learn and practice effective and efficient test-taking techniques and strategies, removing any need to guess at answers. If you are seeking the most effective way to take your IELTS preparation to the next level, look no further than the respected and experienced instructors at Manhattan Review. 

For those motivated students looking to take charge of their IELTS preparation, we at Manhattan Review are eager to work with you, guiding you to test-taking success the same way we have guided countless other students around the world. There is no need to waste your valuable time piecing together your own study plan and hoping you are focusing on the most relevant topics…we are leaders in standardized test prep and have used our knowledge to deconstruct and analyze every aspect of the IELTS. Our personable and knowledgeable instructors have done the work for you and are ready to help you master the strategies you need to succeed while avoiding common mistakes that will negatively impact your test score. We have offered world-class test prep instruction since 1999, and we are proud to have retained the services of the brightest and most committed teachers. Those tutors who work for Manhattan Review have obtained their own impressive standardized test scores and are closely familiar with the IELTS, but they are not only exceptional test-takers…they are exceptional educators with strong backgrounds in teaching and learning theory. They will begin by identifying your unique learning style, helping you leverage the academic strengths you already possess while showing you how to overcome any areas of weakness that might impact your final test score in an unwanted way. 

The IELTS is one of two major exams used by universities in the English-speaking world to assess English language competency (the other exam is the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL). The IELTS is a British examination, and it is therefore favored by many universities in the United Kingdom. The TOEFL is an American test, and many U.S. colleges favor it over the IELTS. A number of postsecondary institutions in both the United States and the United Kingdom, however, will accept either the IELTS or the TOEFL, and we advise all of our test prep clients to verify the English requirements of their preferred undergraduate or graduate program. If you have a choice between the IELTS and the TOEFL, the best solution is to try practice versions of both tests, ultimately favoring whichever one is easier for you. It is important to note that there are some clear differences between the two tests…speaking skills, for example, are evaluated by audio recordings on the TOEFL and by in-person interviews on the IELTS. 

The IELTS is graded on a scale of 1 to 9, with higher scores reflecting a better understanding of the English language and a stronger ability to communicate effectively in this language. Schools such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Caltech require a minimum IELTS score of 7 in order to obtain admission to undergrade programs, although incoming students routinely have scores higher than this. Most colleges and universities in the United Kingdom and the United States suggest an IELTS score of 6 to 7 in order to be considered competitive for admission. 

At Manhattan Review, we use our more than 20 years of experience in the test prep industry to help students just like you work to their full potential. Whether you prefer learning alongside other students, need the flexibility of online instruction, or prefer the customized learning of private tutoring, we have an option that's just right for you and all your test taking needs. Wherever you are in your IELTS preparation process, let us partner with you and support your learning, helping you to increase your test score while offering tried-and-true ways to reduce any test-related anxiety. Our instructors will teach you how to identify different types of test questions while also ensuring you know how to pace yourself by strengthening your time management skills. Our in-demand professional educators have created a specialized test prep method that is both comprehensive and targeted, helping numerous students gain admission to the leading English-speaking colleges and universities including New York University, Columbia University, MIT, Johns Hopkins University, American University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Chicago, the University of Southern California, Stanford University, the University of Washington, Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, Oxford University, the University of Cambridge, the University of California at Los Angeles, Princeton University, and elsewhere. Contact us today to learn more about how our outstanding tutors can help you obtain the IELTS score you need to take your place at the English-speaking undergraduate or graduate program you've always dreamed of. 

If you plan to attend a top-tier English-speaking college or university, give yourself the support you deserve and remember that you do not need to prepare for the IELTS alone. When it comes to obtaining a score that will allow you to confidently apply to even the most prestigious collegiate programs, we understand the importance of attending a university with instant name recognizability. We also know exactly how competitive college applications have become, particularly in the Bay Area, and it is more important than ever to demonstrate a strong grasp of the English language. Attending a respected college or university is the first step towards building the career of your dreams, and in order to be hired by the company you most wish to work for, you will need every advantage possible to help your application stand out. Attending a leading college or university will demonstrate your commitment to learning, growing, and challenging yourself, and this will ultimately make hiring managers take notice of you and your accomplishments. There are always more applications received than there are positions available but graduating from an established collegiate program will draw the attention and consideration your hard work deserves. The best way to attend a leading college or university is to obtain an impressive IELTS score, and an impressive score that opens academic doors can be yours when you partner with the test prep experts at Manhattan Review. We encourage you to contact us today to learn more about our IELTS prep options, and we look forward to partnering with you on your journey to personal and professional success.

Meet a Berkeley IELTS Tutor: Marcos R.

Marcos R. was born in Valencia and lived in various locations throughout his home country of Spain until he was eleven, at which point his father was offered an exciting promotion that required the family to relocate to the United States. "I wasn't excited about moving away from everything and everyone I'd ever known," admits Marcos, "but I was really looking forward to trying different foods because that's something I'd always heard about the US, how good and varied the food was." Marcos can't remember a time when he wasn't helping his mother in the kitchen, learning to combine ingredients and watching baked goods take shape, and he quickly came to appreciate the culinary opportunities available to him in the Miami area where he now lived. Marcos and his siblings loved the backyard garden they helped plant and maintain, and Marcos recalls the first night he served carrots and green beans he'd grown himself. "I was so proud," he laughs, "but it was also a good lesson, seeing that things take time to grow and learning about putting forth a good effort to control what I could." 

Marcos moved to the US with some knowledge of English, but he soon found himself overwhelmed by the pace at which his schoolmates spoke, and his parents arranged for him to work with a retired teacher to help improve his grasp of the English language. It wasn't long before Marcos felt more comfortable with his English-language speaking and writing skills, and he found himself helping other internationally born students at his school with their English as well, even going so far as to found an ESL club during his freshman year. Marcos was surprised at how much he enjoyed helping others master the challenging language, and he began thinking of ways he could someday merge his new-found love of teaching with his long-time passion for cooking. Due to his impressive academic performance, as well as his high SAT score, Marcos was accepted to numerous colleges and universities, although he ultimately chose to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in education. Marcos then attended a prestigious culinary school in France, where he graduated at the top of his class, but rather than accept a position in a respected restaurant, Marcos wanted to travel. He obtained his TESOL from the University of Toronto, and then he packed his suitcases and accepted a position with an international nonprofit organization focused on teaching English to students.

Marcos loved living all around the world, and as he taught English to students, he learned about the local ingredients available for use and began to create recipes based off them. While he shared some of his cooking techniques with the local families of the students he taught, he also took every opportunity he could to learn from them, picking up new skills through first-hand experience. After more than a decade spent in various countries across Southeast Asia, Marcos decided he wanted to put down roots and accepted an administrative position with the nonprofit company in Berkeley. While he continued to offer sought-after cooking seminars in his new home, Marcos missed working directly with students, and when a rare opening came up at the Berkeley office of Manhattan Review, Marcos eagerly applied and was quickly welcomed to the team. His students appreciate his enthusiasm and experience, and when he isn't helping future college students prepare for the IELTS, Marcos can be found fishing, teaching his son to work in the community garden the family lives near, and working on a cookbook he intends to publish soon.