Math and Physics Tutors Who Know San Francisco Schools
Your student isn’t “bad at math” — one bad experience convinced them they were. Our specialty is rewriting that narrative into one of confidence, wonder, and joy.
“I have LITERALLY watched frustration melt into absolute understanding of the subject.” — Patrick R., Parent · Read on Google ↗
- No credit card required
- Full Semester Guarantee
Everything changes when math empowers students
It’s not tutoring. It’s becoming. Behind every “I’m bad at math” is a student who stopped believing they could figure it out. That belief is the real problem — and it’s the one we solve.
First-Time A's to Ivy League
Our students have been accepted to Stanford, Princeton, UC Berkeley, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, and Cornell.
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- Full Semester Guarantee
When Math Changes Their Future, the Future Changes for Everyone
This is what it looks like.
In 3 minutes, see why we believe math and physics aren’t just school subjects — they’re the keys to everything your student dreams about.
- No credit card required
- Full Semester Guarantee
The Alexander Difference
Passion + Purpose = Empowered
When math serves your student’s passion, it has purpose. When it has purpose, something remarkable happens — they become empowered to use education to achieve their dreams.
Personalized Matching = Student Passion
We start by learning what lights your student up — music, sports, art, science, anything. Then we match them with a tutor who shares that passion and shows them how math is the hidden engine behind the things they already love. When math serves something they care about, it stops being a chore.
“With twin high school students at high academic private schools in San Francisco, finding good tutors in math and science has been critical to my kids’ sanity. Sean runs a tight ship and hires terrifically talented tutors that know their stuff and ‘get’ the kids.”
— Alison W., San Francisco parent · Read on Google ↗
Deep Understanding = Purpose
Most students survive math by memorizing formulas — until one curveball on the test sinks them. We teach the why behind every equation, deriving formulas and connecting them to the real world. When your student truly understands the math, they can solve anything a teacher throws at them.
“Alexander tutoring came highly recommended by the learning specialist at my son’s high school… They are not just brainiacs with Science and Math degrees, they use a specific method to teach the students that is the key to opening up the mystery of solving a Physics problem.”
— Amalia A., parent of a San Francisco private high school junior · Read on Google ↗
Confidence First = Empowers Students
There’s no such thing as being ‘bad at math’ — only bad math experiences. A harsh teacher, embarrassment in class, one bad test — and suddenly your student decides they can’t do it. We rewrite that story. With a supportive tutor who believes in them, ‘I can’t’ becomes ‘I’ve got this.’
“After SF public schools ended their honors math programs I was looking for a way for my 8th grader to qualify for high school honors Math. I am happy to report that Tyler at Alexander Math and Physics tutoring helped my son to test into Algebra 2 honors! His math grade in school went up to an A.”
— Alexandra N., San Francisco parent · Read on Google ↗
This is what happens when everything changes.
“It’s such a relief to know that my kids are going to be able to advance in math and science in ways that I personally can’t help them.”
Everything changed for these families.
With twin high school students at high academic private schools in San Francisco, finding good tutors in math and science has been critical to my kids' sanity. Sean runs a tight ship and hires terrifically talented tutors that know their stuff and "get" the kids. Highly recommend. PS My kids got into great colleges and yours will too. Sean's tutors helped minimize the stress.
Alexander Tutoring is excellent. My daughter attends a very rigorous high school in SF and has worked with Tyler to solve problems in Physics, Chemistry and Algebra 2. He explains tough concepts through relatable and fun examples and she truly looks forward to their weekly sessions. He has also been flexible when other commitments required a time change or when she needed additional help before a test.
After SF public schools ended their honors math programs I was looking for a way for my 8th grader to qualify for high school honors Math. I am happy to report that Tyler at Alexander Math and Physics tutoring helped my son to test into Algebra 2 honors! His math grade in school went up to an A. Then when we told him he could stop tutoring with Tyler he didn't want to stop tutoring because he enjoyed what he was learning. Wow! My older son is now preparing for the Physics and Math subject tests and Alexander Tutoring is where we are going. I am so thankful to have advanced Math and Physics help for my kids.
Hands down, Alexander Tutoring is the best in the Bay Area. After trying other highly rated tutors with no success, we were relieved to find Alexander Tutoring. The director, Sean, spoke with me at length to assess my son's needs and pair him with the right tutor. He even met with my son's teacher to better understand his needs. My son was paired with Tyler and from the first meeting his interest and ability in math and physics have steadily improved. My son even took The coding course over the summer and is well on his way to designing his own game. I cannot recommend Alexander Tutoring highly enough.
My daughter took AP Physics 1/2 at Lowell this past year and needed a tutor. Sean arranged for Olivia to meet my daughter regularly over the semester. Olivia was very knowledgable and gave thorough explanations. Rather than lecturing, Olivia was able to teach by discussing concepts with my daughter. As a result, my daughter really gained an understanding of physics and did very well in the class. Excellent tutor!!! Thanks Olivia!!!
Your in great care with Sean! He tutored my college sophomore son in Physics a few years ago with great success. Where is the the proof? In June (2016) my son graduated with a double major in Physics and Econ-Finance -Magna cum Laude at the University of San Francisco. And he did this while also commencing his graduate work as an MSFA in Finance his Senior year and is in the process of completing his graduate degree this December (2016). My son's own success is in large part due to his own determination, intellect, and perseverance; however, I am convinced that Sean played a critical role (at a critical time) in his academic career giving my son the confidence that he could do it! That confidence served as the platform from which my son build his academic standing! Sean is a good as they come.
Sean is fantastic. Sean tutored our son in honors physics. Our son just completed 10th grade at a competitive high school in SF and just missed an A in the first term by a percentage point. Sean helped him improve his score in the second term to an A with plenty of room to spare. Yea Sean. Gifted teacher, communicator and good guy as well.
We have lived in San Francisco for 14 years and my 3 children have attended public school. MOST of the time they have enjoyed great or fine teachers. When my daughter got to high school, the math teacher she had for Algebra 1 was not good. My daughter is curious and works hard. Math is not her favorite subject but she worked hard and still could not understand and got D & grades. As a parent, I’m not as concerned about grades. I want to know my children are making the effort they are capable of most of the time, showing up and trying. I also want them to learn and understand. Much of my high school math career was a total waste and I learned very little. If you don’t learn Algebra 1, it’s a hot mess as you don’t have the necessary foundation and once in calculus, if you make it that far, most mistakes are algebraic according to a principal we had with a PHD in Math. My daughter got another terrible teacher for Geometry. Even the school counselors would speak openly about this teacher being one of the worst in the School’s history. My daughter was trying hard and yet not understanding and getting terrible grades. After studying really hard for a test and feeling confident she understood, I remember watching her face fall one Saturday night as she checked her test grade and got a D. As a parent I didn’t know what to do Because we were watching Khan Academy videos and she was studying and still not understanding. My friend Laura told me about Sean Alexander tutoring and my daughter started with Olivia a few years ago. Immediate improvement in understanding and therefore grades. We had such a good experience with Olivia and Sean that we signed both of our teens up for the math intensive program in the summer of 2018. My kids went once a week with a tutor named Charlie to learn about algebra one and really focus on algebra basics. My daughter ended up getting a 700 on the Math portion of the SAT. She did take practice test and she did the tutoring with Alexander tutoring. She did not do any other test prep. She couldn’t believe she did better on the math portion than the language portion as she loves History and English. Our son was starting high school last fall and after his sisters experience with the math teachers, we wanted to get ahead of the issue and so he took the math intensive program just like his sister. Our son, like many do, struggles with focus and impulse control and I told this to Sean. Doing the summer intensive program relieved so much stress to the entire school year. We didn’t even do the tutoring during the school year. We tried to save money by doing online tutoring from Growing Stars (I think that is the name) and my kids thought it was boring and dreaded it and told me they really didn’t need the tutoring because what they had learned in the summer was caring them through in their classes. They both did fine all year. If you do you want to do the tutoring in the school year , I would sign up now and early because it does fill up. We took a risk and didn’t sign up because my kids felt confident they were going to be OK and they were. This summer my son, who will be a sophomore fall 2019, is meeting twice weekly with Felix. On Tuesday they meet at the library for physics and Thursday at the library for Geometry. I have learned that engaging your kids in the summer a little bit pays off a huge amount during the school year. My children do really well with the one on one tutoring and we have found it is a great investment. It’s not cheap because these are knowledgeable tutors and they have to pay SF rent too! We haven’t done any other test prep (because the free one at the high school for a day) and my daughter is doing really well on her ACT and SAT math scores but more importantly to me, she understands math! She is willing to sit and do all the practice tests on her own because math doesn’t intimidate her anymore. Like all of the tutors, Felix is exceptionally organized
The solution to the problem with Physics is Alexander Tutoring. My son is a Junior at a rigorous private high school in San Francisco, his teachers are quite good, and my 16-year-old is studious. So, when he asked me to find him a tutor, and mind you this was the first time he ever asked me for a tutor, I knew it was the topic itself that was down right difficult and my son needed a skilled tutor who knew the method to the madness that is Physics. Alexander tutoring came highly recommended by the learning specialist at my son's high school, and after speaking with Sean Alexander it was clear to me why a learning specialist would recommend the tutors at Alexander tutoring. They are not just brainiacs with Science and Math degrees, they use a specific method to teach the students that is the key to opening up the mystery of solving a Physics problem. Equally important is that my son (the critical teenager) has found his tutor Wilder to be approachable, patient, and motivating. Wilder verified for my son that yes indeed these were tough Physics problems, but that he, Wilder, would teach him how to approach Physics problems using the Alexander method, and that my overwhelmed Junior could handle these problems--no problem:-) As a mother, it is so gratifying to see my son tackle this tough topic--the semester grades are not in yet, but so far my son is doing better and better with each test. More important, he no longer thinks that this kind of abstract scientific thought is beyond him. As an educator with a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology , when I work with a student who is overwhelmed, over anxious, and struggling to learn, I understand that what is needed is to target the learning problem and apply a specific learning intervention tailor made for the learning problem. Alexander tutors get that and make a difference. One last thing of no little import--Sean answers his phone! He is at the ready when I call with a question, comment, thought, or concern. He communicates effectively, he responds actively, and he always follows through. Yes, the price is high, but my son is improving and I reckon he won't need tutoring indefinitely, so for right now it is well worth it.
Sean is a wonderful math tutor! Sean tutored both of my boys, in grades 8 and 6. Very different situations, equally great results - I'm highly satisfied with Sean.Last year, my 8th grade son needed help with the math sections in the SSAT/ISEE exams -- the exams required of San Francisco's private and parochial high school applicants. My eldest son was stressed about the math sections, but Sean calmly and enthusiastically diagnosed which areas needed help, and tackled each area of need. Sean provided guidance and very practical tutoring, including drills and reinforcement. Sean was very patient throughout it all. My son made big gains, did great on the actual exams, and got into his top high schools. Thank you Sean!My 6th grader was in a completely different situation. This younger son absolutely loves math, was bored at school, and I approached Sean about providing summer math enrichment tutoring for him. I wasn't sure exactly what this entailed, but I trusted Sean would figure out it. Sean did -- with accolades. My math loving son was thrilled with finally being challenged and completely engaged. They explored all sorts of math concepts, advanced topics, and very practical techniques to reduce errors and develop good math habits. This son had a great summer of math and wants to continue lessons during the school year so he can continue his independent study and love for the subject. By the end of the summer, my 6th grader is doing 11th grade work. Bottom line, Sean is an effective teacher who understands kids, figures out how to help each one individually and engages them through the process. My husband and I highly recommend Sean!
My recently graduated daughter from Lowell HS benefited immensely from the Calculus tutoring from Sean's team. They made a complex subject easier to comprehend and boosted her confidence. I highly recommend Sean.
Sean was fantastic helping our daughter through a challenging Lowell Algebra/Trig class. He was helpful and patient and brought her grade up three levels in three months.
How it Works
Getting started is simple.
Getting support is simple and risk-free. We focus on understanding your student first, then building confidence and momentum step by step.
- No credit card required
- Full Semester Guarantee
1. Book Your Risk-Free Lesson
No credit card. No commitment. No catch. Just a conversation about your student — who they are, what they love, and where they’re stuck. After the session, you’ll receive a complimentary skills assessment that pinpoints the foundational gaps holding them back — yours to keep no matter what.
2. Find the Perfect Tutor
The #1 factor in your student’s success isn’t the curriculum — it’s the chemistry. We match based on personality, passions, and learning style. Not the right fit? Try another session at no cost. You get as many trials as it takes. You’ll know when it clicks — you’ll see the fire in their eyes.
3. Watch Everything Change
Your student gets weekly one-on-one mentoring plus nightly office hours for homework help — all backed by our Full Semester Guarantee. No contract. Cancel anytime. Confidence builds. Grades follow.
San Francisco Tutoring at a Glance
- Who teaches
- Mathematicians, physicists and engineers with degrees in their field, not college students. Meet the team.
- Subjects
- Every level of math from pre-algebra through calculus and AP Calculus, physics through AP Physics, chemistry, and SAT Math, ACT Math and ACT Science.
- Format
- One-on-one and online for students across San Francisco, on a shared digital whiteboard where your tutor writes the math in real time. Lessons follow your student’s school, class and test calendar.
- What it costs
- $895/month on Dedicated Tutor: a weekly one-on-one session, nightly office hours, monthly progress reports and direct tutor access. Homework help alone is $295/month, and the Rocket Star Track adds a second weekly session for $1,745/month. See all plans.
- The first lesson
- Risk-free, with a skills assessment and a 30-day game plan that is yours to keep. If the match isn’t right, try another tutor at no cost.
- Results
- Dedicated Tutor and Rocket Star Track plans are backed by our Full Semester Guarantee: not satisfied at the end of the term, full refund. In our four-year study of 147 students, math growth averaged about twice the national projection.
The San Francisco schools we know inside out
Since 2009 we’ve tutored thousands of San Francisco students in math, physics and chemistry — across SFUSD campuses, the city’s independent schools, and the parochial schools listed below.
We know these curricula intimately. Which schools run Integrated Math and which keep the traditional Algebra–Geometry–Algebra II sequence. Which departments pace AP Physics alongside Calculus and which run it a year ahead. How each one teaches proof, lab work and problem sets — and where students in that course reliably hit the wall. A tutor who knows math isn’t the same as a tutor who knows your student’s math class.
If your student’s school isn’t on this list, that isn’t a problem — there’s a good chance we’ve already worked inside their exact course sequence.
High school
St. Ignatius College Preparatory · Lowell High School · San Francisco University High School · Lick-Wilmerding High School · Jewish Community High School of the Bay · French American International / International High School · Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory · Archbishop Riordan High School · Convent & Stuart Hall · The Urban School of San Francisco · George Washington High School · The Drew School · The Bay School of San Francisco · Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts · Abraham Lincoln High School · San Francisco Waldorf High School · Galileo Academy of Science & Technology · Balboa High School · Gateway High School · Raoul Wallenberg High School · Sterne School
Middle school
San Francisco Friends School · Claire Lilienthal Alternative School · Presidio Middle School · Roosevelt Middle School · Stratford School · Synergy School
Elementary
Live Oak School · The Hamlin School · Katherine Delmar Burke School · Cathedral School for Boys · Saint Vincent de Paul School · Presidio Knolls School · Chinese American International School · Saint Philip School · Holy Name School · Saint Brendan Parish School · Thomas Edison Charter Academy · New School of San Francisco · Sunset Elementary School
College
University of San Francisco · San Francisco State · City College of San Francisco
Most tutoring gets a student through Friday’s test. That’s not what we’re for.
Your student learns where every formula comes from — so a problem they’ve never seen stops being a threat. They stop asking whether something will be on the test and start asking why it works.
What makes your math and physics tutors different?
Your student works with a practicing mathematician, physicist, or engineer — someone who uses this material professionally, not a college student a chapter ahead in the textbook. We recruit nationally because that’s the only way to find them.
San Francisco sets a high bar. Whether your student is testing into Lowell, sitting for the SSAT or the HSPT, or keeping pace in an accelerated track at an independent school, the math expectations here are unforgiving.
What that means in practice:
- Tutors with graduate-level training and professional research experience
- A derivation-first method — nothing gets memorized that could be understood instead
- Nightly office hours, so homework help doesn’t wait for the next session
How do you match a student with the right tutor?
Nobody’s first session is really about math. It’s about finding out whether this person is going to make them feel stupid again.
Our tutors are matched on personality and interest before subject — a physicist who races bikes, a mathematician who plays in a band. When the match is right, a student stops bracing and starts asking questions. That’s the moment the tutoring actually begins.
If it isn’t right, you get another match at no cost, as many times as it takes. About 80% of our students click on the first try, 95% by the second.
What math and physics subjects do you tutor?
Every level of math and physics, from foundational arithmetic through university coursework, plus chemistry at the high school and AP level:
- Pre-Algebra and Algebra I & II
- Geometry and Trigonometry
- Precalculus and Calculus (including AP Calculus AB & BC)
- Statistics and AP Statistics
- Physics, AP Physics 1, 2, and C
- Chemistry and AP Chemistry
- SAT and ACT Math
- College-level math and physics
Sessions are one-on-one and built around your student, not a fixed curriculum. We start by finding out where the gaps actually are, then work forward from there.
“My daughter attends a very rigorous high school in SF and has worked with Tyler to solve problems in Physics, Chemistry and Algebra 2. He explains tough concepts through relatable and fun examples and she truly looks forward to their weekly sessions.”
— Grace B., San Francisco parent
Lessons line up with what your student’s school teaches, based on California’s Mathematics Framework. For grade-by-grade detail, see our guides to 7th grade math, 8th grade math standards and 9th grade Algebra 1, or see all of our California tutoring locations.
Do you tutor elementary school math in San Francisco?
Yes, though it’s a smaller part of our San Francisco work. Our young learners come from Live Oak School, The Hamlin School, San Francisco Waldorf, Katherine Delmar Burke, Cathedral School for Boys and San Francisco Friends School.
At this age the math itself is rarely the problem. What we see instead is a story a student has started telling themselves — “I’m bad at math” — and it almost always traces back to a single moment: being called to the board without the answer, a placement in the wrong group, a school change mid-year, an illness that interrupted a unit.
We change that by matching your student with a real mathematician or physicist — someone who can explain a concept five different ways until one lands. Addition through fractions, reinforced with low-pressure drills that build retention without building dread.
Do you tutor middle school math?
Yes. Our San Francisco middle schoolers come from Convent & Stuart Hall, San Francisco Friends School, Presidio Middle, Roosevelt Middle, Claire Lilienthal and others.
Middle school math in San Francisco has been unsettled for over a decade. SFUSD removed Algebra 1 from eighth grade in 2014, and for years the only route into an advanced high school track was to test in from outside — which is how a lot of families first found us. In March 2026 the board voted to offer Algebra 1 at every middle school again, mostly alongside Math 8.
That is the right call, and it arrives with a real problem attached. The district’s own eighth grade teachers have not taught algebra in over a decade. In the pilot years, students placed into Algebra 1 instead of Math 8 retook it in ninth grade at roughly twice the rate of those who took it as an elective. When SFUSD surveyed educators, 41 of 50 said they did not believe students were ready for Algebra 1 as their only eighth-grade math course.
So the door is open, and the preparation underneath it is uneven. That gap is where we work.
“If you don’t learn Algebra 1, it’s a hot mess as you don’t have the necessary foundation and once in calculus, if you make it that far, most mistakes are algebraic.”
— Nettie A., San Francisco public school parent
Grades 6 through 8 are where the foundation gets set — equations and integers, order of operations, proportions and percentages, substitution, measures of central tendency. These have to be solid before high school. Miss them and the gap compounds for years.
Most students are taught to memorize steps in place of understanding them. We derive every equation we use, because a student who understands the derivation isn’t memorizing anymore. They’re reasoning.
This is also the window when San Francisco families are preparing for high school placement — the SSAT for independent schools, the HSPT for St. Ignatius, Sacred Heart Cathedral and Riordan, or testing into Lowell and Ruth Asawa SOTA. Strong middle school math makes all of it far less stressful.
“My 8th grade son needed help with the math sections in the SSAT/ISEE exams — the exams required of San Francisco’s private and parochial high school applicants. My son made big gains, did great on the actual exams, and got into his top high schools.”
— Sabrina G., San Francisco parent
Which San Francisco high school math and physics courses do you cover?
This is the bulk of our San Francisco work, with students at St. Ignatius, Lowell, San Francisco University High School, Lick-Wilmerding, Jewish Community High School of the Bay, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Archbishop Riordan, The Urban School and more.
Courses we cover:
- Algebra I & II, Geometry, Trigonometry
- Precalculus and Calculus, including AP Calculus AB & BC
- Physics, AP Physics 1, 2 and C
- SAT & ACT Math
- College-level math prep
We go well beyond test prep. We teach students to derive what they’re learning, so they understand the why rather than the how — which is what holds up when a problem doesn’t look like the homework.
“My daughter took AP Physics 1/2 at Lowell this past year and needed a tutor. Rather than lecturing, Olivia was able to teach by discussing concepts with my daughter. As a result, my daughter really gained an understanding of physics and did very well in the class.”
— Ann-Marie Z., San Francisco parent
Our SAT and ACT Masterclasses are especially popular with San Francisco families aiming for Stanford, UC Berkeley, Columbia, NYU, UCLA, USC and the Ivies.
Preparing for admissions tests? Read how to improve an SAT math score or see our SAT and ACT tutoring.
Do you tutor college math?
Yes — at the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State and City College of San Francisco.
College math moves fast and forgives nothing. Lecture halls are large, office hours are crowded, and a single missed week is enough to fall behind for a term. We cover college algebra, geometry and trigonometry, finite math, statistics, calculus and physics.
Every one of our tutors is a working scientist or mathematician with advanced degrees in their field. They’ve taken these courses, and in many cases they’ve taught them.
“He tutored my college sophomore son in Physics a few years ago with great success. Where is the proof? My son graduated with a double major in Physics and Econ-Finance, Magna cum Laude, at the University of San Francisco.”
— Ken M., San Francisco parent
We also know some students are reluctant to admit they’re struggling. Our tutors rebuild from the last point of solid ground, one step at a time — which produces a better grade, and understanding that survives into the next course.
Do you tutor adults returning to math?
Yes. San Francisco professionals come to us to pivot into tech, re-enter school, or sit for a qualifying exam. If you haven’t taken a math course in a decade or more, that can feel daunting. It shouldn’t.
In this city specifically, we see a steady stream of adults working toward:
- Data science, machine learning and quantitative finance roles
- Graduate program prerequisites and the GRE Quantitative section
- Actuarial and engineering licensure exams
- Finishing an undergraduate degree
We build the program around your actual timeline and target — from basic algebra through thermodynamics and nuclear physics.
We answer your questions directly and we don’t pretend a topic is simpler than it is. That’s what makes it stick.
Meet our Math & Physics Tutors
We scour the country for math and physics tutors like Rebecca.
We recruit nationally to find the best — not just the most credentialed, but the most passionate.
Rebecca M.
Rebecca triple-majored in Physics, Theatre, and Secondary Education — and that was just the beginning. She’s since earned a Master’s in STEAM Curriculum Design and a Master’s in Chemistry. She fell in love with physics watching Star Trek as a kid, and she brings that same sense of wonder to every session. Whether your student is an artist, a performer, or a future engineer, Rebecca meets them where they are.
- B.A. Physics, Theatre & Secondary Education (triple major)
- M.Ed. Curriculum Design, STEAM Integration
- M.S. Chemistry
- Specializes in AP Physics, Calculus, and students who “hate math”
If it doesn’t work, you don’t pay. Period.
We’re so confident in our method that we guarantee your results for the entire semester. If you’re not satisfied at the end of the term, we’ll refund every penny. No fine print. No partial credits. A full refund.
No other tutoring company in the country offers this — because no other tutoring company gets results like ours.
- No credit card required
- Full Semester Guarantee