Today, Excelsus offers Classes without Walls, an online platform of predesigned or customizable learning opportunities in English language and composition, literature, creative writing, history, and preparation for the verbal section of the SSAT, ISEE, PSAT, and SAT. In Seattle, the same offerings can be delivered in person or in a hybrid (i.e., online/in-person) model.
Click on the button (below) for descriptions of current offerings.
Testimonials
“We wanted to thank you for the past two years teaching Zach. He has learned so much from you. Your enthusiasm and knowledge and amazing dedication made this decision to leave TAPN difficult. Wanted to thank you personally for making such a difference in his education. Sure wish we could clone you!!! May you continue to bring joy and success to so many students.”
—Dina and Ben Saltsman (Parents), June 14, 2023
“Corey, if we haven’t already shared this with you, this class [American Literature] helped us understand how important the right learning environment is for Amelie’s confidence, work ethic, risk-taking, analytic skills, and love of learning. We saw a remarkable difference between her demeanor after a day in your class compared to a typical day at her current school. It created the impetus for us to look into alternative settings for her. Regardless of where she lands, we want to thank you for the learning experience your course afforded us.”
—Charles Craver (Parent), October 25, 2022
“Thank you so much for sending this update and newsletter! This has already been such a fulfilling experience for Amelie! . . . Thank you for everything you are doing to give these kids a great experience in your course!”
—Sarah Kopelovich (Parent), July 8, 2022
“Good morning, Corey. Thank you for the update. Our boys are so lucky to have you as their teacher. We will see you next week.
—Edgar Liu (Parent), January 24, 2022
It was indeed a real pleasure. Your breadth of knowledge, passion and creativity that you bring to the classroom is inspiring. Looking forward to a wonderful year.
—Dina Saltsman (Parent), November 15, 2021
“Hi, Corey. Thank you for teaching American Literature this summer. Mike has benefited from this summer class and reading the books.”
—Runying Mao (Parent), August 4, 2021
“Dear Mr. Olds, I really missed attending class this morning, and am continuing to read The Resisters. Thank you so much for teaching American Literature this summer! It was wonderful learning about the writers and analyzing the characters in the books. I enjoyed doing the collage too!
“I hope you have a great rest of your summer.”
—Varnika Dokka (Former Student), August 2, 2021
“[Mr. Olds], what a pleasant surprise seeing you at the graduation! You were the biggest reason I got into Stanford. You are truly a very gifted teacher and I am forever grateful. Thanks for the book and being present to celebrate my graduation from Stanford. Priceless!”
—Malcolm Allen (Stanford Alumnus 2017, Longtime Tutee), July 21, 2017
“Mr. Olds, my son Ryder has loved your class [i.e., Kid Scribes]!”
—Krista Ramonas (Parent), March 22, 2017
“Thank you Corey! You have really taught Zach so much and writing is his favorite subject. We cannot thank you enough!”
—Catherine Walcott (Parent), March 14, 2017
“Your work is amazing! I’m ultra-hyped to have the opportunity to work with you.”
—Nikki Bush (Elementary School Vice Principal), October 2, 2016
“Hi, Corey. Kazuo brought his book home and it’s wonderful. Thank you for working with Kazuo over the past year–we can see his story telling has come far since last year and it’s really nice to see a finished product! It looks so professional–I’ll bet all the students take a lot of pride in seeing their works published. Thank you!”
—Jean Nakamura (Parent), February 23, 2016
“Hi, Mr. Olds. We are elated to hear of this accomplishment with Christopher, and we thank you for all you’ve done for him to reach this amazing goal!”
—Steve Chow (Parent), January 28, 2016
“The services of Corey Olds were not only helpful in my quest for college entry, but also very rewarding. Studying and getting ready for the SAT and ACT were very strenuous tasks. I had no idea where to start studying or how to set myself up to get the best score. Due to the fact that I already knew what college I wanted to go to, I had to earn a certain score in order to be accepted. Mr. Olds helped me to break down the test into simple parts, which later helped me to be able to answer every question with confidence. The skills he taught me still apply to my schooling today, as I end my second year of college. His guidance was invaluable and helped me to receive a full-ride scholarship to the school of my choice. I am very grateful for his tutorial services and leadership.”
—Monique McCoy (Former Tutee, Howard University Alumna 2013), Fall 2013
“Dear Corey. Wanted to let you know [that] Rumi loved his day so much [that] he said he wishes he could go to Excelsus instead of school (which he loves!!). Congrats on such an excellent program.”
—Shiree Teng (Parent), March 15, 2011
“Hi Corey . . . I also want to tell you what a positive influence you have on Algernon. When he is meeting with you, he does so much better in school–and I don’t mean in terms of grades (since we don’t have grades). He attends to the business of learning . . . Thank you . . .”
—Laurie Williams (Learning Services Coordinator), June 15, 2010
“Hi, Corey. Thanks again for establishing the program [Excelsus August Institute for African-American Boys]. Aren really enjoyed himself and is thrilled to know there will be follow-up.
“Talk to you soon.”
—Pam Ulmer (Parent), August 10, 2009
“I am fortunate to have crossed paths with Mr. Corey Olds, a phenomenal tutor and mentor. There are four criteria that I look for in a top-notch tutor. They are as follows: 1) A thorough fund of knowledge 2) A good rapport with my children 3) The ability to explain information with clarity and simplicity 4) Reliability. Mr. Olds has exhibited all of these features over the years.
“After graduating from Stanford University, and subsequently teaching Latin and history for high school students, he developed a personalized and strategic way of approaching preparation for the verbal sections of the SAT. Corey starts off with teaching the foundation for verbal success, which is a strong mastery of word parts: prefixes, roots, and suffixes. The next step is an incremental attack of the 3,500 most frequent words that appear on the SAT. Once a sound vocabulary is mastered, Corey teaches students how to apply a unique set of analytics for approaching each of the SAT’s verbal sections. By using the strategic methods devised by Mr. Olds for the SAT and other standardized tests (i.e., SSAT, ISEE, PSAT, and ACT), my sons have increased their test accuracy and confidence, which has resulted in overall increased scores.
“I feel that it is critical to have a systematic approach when preparing for any standardized test. I have had many tutors in the past and the majority of them did not have the qualities necessary to be an effective tutor. This is why I have entrusted Corey with my children for more than five years. Therefore, I highly recommend Mr. Corey Olds and his program for preparing students for the SAT and other standardized tests.”
—Trina Wiggins (Parent, M.D. FAAP), March 26, 2009