Your kid's ability and their report card tell two different stories.
Engineer-led, one-to-one tutoring and mentorship for gifted, quietly brilliant, and neurodivergent students — remote, nationwide.
Matt Starolis — UT Austin ECE · Former director at Microsoft
Formerly Elite Guide, Alpha/GT School · 3,000+ recorded 1:1 hours
Your kid used to light up when they figured something out. Somewhere in the last few years, that light faded. School became something to survive. You've tried what everyone tries — and watched the homework conversation turn into a fight anyway.
You're not failing. The system wasn't built for a mind like theirs.
Matt Starolis
Engineer-Mentor · Founder
I don't start with a curriculum. I start with a question: what draws this student's attention when no one is grading them? The answer gives us a starting point — where their energy goes, what makes them light up, and what school may have taught them to hide.
From there, we build. Some days that means stabilizing a grade. Some days it means a mini-course on how CPUs actually work. Underneath both, we make the student's thinking visible — how they reason, how they talk to themselves, and how they respond when the work gets hard. There's a word for that layer of the work: metacognition, and I teach it as deliberately as the subject itself.
I'll go anywhere in the universe to meet a student. I only ask that they step onto the porch to meet me.
The work is visible
You're never guessing what happens in sessions. Here is a real one — names changed, dates removed.
One real summary, sent the same night — names changed, dates removed
Hi Rachel and Tom,
A quick recap of tonight's session.
What went well
- Sam showed strong number sense throughout the session. On one sigma-notation problem, he bypassed the standard algebra and came up with his own mental shortcut immediately — fast and correct.
- On several sequence problems, he independently identified the underlying structure before I prompted, including spotting when rewriting a middle term revealed the hidden pattern.
Looking ahead
- Wednesday — Unit 10 test
- Thursday, and Tuesday next week — pivot into final-exam prep
Every summary is drawn from the full session transcript with an AI-assisted review system I built. I review the result so the next meeting has a detailed record to build from.
His pre-calculus grade was an F. Graduation was at risk. His mother was running out of options. Eight weeks later, he scored an 88 and walked across the stage.
“I can't thank Matt enough for helping my son graduate with confidence.”
Richard P., parent of HS senior, TX
Individual examples from Matt's one-to-one work; experiences vary and are not guarantees.
Additional individual outcomes:
83rd → 96th
percentile in statewide math — a 2nd grader
70% merit
scholarship to a top game-design program
$60,000
merit scholarship to SCAD
In their words
“He has gotten back his love of math and science that he lost for a few years, which is priceless. Matt was a huge positive influence in his life, and I am so grateful for his mentoring on so many levels.”
“Watching his growth has been incredibly meaningful. He went from proficient to exemplary, with his statewide math percentile jumping from 83rd to 96th. More importantly, he now approaches problem-solving with excitement and looks forward to math tests like they're recess. That shift in mindset is priceless.”
“We feel that he is well prepared to take on the next set of challenges as he heads to Purdue. Matt's impact was impressive on both an intellectual and an emotional level—the latter being even more impressive. We are extremely appreciative.”
“Why are we just now finding you? Where have you been the last few years?! You have greatly impacted my son's life in the short time that you've been his teacher.”
“We're at a point where our son actually enjoys school again. He's had a hard few years, and it really feels like he's overcoming that. Thank you for all you've done.”
“You're a great mentor. Our son really enjoyed getting to know you and learn from you. I know he is going to do well this year in computer science because of your help and encouragement.”
“You are such a great teacher and mentor—always so knowledgeable, supportive, and encouraging, especially when she was experiencing hardship. We are so grateful.”
It Started With a Nintendo
I was seven. My first thought was “this is amazing.” My second: “but how does this work?” No one could answer — not really.
That question took me through computer architecture, into engineering leadership, an investment firm, an early-stage cybersecurity startup, and serving as a director at Microsoft. One-to-one education brought those experiences together: rigorous problem-solving, clear communication, and the patience to help another person understand how their mind works.
If any of this sounded like your kid, let's talk.
A conversation, not a sales call. Engagements are month to month, with no contracts and no minimum term — a deliberately small practice built for sustained work.
Taking a few more students for fall 2026 · From $800 per month