Your ISEE Tutor in San Diego: Dr. Stuart Donnelly
Oxford Ph.D. in Mathematical Science. 20+ years of private tutoring experience. Published author. Dedicated to helping your child achieve their best score.
Dr. Stuart Donnelly, Ph.D. (Oxford)
Dr. Stuart Donnelly is one of the most qualified private ISEE and SSAT tutors in the country. With a Ph.D. in Mathematical Science from the University of Oxford and over 20 years of hands-on tutoring and teaching experience, he brings an unmatched depth of knowledge and a proven approach to every student he works with.
Based in San Diego, California, Dr. Donnelly offers both in-person tutoring and online sessions via Zoom to families nationwide. His combination of elite academic credentials, extensive test-prep expertise, and genuine passion for helping students succeed is what sets ISEE Tutoring apart.
- Ph.D. in Mathematical Science, University of Oxford
- Honors degree in Mathematics and Physics
- 20+ years of private tutoring and teaching experience
- Author of multiple "For Dummies" test prep books (Wiley)
- Expert in ISEE, SSAT, SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, and MCAT
- Founder and director of Tutors of Oxford
- In-person in San Diego + online nationwide
How Dr. Donnelly Helps Students Succeed
Every student is different. Dr. Donnelly's teaching philosophy centers on meeting each child where they are and building a clear path to their target score.
Personalized Approach
No two students learn the same way. Dr. Donnelly begins every engagement with a comprehensive diagnostic assessment, then builds a custom study plan that targets your child's specific strengths and weaknesses across all ISEE or SSAT sections.
Strategic Test Prep
Knowing the content is only half the battle. Dr. Donnelly teaches proven test-taking strategies for each section of the ISEE and SSAT, including time management, process of elimination, and question-type analysis, so your child performs at their best on test day.
Building Confidence
Test anxiety can undermine even well-prepared students. Dr. Donnelly creates a supportive, encouraging environment where students build genuine confidence through mastery. Regular practice tests simulate real conditions so there are no surprises on exam day.
A Track Record of Academic Excellence
Dr. Donnelly's credentials are among the strongest of any private tutor in the United States. Here is the experience he brings to every session.
🎓 Education
- Ph.D. in Mathematical Science — University of Oxford
- Honors Degree in Mathematics and Physics
Dr. Donnelly's Oxford doctorate gives him deep expertise in quantitative reasoning and mathematical problem-solving — the exact skills that drive ISEE and SSAT scores in the math and quantitative sections.
📚 Publications
Dr. Donnelly is the author of multiple test prep titles in the internationally recognized "For Dummies" series, published by Wiley. These books distill complex test content into clear, student-friendly strategies — the same approach he uses in one-on-one sessions.
🏫 Teaching Positions
- George Washington University — Washington, D.C.
- Western Connecticut State University — Connecticut
- French International School — New York City
Beyond private tutoring, Dr. Donnelly has taught at the university and secondary-school levels. This classroom experience gives him a broader perspective on curriculum design, learning differences, and how to adapt instruction for each individual student.
🌎 Tutors of Oxford
Dr. Donnelly is the founder and director of Tutors of Oxford, an international tutoring agency that connects students worldwide with Oxford- and Cambridge-educated tutors. Building and leading this organization has given him unique insight into best practices in private education across multiple countries and curricula.
Why credentials matter for ISEE & SSAT tutoring: The ISEE and SSAT are highly competitive exams where the difference between a good score and a great score can determine admissions outcomes. Dr. Donnelly's mathematical training, teaching breadth, and publishing experience mean your child is working with a tutor who truly understands these tests at the deepest level.
Deep Expertise in Private School Admissions Testing
While Dr. Donnelly's expertise spans many standardized tests, his ISEE and SSAT tutoring is his primary focus. He understands the specific demands of each test level and tailors his instruction accordingly.
For the ISEE, Dr. Donnelly prepares students across all four levels — Primary, Lower, Middle, and Upper — covering Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and the essay section.
For the SSAT, he offers expert preparation for the Elementary, Middle, and Upper levels, including the unique challenges of the SSAT's guessing penalty and scaled scoring system.
- Diagnostic-first approach to identify exact areas for improvement
- Full-length practice tests under timed, realistic conditions
- Section-by-section score tracking and strategy adjustment
- Students consistently achieve 90th percentile and above
What Parents Say About Dr. Donnelly
Families trust Dr. Donnelly because of his expertise, patience, and results. Here is what a few parents have shared.
“Dr. Donnelly is a wonderful teacher. He is quick to pinpoint weaknesses and, in many cases, turn them into strengths. He always has a structured lesson plan and pertinent homework assignments and puts aside time in the lesson to go over “trouble problems” from the previous lesson. I highly recommend taking a prep course with him. His patience, humor, and kindheartedness make an otherwise uncomfortable standardized test almost enjoyable.”
“Dr. Donnelly’s private tutoring stands apart from other mainstream/commercial review programs because he isolates an individual’s weaknesses and tailors a successful review and test-taking strategy that conforms to an individual’s needs — rather than those of the masses. Dr. Donnelly was able to quickly understand and dissect my son’s thought process in order to help him break old habits and establish stronger test-taking skills so he could get that higher score.”
“Dr. Stuart Donnelly gave me the confidence and the tools I needed to succeed and I really could not have done what I did without him. He is extremely knowledgeable on all things SSAT and is beyond patient. He is great at what he does and is super helpful getting his students to the next level. He is also very professional and organized. Would recommend Stuart to anyone who enjoys learning in a 1 on 1 environment and will put in the work he asks for!”