Built by a former financier and educator, Private Prep offers a sophisticated, one-on-one coaching model focused entirely on finding the right fit for every college-bound student.
BY RILEY KAMINER
In certain circles across Pinecrest, Weston, and Boca, one topic gets whispered about as much as real estate and college lists: Private Prep. The name carries weight. For years, the company has quietly coached South Florida’s top students into the nation’s most selective universities. Parents in the know swap contacts like others trade sushi tips. When junior needs a score that opens doors, someone texts Steve Feldman.
Feldman founded Private Prep in 2006 after moonlighting as a tutor while working in finance. “I grew up in a house where my mom was a teacher,” he said. “From an early age, I loved helping kids figure things out.” He left the world of wealth management and built a team that works one-on-one with students, online or in person, focusing on the fit between tutor and student.”
South Florida became a natural hotspot. “We used to joke that Florida is New York’s sixth borough,” Feldman said. “Now it’s just true. Families we worked with up north are moving down, and they want the same level of academic support.” From American Heritage to Saint Andrew’s to Ransom Everglades, the brand pops up wherever transcripts sparkle.
What they offer is broad yet personal. Test prep for the SAT and ACT. AP support. College admissions advice. Executive functioning coaching for skills like planning and time management. The first call is a real conversation. A Director of Client Relations learns who the student is and sets up the right team. Maybe it is an SAT coach and an AP Bio tutor. Maybe it is a writing specialist for essays. If a younger sibling needs help with seventh-grade math, they help with that too.
Strategy matters. “Students can have perfect grades and perfect STEVE FELDMAN scores, and still face five percent acceptance rates,” Feldman said. “We help them find what makes them stand out, the thing that tells their story.” That might mean turning a love of sports into a marketing internship with a local team. It might mean growing a one-week service trip into a year-round project with real impact. A student who sketches for fun could launch a Sunday park sketch club and donate prints to a nearby school or hospital.
The goal is growth that feels real. Private Prep leans into confidence, clarity, and calm. Tutors teach content and teach habits. Coaches check in on stress and sleep. The company even publishes resources on student well-being so families can keep perspective during the wild parts of junior year.
It is easy to see why the brand has become a quiet status symbol. This is South Florida. Competition is strong, and ambition runs deep. The right coach can change a season. The right tutor can change a transcript. Parents still handle carpool, and carpools lead to group chats. Group chats lead to a name that comes up again and again.
Private Prep is that name.
If you know, you know. And if your teen is staring down the SAT, someone in your circle already has Steve’s number. | privateprep.com
