After not regularly studying French for nearly eight years I needed to pass a graduate proficiency test as part of my master’s program. I spoke with several other French tutors whose experience and qualifications I did not quite trust before finding Melissa. Though our schedules did not work out for several months (she was booked, then I was traveling, etc.), Melissa was well worth the wait. I began our sessions hoping to achieve just the minimum necessary to pass and while Melissa was happy to help me achieve my basic goals, somewhere along the way she also reminded me of the value of French beyond my transcript. Though I was often tired during our early morning sessions, I enjoyed them immensely. Of course, I am also happy to report, I passed my proficiency exam. It is possible I would have been able to do so with another tutor, but I am so glad I did not have to.