The first and only education company in the United States dedicated to Study Skills and Academic Coaching.
We don’t do tutoring and we don’t do test prep. We take research about how people learn and translate it into practical study skills that students can use to succeed in school, work, and life. Check out our offerings.
Paul Rivas
Ten years ago, Paul founded SMITH RIVAS in Washington DC to help students in the highest-earning, highest-educated metropolitan area in the United States make the most of their educational opportunities.
DC-area families tend to be serious people, which appeals to Paul’s passion for high-stakes work. Parents love having him in their corner because he’s brutally honest with their kids, and students like working with him because he makes hard work fun. Read More
Paul Rivas
Paul got into Stanford but didn’t go. Instead, he triple-majored in Mathematics, Sociology, and Spanish and minored in Athletic Coaching at UC Santa Barbara on a full scholarship. After exploring the real world for a while, he did a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at The New School.
Ten years ago, Paul founded SMITH RIVAS in Washington DC to help students in the highest-earning, highest-educated metropolitan area in the United States make the most of their educational opportunities.
DC-area families tend to be serious people, which appeals to Paul’s passion for high-stakes work. Parents love having him in their corner because he’s brutally honest with their kids, and students like working with him because he makes hard work fun.
To make his premier study skills expertise available for every budget, Paul wrote This Book Will Not Be on the Test (published by Rowman & Littlefield 2019), created the online course Better Grades in Less Time®, and offers hours of live lecture recordings in English and Spanish on the SMITH RIVAS YouTube channel.
Prior to discovering study skills, he studied literature in Mexico City, backpacked from Spain to Syria, performed stand-up comedy in Spanish in Buenos Aires, and traveled from Argentina to the United States by bus. He’s hung out in 35 countries, including Cuba when it was hard to get there.
Paul has transcribed autopsies, been a professional translator, and hosted two radio shows. He was also an Associate Producer of the film The Woman from Uruguay.
Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Paul practically grew up on the UCSB campus, where he started working as a statistician at NCAA Division I basketball games in 8th grade. He has 20 years of higher-education employment experience in admissions, athletic communications, English teaching, math tutoring, departmental advising, study abroad advising, and study skills instruction.
Paul’s proudest athletic accomplishments are dunking a volleyball at 5’9” tall, doing the Ironman 70.3 Vineman and Cozumel triathlons, hiking Half Dome, and running the Santa Barbara Pier to Peak half marathon in 2:08:12.
Today, he’s a pool player with a 453 Fargo rating who lives by the beach with his trilingual wife and Barry the Study Dog.
Based in the Washington DC area, we help students nationwide.
Students from 150 schools in the Washington DC area have used our study skills system, and so have many more nationwide, including at all the top colleges.
We even work with international students at top-tier schools in Hong Kong through our partnership with ARCH Education.
We know about ADHD, anxiety, athletes, creatives, depression, executive functioning, high achievers, homeschool, STEM, and video games.
SMITH RIVAS students are the most accomplished kids in the country, the biggest slackers, and everybody in between.
“Smith Rivas is the best at academic coaching! With Paul’s help, I received numerous offers to law schools and was admitted to my number one school of choice. Paul’s feedback was definitely instrumental in the process of applying to law school. It is clear to see that helping people comes natural for Paul. He is great at what he does.”
Karissa Miskell
Attorney
“Paul Rivas is an incredible mentor who helped me believe fully in myself and push myself to succeed. He was very invested in my career development and provided insight and advice that I will carry with me throughout my professional life.” Read More
“Paul Rivas is an incredible mentor who helped me believe fully in myself and push myself to succeed. He was very invested in my career development and provided insight and advice that I will carry with me throughout my professional life. I also had the unique opportunity to witness Paul working with many other UCSB students who wanted to study abroad. I can say with confidence that Paul dedicates himself fully to your cause and never gives up on you. He thinks outside of the box to push you to find what’s best for you. Anyone who works with Paul can expect an individualized and thoughtful approach to helping you achieve whatever it is you’re looking for.”
Jillian Snediker
Speech-Language Pathologist
“It’s been more than 2 months since Mr. Rivas finished his sessions with my son and i can see enormous improvements in my son’s motivation to be his best self in a lot of areas like school and personal life.” Read More
“We contacted Mr. Rivas after being desperate on how to help motivate our 16 year old to do his best in his 11th grade. Even though he is very smart and can excel on subjects he loves and has interest in, he was unmotivated to work hard in school and was visibly deteriorating in more aspects of his life than school. During the sessions with Mr. Rivas our son did not show many signs that he will become more motivated, etc. Only after the 6 sessions finished, did he start reflecting and realizing that something has got to change. It’s been more than 2 months since Mr. Rivas finished his sessions with my son and i can see enormous improvements in my son’s motivation to be his best self in a lot of areas like school and personal life. I would definitely recommend Mr. Rivas‘ s coaching to any parent whose child is struggling with motivation.”
Ana Al-Atrash
Mother of a high school slacker
“Majoring in computer science could become time-consuming and tough without good study skills. With Paul’s help, I was able to study more effectively and complete tasks in less time.”
C.Z.
UC Berkeley Computer Science major
“Paul made such a big impact on my student. He was mentally and physically prepared for college after meeting with Paul. There was definitely a mindset change. During his freshman year, he kept mentioning different things that Paul told him, so the impact was lasting. My family and I are very grateful to Paul.”
Sue Schroeder
College soccer player relative
“As a result of your honesty, I worked my butt off to make it happen. You really do influence everyone that you come in contact with and you really prepare us all for the challenges as well as the amazing times we will have in the real world.” Read More
“So I have successfully completed my first week of law school… CRAZY! I cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement throughout the whole process. As a result of your honesty, I worked my butt off to make it happen. You really do influence everyone that you come in contact with and you really prepare us all for the challenges as well as the amazing times we will have in the real world. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Amelia Steelhead
Attorney
“You have the gift of getting a student motivated with your ability to connect with them to gently guide them into realizing that they can and will succeed in their own unique way. We are grateful that our paths crossed and that you had such a strong impact!” Read More
“You were a tremendous influence in our son’s academic and emotional world during the last 11 weeks of his 8th grade year. Our only wish is that you had been a part of our team earlier in the year. You have the gift of getting a student motivated with your ability to connect with them to gently guide them into realizing that they can and will succeed in their own unique way. We are grateful that our paths crossed and that you had such a strong impact!”
L.W.
Mother of an 8th grader in crisis
“My son couldn’t stop raving about your leadership and inspirational wisdom. It’s amazing how 60 minutes of talking with the right person can change the course of one’s life! He’s decided to keep his classes and try his best to turn everything around. Thank you for taking the time to talk to him and guide him on the right path.”
J.M.
Mother of a college student in crisis
