Testimonials
I had Mr. Cohen for my AP Government and AP Economics class and he is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. I am a science and math person, and economics is not one of my strong suits. But Mr. Cohen always explained things clearly and effectively, in a way I can understand. He knows how to teach so that all his students, no matter what level they are, can comprehend the material. He's an excellent teacher and I am so glad to have had him for AP Government and AP Macroeconomics.
-- Laila Akaila, Class of 2016. Baruch College, 2020.
I was worried when I got accepted into AP Government and AP Economics my senior year at Midwood High School. Mr. Cohen got rid of all my fears by teaching the material very thoroughly and answering every single question that I had, putting me at ease for the AP tests. He is hands down the best teacher at Midwood, always making his lessons both interesting and enjoyable. I knew that I could always come for help whenever I needed it, and I ended up extremely happy with both of my scores on the exams. I’ve never had a teacher more passionate about what he does than Cohen, and I highly recommend him if you want a 5.
-- Cathy Okhrimchuk, Class of 2016. Penn State University, 2020.
Mr. Cohen was an amazing U.S. Government and Microeconomics teacher. In both subjects, he would go step by step in tackling a problem and explaining its importance, this further preparing me for the Advanced Placement exam. I was in joy when I received 5s on both of these exams which is a difficult feat within itself. Not only did I receive college credit, but I was able to apply what I learned from Mr. Cohen to my college classes.
-- Samuel Rubenstein, Midwood 2012. Macaulay Honors at Baruch, 2016. Harvard Law School, Class of 2020
Mr. Cohen was my Economics teacher in the spring of my senior year at Midwood High School in 1999. The lively discussions in class were the perfect antidote to senioritis, which plagued so many students. Both he and his class furthered my interest in the financial field and I went on to earn a degree in Economics and enter the teching profession.
--Robin Igla, Midwood High School, 1999. Binghamton University, 2003, B.A. Economics.
I had Mr. Cohen as my AP Macroeconomics and AP U.S. Government teacher during my senior year of high school (2015) and I just want to say that he was the greatest professor I ever had. Classes were exciting, Mr. Cohen would get literally the entire class to participate in discussions which is what made them so enjoyable. But most of all he made the massive amount of material that we had to cover enjoyable to study and easier to understand. He was willing to work with you personally and easily explained any concepts I didn't understand. I recommend him to any student or anyone who wants to learn.
-- Sean Kargman, Class of 2015. Boston University, Class of 2019.
As a teacher, Mr. Bret Cohen was one of the most understandable and best professors I ever had. He was able to help me individually understand the process of how the entire United States government and it's economy functions and to prep me for my AP exams. As a personal instructor, he will always make sure that you’re always on task and remain focused on the key points you need to understand to do well.
-- Markenzi Sainvilus, Class of 2015. SUNY Albany, Class of 2019.
Mr. Cohen was my teacher for AP Government and AP Macroeconomics during my senior year. He was a phenomenal teacher who put in great effort in teaching his students. He went above what was expected for a teacher and made sure we actually learned the material. He knew how to make learning both educational and entertaining. He also was willing to personally work with us when we both had a period free.
-- Abir, Class of 2015. Binghamton University, 2019.
I had the pleasure of having Mr. Cohen for Government in my senior year of high school. He is a very funny (love his humor) and a great teacher. Mr. Cohen relates the topics of the class to real life situations making it easier to understand and appreciate. Mr. Cohen is always available to you after class and during his free periods in case you need extra help. I had him for Government but not Economics, but I remember wishing I did have him again as I know I would have learned so much more. Mr. Cohen is definitely one of the best teachers I had throughout my high school years.
-- David Zilberman, Class of 2012. Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.
I was in Mr. Cohen’s government and economics classes in my senior year at Midwood High School. I remember those classes well. I was a keen Government and political student but not very interested in Economics. Mr. Cohen was the ideal teacher in both classes and he made the government class everything I wanted it to be and he made economics a far more interesting subject than I expected. He demonstrated respect for the curriculum in a very relatable, personable way. He empathized with the students, both the interested and the disinterested, explaining the subjects and eliciting constructive questions with his smart working man’s approach. And he would deviate from the script, bringing a real world perspective to the disciplines, making these classes fun. And anyone who can make economics fun deserves full credit for it.
--Eric Koslofsky, Midwood '99. Temple University '03.
Mr. Cohen taught me AP Government and Macroeconomics in my senior year of high school. When teaching me these subjects, he was very clear and concise in the topics and made them easy to comprehend. I thoroughly enjoyed his class throughout the year and believe that I will benefit from this in the future. This was a class that I looked forward to attending everyday because Mr. Cohen made it fun, interesting, and engaging.
-- Michelle Zhao, Class of 2016.
Mr. Bret Cohen was my teacher for AP Government and AP Macroeconomics at Midwood High School during my senior year. His positive and encouraging approach, combined with his unparalleled ability to simplify and clarify complex topics, allowed me to excel on the AP exams, saving me thousands of dollars in college credit hours. He has a unique ability to pinpoint confusion early on, therefore fortifying fundamental concepts, allowing his students to build upon a strong base of understanding. I am extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to be in his class, where his passionate approach to teaching allowed me to grow tremendously.
-- Jennifer Komlyk, Midwood High School, 2015. New York University, 2019.
A professor who clearly knew what he taught, and enjoyed teaching it, Mr. Cohen was able to effectively make real world connections to each of his lessons to help students better understand the topic at hand. An easy going man, he made learning Government/Macroeconomics enjoyable, something all his students can attest to.
--Durim Berisha., Class of 2015. Baruch College, Microeconomics and Finance.
Mr. Cohen was my AP Government and AP Macroeconomics teacher in my senior year and was one of my favorite teachers. I was unsure if I was going to take AP Government and Economics, but because of him I am very glad I did. Throughout the year, Mr. Cohen’s class was always interesting and full of thought provoking conversations. All of the topics were explained clearly and, by the end of the year, I was extremely prepared and confident for my AP exams.
-- Matthew Pero, Class of 2016. New Paltz, 2020.
Having always been interested in Economics and US Government I came into Mr. Cohen's dual AP class with some pretty high expectations and they were all met and then some. Through a mix of open discussion and in depth analysis of both Macroeconomics and US Government and History I felt extremely prepared for both AP tests. His sense of humor could use some work though.
--Larry Feldman, Class of 2013. Baruch College, Class of 2017.
This past year I had the pleasure of being taught by Mr. Cohen for AP Government and AP Macroeconomics. I entered the class terrified, but he quelled my fears with his expansive and thorough teaching skills. His methods allowed me to absorb the information while also comprehending it. He makes his lessons easy to understand and frequently utilizes real world examples in order to make the material easier to digest.
--Sabrina Crivellone, Midwood, 2016. Fordham University, 2020.
As a freshman entering college all of my classes seemed daunting, but once I entered my first political science class, I discovered that I was fully prepared to succeed that semester. Mr. Cohen’s AP Government class not only ignited in me a love for politics and shaped my future career goals, but also gave me the fundamental tools to succeed for my first political science course in college.
--Janae Headly, Midwood Alum ‘13. University of Southern California ‘17.
He's an amazing instructor; he gets straight to the point and provides a variety of clear-cut explanations in order to ensure his students understand the lesson. Easily one of the best teachers I've ever had.
--Natalie Wiater, Class of 2016.
As a 2015 graduate of Midwood High School and prior student in Bret Cohen's AP Government and Macroeconomics course, I can state with complete certainty that Mr. Cohen has succeeded in not only presenting the class material in an ingenious manner but also in opening my eyes to interests that lie beyond my concentrated passions. Seldom does anyone embody the magnitude of sagacity and expertise that Mr. Cohen commands, wielding his knowledge to benefit the general classroom while tailoring the material to be easily digested by the individual.
--Andrew Pivovar, Class of 2015. Cornell, Class of 2019.
A man is defined by his actions; Bret Cohen has earned the recognition of being a great teacher. His sole focus is to enrich and elevate his students to a higher level. He makes it a priority to meet the needs of his students. Cohen introduces students to an unfamiliar topic through his humor and undying commitment.
--Bilal Azhar, Midwood, 2016. M.I.T, Class of 2020.
Mr. Cohen is one of the best, nicest, and most thoughtful teachers I've ever had, taking time and putting in great effort to break down all concepts into easily understandable ideas. Due to his ability to patiently and effectively teach my high school's senior year courses, I was able to not only obtain 5/5 on both AP Government and AP Macroeconomics exams, but also remember the ideas we learned until this day and apply them towards my college education.
--Fradah Gold, Class of 2015.