Rhea completed her Bachelor of Science in Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics with honors at UC Santa Cruz and is currently completing her Master of Business and Science in Drug Discovery and Development at Rutgers University. In college, she won both the Dean's and Chancellor's Awards for her senior thesis, adding to her rich research profile. She also has six years of tutoring experience, including being a STEM tutor at the high school and college level and being an academic coach for various math and science courses. Rhea has helped students get into several prestigious schools, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, Cornell, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Rhea deeply values education and understands its profound impact on shaping future success. She is dedicated to empowering all students to reach their full potential, whether it's mastering subjects or achieving top scores on the SAT for college admission. She specializes in ACT and SAT tutoring as well as math, biology, chemistry, and English at any level, including AP.
Rhea’s tutoring style is fun but focused. She avoids long lectures and creates an interactive, judgment-free learning environment where positive reinforcement and encouraging words are used to motivate students. She kicks off sessions with a thorough content overview, providing examples and walking students through problem-solving techniques, with a particular focus on efficiency. After presenting the material, she encourages students to recap what they've learned and ask questions. Practice problems follow, but Rhea ensures students prioritize understanding the problem-solving strategies rather than simply arriving at the correct answer. Once students have a solid grasp of the strategies, she shifts her focus to accuracy and timing, ensuring they're fully equipped to tackle any challenge that comes their way.
Rhea is adept at helping students tackle learning obstacles head-on. When faced with challenging material, she understands the importance of shifting perspectives or simply taking a break to reset. Rhea often asks students about their interests or weekend plans, allowing them to take a breather and return to the material with a renewed sense of focus and motivation. Rather than overwhelming students with continuous content or labeling concepts as "easy" or "hard," Rhea focuses on simplifying the material and providing relatable examples or analogies. By doing so, students can approach the content with a refreshed mindset and greater openness. Moreover, Rhea emphasizes the significance of embracing mistakes as part of the learning process. She reassures students that it's perfectly normal not to grasp concepts immediately and encourages them to view errors as opportunities for growth.
In her free time, Rhea likes to dance, take pictures, go boxing, find new hiking spots, and travel. She has been to over 15 countries!
Tikiera earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Elizabeth City State University, followed by an MAT in Mathematics from RELAY Graduate School of Education. With seven years of experience teaching math, she has held various roles such as STEM Special Projects Lead, Lead Teacher, Grade Team Lead, and Special Education Teacher. Her motivation to start tutoring stemmed from a sincere commitment to helping students succeed.
For Tikiera, nothing compares to witnessing a student grasp and master content they once found challenging. This passion for student success and the significance of mathematics drives her ACT, SAT, and math tutoring. She firmly believes that everyone possesses mathematical abilities, as we utilize math in our daily lives without even realizing it.
As a tutor, Tikiera maintains high expectations but is fun, easygoing, passionate, consistent, and adaptable. She loves what she does, and it’s evident in her tutoring approach! Central to her philosophy is the success of the whole student; she doesn't just focus on teaching content but strives to support every aspect of the individual. Recognizing that a student's overall well-being directly impacts their ability to retain knowledge, Tikiera prioritizes holistic support. Moreover, Tikiera firmly believes in involving students actively in their learning journey. By collaborating with them to set goals and metrics, she ensures they remain engaged and motivated. She keeps students informed every step of the way, celebrating their successes and adjusting strategies when faced with challenges. This inclusive approach fosters a sense of ownership in students, leading to increased motivation and deeper learning.
One of Tikiera's greatest strengths as a tutor lies in her ability to simplify complex concepts. She firmly believes in the capability of every individual; when given the right support, any student can believe in and execute their goals. Guided by this perspective, Tikiera contends that the material is never truly hard or uninteresting; it's that the student just doesn’t understand it yet. So, she begins by reshaping the language around the topic. She then breaks down the material into easily digestible segments, grounding concepts with relatable examples. Consistency is paramount to Tikiera; she maintains her passion for the subject matter and ensures sessions are always enjoyable. She also recognizes the importance of breaks and keeps students engaged by relating content to real-life situations and incorporating non-academic activities for mental refreshment. Her genuine enthusiasm for teaching is contagious, empowering students to cultivate confidence as they persist in their learning journey.
In her free time, Tikiera can be found watching movies, enjoying nature, listening to music, traveling, and testing out new recipes.
Bayley holds a Bachelor’s from UCLA, where she graduated summa cum laude, and holds a Master’s from Penn State University. With over eight years of experience in elementary and art education, she has a proven track record of developing and implementing a curriculum that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and cultural awareness in students of all ages and backgrounds.
With a passion for helping others, Bayley aims to make applicants feel heard, valued, and empowered. She is thrilled to support students during their academic journey and give them the dedicated guidance they need to succeed. Bayley strongly believes that having a committed team of mentors is crucial to helping students navigate their challenges. Unfortunately, not all students have access to such a team, which makes her role even more important. Bayley is passionate about fulfilling this role and is excited to make a difference in students' lives.
As an educator, Bayley is committed to nurturing students' creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression. She believes in meeting students where they are, fostering a non-judgmental space for open dialogue, and cultivating authentic connections built on trust and respect. Bayley recognizes each student's unique strengths and abilities and works to nurture their talents, build their confidence, and feel empowered in all aspects of their life.
Bayley understands that students need different types of support to stay motivated, and she feels it’s important to create a comfortable environment where they can feel free to ask for help if needed. Providing a safe space for students to express their emotions and feelings is crucial for getting them back on track when they lose motivation. As a counselor, Bayley is dedicated to guiding students through challenges with empathy, understanding, and a genuine desire to foster growth.
Beyond her professional role, her personality and character mirror the qualities she brings to her counseling practice. Bayley is approachable and down-to-earth and wants to be relatable and empathetic in every interaction, recognizing that vulnerability is often the first step toward success. Whether offering a listening ear, sharing personal insights, or providing guidance, Bayley seeks to inspire hope and instill confidence in those she supports.
Outside of counseling, Bayley is an avid basketball fan and art history buff. She is passionate about discussing all things art. Whether running, kayaking, or paddleboarding, she gravitates toward water. Her fitness regimen also includes boxing, and she enjoys painting and creating digital art, building a successful portfolio over the years.
Our Algebra tutors have tutoring/teaching experience or hold a college math degree. Every tutor is well-versed in foundational Algebra concepts.
We welcome parent involvement in every one of our tutoring programs. While students are the ones making leaps and bounds toward academic success, we understand that parents may want to check your progress. Our open communication model ensures parent, student, and tutor expectations are always aligned.
Every tutor we pair with a student is hand-picked to maximize student gains, skills, and success. The intake form you complete at the start of our engagement helps us learn more about you, your input, needs, preferences, and goals. Your experienced tutor will help you work through the subject matter where you need help most before going above and beyond to help you master all Algebra content.
The tutoring program best suited for you depends on what you need, your goals, and your input. We work around your schedule to ensure the guidance you need is accessible and that you receive relevant insights on your time. Unsure which program is best for you? Set up a call with us today to discuss your options!