One-On-One Virtual Biology Tutoring Services Centered On Student Success

Dante earned his Bachelor of Engineering with a focus on Nuclear Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has been tutoring students since high school, throughout college, and into his professional career. Alongside tutoring, Dante currently works as a Mechanical Design Engineer and Nuclear Analyst for Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL).

Dante's passion for tutoring stems from his genuine love for learning. Once he masters a topic, he eagerly shares his knowledge, finding joy in witnessing the moments when students grasp challenging concepts and gain confidence. He is a firm believer that everyone deserves access to quality education, regardless of their background or abilities. Dante specializes in tutoring AP classes.

Dante stands out as a tutor because of his a​​daptive pace teaching style: what is considered a goal changes depending on how the student learns. While he focuses on setting realistic and SMART SMART (Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic/Relevant Timely) goals, he is extremely understanding and willing to adjust these goals. Additionally, Dante’s tutoring is centered on the belief that any progress is valuable and worth celebrating, no matter how incremental. He emphasizes the importance of reflecting on past achievements to appreciate the progress made and to inspire further growth.

Some of Dante’s greatest strengths as a tutor include his ability to read students’ emotions, allowing him to identify when a problem is particularly challenging for them, even if they don’t express it directly. He is also attentive to the importance of breaks, recognizing when students need a moment to step away from the material. Allowing students a few extra minutes to focus on something else and discuss their day can significantly aid in problem-solving. Additionally, Dante knows when it’s best to call it a day, understanding that a good night’s sleep can help the brain process and synthesize the information learned. He believes that this rest is crucial for returning to the material with a refreshed and more effective approach.

In his free time, Dante enjoys playing board games and video games, doing karaoke, playing instruments, writing music, acting, and singing. In fact, he’s writing his own musical that has already been performed by some talented actors, and he hopes to have it produced one day!

Jeannie earned a BA from Cornell University and currently serves as a Research Assistant at the University of Michigan. She has helped students get accepted to college through her work with Matriculate, an organization that helped underrepresented high schoolers succeed in college admissions. In this role, she helped students build college lists, craft essays, and apply for financial aid. Students Jeannie has coached have been admitted to top schools, including Cornell, the University of Michigan, and Georgetown.

Jeannie has also served as a teaching assistant at the Ross School of Business. While in college, she led a group of more than 120 women as vice president of her sorority and led a club called StartUM, a student-run incubator at the University of Michigan, where she helped students develop their business ideas from ideation and development to pitching.

 Jeannie excelled in the college application process by leveraging her strengths and crafting a powerful narrative showcasing her true identity. This experience ignited a fire within her—a passion to help other students achieve the same results. Jeannie wants to empower students to identify their unique potential, navigate the complexities of the application process with confidence, and overcome any hurdles they encounter.

Jeannie's coaching style is student-centered and strengths-based. She believes in meeting students where they are in terms of knowledge and motivation. The first step is building a rapport and uncovering their individual goals, strengths, and areas where they might need additional support. This personalized approach allows her to tailor her guidance and identify growth opportunities. Once she understands a student's potential, she likes to challenge and motivate them to reach high. She fosters a growth mindset and a sense of ownership over their journey by celebrating their successes, big and small. Ultimately, her goal is to guide students toward achieving their goals and priorities.

One strategy Jeannie finds particularly successful in keeping students motivated is creating a clear timeline with specific goals. This visualizes the journey, allowing students to see their progress and celebrate milestones like finishing an essay draft or securing a recommendation letter. Motivation also thrives on recognizing strengths. She can build confidence and showcase their competitiveness by highlighting what each student excels at and connecting those strengths to specific colleges or programs. Additionally, Jeannie strives to make the entire process relevant. By helping students visualize how their hard work translates into reaching their dream college and achieving future goals, they can see the bigger picture and stay focused on the end goal.

At her core, Jeannie is a highly empathetic listener who is naturally encouraging and optimistic. Having conducted hundreds of student interviews on college campuses through her series called Gen Z Mentality, she understands that every applicant comes from a unique background with their own challenges. She creates a safe space where students feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns.  She sees her role as a counselor not just as a guide but as a champion who motivates students to approach the application process with their best foot forward.

In her downtime, Jeannie runs Gen Z Mentality and interviews students about topics ranging from careers, passions, and relationships to money. She also loves spending time outdoors at the beach, traveling, listening to podcasts, trying new foods, and watching The Bachelor.

Truth holds a BA from Princeton University. She currently works as a College Access Consultant at eStem Public Charter Schools, giving presentations on the college admissions process, college essays, and Common App. Truth has helped over 100 students get accepted to the nation’s top schools, including Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and UNC.

As a first-generation student, Truth and her parents struggled immensely during the college application because they had no idea where to start or how to proceed. Luckily, her high school counselor, Ms. Rook, intervened and guided them by hosting weekly workshops to help prepare for the ACT, draft college lists, and brainstorm essays. Her counselor went above and beyond by meeting with her during winter break to review her essay drafts and encouraged her to apply to Princeton when she didn’t think she could get accepted. Truth does not doubt that Ms. Rook's efforts are a huge reason she got into Princeton and many other top schools. Getting into Princeton changed Truth's life trajectory—she wants to help other students get into college, as her high school counselor did for her. 

Truth likes to empower others to achieve their best by validating them and their experiences. She sometimes remembers feeling insecure throughout the application process, wondering how to stand out. Her counselor helped her dig deeper to realize her strengths and the impact of her activities. Truth helps students reflect on their experiences, passions, and values so they can see they have much more to offer than they might think.

As a counselor, Truth strives to be a patient, empathetic, and encouraging guide for students. She remembers the balancing act that students must perform, juggling academics, extracurriculars, social life, and work, all while navigating the complex world of college applications all too well. Her role is to alleviate some of this burden by providing compassionate support; she wants students to know they have a knowledgeable advocate in their corner who is dedicated to their success.

A fun fact about Truth is that she has 13 aunts and uncles. While their holidays are pretty chaotic, she wouldn't trade her family for the world.