Victoria holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. As a first-generation college graduate, she understands students' challenges when navigating the admissions process. In her own experience, she was forced to find outside resources. Even in college, she networked to find alumni and professionals working in government to help her with job applications. Victoria completed approximately 100 informational interviews over four years, and now she wants to help students in the same place that she was in by becoming their guide and resource. Professionally, Victoria works at the US Department of State - Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
As a coach, Victoria’s teaching style is structured. She excels at helping students with ideas and an outline/plan without doing the work. Victoria likes to be a support system, encouraging people to do their best by being there for them when they need her and being a sounding board to make sure applicants are confident in the decisions they are making (i.e., ensuring that an essay topic is the right one, choosing what to put on a resume, etc.)
Victoria is motivated by deadlines; she finds that having a set schedule and clear expectations helps students stay motivated, too. She considers herself Midwest-friendly. She is outgoing and always happy to help or be available when needed. Victoria is respectful, positive, and realistic. She is always looking for solutions to problems and sticking to a plan.
When she isn’t working, Victoria enjoys lifting weights, watching sports (basketball, baseball) and reality TV (Housewives, Selling Sunset, Vanderpump Rules, etc.), journaling, visiting museums, and trying new restaurants and coffee shops.
"My superpower is my ability to help a student achieve what they're looking for and overcome any academic obstacles in the way."
Syed has a Bachelor's in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Lahore University of Management Sciences and a Master's in Mathematics for Teaching from Harvard University. With more than five years of experience, Syed is a highly qualified tutor with a strong educational background. His interest in tutoring first began when he noticed his junior students were struggling in Math. Recognizing his strong affinity for the subject, he was confident in his ability to help them overcome their challenges.
Syed’s passion for tutoring stems from his ability to empower students and help them overcome academic obstacles. He views this capability as a superpower that allows him to guide students toward their desired academic achievements. Syed's tutoring style is both comprehensive and engaging. During a typical tutoring session, he dedicates half the time to providing lessons and conveying information to his students. The remaining time is allocated for problem-solving exercises and an oral quiz, which he calls Skill-Check. This approach ensures students have a well-rounded learning experience encompassing theory and practical application. By instilling confidence in students and equipping them with the necessary skills, he contributes to their personal growth and enriches their lives.
To enhance the learning process, Syed assigns reading materials or problem sets for students to work on independently after each session. He tailors his lessons according to the individual needs of each student, taking into account their strengths and areas for improvement. Syed leverages various online tools to create effective teaching materials, including past papers, question banks, Khan Academy, Geogebra, Desmos, AOPS, NRich, and various other websites. He can access relevant animations, simulations, notes, and problem sets by using these resources, providing his students with diverse and interactive learning materials. As such, Syed is highly adaptable and resourceful. He understands that every student has their own learning style and tailors his approach to maximize their understanding and progress.
When he’s not tutoring Syed enjoys reading, playing chess, playing video games, and spending time with his two dogs.
Andy has a Master’s degree from UC Irvine and has over a decade of experience in SAT, ACT, and GRE tutoring. Andy loves to see learners push themselves out of their comfort zones and gain the confidence to reach their goals. In working with students of all backgrounds and abilities, from first-generation students to children of Ivy League alumni, their favorite tutoring moments are when candidates spot patterns in tests and therefore realize they have the skills to ace the ACT or SAT. This is why Andy focuses on strategy first, personalizing each learning plan to the candidate's unique strengths and goals.
Andy is passionate about helping students understand different ways to approach a problem or understand a concept - there's never one right way because everyone learns differently. They are skilled at helping students spot the differences between what they learned in classes at school and what to pay attention to on a standardized test. Andy also likes creating graphic organizers and other tools to help applicants stay organized and break the work down visually. Nothing makes them happier than congratulating a graduating senior – especially one who was nervous at the beginning of the school year – and seeing the excitement in their eyes when they talk about what's ahead of them.
Andy's greatest strengths as a tutor include empathizing with students, respecting their learning styles, and developing customized tools and strategies to help applicants stay organized and focused. Andy has helped students gain acceptance to several prestigious schools, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, NYU, and Northwestern University.
Outside of their work, Andy enjoys walking around Los Angeles, learning about local history, reading, and watching horror movies.
Our calculus tutors have tutoring/teaching experience or have a degree in a mathematics-related discipline.
We welcome parent involvement in all our tutoring programs. Parents can monitor progress using our progress tracker. Here, they can check on activities you’ve completed, comments from your tutor, insights as you advance through the program, and next steps in future sessions.
Our tutors are all experts, but our matching process ensures you work with a tutor who fits your needs best. The information provided in your intake form gives us insight into your needs, goals, and preferences; these are the parameters we use to select your tutor.
The best program is one that offers the support level you’re looking for. However, all our plans are personalizable to align with your needs and goals – we can help you select the right package if you’re unsure!