One-on-One Science Tutoring: Ace Classes and Tests With Foundation Learning

Alexa earned her BA from Brown University and has assisted over 1600 students who have been accepted into institutions such as Stanford University, Georgetown University, UCLA, and UC Berkeley. She has served as a University of Southern California college adviser at Wilson High School in Long Beach, CA, for two years. In this role, she has assisted and mentored students on the college application process, including completing college applications, financial aid applications, scholarship applications, resumes, and more.

Alexa's personal journey through the college admissions process was not without its challenges. She relied on a strong support system of family, friends, and educators, but often found the available resources to be disjointed or out of date. This experience ignited her passion for creating greater access to the nitty-gritty details of the admissions process. Her goal is to empower students with the knowledge and confidence they need to navigate this important milestone in their lives.

Alexa's coaching style is characterized by openness and encouragement. She fosters self-motivation in students, viewing her presence as a reminder of their commitment to their aspirations. While she encourages autonomy, Alexa is not hesitant to address any shortcomings in meeting deadlines, fostering open communication to optimize the quality of work produced together. Her flexible approach accommodates students of varying confidence levels and familiarity with the application process.

Central to Alexa's methodology is her goal-oriented approach, emphasizing the significance of the larger academic journey and the rewards of perseverance. She effectively motivates students by highlighting the unique opportunities awaiting them. She encourages exploration through resources like "A Day in the Life of a College Student" to deepen their engagement with the process. Alexa prioritizes understanding and building upon each student's strengths and knowledge, creating a supportive and enriching environment. While she infuses her interactions with warmth and humor, she remains serious and direct when needed. Building meaningful connections with students is fundamental to her approach, ensuring a personalized and effective college application experience.

Outside of academia, Alexa finds joy in nature, whether it's reading outdoors or feeling the grass beneath her feet. She cherishes time spent with loved ones, engaging in board games, or sharing meals together. She has also recently discovered a new love for old arcade games, especially Galaga!

Carlos completed his undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees from Florida International University. Carlos’ tutoring journey began with a passion for sharing knowledge and making a positive impact on students’ lives. From the moment he started tutoring and witnessed students’ growth in confidence and improved grades, he knew tutoring was one of his callings! Since then, he has been tutoring for over three years and has helped dozens of students, both nationally and internationally, reach their academic goals. Carlos has also helped countless undergraduate students develop their research projects and navigate the world of scientific academia. 

Carlos perceives tutoring as an invaluable opportunity to effect tangible change in students' lives. The unique satisfaction of seeing a student's eyes light up when they finally grasp a concept, combined with his own continuous learning as he tutors students with diverse challenges, fuels his passion for tutoring. He specializes in tutoring middle school math, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, statistics, middle school science, biology, chemistry, environmental studies, ecology, and marine biology. 

For Carlos, tutoring isn’t just about teaching; it's about empowering students to realize their potential and fostering a lifelong curiosity for learning. His tutoring style is student-centered and adaptive, focusing on the unique needs and learning styles of each individual. He aims to create a supportive and engaging environment where students feel comfortable exploring and making mistakes, which are vital parts of the learning process. He uses a mix of practical examples, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities to make the learning experience more dynamic and memorable.

One of Carlos’ greatest strengths as a tutor is keeping students engaged by connecting academic material to real-world applications and their personal interests. Whether simplifying complex ecological concepts or employing storytelling techniques, Carlos brings a fresh perspective to his lessons. His natural knack for simplifying complex concepts is another one of his standout traits. Carlos’ proficiency in breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable components not only facilitates student understanding but also cultivates a sense of progress and momentum.

Outside of tutoring, Carlos is deeply passionate about ecology and several hobbies: painting allows him to express his creativity, hiking allows him to rejuvenate, and listening to albums from start to finish allows him to appreciate music to its fullest. Adding an extra layer of joy to these pursuits is the companionship of his beloved dog. Carlos also bravely confronts his deepest fears every day: snakes and flying. His commute to work involves traveling by airboat and helicopter.

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.