One-On-One SSAT Preparation To Maximize Your Score

Samantha completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Florida, her Master of Education at Nova Southeastern University, and her Doctor of Education at Grand Canyon University. She boasts over 20 years of teaching experience: 10 years teaching secondary English for one of the 50 largest districts in the United States and 12 years teaching at the college level. She has created over thirty-five unique college courses, edited high school English test preparation textbooks for Barron's Educational Series, and has worked as a full-time staff writer for a newspaper. Her interest in tutoring stems from a profound belief in the transformative power of education.

Having been inspired by several exceptional teachers in her own journey, Samantha aims to pay it forward by acting as a mentor and guide for students. Her tutoring expertise spans SAT, ACT, and HSPT prep, as well as English, reading, writing, communications, ethics, and humanities.

Samantha's teaching style is highly personable; she values establishing relationships with students and conversing with them on a relatable level. Infusing humor into her teaching, she strives to create an engaging and enjoyable learning environment. Central to her teaching philosophy is the emphasis on connection, especially in subjects like English, which she believes can be easily connected to students' interests. By understanding students' interests, hobbies, and learning styles, Samantha ensures she can make connections to course content, even if it may seem dull or mundane, leading to those crucial "light bulb moments."

Drawing on her extensive education and experience, Samantha offers a nuanced perspective on learning and employs effective teaching strategies to help students achieve their goals. She excels at forming genuine bonds with students, providing them with agency in their learning to foster intrinsic motivation. Samantha's creativity shines through her ability to adapt to learning challenges quickly by presenting concepts in fresh and innovative ways.

When she’s not tutoring or teaching, Samantha creates art out of recycled beach debris, donated materials, trash, seashells, and just about anything she can find. She also loves spending time with her three dogs and husband, traveling (especially on cruises), and reading.

Bria is a distinguished alumna of the University of California, Berkeley, earning both a  Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees. While at UC Berkeley, she served as a mentor and application guide for students within TAMID.

Bria intimately understands the stress and uncertainty of the college application process. As an only child, she lacked a role model to turn to for advice, ultimately navigating the process without the guidance she now provides. This personal experience fuels her passion to be that guiding light for others.

As a coach, Bria excels at being supportive and giving constructive feedback. When editing resumes or essays, she always tries to do what she calls a compliment sandwich – start with a compliment, add what needs to be changed/fixed, and then end with another compliment. Bria knows criticism can sometimes come off as harsh or offensive, even if it is not meant to be, so she found this is a good way to get the message across and have students feel good about themselves and their writing.

When working with students who are hitting a learning block,  Bria uses positive reinforcement and encouragement to remind them of their end goal and that all their hard work will pay off. She is always optimistic, outgoing, kind, compassionate, and empathetic.

Outside of counseling Bria is a travel agent as a side hustle because she is passionate about travel and helping others travel, too. She’s been fortunate enough to visit 26 countries so far! When she’s not working or traveling, she loves to cook and bake, hike and be in nature, spend time with friends, watch TV, paint, and do puzzles.

Elizabeth graduated with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles, before completing her MBA from INSEAD. She has extensive experience supporting students through after-school literacy programs, high school SAT prep programs, and arts mentorship programs. She has also served in the FEMBA office for the UCLA Anderson School of Business, supporting MBA students.

Elizabeth has spent a large part of her life working with youth and tutoring in some capacity. She believes that maintaining a growth mindset and being curious about life and learning is important. Elizabeth also feels that it’s only through the furtherance of education that we can work to improve our lives, gain access to better opportunities, and make a difference in whatever way we desire. As such, she is passionate about helping students elevate their exposure and ability to receive a quality education. 

Elizabeth believes in a collaborative coaching approach, partnering with students to build upon their strengths and interests. As a coach, she is known for her positivity and upbeat demeanor. She prioritizes empathy, support, and patience, working closely with each student to develop the right approach. She values self-reflection and growth over speed, adapting her methods to fit each candidate's unique style and needs. 

Elizabeth also emphasizes the holistic promotion of a student's abilities, employing creative strategies to showcase their strengths through their application. She keeps students' interests and passions at the forefront during the application process, recognizing them as the most captivating part of the application. She also focuses on celebrating small victories and excels at breaking down the application process into manageable steps to reduce stress.

In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys baking, reading a good book, being active by playing soccer or going for runs, traveling, and learning new languages. She has traveled to over 15 different countries and is currently working on learning Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese!