About
I've always been an avid reader and writer, but I discovered my love of tutoring as a Writing Associate at Swarthmore College. Since my days in the college writing center, I've taught middle and high school students writing, assisted high school seniors with their SAT/ACT preparation and college application essays, and edited graduate school application essays.
I offer a range of tutoring, including: general humanities and social science writing (middle school through graduate school, depending on the program), tricks for taking the reading and writing sections of the SAT/ACT, coaching and editing for your college or graduate school application essays, and insights into what makes a compelling CV or cover letter.
I love seeing you succeed! It is so rewarding to me to see students attain and apply the skills they've learned to better their writing.
Highlights
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Cassandra V.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
If you are a new student, the first thing I want to do is get to know you. What are you interested in? How is school going? Why are you seeking a tutor? From there, I will assess your current writing ability and goals, and design a plan to get you to where you want to be.
For students looking for help with writing, I like to do a few short creative writing exercises or look at some writing samples to get a sense of your abilities. If you're looking for SAT/ACT help, I will have you take a few short sections to help me find a starting point.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I graduated with a BA in History from Swarthmore College in 2015, where I spent three years as a Writing Associate. My responsibilities included:
Course Writing Associate: Met one-on-one with 12 students 2-3 times a semester from an assigned course to improve the first drafts of their midterm and final papers
Writing Center Office Hours: Held one-on-one conferences in the Writing Center to edit, discuss, and improve students' academic papers
Writing Associate Mentor: Worked one-on-one with ESL students throughout the semester
The rest of my working experience comes from teaching middle and high school at The Lincoln School in Kathmandu, Nepal. I also ran independent tutoring sessions for college essay and SAT/ACT prep.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Standard Pricing:
General English Tutoring (Reading, Speaking, or Writing): $40/hr
College Application Essays Tutoring: $50/hr
SAT/ACT Prep: $50/hr
Graduate School/Fellowship Applications: $30/hr
Note: Prices may be reduced for students wishing to do more than 2 sessions per week. I am also willing to negotiate my prices with college or graduate students based on financial need.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students from ages 11-30, although mostly focused on the late middle school through high school range. I specialize in standardized testing, research papers, and expository essays. If you struggle to write about yourself or can't figure out how to organize your thoughts for a research topic, I have tons of strategies for you to try until we find out what works for you.
I have worked with ESL and bilingual students to improve their English fluency, and I have advised multiple adults applying to graduate school or grant programs on their application essays.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Students should think through their goals and come with a set of preliminary benchmarks to think through. Do you want to bring your SAT score up 100 points? improve your cover letter writing skills? Develop a better understanding of research strategies?
The clearer you are about your goals, the easier it is for me to help you achieve them!