PhD Expert Tutoring

I am a former university with a PhD in English and American literature, and I have have been honored to win Excellence in Teaching awards at two universities. I am very passionate about what I do and approach all of my teaching and tutoring with my trademark enthusiasm and humor. Although I have the expertise and experience that comes with a PhD, I can promise you I am no stuffy academic and will never make you sit through boring lectures or tedious drills. I believe people learn best when they are engaged and having fun, and when they can see how the subject matter applies to their own lives and why it matters.

Since leaving academia, I have taught creativity seminars locally and writing seminars internationally. I work independently with students of all ages and adult clients in a wide range of academic disciplines, including US and world history, art history, architecture, philosophy, political science, psychology, theology, and Spanish. I also have extensive experience in test preparation, particularly the AP exams and the verbal portion of the SAT, and many of my students have dramatically improved their scores. After some seven years of experience teaching on online platforms, I am as confident about my ability to engage students effectively in a virtual environment as I am about my skills teaching in-person. Indeed, all 168 reviews on another tutoring platform are five-star reviews, and some families have kept me on as their tutor for more than four years to shepherd their children from middle school through high school and into their preferred colleges.

Increasingly, families seek me out for my expertise in writing college admissions essays and my guidance through the entire college application process, which is often an exciting but daunting terrain. My many years in academia, interacting with colleagues at conferences from a wide swath of colleges and universities domestically and abroad, have proved to be invaluable as I advise students about the choices available to them in higher education. I routinely talk with students and their families about the best fit for their learning styles, preferences and goals, and then guide them through the process of crafting and honing their most authentic, compelling, and memorable admissions essays.

I bring a friendly, down-to-earth style to my teaching that puts students at ease while inspiring them to produce their best work. I am proud to say that my students have been admitted to an impressive list of top universities, including Columbia, The University of Chicago, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkely, NYU, and Rice, as well as a range of wonderful smaller liberal arts colleges that were better fits for students looking for more intimate learning environments. Please contact me to see how I can best help you or your child with college essays or any of your academic or professional needs.