Academic Ambition Tutoring

Academic Ambition Tutoring

4.9Exceptional(9 reviews)
Offers online services
Offers online services

About

My service provides a non-judgmental learning environment full of patience, knowledge, and caring, and has done so for nine years. Students are often too intimidated to ask their teachers questions, and nowadays teachers might not even have the time to do so. As a full-time tutor, I have the ability to create a space where students, regardless of their ability, can get the help they need to succeed.

That is not to say that I feed students answers or coddle them. In sessions with me, students improve problem-solving and study skills that they need to not only do well on exams, but to truly understand the subject. My goal is to empower my students to critically think on their own and I live for those "lightbulb moments" where they understand something they didn't before. Those moments nurture not just good grades, but a love of science in my students that leads them to wonderful future careers.

My specialty is students that need high-intensity support, whether that's due to the subject matter being difficult or a disability like ASD or ADHD.

I offer tutoring on many standardized tests and their related subjects. This includes the MCAT, PCAT, GRE, SAT, AP Courses, College and High-School level STEM Courses, and Persuasive Writing. I try my hardest to do right by my students, and I consider the biggest mark of my success as a tutor to be when my students have the skills to not need me anymore.

My qualifications include teaching experience at University of Hawai'i, tutoring experience at Stockton University (where I received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), and college admissions counseling experience at C2 Education. I attended University of Hawai'i for Developmental and Reproductive Biology, however, I switched from a lab-based career goal to an educational one, which is why I am now devoting myself fully to tutoring. I am currently continuing my accreditation process at the National Tutoring Association and switching my graduate degree to Teaching and Education to further refine my craft.


Highlights

Hired 12 times
1 employee
9 years in business
Serves Frederick , MD
Offers online services

Payment methods

Cash, Venmo, Zelle

Specialties

Grade level

High school, College / graduate school, Adult learner

Subject

Reading, Essay writing, Creative writing, Handwriting, Spelling, Grammar, Learning English as a 2nd language

Reviews

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DG

demi G.

Lydia is a fantastic tutor. She always comes prepared with customized material to help me understand the information Im learning, and is very patient when Im having a hard time understanding something. I can tell that she has a real passion for what she does.
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August 06, 2023

BJ

brandon J.

Customized less on plans. Expertise in a wide range of subjects
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May 16, 2023

SU

shahul U.

Shes been amazing and very communicative
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March 12, 2023

CE

christine E.

She took the time to work with my needs and learning style.
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February 05, 2023

JG

jamal G.

Great tutor. Got me through 4 CLEPs and saved me 2 semesters on my degree. Shes good at detailed explanations when you miss a whole concept, not so much for quick bites.
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February 05, 2023

TM

Tasbeeh M.

I used to work alongside Lydia as a chem/bio tutor at school and I’m not lying when I say I thought she was the best out of us! Not only did I see her successfully help other students and hear great things about her from students she tutored, but me and other tutors would find answers to questions we couldn’t find from her. There was this one time I was struggling so hard with a Molecular Genetics paper and had absolutely no idea what to even write and thankfully Lydia was there to give me the help I needed. If you’re looking for help with the sciences, I would totally recommend asking Lydia!
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December 25, 2021

Frequently asked questions

I individualize my approach for every student, as one method does not necessarily work for everyone. This is why my typical process for working with someone new is to use the first session, which is free for one hour, to learn more about them. In the first half of that session, we talk about learning style, learning preferences, and class difficulties - generally any information that would be helpful for me tutoring them. The second half begins to cover class material and I begin teaching the student the necessary skills to solve the problems they need for their course.
I have a Bachelor's of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, over eight years of tutoring experience in the sciences, and am a member of the National Tutoring Association. Most of my tutoring training has been at the Stockton University Math Tutoring Center, but I have recently supplemented that with College Admissions training as an Education Coordinator at C2 Education. I also have attended graduate school at the University of Hawai'i, and taught an Anatomy and Physiology lab class while doing so. My experience is extensive when working with disabled students, and I have a unique perspective since I have made myself a successful disabled person.
First sessions are free and are used to determine how well a student fits with me as well as what rate category your student's class would fall under. All organic chemistry classes fall under Undergraduate Courses. Online Rates are $10 less per hour for the respective subject than In-Person Rates. Rates that are not for standardized tests are negotiable, but for the most part follow these guidelines. In-Person Rates: High-School Level Courses - $60/hour AP Courses - $75/hour SAT/ ACT Prep- $85/ hour Undergraduate Courses - $90/hour Advanced Undergraduate Courses - $100/hour MCAT/ PCAT/ GRE/ PACAT/ CSCS Prep - $150/hour Group Rates (all students must be in the same subject at same time): 2-5 students - 20% discount per student 6-10 students - 30% discount per student
I began tutoring through helping my younger brothers with their schoolwork, which lead to helping their friends with schoolwork. Eventually, I joined Stockton University's Math Tutoring Center, which is where I eventually became Head Tutor. Once I left Stockton University, I began teaching at University of Hawai'i at Manoa during graduate school. Once I returned home from there, I've been devoting myself to improving my tutoring skills, including learning College Admissions Counseling at C2 Education.
I have worked with many types of students, especially students with disabilities. My experience with disabilities ranges from Autism Spectrum Disorder to ADHD and many more. I have also worked with first-generation college students, non-traditional college students, ESL students, and high school students.
I enjoy playing what I call "Rapid Fire" in Biochemistry tutoring. It's a game based on drawing amino acids as quickly as you can competitively with other students. As a low-stakes test of a student's knowledge of amino acid structure, it helps relax my students before an exam and they have fun.
I would tell a student looking for a science tutor or any college-level subject tutor to look for someone that is not only well-versed in the material, but also able explain it in a non-technical matter that students can understand. It doesn't matter if they're good at chemistry if you have no idea what they're saying.
I believe that students need to think through all questions before talking to a teacher/ tutor. The hardest part of exam questions is learning how to start a problem, and the student needs more experience starting it on their own before bringing it to another set of eyes.

Services offered