Francis earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Maryland. He started his tutoring journey when a friend's brother sought his help for SAT preparation, impressed by Francis's perfect score in the math section. Since then, Francis has continued to enjoy and actively engage in tutoring.
Francis's passion for tutoring originates from his own educational experiences. As a student, he wished for teachers to explain concepts in a simple way, using more visual aids, similar to how one would explain a concept to a 5-year-old. Now, as a tutor, he strives to offer this kind of accessible learning experience to students who may be struggling in the classroom. He specializes in tutoring for the ACT, SAT, SSAT, ISEE, and AP.
Sebastian's tutoring philosophy is grounded in the belief that everyone is capable of success. He tailors his approach to the students' pace, employing straightforward language to enhance understanding. Sebastian identifies the root of the problem, breaks down complex concepts, and empowers students through consistent positive reinforcement. He aims to uplift students when they’re feeling overwhelmed and create an environment where questions are encouraged, curiosity is celebrated, and every interaction is an opportunity for mutual growth.
One of Sebastian’s greatest strengths as a tutor is his ability to relate challenging concepts to the real world. This provides students with a greater sense of agency in their learning and fosters a stronger connection to the material.
In his free time, Francis enjoys powerlifting, hanging out with friends, watching sports, specifically the NFL and NBA, and watching Netflix. He is also classically trained in piano and cello.
Katherine earned a BA from Duke University, where she achieved ACC Honor Roll status and made the Dean’s List, before earning her MEd at Southern Methodist University. At Duke, Katherine was a Division 1 athlete, team captain of the varsity swim team, and four-year letterwinner. Katherine has eight years of college admissions counseling experience as a College and Career Counselor and Dean of College Prep at Uplift Education, a nonprofit organization that operates a network of 45 high-performing, tuition-free, public charter schools serving 23,000 students in under-served areas across the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
She also served as a Corps Member for Teach for America. Katherine has coached 500+ students who have been accepted to MIT, Brown, UChicago, WashU in St. Louis, Johns Hopkins University, NYU, and Notre Dame, among others.
Katherine became interested in admissions counseling because of how grateful she is for her own college experience. Katherine realized how lucky she was to have parents, friends, and family who had been to college and could support her through the application process. She also felt privileged to have been a recruited athlete. But she recognizes that not everyone is as lucky, and felt called to help others have a positive experience with college.
Katherine values communication and recognizes the importance of getting to know students holistically at the start of a counseling partnership. There are so many factors involved in finding the "best-fit college," and Katherine’s passion stems from her love of talking to students, listening to them, and helping them develop plans for their futures. She thrives on the relationships she’s built with students and it brings her joy to check in with them throughout their college and post-college years and see them find success.
Katherine excels at empowering others by listening to them in a way that makes them feel heard and respected. When she offers her opinions or advice, students recognize Katherine’s collaborative teaching style and know she is not trying to change their minds or make them take a path that's not for them. While students know she is available any time of day for help, Katherine loves to empower students to figure things out in their own way before collaborating with her for help.
As a counselor, Katherine is organized and reliable. One of her favorite parts of college counseling is the personal statement. She loves helping students reflect on their lives to come up with a compelling topic, and her essay editing style helps students find and maintain their voices. Katherine is a guide with extensive experience that helps her empower students to feel confident in their submissions and decisions.
Katherine believes that the most important tactic for keeping students motivated is to build a relationship with them first to ensure they know she understands what they’re going through and that it’s okay to take breaks and practice self-care while working toward a successful future. Katherine tells students to think about the morning after high school graduation and to imagine that feeling of what's coming next, to make sure they have a solid plan because entering "the real world" is not easy.
Outside of work, she loves to spend time outside with her husband and four-year-old daughter, Emma. Katherine was diagnosed with celiac disease in her junior year of college, but she doesn’t mind being gluten-free because cooking makes her happy, and she loves trying new recipes, and finding gluten-free bakeries and new restaurants. She tries to work out or walk every day and loves to play tennis with her husband. She also enjoys reading, listening to music, and watching TV shows that make her cry (either happy or sad tears!).
Zachary earned his Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature on a full-ride scholarship at the University of Florida, followed by his JD at Cornell Law School. With over a decade of tutoring experience, Zachary has also worked as a college and law school admissions counselor, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of how to support students in achieving their aspirations.
Zachary's life was forever changed by the influence of exceptional tutors, leading him to believe that it only takes one person to change someone’s life trajectory. Driven by this conviction, he is committed to offering the same transformative guidance to students. He specializes in SAT prep and AP and IB courses, including human geography.
As a tutor, Zachary is easy-going, patient, ambitious, and creative. He recognizes the limitations of conventional learning models, especially for neurodivergent and differently-abled individuals. His teaching methodology goes beyond identifying knowledge gaps; it aims to reprogram behavioral routines. Zachary firmly believes that 99% of academic success is rooted in ordinary habits. He also acknowledges the emotional aspect of the learning process, understanding that feelings of shame or guilt can impede meaningful progress. Therefore, he adopts a holistic approach to academic and standardized testing improvement.
Zachary's tutoring methods are grounded in scientifically proven learning principles, ensuring their effectiveness. He emphasizes Socratic dialogue, cognitive reframing, and the importance of taking breaks. To keep sessions engaging, he incorporates humor, personal anecdotes, introspection, and contextualization. Zachary also excels at customizing sessions for each student, always taking the time to understand their unique profile before diving in, as he knows that a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works.
In his free time, Zachary enjoys playing video games, doodling, cooking, learning foreign languages, watching movies and TV shows, and collecting consumer product packaging from around the world.
Our calculus tutors have tutoring/teaching experience or have a degree in a mathematics-related discipline.
We welcome parent involvement in all our tutoring programs. Parents can monitor progress using our progress tracker. Here, they can check on activities you’ve completed, comments from your tutor, insights as you advance through the program, and next steps in future sessions.
Our tutors are all experts, but our matching process ensures you work with a tutor who fits your needs best. The information provided in your intake form gives us insight into your needs, goals, and preferences; these are the parameters we use to select your tutor.
The best program is one that offers the support level you’re looking for. However, all our plans are personalizable to align with your needs and goals – we can help you select the right package if you’re unsure!