Richard completed his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Geography. Being the recipient of countless tutoring sessions himself sparked Richard’s interest in experiencing the other side of the learning process. He has several years of tutoring experience, including working at education centers and for a test prep and college admissions firm where he was a test prep tutor, college admissions counselor, and subject tutor. To date, he has tutored over 200 students.
Richard's passion for tutoring is rooted in the satisfaction he experiences when seeing students make progress in each session. He finds immense fulfillment in being a part of this transformative process. His areas of expertise include tutoring for the ACT and SAT, as well as macro and microeconomic courses, including AP and IB.
Richard’s tutoring style is characterized by patience and a commitment to understanding each student's unique needs. He empowers students to reach their full potential by challenging them when they feel confident and providing encouragement when they are less secure. In times of insecurity, Richard supports students by methodically guiding them through the step-by-step process of problem-solving. This approach not only diminishes the sense of impossibility associated with the problem but also helps him identify the root cause of the learning block. Richard is also known to be kind and humorous, as he believes in keeping his sessions entertaining and productive.
Richard's tutoring is enriched by his personal experiences with the tests and courses he teaches. He shares his own story, empathizes with students, and adeptly places himself in their shoes. By incorporating students’ perspectives into his sessions, Richard recognizes that seemingly dull content can become interesting when aligned with the student's incentives. He also employs gamified motivation systems to maintain student engagement and facilitate a deeper understanding of the material.
In his free time, Richard enjoys photography, urban planning, chamber music, and traveling. During his gap year, he worked at a vineyard in Oregon, volunteered at an English school in Morocco, and traveled to Spain, the UAE, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China!
Truth holds a BA from Princeton University. She currently works as a College Access Consultant at eStem Public Charter Schools, giving presentations on the college admissions process, college essays, and Common App. Truth has helped over 100 students get accepted to the nation’s top schools, including Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and UNC.
As a first-generation student, Truth and her parents struggled immensely during the college application because they had no idea where to start or how to proceed. Luckily, her high school counselor, Ms. Rook, intervened and guided them by hosting weekly workshops to help prepare for the ACT, draft college lists, and brainstorm essays. Her counselor went above and beyond by meeting with her during winter break to review her essay drafts and encouraged her to apply to Princeton when she didn’t think she could get accepted. Truth does not doubt that Ms. Rook's efforts are a huge reason she got into Princeton and many other top schools. Getting into Princeton changed Truth's life trajectory—she wants to help other students get into college, as her high school counselor did for her.
Truth likes to empower others to achieve their best by validating them and their experiences. She sometimes remembers feeling insecure throughout the application process, wondering how to stand out. Her counselor helped her dig deeper to realize her strengths and the impact of her activities. Truth helps students reflect on their experiences, passions, and values so they can see they have much more to offer than they might think.
As a counselor, Truth strives to be a patient, empathetic, and encouraging guide for students. She remembers the balancing act that students must perform, juggling academics, extracurriculars, social life, and work, all while navigating the complex world of college applications all too well. Her role is to alleviate some of this burden by providing compassionate support; she wants students to know they have a knowledgeable advocate in their corner who is dedicated to their success.
A fun fact about Truth is that she has 13 aunts and uncles. While their holidays are pretty chaotic, she wouldn't trade her family for the world.
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!
Foundation Learning's English tutors have extensive experience in teaching or hold a college degree in a related discipline.
Parent involvement and check-ins are always welcome; we never want to leave you in the dark about your child’s progress. We always keep an open line of communication to ensure you can monitor your child’s progress.
Our proprietary matching process ensures students are paired with a tutor we believe meets their needs and preferences best based on the information you provide in the intake form. Our tutoring programs focus first on the areas where your child needs help most, then building on those skills for literary excellence. Tutors are picked based on student/family needs, preferences, and aspirations.
The tutoring plan that would suit your child best depends on the level and how much support they need, the area they need the most help with (such as reading comprehensively, effectively communicating ideas, writing essays, etc.), and their availability. If you’re unsure which plan would work best for your child, set up a call today to chat with us about your options!