Jennifer completed a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago before earning an MBA from the University of California, Davis. While at the University of Chicago, Jennifer served as an interviewer and project coordinator for prospective students. She has played a vital role in the admissions process for thousands of applicants and has helped them get into the University of Chicago and UC schools.
Jennifer's coaching approach is deeply rooted in her own experience navigating the college application process. Having been through it herself, she understands the stress and challenges students face. She strives to be the mentor she needed during that time, believing that with the right guidance and support, students can approach their applications with confidence and ease. Her coaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of process and structure to ensure each student has the right infrastructure and support to succeed.
As a coach, Jennifer is personable, cares deeply about students on an individual level, and values open communication. She takes the time to understand what excites them, what drains them, and what they're curious about, believing these inputs are key to uncovering their strengths, growth opportunities, and the environment that best supports them. She meets students where they are, taking the time to tailor her approach effectively.
Despite her friendly demeanor, Jennifer maintains a strong level of discipline in reaching goals and commitments. She treats her students with respect, allowing them autonomy as emerging adults. Considering this, Jennifer adopts a blended coaching style, checking in frequently to ensure students feel confident about their goals while also holding them accountable, ensuring they can navigate challenges on their own with resilience and determination.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys exploring new coffee shops and cafes in her neighborhood and the broader SF Bay Area, attempting new crafts and DIY projects, and spending quality time with her toy poodle and husband.
Ryan earned his bachelor's degree from Seton Hall University (SHU) and is currently pursuing a JD at SHU on a full-ride scholarship. He has mentored students in various capacities, including SAT tutoring and his current role as a peer advisor at SHU. His tutoring journey started in a study group where he was inspired to help his friends gain admission to their dream schools, a goal he successfully achieved.
For Ryan, tutoring is a means of empowering students to reach their aspirations. He is passionate about facilitating student advancement and helping them reach their academic and professional goals. He specializes in SAT tutoring, driven by the recognition that this test often poses a significant obstacle to students' academic paths.
As a tutor, Ryan emphasizes an interactive approach, allowing students to actively demonstrate their understanding of question processes while he explains new strategies and concepts as necessary. When students hit learning blocks, he makes sure to take it step-by-step to dissect the problem and fill in any knowledge gaps.
One of Ryan's standout qualities as a tutor is his empathy. Acknowledging the complexities of admissions processes, he prioritizes establishing a connection with students' goals and visions. Through this understanding, Ryan helps students forge unique paths to realizing their educational objectives.
In his free time, Ryan loves traveling, hiking, thrifting, and taking the train to Manhattan with my friends. Speaking of his friends, Ryan was part of a viral video in high school that garnered 15 million views—a video his friends still tease him about today.
Samantha completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Florida, her Master of Education at Nova Southeastern University, and her Doctor of Education at Grand Canyon University. She boasts over 20 years of teaching experience: 10 years teaching secondary English for one of the 50 largest districts in the United States and 12 years teaching at the college level. She has created over thirty-five unique college courses, edited high school English test preparation textbooks for Barron's Educational Series, and has worked as a full-time staff writer for a newspaper. Her interest in tutoring stems from a profound belief in the transformative power of education.
Having been inspired by several exceptional teachers in her own journey, Samantha aims to pay it forward by acting as a mentor and guide for students. Her tutoring expertise spans SAT, ACT, and HSPT prep, as well as English, reading, writing, communications, ethics, and humanities.
Samantha's teaching style is highly personable; she values establishing relationships with students and conversing with them on a relatable level. Infusing humor into her teaching, she strives to create an engaging and enjoyable learning environment. Central to her teaching philosophy is the emphasis on connection, especially in subjects like English, which she believes can be easily connected to students' interests. By understanding students' interests, hobbies, and learning styles, Samantha ensures she can make connections to course content, even if it may seem dull or mundane, leading to those crucial "light bulb moments."
Drawing on her extensive education and experience, Samantha offers a nuanced perspective on learning and employs effective teaching strategies to help students achieve their goals. She excels at forming genuine bonds with students, providing them with agency in their learning to foster intrinsic motivation. Samantha's creativity shines through her ability to adapt to learning challenges quickly by presenting concepts in fresh and innovative ways.
When she’s not tutoring or teaching, Samantha creates art out of recycled beach debris, donated materials, trash, seashells, and just about anything she can find. She also loves spending time with her three dogs and husband, traveling (especially on cruises), and reading.
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!