James completed his Bachelor’s degree from Brown University and is a JD candidate at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Over the past four years, he has successfully mentored hundreds of students, enabling them to reach their academic goals, and has accumulated thousands of hours as a tutor and college admissions counselor. Additionally, James holds many national academic and extracurricular accolades, such as being named a Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalist, All-National Orchestra First Violinist, and CT All-State Associate Concertmaster.
Having achieved perfect scores on the math section of the SAT, ACT, and SAT Math Level II, along with 99th percentile scores on the SAT and ACT, James found his passion for guiding students toward similar academic success. At Brown University, James was an advisor to first-year students, mentoring them to achieve success in all aspects of academics. He also has extensive experience packaging college applications and mentoring students on their application essays. James places a strong emphasis on student success and individuality. He enjoys tailoring each student’s application to their own strengths to put them in the strongest light in today’s competitive college admissions world.
With a keen understanding of the intricacies of the application process, he dedicates himself to tailoring each student's application to highlight their unique strengths and accomplishments.
James looks forward to helping students achieve academic success and unlocking their highest potential in the classroom, standardized test scores, and college admissions!
Branden attended Marshall University on a track-and-field scholarship before completing his graduate education at Wilmington University. At both institutions, he graduated with honors at the top of his class. Branden has eight years of tutoring and classroom experience under his belt. He began tutoring after realizing that students often need additional support to truly grasp difficult subjects.
Branden specializes in tutoring science, math, English Language Arts (ELA), and history. Witnessing the transformative moment when students finally understand challenging concepts is the driving force behind his passion for tutoring.
As a tutor, Branden prioritizes creating a comfortable and supportive learning environment. He creates his lessons with a light-hearted approach, fostering a safe space where students can not only learn and succeed but also share stories. Understanding the varied ways students learn, Branden provides a diverse set of tools and strategies to meet each student's unique needs.
Branden excels at actively involving students in their own learning. He seamlessly integrates their interests into the material, often incorporating pop culture references to make lessons more relatable and engaging.
In his free time, Branden enjoys surfing, fishing, beach sports, watching movies (preferably with a generous amount of popcorn), and traveling. He has set a personal goal to match the 172 countries his father has traveled to.
Nailah earned a BA from Brown University, where she served in the Brown Elementary Afterschool Mentoring program and the Brown Tutoring Corps. She has also served as a teaching associate at the National Presbyterian School. Having personally experienced the intricate and often overwhelming college application process, Nailah empathizes deeply with students. Her passion lies in providing guidance, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has the necessary tools to succeed and find their perfect college fit.
Driven by a lifelong commitment to serving others, admissions counseling has become Nailah’s platform for channeling her passion for higher education. Her love for education and natural inclination towards organization and project management enable her to structure the college application process and alleviate students’ stress through strategic planning. The joy and fulfillment she experiences when students reach their milestones is immeasurable as she merges her skills with her passion for helping others.
Nailah’s teaching style fosters motivation, provides reassurance, and builds strong relationships with students. She believes in empowering others by creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students feel valued and respected. Nailah is highly perceptive and quickly recognizes when students feel overwhelmed or stressed. When this happens, she prioritizes offering encouragement and reassurance, helping them overcome obstacles and believe in their abilities.
Furthermore, Nailah aims to establish a positive rapport with students, which allows for open communication and mutual trust. She believes in giving students autonomy, allowing them to take ownership of their journey and make decisions that are best for them while offering support and expertise to navigate the complexities of the process effectively. Nailah is always open to feedback from students, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and improvement. By actively listening to their input, she can better tailor her teaching approach to meet their needs and empower them to achieve their full potential.
One effective tactic she utilizes to keep students motivated is celebrating milestones throughout the college application process, regardless of their size. She firmly believes in the power of positive reinforcement to bolster motivation and self-esteem. By acknowledging and celebrating each achievement, Nailah provides students with the encouragement and recognition they need to stay motivated and engaged in their journey toward college admission.
As a counselor, Nailah serves as a candidate’s biggest cheerleader and demonstrates unwavering support at every turn. She is honest and empathetic and believes in transparent and compassionate communication to ensure students feel heard and understood. Above all, Nailah's priority is to convey to students that she is here to support them wholeheartedly.
When she’s not working, Nailah loves sports, especially college women’s basketball and track and field. You can often find her playing volleyball and working out. She also likes to read non-fiction books and loves musical theater. She grew up acting, singing, and dancing and loves all the performing arts.
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!