IB Program and Exam Support: Actionable Prep, Reinvented

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.

Victoria holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. As a first-generation college graduate, she understands students' challenges when navigating the admissions process. In her own experience, she was forced to find outside resources. Even in college, she networked to find alumni and professionals working in government to help her with job applications. Victoria completed approximately 100 informational interviews over four years, and now she wants to help students in the same place that she was in by becoming their guide and resource. Professionally, Victoria works at the US Department of State - Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

As a coach, Victoria’s teaching style is structured. She excels at helping students with ideas and an outline/plan without doing the work. Victoria likes to be a support system, encouraging people to do their best by being there for them when they need her and being a sounding board to make sure applicants are confident in the decisions they are making (i.e., ensuring that an essay topic is the right one, choosing what to put on a resume, etc.) 

Victoria is motivated by deadlines; she finds that having a set schedule and clear expectations helps students stay motivated, too. She considers herself Midwest-friendly. She is outgoing and always happy to help or be available when needed. Victoria is respectful, positive, and realistic. She is always looking for solutions to problems and sticking to a plan.

When she isn’t working, Victoria enjoys lifting weights, watching sports (basketball, baseball) and reality TV (Housewives, Selling Sunset, Vanderpump Rules, etc.), journaling, visiting museums, and trying new restaurants and coffee shops.

Syed has a Bachelor's in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Lahore University of Management Sciences and a Master's in Mathematics for Teaching from Harvard University. With more than five years of experience, Syed is a highly qualified tutor with a strong educational background. His interest in tutoring first began when he noticed his junior students were struggling in Math. Recognizing his strong affinity for the subject, he was confident in his ability to help them overcome their challenges.

Syed’s passion for tutoring stems from his ability to empower students and help them overcome academic obstacles. He views this capability as a superpower that allows him to guide students toward their desired academic achievements. Syed's tutoring style is both comprehensive and engaging. During a typical tutoring session, he dedicates half the time to providing lessons and conveying information to his students. The remaining time is allocated for problem-solving exercises and an oral quiz, which he calls Skill-Check. This approach ensures students have a well-rounded learning experience encompassing theory and practical application. By instilling confidence in students and equipping them with the necessary skills, he contributes to their personal growth and enriches their lives.

To enhance the learning process, Syed assigns reading materials or problem sets for students to work on independently after each session. He tailors his lessons according to the individual needs of each student, taking into account their strengths and areas for improvement. Syed leverages various online tools to create effective teaching materials, including past papers, question banks, Khan Academy, Geogebra, Desmos, AOPS, NRich, and various other websites. He can access relevant animations, simulations, notes, and problem sets by using these resources, providing his students with diverse and interactive learning materials. As such, Syed is highly adaptable and resourceful. He understands that every student has their own learning style and tailors his approach to maximize their understanding and progress. 

When he’s not tutoring Syed enjoys reading, playing chess, playing video games, and spending time with his two dogs.