IB Program and Exam Support: Actionable Prep, Reinvented

Olivia holds a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and is pursuing a Master of Arts at the University of Florida. With her background as a college adviser with the Duke College Advising Corps and admissions advisor at Sante Fe College, Olivia has successfully guided 60+ students into esteemed institutions, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. With a deep commitment to education, Olivia also served as an Education Policy Fellow at the US House of Representatives.  

Olivia's passion for coaching springs from her own transformative college experience, which impacted her academically, socially, and emotionally. As a result, she strongly believes all students should have the opportunity to experience undergraduate life to the fullest.

As a coach, Olivia strikes a balance between an easygoing attitude and inspiring students to reach their full potential. She takes the time to understand their interests and hobbies before tailoring her coaching style accordingly. Olivia finds that collaborative coaching/learning environments are most productive, allowing students to retain their unique voices and authenticity during the application process. 

In her free time, Olivia enjoys staying active, listening to new music, reading, and spending time with her friends and family. She also loves being adventurous; she went skydiving with her dad when she was just 16!

Saied holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics from Rutgers University and a Master of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. He also has a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) from Cambridge University. Saied has over eight years of experience as a tutor and has helped hundreds of high school and college students. His passion for tutoring began during his childhood in the Jamaican school system, where he experienced the opportunity to substitute for a mathematics teacher for three months.

Saied specializes in ACT and SAT tutoring, all math courses from Pre-Algebra to Calculus II, and English composition. His passion for tutoring is driven by his love for imparting knowledge and helping students master the world of mathematics. Engaging in one-on-one interactions, understanding each student's learning style and interests, and presenting content in a way that resonates with them and sparks those light bulb moments are what continually motivates him to strive for excellence as an educator.

Saied's tutoring style is characterized by a dynamic partnership with students. In the initial conversation, he strives to understand each student's preferred learning style and identifies any knowledge gaps they may have. Based on this assessment, he develops a customized plan to address their needs. Recognizing that some mathematical topics can be abstract, Saied incorporates real-world applications to solidify concepts and encourage students to apply what they have learned. By fostering this iterative process, Saied nurtures mathematical maturity and helps students make connections between different mathematical ideas, informing his approach to introducing new content. What truly drives Saied is witnessing his students' success, confidence, and motivation. Students' genuine smiles of accomplishment further fuel his passion for assisting others in achieving their academic goals.

Saied's greatest strengths as a tutor lie in his background in applied mathematics, which enables him to present content in a relevant and applicable way. He ensures students grasp the core foundations necessary to tackle any mathematical challenge. Additionally, Saied is skilled at pushing his students to excel. During tutoring sessions, his primary focus is ensuring the concepts are deeply understood and internalized so that when presented with external content-related problems, students glide through with ease. 

When he isn’t tutoring, Saied enjoys hiking, chasing beautiful skylines and waterfalls, and learning new skills. He is certainly one for adventure, as he swam with sharks when he was only 13 years old and has been skydiving!

Shawn earned his Bachelor of Arts in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. Motivated by the belief that 90% of learning occurs beyond the classroom, he embarked on his tutoring journey several years ago. His extensive experience includes tutoring math, science, and reading for low-income students, teaching English to students in China, tutoring for UC Berkeley's Molecular and Cell Biology department, and serving as a teaching assistant for a biology course at Berkeley.

Shawn's passion for tutoring stems from his belief that true understanding of subjects goes beyond the confines of the classroom. He considers it a privilege to facilitate the learning of others, finding immense fulfillment in assisting others to grow, flourish, and grasp challenging concepts. He specializes in ACT, SAT, and HSPT tutoring, as well as biology, chemistry, math, and computer science at all levels, including AP. 

Shawn adopts a hands-on tutoring approach, tailoring his sessions to suit each student's unique needs. He firmly believes that engaging in thorough discussions and providing well-curated resources enables students to attain academic success more efficiently. Shawn's sessions feature active discussions, rigorous practice problems, and comprehensive textbook readings. He prioritizes individualized attention, rejecting the notion of speed limits or predefined approaches to content. With his interdisciplinary professional expertise, he adeptly guides students to discover their own learning paths across science, math, and reading.

Shawn excels at providing positive reinforcement and fostering a supportive environment where students feel encouraged to make mistakes and embrace the learning process. When students encounter challenging subjects, he employs various strategies to break them down into manageable problems. He emphasizes understanding the broader significance of learning and relates concepts to real-world applications, hobbies, or interests to enhance engagement. By incorporating analogies, humor, or pop culture references, he offers fresh perspectives on topics, motivating students to stay focused. Additionally, Shawn utilizes visual aids, drawings, diagrams, and mnemonics to provide new insights and facilitate comprehension from various angles.

In his free time, Shawn likes playing electric guitar with his friends in their band and biking the trails around the East Bay area. He also enjoys creating video games, writing stories, and collecting interesting books and textbooks. One time he stuffed so many books in a box that it disintegrated and he had to pick through a book-valanche!