Mark earned a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. His passion for helping students led him to become an admissions coach, aiming to make the college application process less stressful and daunting. Professionally, he has served as a consultant at IBM.
Mark finds coaching to be dynamic and exciting. He believes it's enriching for both himself and the students; he helps ease their stress while they reflect, ask tough questions, and grow through the process.
As a coach, Mark compares himself to a therapist; to help students achieve success, he aims to understand each one deeply. By doing so, he can help match them with the perfect college and enable them to build a more comprehensive application narrative. If a student is involved in a club, Mike enjoys learning about what inspired that interest. If students play sports, he determines whether that interest is driven by competitiveness or a desire for community. Mark believes every application should paint a clear picture so that the admissions board gains a sincere understanding of the student.
Marks believes that inculcating a growth mindset is incredibly important. He emphasizes that nothing is permanent and reminds students that their starting point isn't fixed; improvement is always possible with effort.
In his free time, Mark enjoys going to the gym, long-distance running, recreational tennis, reading, writing short stories, and spending time with his two pet bunnies, Luna and Benny!
Carlos completed his undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees from Florida International University. Carlos’ tutoring journey began with a passion for sharing knowledge and making a positive impact on students’ lives. From the moment he started tutoring and witnessed students’ growth in confidence and improved grades, he knew tutoring was one of his callings! Since then, he has been tutoring for over three years and has helped dozens of students, both nationally and internationally, reach their academic goals. Carlos has also helped countless undergraduate students develop their research projects and navigate the world of scientific academia.
Carlos perceives tutoring as an invaluable opportunity to effect tangible change in students' lives. The unique satisfaction of seeing a student's eyes light up when they finally grasp a concept, combined with his own continuous learning as he tutors students with diverse challenges, fuels his passion for tutoring. He specializes in tutoring middle school math, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, statistics, middle school science, biology, chemistry, environmental studies, ecology, and marine biology.
For Carlos, tutoring isn’t just about teaching; it's about empowering students to realize their potential and fostering a lifelong curiosity for learning. His tutoring style is student-centered and adaptive, focusing on the unique needs and learning styles of each individual. He aims to create a supportive and engaging environment where students feel comfortable exploring and making mistakes, which are vital parts of the learning process. He uses a mix of practical examples, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities to make the learning experience more dynamic and memorable.
One of Carlos’ greatest strengths as a tutor is keeping students engaged by connecting academic material to real-world applications and their personal interests. Whether simplifying complex ecological concepts or employing storytelling techniques, Carlos brings a fresh perspective to his lessons. His natural knack for simplifying complex concepts is another one of his standout traits. Carlos’ proficiency in breaking down larger tasks into smaller, manageable components not only facilitates student understanding but also cultivates a sense of progress and momentum.
Outside of tutoring, Carlos is deeply passionate about ecology and several hobbies: painting allows him to express his creativity, hiking allows him to rejuvenate, and listening to albums from start to finish allows him to appreciate music to its fullest. Adding an extra layer of joy to these pursuits is the companionship of his beloved dog. Carlos also bravely confronts his deepest fears every day: snakes and flying. His commute to work involves traveling by airboat and helicopter.
Bria is a distinguished alumna of the University of California, Berkeley, earning both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees. While at UC Berkeley, she served as a mentor and application guide for students within TAMID.
Bria intimately understands the stress and uncertainty of the college application process. As an only child, she lacked a role model to turn to for advice, ultimately navigating the process without the guidance she now provides. This personal experience fuels her passion to be that guiding light for others.
As a coach, Bria excels at being supportive and giving constructive feedback. When editing resumes or essays, she always tries to do what she calls a compliment sandwich – start with a compliment, add what needs to be changed/fixed, and then end with another compliment. Bria knows criticism can sometimes come off as harsh or offensive, even if it is not meant to be, so she found this is a good way to get the message across and have students feel good about themselves and their writing.
When working with students who are hitting a learning block, Bria uses positive reinforcement and encouragement to remind them of their end goal and that all their hard work will pay off. She is always optimistic, outgoing, kind, compassionate, and empathetic.
Outside of counseling Bria is a travel agent as a side hustle because she is passionate about travel and helping others travel, too. She’s been fortunate enough to visit 26 countries so far! When she’s not working or traveling, she loves to cook and bake, hike and be in nature, spend time with friends, watch TV, paint, and do puzzles.
Foundation Learning’s physics tutors have extensive tutoring experience or hold physics/science-related degrees. Our tutors are knowledgeable, friendly, and confident.
Yes, Foundation Learning aims to make it easy for parents to check their child’s progress using our progress tracker. This tracker shows you precisely what your child is working on and allows you to see tutor comments and feedback after sessions.
Yes, Foundation Learning ensures families, students, and tutors stay on the same page using our progress tracker. Families can check the tracker to gauge student progress and view tutor comments.
We always start by learning more about students’ needs, educational goals, commitments, and preferences. Learning more about students helps us match students to a tutor we think will work best with them.
The best package for you is the one that best fits your needs and goals. We work with students needing varying levels of support. If you’re unsure which plan is best for you, our team is happy to help you explore your options!