Award-Winning ISEE Tutors
serving San Francisco, CA

I'm on your wavelength. In college I was a classroom volunteer tutor for the Preuss Charter School in San Diego, and I've been working for nearly two years now as a professional tutor, and have thorough experience with a range of subjects and standardized test formats. I also write pop culture articles on the side, and aspire to be a college professor of literature; consequently, I most enjoy teaching English and composition, and pride myself on being able to break down essay-writing to its most fundamental, obvious-as-peanuts basics. When I am not saving children from the abyss of school-related anxiety, I indulge in film photography, kung fu movies, and guitar.

I am a recent graduate of the University of Virginia living in Los Angeles. While at UVA, I earned a 3.95 GPA and graduated my major program with Highest Distinction. I have eight years of tutoring experience (including starting my own tutoring program) and have worked with students of all ages. I'm looking forward to helping people with their studies in any way I can.

I am currently an undergraduate student at UC Santa Barbara working on my Bachelor's of Science degree in General Biological Sciences. After graduation I plan to expand my health care education and pursue a career as a health care professional, either as a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. I am passionate about teaching because it has been my previous teachers who have inspired my inquisitiveness about the world around me and my excitement to learn. I now strive to pass on my knowledge to new students because I believe that education is important for a healthy, happy, and self-dependent life. As a result of my experience mentoring young children as a summer camp counselor and advising incoming freshmen at my university as an orientation advisor, I have developed a personal approach to helping others, specifically on a one-on-one basis. I teach students by working together, encouraging practice, requiring them to demonstrate what they've learned, and verbalizing positivity towards their success. I am a tutor for HSPT, ISEE, SSAT, SAT Writing, SAT Mathematics, and Algebra 1 and below. My favorite subject to tutor is math because it is a subject where you can, without ambiguity, prove that something is exact and correct. In my spare time, I enjoy playing soccer, zumba, baking, card games, and playing with pets.

As a second-year medical student with a strong foundation in science and a passion for education, I specialize in making tough subjects easier to understand. I excel in math, biology, physics, and other challenging topics that often intimidate students and I genuinely enjoy helping others master them. My approach combines patience, clarity, and high-level understanding to break down complex ideas into manageable, confidence-boosting lessons. Whether it's reviewing homework or prepping for exams, I'm here to support and motivate students at any level below mine to reach their full academic potential. My interests include: Weightlifting and fitness training (especially strength and hypertrophy programs) Morning cardio and physical conditioning Studying medicine with a focus on anatomy, physiology, and clinical problem-solving Teaching and tutoring tough academic subjects like math, biology, and physics Watching anime as a way to relax and recharge (especially after a long day) Cooking (with a focus on high-protein, keto/carnivore meals)

I am currently a senior at Harvard College where I study chemistry, and I'll be attending Columbia Medical School next year. I have years of experience tutoring college students in math (mostly calculus) and chemistry including both general and organic chemistry. In addition, I am very familiar with all sections of the SAT and ACT having prepared several high school students for these tests. I believe that every student is capable of boosting his or her baseline score on these tests, so long as he or she works hard to get to know the format of the tests and the most popular types of questions. I tutor because I love seeing students develop a genuine passion for the subjects they once disliked (such as math and science), once they understand the power of these subjects and their applications to the real world.

I am a graduate of Northwestern University with a BA from the School of Communications, GPA 3.6, with a specialty in Theater and Education. Since then, I have worked as an educator at the Rubin Museum of Art, tutored the SAT, regularly traveled to India where I study Tibetan Language and conduct independent research, and have written, produced, and performed in several music and theatrical productions throughout New York City. The foundation of my tutoring philosophy is personalization and understanding. Different students have different learning styles; some learn best by listening, some by seeing, others must do. To that end, I try to tailor my lessons to fit the needs of each individual student. Ultimately, I believe that the ability to excel in educational pursuits rests largely on mental strategy, organization, and skill, all techniques that are very teachable. While absorbing content is important, the way we look at the question being asked and the way we understand the test itself is just as crucial to success, especially in standardized testing. Therefore, no matter what subject I tutor, it is my goal not just to help the student memorize information and facts, but to lead them towards understanding the underlying goals and structure of the test or assignment itself. To this end, in my lessons I often incorporate cutting-edge mindfulness-awareness and associative memory techniques based both on ancient tradition and cutting-edge brain science to aid my students towards deeper understanding, increased scholastic confidence, and reduced stress. I specialize in SAT, SSAT, and SAT II prep for Math, Verbal, Writing, and Literature, as well as High School History, English, Literature, and Writing, any K-8 subject, and college admissions coaching. In my spare time, I compose music, write and direct theater, and perform around New York City.

I'm looking forward to helping your student find personal success in their academic lives!

Karin McKie, MFA, compiles curriculum and personalizes teaching for a broad spectrum of students. I know there is no better, nor more crucial, calling than helping learners communicate their voices and realize their educational dreams. I specialize in tutoring all standardized tests, including the LSAT, SAT, PSAT, ACT, GRE, HSPT, ISEE, Accuplacer, STAAR, TOEFL/IELTS, ASVAB, all AP/IB English and history classes, and more. I also created and published a simple reading annotation system and related strategies specifically to tackle timed tests, as well as teaching critical reading, comparative literature, public speaking, and theater. As a professional writer and editor, I coach students in persuasive writing for schoolwork, college application and supplemental essays, internship and job applications, and the like. For decades, I've taught and lectured at universities, schools, and with individuals in Chicagoland and the Bay Area, and to online students of all ages around the world. I customize study plans with learners and their advocates to utilize existing abilities and add new techniques to reach personal and scholastic goals. I have a BS in Communications and Theater, and an MFA in Creative Writing. I have completed Continuing Education courses at Stanford, Northwestern and DePaul Universities. I'm a professional features writer and culture critic. I've edited Perspective design journal and Reed literary magazine and have performed memoir essays I've written on Chicago Public Radio. I come from a family of teachers and was fortunate to grow up at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, where my anthropologist mom was Education Director. Since early childhood, I've been immersed in multicultural and ELL education. I've devoted my personal and professional time to diversity and storytelling, starting at public TV station WETA in my hometown outside Washington, D.C., where I was certified as a trainer with Sesame Street's Preschool Education Project. I've also taught creativity and teambuilding through improvisation to all ages (as well as creating a kids summer camp), reading for the SAG Foundations BookPALS (Performing Artists for Literacy in Schools) program, plus reading and writing skills to at-risk students through the Park District's Kraft Great Kids Program. I've assisted many of my arts marketing clients, including Barrel of Monkeys and Kidworks Touring Theatre, with youth literacy programs at schools and libraries throughout the Windy City.

I am a graduate of McGill University (BA First Class Honors) and the University of Edinburgh (MSc First Class Honors with Distinction) with over eight years of tutoring experience. I am currently a curriculum developer for a company which creates relatable and culturally-literate courses for middle and high-schools, and am particularly adept at communicating and explaining concepts in a quirky, engaging, and intelligent manner. I was named Scotland International Young Thinker of the Year 2014 for exactly that sort of work. Much of my tutoring background is in test-prep and essay coaching, which I enjoy because it allows the tutor and student to think strategically together, and work as a team to achieve concrete results. I have worked with students ranging in age from 6-32, and believe that, in an educational context, a few jokes never hurt anybody. I love reading and learning, and my educational approach is centered around making the material just as engaging to students as it is to me. I think J.K. Rowlings, the writer of Harry Potter, is just as brilliant as Stephen Hawking, and in my free time, I manage my (terrible) fantasy baseball team, write songs for my comedy band, and crack jokes about terrible science-fiction movies with my friends.

I am pursuing a career as an actor, but am thrilled to continue to flex my intellectual side and share my passion for learning with the next generation. In college, I studied Cognitive Science, not so much as a fallback career, but because I am fascinated by the subject. I succeeded in getting into Northwestern without the aid of any academic tutors or test prep classes. As such, I am confident in my standardized test-taking abilities, and happy to share the strategies I used for the ACT, SAT II, and AP tests. I am also prepared to tutor a variety of academic subjects as well, as reflected by my approved courses. I look forward to working with you!

I am a graduate of Cornell University and received a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Currently, I am working as an Assistant Director at a preparatory school managing and teaching students simultaneously. In the recent years at the school, I have been focusing more on the Reading portions of standardized tests but have at times assisted students in the math and science portions as well usually one-on-one. I strongly believe that every students has their own style of learning and must learn at their own pace. Although, sometimes giving them too much leeway may not always be the best solution, I am there to also provide encouragement and challenge to make the learning process enjoyable and beneficial. Apart from work, I do enjoy reading, jogging, exploring New York City, and playing the violin during my spare time.

I am originally from New York City and am a student at the University of Pennsylvania studying Political Science, Economics, and Psychology. Having gone through high school and the whole college process within recent memory, I am at the unique intersection of having a very current understanding of the challenges, and of having gained experience and perspective from college. I started tutoring as soon as I had real knowledge to share, which for me was in the eighth grade. In the way a six-year-old might feel an unwavering sense of duty and pride from being charged with returning scissors to the desk, I felt the true significance of the job I had been given. Tutoring has never lost this importance for me and I continue to approach each student with the same level of preparation and commitment as I did all those years ago. As both a nationally-ranked swimmer and a student I learned meticulous organization and time management. I have seen success in my own pursuits and in those of the students I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. I am invested, reliable, and capable. I look forward to meeting you!

I'm a rising junior at Brown University studying biomedical engineering. I have lots of experience in middle school through college level instruction in STEM and SAT/ACT prep. My goal is to provide a fun and productive learning environment by only teaching subjects that I am passionate about.

I am currently a sophomore at Yale University working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. I began tutoring in high school at local elementary schools and continued tutoring into my college career with older students. I am capable of tutoring subjects ranging from Algebra and Calculus to Economics, standardized tests, Statistics, and more. Tutoring is something I enjoy because I love helping students achieve their goals and maximize their potential through practice and hard work. I'm a firm believer that the best way to improve in any area of academics is through practice. Once you become accustomed to the style of question, you will begin to realize why you are making mistakes and how to avoid making them in the future. Outside of tutoring, I am an avid sports fan and video game enthusiast.

I am currently a law student and am on the road to appreciating a new kind of study: that of various legal doctrines, statutory interpretation and methods of argumentation.