Seattle Tutors

Angela

Angela is an ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Test Math 1 and AP Chemistry tutor. She has been tutoring the SAT since 2000 and has been working as a teaching assistant in various backgrounds for just as long. She has her Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Caltech and her Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from UCLA. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington.

Angela would like you to know that, "The first SAT test given in 1901 was not multiple choice, but instead was evaluated based on essay responses such as 'excellent,' 'good,' 'doubtful,' 'poor,' or 'very poor.' " She enjoys travel, volleyball, yoga, candy, and ice cream. Her favorite Kaplan experience was, "The time my student told me that she had fun doing her homework for Kaplan."

Barbara

Barbara tutors the SAT Critical Reading and Writing for Kaplan. She has a total of eight years teaching and tutoring experience in the community. Barbara has her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater and English, her Bachelor of Arts in Education and her Masters in Special Education.

Barbara adds that she is an avid mystery reader and notes that: "I love the ones that are so compelling that I just can't put them down!" She also likes to travel and experience other cultures.

Bona

Bona is an SAT and ACT Math tutor as well as an ISEE and SAT Subject Test Math and AP Math tutor. She has been tutoring at Kaplan and other area tutoring companies since 2000. Bona enjoys math and has tutored everything from elementary math to calculus. In addition to tutoring the SAT and math, Bona has also had extensive experience tutoring ESL students in preparation for their TOEFL exams. She has her BA in Humanities and is pursuing her Masters in Education.

Corinna

Cori tutors the ACT, SAT, ISEE, SAT Subject and AP Tests in Biology and French and several academic subjects. She has been tutoring since high school in a variety of areas and has been with Kaplan for almost a year. She is also a teaching assistant in the Biology department at the University of Washington. Cori has her Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in Environmental Studies and French. She is currently working on her Master of Public Affairs and a Master of Science in Environmental Policy at the University of Washington.

Here's a bit from Cori about herself: "I love watching football! Five of my old schoolmates play for NFL teams (including the Seahawks!) My all-time favorite sports team, though, is the Chicago Cubs! I love singing, listening to This American Life, and, of course, going to grad school. My passion is environmental policy, and so I also love keeping up with politics and the upcoming election. I like working with long-term students the best, because you get to see them grow throughout the lessons."

Denise

Denise is an SAT Critical Reading and Writing tutor, as well as an ACT tutor. She has been with Kaplan since August of 2005. She has her AAS in Apparel Design and Services. Denise recently received Tutor of the Month in August of 2008. She has a rapidly growing network of students in the Gig Harbor area.

Denise is interested in historic costuming, reading, gardening, and making things. She loves seeing her students excited and happy about their test scores.

Doug

Doug has been tutoring the SAT Critical Reading and Writing and the ACT English and Reading with Kaplan for two years now. Previously, he was a teaching assistant in Constitutional Law at Western Washington University. Doug has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Doug enjoys learning new languages, backpacking, running, reading, writing, hiking, and consuming baked goods. Regarding his linguistic skills Doug says, "I speak just enough Arabic and French to get myself in trouble." His favorite part of tutoring is when his students really put their shoulders into difficult subjects and see just how much they can accomplish with hard work and a positive attitude.

Heidi

Heidi tutors SAT Critical Reading and Writing, the ACT English and Reading, the ISEE, and SAT Subject Tests and AP Tests in Spanish and Literature. She was a middle school Spanish teacher for 2 years and taught Spanish 1 and 2, as well as Linguistics at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Heidi has her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Auburn University and her Masters in Linguistics from the UNC-Chapel Hill.

Heidi says, "Working in an elementary school in Texas as a sign language interpreter, I taught an 8-year-old deaf child his very first signs (he had just emigrated from Mexico and had never been exposed to any sign language.) Sailing, snowboarding and kayaking are my favorite hobbies. I love to teach and have taught many of my friends how to snowboard and how to sail. It's gratifying to see someone learn something new in a way that does not make him or her feel stupid or frustrated. I try to remember how I felt when I was first learning whatever it is that I am teaching. I had a good laugh with a student when she referred to Nixon and the Waterloo Scandal in an essay. We joked that she should write her next essay on Napoleon's surrender at Watergate. You don't have to be a history expert to score high on the SAT essay; you just have to know how to defend your argument!"

Jasmin

Jasmin tutors the SAT Math and the ACT Math and Science. Jasmin has been with Kaplan for almost a year. Previously, she tutored high school, middle school and elementary school students. She is working on a double major in Landscape Architecture and Community Environment Planning at the University of Washington.

Jasmin enjoys snowboarding, bike riding, long boarding, painting, traveling, art, gallery openings, live music, volunteering, and civic leadership. She has won over 12 scholarships and awards for her involvement in social welfare, leadership and scholastic success. She was the Municipal League of King County's Civic Scholar in 2006, and recently completed a term with Americorps Students in Service.

Julie

Julie tutors the SAT Critical Reading and Writing for Kaplan. In addition to her Kaplan experience, she also has seven years of experience tutoring for the Northshore School District. Julie earned her BA from Seattle Pacific University. Julie brings with her the wisdom of being a parent to two college-aged sons. Julie adds: " I fully understand the pressure that parents and students go through in getting ready for the college experience. I hope that my having been down that road before will help people to understand that it is easier than it appears once you have a strategy in place. "

In her free time Julie enjoys gardening and spending time with friends and family.

Kristie

Kristie is an ACT, SAT, AP Biology and SAT Subject Test (Math 1) tutor. Kristie taught high school Algebra 1, Advanced Algebra, and Trigonometry in Georgia. She has spent 2 years as a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington. Kristie has her Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology from Georgia Institute of Technology and her Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Washington. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Washington in Cognition and Perception.

Kristie enjoys running, working out, playing intramural soccer & softball, reading, politics, world affairs, chess, cooking, and belly dancing. She says of herself, "I can't whistle, and I still like to watch cartoons and Disney movies."

Laura

Laura has been tutoring with Kaplan for almost 2 years. She tutors the SAT Critical Reading and Writing, the ACT English and Reading, the ISEE, and the SAT Subject Tests in Literature, U.S. History, and World History. She has her Copyediting Certification from UC Berkeley and is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. In 2007, Laura received Tutor of the Year for the Seattle area. In addition to tutoring, she is also the tutor trainer for Kaplan Premier Seattle.

Laura enjoys traveling, writing, museum visits, small fluffy dogs, drinking coffee, and old movies. When asked her favorite Kaplan experience she says, "I can never narrow it down to just one. I have so many great memories, but those that stand out the most are from students who have struggled intensely to achieve even a modest score increase and end up with a far greater accomplishment than they thought possible."

Mike E.

Mike tutors the SAT and the ACT for Kaplan as well as the SAT Subject Tests and AP tests in Physics, Math and Chemistry. Mike also enjoys general academic tutoring. Mike has a Masters in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota and a Masters in Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington.

Mike has taught classes to students of all ages and worked in the software industry for over 25 years. This varied experience makes him a diverse and interesting tutor.

Mike M.

Mike is an SAT Critical Reading and Writing tutor. He has tutored writing conventions and English mechanics for international students, accounting and economics at the college level, and International Baccalaureate programs. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of Washington, as well as his Master of Professional Accounting.

Mike enjoys wakeboarding, sailing, cycling, poker, family camping, sun, and Chipotle. He says, "I enjoy getting to know the student by helping them draw on their life experiences to improve their writing skills."

Natalie

Natalie tutors the SAT and the ACT as well as the ISEE> She also tutors the SAT Subject Test and academics in Math, Biology, Physics, Spanish and Literature. She has her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology.

In her spare time Natalie enjoys video games, cycling, working out, and listening to rock music. She especially loves traveling and in the last couple of years she has visited Central America twice to complete service projects.

Rebekah

Rebekah tutors the SAT Critical Reading and Writing for Kaplan Premier. She has tutored at UCLA, taught gymnastics, and is a mentor and camp counselor for the UCLA Alumni Association. Rebekah graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from UCLA Honors College. She is looking forward a graduate program in International Affairs.

Rebekah loves reading, dancing, TV on DVD (especially 24, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, and Project Runway), NPR podcasts, riding her beach cruiser along Alki, and UCLA basketball. She speaks French and spent the summer completing an internship with the Ministry of External Affairs in Cameroon. She loves helping her students discover that learning vocabulary can be fun!

Ryan

Ryan tutors the SAT and ACT for Kaplan Premier. He has tutored younger students and athletes through various stages of education. He has his Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, with an emphasis on Philosophy and Political Science. He is currently studying at the University of Washington, in hopes of attaining his Masters in Nanotechnology.

Ryan enjoys playing guitar and singing. He writes songs and self produces CDs. He also performs around Seattle. He was a placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons and the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL for two off-seasons. Regarding his time with Kaplan, Ryan says, "So far all of my experiences have been rewarding. I care about the high schoolers I work with, and I want to see them succeed. I enjoy the challenge of customizing my lessons to fit each student's needs."

Sophia

Sophia is an SAT tutor who specializes in working with high-scoring students. She has been a teacher since May of 2007 and has tutored several students, one of whom received a 2400 on his SAT. She is currently working on her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of Washington.

As a fun fact, Sophia mentions, "I am half Vietnamese and half Taiwanese. I learned how to say three fundamental sentences in Chinese when I was in Taiwan for 3 months:

1. 'Hi, How are you?'
2. 'Where is the bathroom?'
3. 'I don't understand Chinese.'

I love to read, work out, jog, watch Grey's Anatomy and How I Met Your Mother, play the piano, and play a mean game of Scrabble. My favorite Kaplan experience is when I perceive that something clicks in my students' minds after an explanation or two and practice. There is nothing more satisfying than helping my students become more confident about their success on the SAT and seeing them do well."

Zuhayr

Zuhayr has been with Kaplan for almost a year tutoring the ACT, SAT, ISEE, SSAT, and SAT Subject and AP tests in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Math 1, U.S. History, World History, and Literature. He completed his AA and a Graduate Gemologist degree. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing with an emphasis on Near Eastern studies.

Zuhayr notes, "Seattle has been good to me. I went to Kamiak High School (Go Knights!) in Mukilteo and have watched my three younger siblings proceed through the local school system. Then, being able to attend the University of Washington as well as having friends who attended various local high schools, both public and private, has given me a unique perspective in exploring our local education system. Working for Kaplan, the best part of being a tutor is when I see students realize a tangible gain during their tutoring experience. I worked in jewelry for several years and the response to improvement varies as much as responses to receiving engagement rings - unique to all the students I have worked with."