Southern California Tutors

Meet Our Tutors

Kaplan Premier's tutors are the foundation of our service. Having graduated our rigorous training and development program, they all share the same level of excellence: near-perfect scores (in the 95th percentile or above), previous instructional experience, and—most importantly—the ability to create an interactive one-on-one learning environment based on the individual needs of each student.

Here are just a few of the tutors who work with Kaplan Premier students in Southern California. At the onset of any tutoring program, your Academic Coordinator will conduct our Tutor Matching Interview to find the best possible tutor for your child.

Gregory

Location: Encino
Subjects Tutored: SAT, SAT Subject Test - Math, ACT - Math/Science, ISEE - Math
Teaching/Tutoring experience: I have more than ten years experience tutoring/teaching math with elementary, middle school, high school, and college students.
Hobbies/Passions: I am passionate about education and physical fitness. Moreover, I enjoy downhill skiing, most sports (attending and participating), and traveling.
Degrees Earned: B.A./M.P.A. (Master's in Public Administration)
Fun Fact: I originally wanted to be a math teacher, but changed my major to attend Law School. However, during graduate school, I realized that I would be valuable to society as an educator instead of an attorney, which is why I am currently in the process of returning to school to get a doctorate degree in Education.
What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: It allows me to help others succeed in an exciting and fun environment.

Tony

Location: I work out of the Westwood Center.
Subjects Tutored: I tutor the SAT math section.
Tutor Since: I have been with the company since August 2005.
Teaching/Tutoring Experience: Currently I am a substitute teacher for the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. I have been a sub for over five years. My first tutoring job was in high school for Score! Advantage. I also tutored in college for middle school students through a program called East Bay Asian Youth Center.
Hobbies/Passions: I moved to LA because of the entertainment industry so you could say that I am passionate about acting. I also love food. And sports. And chilling. Not always in that order.
Degrees Earned: I have a bachelor's in economics from UC Berkeley.
What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: I enjoy the relationship that you develop with the student and the family. I also like seeing the light bulb turn on, especially for subjects the student dislikes or struggles with.

Allison

Location: I live in the beautiful and sunny Los Angeles, CA.
Subjects Tutored: I tutor SAT Math, Critical Reading, and Writing, as well as ACT, Math SAT Subject Test, ISEE, and SSAT.
Tutor Since: I've been a tutor with Kaplan since August 2005.
Teaching/Tutoring Experience: I've also taught Pre-Calculus and have been tutoring since my freshman year in college.
Hobbies/Passions: My hobbies are soccer, hiking, screenwriting, and anything to do with movies.
Degrees Earned: I have a B.A. from Scripps College, where I double majored in Math and English.
Fun Fact: I can't think of a particularly fun fact about myself, but fun movies that I love are The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School, Big Trouble, and Napoleon Dynamite.
What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: The thing I love most about tutoring with Kaplan Premier is my students!

James

Location: Fullerton, CA
Subjects Tutored: SAT Math, ACT Math and Science, SAT Subject Test - Math, Pre-Calculus
Tutor Since: August 2005
Teaching/Tutoring Experience: I have two years' experience as the editor of an independent Arts and Entertainment publication at the University of Pittsburgh. I was required to mentor freshmen and sophomore students in writing news stories consistent with Associated Press style, creative non-fiction, and reviews.
Hobbies/Passions: I enjoy desert hiking and exploring offbeat local attractions (in abundance in Southern California, from homemade spiral towers to abandoned tungsten mines). I also enjoy travel to offbeat locations. Odd as it sounds, I am passionate about the study of Economics, as I am keen in the scientific study of developing a Third World country. I read extensively on issues in Development Economics and Environmental Economics, as well as Science Fiction and African Literature (J.M. Coetzee, Naruddin Farah, Bessie Head, being particular favourites). I also dabble occasionally in creative writing, theatre and art, with all three usually having something to do with issues in Development Economics.
Degrees Earned: Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh, and I am currently working towards my Master of Arts degree in Economics from California State University, Fullerton.
Fun Fact: I'm an avid cricket fan (go England and Yorkshire County!) and like to play the odd casual game.
What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: Being able to instill confidence in a young student under pressure so that they can ace the standardized test hurdle of their passage into the college of choice.

Abby

Location: Pasadena, California
Subjects Tutored: SAT Critical Reading & Writing; ISEE total for Lower & Middle Levels, Verbal sections only for Upper
Tutor Since: August 2005
Teaching/Tutoring Experience: Three years on a volunteer basis with elementary school students and adult literacy learners.
Hobbies/Passions: My daughter and husband, movies, environmentalism
Degrees Earned: Bachelor of Arts from New York University
Fun Fact: I'm a serious goofball.
What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: Having the steady opportunity to watch the transition between "Huh??" and "I know that!" unfold.

Debbie

Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal, Writing, and Math. ACT English, Math, Reading, and Science. SAT Subject Test in Literature. SSAT and ISEE.
Teaching/Tutoring experience: Over seven years as a teacher and tutor with Kaplan. I also teach and tutor college graduates who are preparing for the GRE and GMAT exams. I am a tutor trainer for Premier Tutoring, and a graduate teacher trainer at the Encino Kaplan Center.
Hobbies/Passions: Yoga, hiking, and buying fresh produce at the wonderful farmers' markets in southern California.
Degrees Earned: B.F.A. with honors in Acting from New York University
Fun Fact: I am an actress who has appeared onscreen with celebrities such as Mark Harmon, Anthony LaPaglia, Bea Arthur, Mike Piazza…and even Alf!
Favorite KP Experience: Hearing back from students after test day and congratulating them on their success!

Lauren

Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal and Math; ACT English/Reading/Writing and Math/Science; ISEE Verbal and Math; SAT 2 Subject Tests in US History, Math IC, Math IIC, and Physics; AP Tests in Calculus AB and BC, Physics Mechanics, Macroeconomics, and US History
Teaching/Tutoring experience: I tutored all throughout High School and College by volunteering at local schools and at my own school before joining Kaplan Premier. I am also a Teaching Assistant at UCSD.
Degrees Earned: B.A. Mathematics at University of California at San Diego (December 2007)
Fun Fact: I usually go on an annual three-week or longer trip in the outdoors, such as dog sledding in Maine or sea-kayaking in Alaska.
Hobbies/Passions: Tennis, Movies, Backpacking, Outdoors Activities, Reading
Favorite KP Experience: To be honest, I cannot think one favorite experience as working for Kaplan has been the best part of my college career. The people are incredible, and each success I have with every one of my students makes tutoring easy and enjoyable.

Rad

Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal and Math, ACT English/Reading/Writing and Math/Science, SAT Subject Tests in Literature, US History, Biology, and Math Level 2, ISEE Verbal and math, GRE, GMAT
Teaching/Tutoring experience: Two and a half years with Kaplan tutoring and teaching in the classroom.
Hobbies/Passions: Triathlon, marathons, writing.
Degrees Earned: B.A. in English, Wake Forest University
Fun Fact: When I'm not tutoring, I coach the USC triathlon team.
Favorite KP Experience: Having students call me months after tutoring to say how much it helped them in the college application process.

Owen

Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal, ACT Verbal, SAT 2 Subject Tests in Literature, World History, and U.S. History, AP Tests in English Language and English Composition, ISEE Verbal.
Teaching/Tutoring experience: Over twenty one years as a practicing attorney in Massachusetts, California and Nevada strengthening my reading and writing muscles; over 2 years tutoring for Kaplan Premier.
Hobbies/Passions: Diehard Red Sox fan (takes up most of my time), volunteer work with abused children, reading 'classics', Seinfeld.
Degrees Earned: B.A. in Philosophy, Connecticut College. JD in Law, Suffolk University.
Fun Fact: While in college I was featured in the SI column called 'faces in the crowd' for my achievements as a goaltender for the Women's Field Hockey team.
Favorite KP Experience:When I get the call and/or email after the scores come out, reflecting the student's [and parent's] happiness in achieving a good score. This allows me, believe it or not, to remain humbled, because the students are the ones who do the work and put in the time to work for the score that will place them in the university or college of their choice.

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	Southern California Tutors Meet Our Tutors Kaplan Premier's tutors are the foundation of our service. Having graduated our rigorous training and development program, they all share the same level of excellence: near-perfect scores (in the 95th percentile or above), previous instructional experience, and—most importantly—the ability to create an interactive one-on-one learning environment based on the individual needs of each student. Here are just a few of the tutors who work with Kaplan Premier students in Southern California. At the onset of any tutoring program, your Academic Coordinator will conduct our Tutor Matching Interview to find the best possible tutor for your child. Gregory Location: Encino Subjects Tutored: SAT, SAT Subject Test - Math, ACT - Math/Science, ISEE - Math Teaching/Tutoring experience: I have more than ten years experience tutoring/teaching math with elementary, middle school, high school, and college students. Hobbies/Passions: I am passionate about education and physical fitness. Moreover, I enjoy downhill skiing, most sports (attending and participating), and traveling. Degrees Earned: B.A./M.P.A. (Master's in Public Administration) Fun Fact: I originally wanted to be a math teacher, but changed my major to attend Law School. However, during graduate school, I realized that I would be valuable to society as an educator instead of an attorney, which is why I am currently in the process of returning to school to get a doctorate degree in Education. What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: It allows me to help others succeed in an exciting and fun environment. Tony Location: I work out of the Westwood Center. Subjects Tutored: I tutor the SAT math section. Tutor Since: I have been with the company since August 2005. Teaching/Tutoring Experience: Currently I am a substitute teacher for the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District. I have been a sub for over five years. My first tutoring job was in high school for Score! Advantage. I also tutored in college for middle school students through a program called East Bay Asian Youth Center. Hobbies/Passions: I moved to LA because of the entertainment industry so you could say that I am passionate about acting. I also love food. And sports. And chilling. Not always in that order. Degrees Earned: I have a bachelor's in economics from UC Berkeley. What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: I enjoy the relationship that you develop with the student and the family. I also like seeing the light bulb turn on, especially for subjects the student dislikes or struggles with. Allison Location: I live in the beautiful and sunny Los Angeles, CA. Subjects Tutored: I tutor SAT Math, Critical Reading, and Writing, as well as ACT, Math SAT Subject Test, ISEE, and SSAT. Tutor Since: I've been a tutor with Kaplan since August 2005. Teaching/Tutoring Experience: I've also taught Pre-Calculus and have been tutoring since my freshman year in college. Hobbies/Passions: My hobbies are soccer, hiking, screenwriting, and anything to do with movies. Degrees Earned: I have a B.A. from Scripps College, where I double majored in Math and English. Fun Fact: I can't think of a particularly fun fact about myself, but fun movies that I love are The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School, Big Trouble, and Napoleon Dynamite. What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: The thing I love most about tutoring with Kaplan Premier is my students! James Location: Fullerton, CA Subjects Tutored: SAT Math, ACT Math and Science, SAT Subject Test - Math, Pre-Calculus Tutor Since: August 2005 Teaching/Tutoring Experience: I have two years' experience as the editor of an independent Arts and Entertainment publication at the University of Pittsburgh. I was required to mentor freshmen and sophomore students in writing news stories consistent with Associated Press style, creative non-fiction, and reviews. Hobbies/Passions: I enjoy desert hiking and exploring offbeat local attractions (in abundance in Southern California, from homemade spiral towers to abandoned tungsten mines). I also enjoy travel to offbeat locations. Odd as it sounds, I am passionate about the study of Economics, as I am keen in the scientific study of developing a Third World country. I read extensively on issues in Development Economics and Environmental Economics, as well as Science Fiction and African Literature (J.M. Coetzee, Naruddin Farah, Bessie Head, being particular favourites). I also dabble occasionally in creative writing, theatre and art, with all three usually having something to do with issues in Development Economics. Degrees Earned: Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh, and I am currently working towards my Master of Arts degree in Economics from California State University, Fullerton. Fun Fact: I'm an avid cricket fan (go England and Yorkshire County!) and like to play the odd casual game. What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: Being able to instill confidence in a young student under pressure so that they can ace the standardized test hurdle of their passage into the college of choice. Abby Location: Pasadena, California Subjects Tutored: SAT Critical Reading & Writing; ISEE total for Lower & Middle Levels, Verbal sections only for Upper Tutor Since: August 2005 Teaching/Tutoring Experience: Three years on a volunteer basis with elementary school students and adult literacy learners. Hobbies/Passions: My daughter and husband, movies, environmentalism Degrees Earned: Bachelor of Arts from New York University Fun Fact: I'm a serious goofball. What I enjoy about tutoring with Kaplan Premier: Having the steady opportunity to watch the transition between "Huh??" and "I know that!" unfold. Debbie Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal, Writing, and Math. ACT English, Math, Reading, and Science. SAT Subject Test in Literature. SSAT and ISEE. Teaching/Tutoring experience: Over seven years as a teacher and tutor with Kaplan. I also teach and tutor college graduates who are preparing for the GRE and GMAT exams. I am a tutor trainer for Premier Tutoring, and a graduate teacher trainer at the Encino Kaplan Center. Hobbies/Passions: Yoga, hiking, and buying fresh produce at the wonderful farmers' markets in southern California. Degrees Earned: B.F.A. with honors in Acting from New York University Fun Fact: I am an actress who has appeared onscreen with celebrities such as Mark Harmon, Anthony LaPaglia, Bea Arthur, Mike Piazza…and even Alf! Favorite KP Experience: Hearing back from students after test day and congratulating them on their success! Lauren Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal and Math; ACT English/Reading/Writing and Math/Science; ISEE Verbal and Math; SAT 2 Subject Tests in US History, Math IC, Math IIC, and Physics; AP Tests in Calculus AB and BC, Physics Mechanics, Macroeconomics, and US History Teaching/Tutoring experience: I tutored all throughout High School and College by volunteering at local schools and at my own school before joining Kaplan Premier. I am also a Teaching Assistant at UCSD. Degrees Earned: B.A. Mathematics at University of California at San Diego (December 2007) Fun Fact: I usually go on an annual three-week or longer trip in the outdoors, such as dog sledding in Maine or sea-kayaking in Alaska. Hobbies/Passions: Tennis, Movies, Backpacking, Outdoors Activities, Reading Favorite KP Experience: To be honest, I cannot think one favorite experience as working for Kaplan has been the best part of my college career. The people are incredible, and each success I have with every one of my students makes tutoring easy and enjoyable. Rad Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal and Math, ACT English/Reading/Writing and Math/Science, SAT Subject Tests in Literature, US History, Biology, and Math Level 2, ISEE Verbal and math, GRE, GMAT Teaching/Tutoring experience: Two and a half years with Kaplan tutoring and teaching in the classroom. Hobbies/Passions: Triathlon, marathons, writing. Degrees Earned: B.A. in English, Wake Forest University Fun Fact: When I'm not tutoring, I coach the USC triathlon team. Favorite KP Experience: Having students call me months after tutoring to say how much it helped them in the college application process. Owen Subjects Tutored: SAT Verbal, ACT Verbal, SAT 2 Subject Tests in Literature, World History, and U.S. History, AP Tests in English Language and English Composition, ISEE Verbal. Teaching/Tutoring experience: Over twenty one years as a practicing attorney in Massachusetts, California and Nevada strengthening my reading and writing muscles; over 2 years tutoring for Kaplan Premier. Hobbies/Passions: Diehard Red Sox fan (takes up most of my time), volunteer work with abused children, reading 'classics', Seinfeld. Degrees Earned: B.A. in Philosophy, Connecticut College. JD in Law, Suffolk University. Fun Fact: While in college I was featured in the SI column called 'faces in the crowd' for my achievements as a goaltender for the Women's Field Hockey team. Favorite KP Experience:When I get the call and/or email after the scores come out, reflecting the student's [and parent's] happiness in achieving a good score. This allows me, believe it or not, to remain humbled, because the students are the ones who do the work and put in the time to work for the score that will place them in the university or college of their choice.	COLLEGE INSIDER Get tools and tips for the college admissions process! Welcome Classes of 2009—and 2010 Special resources to get the Classes of '09 and '10 started in the admissions process. Insights from a Former Ivy League Admissions Officer Parents, PTA/PTO Groups, Educators/Counselors —Learn about Kaplan's in-school test prep program.