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Caltech alumnus - SAT/ACT, College Apps, Math/Physics, French/Mandarin
Jim S.

4.8 (343 ratings)

1,509 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $50
Contact Jim
Jim S.'s Photo
Jim S.'s Photo Jim S.'s Photo

Caltech alumnus - SAT/ACT, College Apps, Math/Physics, French/Mandarin
Caltech alumnus - SAT/ACT, College Apps, Math/Physics, French/Mandarin
Jim S.

4.8 (343 ratings)

1,509 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
4.8 (343 ratings)

1,509 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

About Jim

Bio

I am a Caltech Alumnus tutoring in SAT/ACT test prep, mathematics, physics, ESL, foreign languages and English composition. I have vast experience tutoring in calculus, pre-calculus, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, AP Physics, French, and Mandarin Chinese. Exam prep emergencies are my specialty! I also give expert one-on-one assistance and guidance with your college applications, as well as brainstorming and proofreading your college app Personal Statement essays.

A little about me: I...

I am a Caltech Alumnus tutoring in SAT/ACT test prep, mathematics, physics, ESL, foreign languages and English composition. I have vast experience tutoring in calculus, pre-calculus, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, AP Physics, French, and Mandarin Chinese. Exam prep emergencies are my specialty! I also give expert one-on-one assistance and guidance with your college applications, as well as brainstorming and proofreading your college app Personal Statement essays.

A little about me: I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech. Without any format test prep training at the time, my SAT scores were 740 in English, 760 in math. My SAT Math Level 2 and Physics subject test scores were both 800. Having lived and studied in France, Austria and Taiwan, I am fluent in French, German and Mandarin Chinese languages with an excellent accent in each, and can tutor in foreign language conversational skills including pronunciation. I also tutor foreign students in English/ESL. My students mostly live in Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks areas.

In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at determining where a student has a gap in understanding or a misunderstanding of mathematical concepts or techniques. Once I have grasped where the shortfall is, I find a way to explain it in very clear terms, enabling my students to make rapid progress in their understanding and in their capability to work homework problems and take exams.

When teaching physics, I help a student understand the concepts and also how to attack a problem based on its content, how to know which formula is best applicable, and how to mathematically solve the resulting equation.

When helping you to edit your writing, my best skills are to help you brainstorm on what to write about and how to support your arguments, and to advise on word choices that express your thoughts with precision, beauty and impact, as well as ways to condense your writing to give it more punch. I'm also very effective at proofreading grammar, spelling and punctuation, and t

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Education

California Institute of Technology
Applied Physics

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $50
  • Rate details: Groups of 2 at same rate as 1 person. Minimum charge: 30 minutes. This compensates me for the time reserved for my student, which I then couldn’t give someone else, and it covers my gasoline too! :-}
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 8/15/2016

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

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Approved Subjects

Business

Business,

Business

I have 20 years of highly successful experience in sales management, market research, product management and marketing management in the electronics industry. My job titles have included Director of Far East Sales, Product Marketing Manager, Product Manager and Market Research Manager at companies including TRW, Northrop Grumman, Lucent Technologies, Agere Systems, Perkin Elmer, JMAR Precision Systems and Eaton Corporation. During my career I spent 120 days a year for 10 years traveling on business from Japan to India and from China to Australia, attending trade shows, giving technical seminars in Mandarin Chinese to customers, and providing sales training to international sales reps. I also have 8 years experience as a contingency recruiter ("headhunter") working for electronic and biotech manufacturers, recruiting specialist design engineers, project managers, program managers, and mid-level individual contributors to top management employees in sales, marketing, HR, I.T., finance and accounting. On the engineering side I've recruited electrical, mechanical, software, firmware and audio/acoustic engineers, as well as experts in microbiology and biotech R&D, QA and production.
Career Development,

Career Development

I have 8 years experience as a contingency recruiter ("headhunter"), and have helped a large number of job seekers to elucidate their job skills and career desires, and to create and/or enhance their resume for targeted jobs or careers. I've also counseled them on specific credentials, skills or experience they will need to acquire their desired next career position. In addition I've assisted them to identify likely employers for their skillsets in the geographic areas of interest to them, and researched for them the names, job titles and contact information of hiring managers in their field at these target companies. Finally, I've assisted them to create and/or enhance their LinkedIn profiles to greatly magnify their career potential and find suitable job openings through social networking. I have 16 million contacts myself on LinkedIn, which greatly facilitates my ability to advise clients on hiring managers at prospective employers.
GRE,

GRE

I have been tutoring GRE students for several years with great results. These include students who are having troubles with the math section because it's been so long since they studied math, or because it's not their area of strength. I've also been very helpful to those seeking to improve the English language skills for the GRE test as well.
Marketing,

Marketing

I have 13 years of highly successful experience in B2B market research, product management and marketing management in the electronics industry. My job titles have included Product Marketing Manager, Product Manager and Market Research Manager at companies including TRW, Northrop Grumman, Lucent Technologies, Agere Systems, Perkin Elmer, JMAR Precision Systems and QLA. The skills I developed working in marketing include: - market research in high technology products such as RF, microwave, MMIC and fiber optic components, semiconductors, modules, equipment and software-driven systems, defining market sizes and market shares - interviewing key customers to determine what sorts of products will meet their next generation requirements - creating Marketing Requirements Documents (MRD) to help initial definition of a potential new product and assist with the "go / no-go" decision - preparing SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) for a high-technology manufacturer - leading the product development process including stakeholders from engineering, operations and quality assurance - preparing competitive analysis documents of my employer's products versus those of competitors to stimulate thoughts on new products that will bring us competitive advantage and for use as a sales tool in training the sales force - identify highly suitable technology licensing and acquisition candidates to expand product line, reduce product development time, advance marketing objectives, and facilitate buy/build/partner decisions - create competitive sales tools such as 20-page technical marketing product literature, color brochures, technical proposals and business case solutions, PowerPoint presentations, price lists and quotation templates - prepare detailed technical proposals to generate new business, finding opportunities to create discontinuity between customers and incumbent suppliers, e.g. providing unsolicited proposals for new technology or advancing relations with new decision makers - marketin
Microsoft Excel,

Microsoft Excel

I have 20 years experience using Microsoft Excel, and I currently use it for everything from making charts of assorted data that has to be sorted and creating colorful graphs from the information, to business and scientific calculations. I've also taught students who needed to pass a high school proficiency exam in Microsoft Excel (as well as MS Word and PowerPoint), and office staff who simply needed to upgrade their skills.
Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word

Computer

General Computer,

General Computer

I have frequently taught people with little or no computer experience everything from how to power on and off and how to use a mouse to using Microsoft Windows, MS Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for using e-mail and the calendar. I've also taught how to use ACT! and other CRM systems, and light hard drive maintenance.
Microsoft Excel,

Microsoft Excel

I have 20 years experience using Microsoft Excel, and I currently use it for everything from making charts of assorted data that has to be sorted and creating colorful graphs from the information, to business and scientific calculations. I've also taught students who needed to pass a high school proficiency exam in Microsoft Excel (as well as MS Word and PowerPoint), and office staff who simply needed to upgrade their skills.
Microsoft Windows,

Microsoft Windows

I have been a Microsoft Windows user from the very beginning of its existence as a product. I personally use Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP on three different PCs now, and I'm a "power user" who performs routine maintenance weekly on 3 PCs (anti-virus and anti-malware, disk drive repair, disk drive optimization) as well as new software installation for advanced users, font installation, ripping music from CDs to MP3 players, and so on. If you need help with a Windows issue, chances are I can help you. If you need tutoring in how to use Microsoft Windows, I'm sure I can help you become proficient in using Windows.
Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word

Corporate Training

Business,

Business

I have 20 years of highly successful experience in sales management, market research, product management and marketing management in the electronics industry. My job titles have included Director of Far East Sales, Product Marketing Manager, Product Manager and Market Research Manager at companies including TRW, Northrop Grumman, Lucent Technologies, Agere Systems, Perkin Elmer, JMAR Precision Systems and Eaton Corporation. During my career I spent 120 days a year for 10 years traveling on business from Japan to India and from China to Australia, attending trade shows, giving technical seminars in Mandarin Chinese to customers, and providing sales training to international sales reps. I also have 8 years experience as a contingency recruiter ("headhunter") working for electronic and biotech manufacturers, recruiting specialist design engineers, project managers, program managers, and mid-level individual contributors to top management employees in sales, marketing, HR, I.T., finance and accounting. On the engineering side I've recruited electrical, mechanical, software, firmware and audio/acoustic engineers, as well as experts in microbiology and biotech R&D, QA and production.
Career Development,

Career Development

I have 8 years experience as a contingency recruiter ("headhunter"), and have helped a large number of job seekers to elucidate their job skills and career desires, and to create and/or enhance their resume for targeted jobs or careers. I've also counseled them on specific credentials, skills or experience they will need to acquire their desired next career position. In addition I've assisted them to identify likely employers for their skillsets in the geographic areas of interest to them, and researched for them the names, job titles and contact information of hiring managers in their field at these target companies. Finally, I've assisted them to create and/or enhance their LinkedIn profiles to greatly magnify their career potential and find suitable job openings through social networking. I have 16 million contacts myself on LinkedIn, which greatly facilitates my ability to advise clients on hiring managers at prospective employers.
Chinese,

Chinese

I studied Mandarin Chinese in college and then went to the Mandarin Training Center at Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan for a year of one-on-one language instruction. Subsequently I spent 10 years managing Far East Sales, during which I traveled 3 times a year to Taiwan and Mainland China (PRC), giving technical seminars on RF and microwave electronic test equipment and automated test systems at trade shows and customer sites. This helped me to develop full fluency in Mandarin Chinese including business and technical vocabulary, with a very accurate Mandarin accent. I enjoy helping others who want to learn business or technical Mandarin develop fluency in conversational Chinese.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
French,

French

I first started learning French from a native speaker while I was spending my last year of high school in Austria to learn German. This training, together with my musically trained ear, enabled me to develop a robust Parisian accent in French that native speakers have always admired about me. Consequently, one of my specialties is teaching others to develop excellent pronunciation in French. I followed that first experience with an intensive French class in UC Berkeley's summer session, and the following year went to the University of Dijon in France to develop fluency in the language. Another of my specialties is helping students of French to develop conversational fluency in the French language. Since returning to California I've kept up my French by seeking out opportunities to converse with native speakers and by listening to and translate French poetry sung by famous French musicians, and by watching French culture on DVD. Because of this background I especially love using French poetry and songs to teach about the marvelous culture of France (including French history and philosophy) as a vehicle to learn the language.
General Computer,

General Computer

I have frequently taught people with little or no computer experience everything from how to power on and off and how to use a mouse to using Microsoft Windows, MS Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook for using e-mail and the calendar. I've also taught how to use ACT! and other CRM systems, and light hard drive maintenance.
Microsoft Excel,

Microsoft Excel

I have 20 years experience using Microsoft Excel, and I currently use it for everything from making charts of assorted data that has to be sorted and creating colorful graphs from the information, to business and scientific calculations. I've also taught students who needed to pass a high school proficiency exam in Microsoft Excel (as well as MS Word and PowerPoint), and office staff who simply needed to upgrade their skills.
Proofreading,

Proofreading

I have been proofreading sales, marketing, engineering and academic papers for 20 years, much of that at Fortune 500 corporations. In high school I took the SAT only once (before there was a separate essay to score), taking it cold without any advance preparation or prep classes ahead of time, and scored 740 on the English section, including critical reading and writing-related multiple-choice questions. I'd be happy to assist you with any proofreading project you might have.
Grammar, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word

Elementary Education

Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have a strong ability to teach methods for students to organize their studies, their homework and their time. One of the students I coached in middle school and high school raised his cumulative GPA from 3.2 to 4.0 between 7th and 12th grades, graduating as a valedictorian of his senior class. While not every student will make such a stellar improvement, I can definitely assist students to develop and execute on a plan of attack that will significantly enhance their results on quizzes, tests, report cards and standardized exams. I have also assisted several students who were getting D or F grades in math to pass the courses I was brought in to help them with during the last month of the course, and to obtain B or A grades the following semester. I am a specialist in emergency help for students who are very behind in their work, helping them organize and learn the material to get caught up quickly and to begin achieving at the highest level commensurate with their abilities.
Grammar, Vocabulary

English

English,

English

I have been assisting students to brainstorm topics and content for English essays, and helping them with MLA and APA format, in-text citations and bibliography of works cited, as well as proofreading what they've written for grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary and sentence structure. I also help with expanding vocabulary for standardized tests as well as helping ESL students with improving their pronunciation and English conversational skills. I've also been very successful helping ADD and ADHD students to power through their online English courses taken to replace failing grades in school, and have a particular skill at patiently redirecting them to the material when they get distracted and keeping it fun for them.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
Proofreading,

Proofreading

I have been proofreading sales, marketing, engineering and academic papers for 20 years, much of that at Fortune 500 corporations. In high school I took the SAT only once (before there was a separate essay to score), taking it cold without any advance preparation or prep classes ahead of time, and scored 740 on the English section, including critical reading and writing-related multiple-choice questions. I'd be happy to assist you with any proofreading project you might have.
Writing,

Writing

I have 20 years experience writing technical marketing materials for electronics manufacturers, and 10 years experience tutoring middle school and high school students in their essay and research report writing assignments. In addition I have several years experience helping students prepare for the PSAT and SAT writing exams, including multiple choice questions to identify common writing errors, vocabulary building, and help with the mechanics of writing such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and optimal word choice/selection. I've also helped quite a few students with their college application and scholarship application essays. If you need help to improve your writing and your vocabulary, I can definitely help you with that. On top of that I have experience teaching English speaking and writing to students of other countries, including a year teaching English at the Taiwan Electric Power Company in Taipei. My experience studying 3 foreign languages abroad helps me to appreciate the difficulties experienced by foreign students trying to learn or improve their English here in the USA.
Grammar, Vocabulary

History

American History,

American History

I have studied American History in high school and college, and I have traveled to many of the states and cities where historical events occurred. In addition I have a deep understanding of American government and how it changed and responded over time to historical events int he USA, and the interactions of America with foreign countries around the world. I have found that students respond very well to the kind of overview I can give them to help them understand the big picture and the main points of what they are studying, and then to go on and master the details.
European History,

European History

I have studied European history in high school and college, and I also studied it during a full school year in Austria (my senior year of high school) and during a summer in France (the summer after my freshman year of college). I have also traveled extensively in Europe, helping to reinforce the historical facts I learned in school. I have found that students respond very well to the kind of overview I can give them to understand the time periods and countries they are studying and how various aspects of European cultures interacted with each other.
Government & Politics

Homeschool

Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I originally learned Algebra I in 7th grade before it became popular with school districts to push every 7th or 8th grader who's able to into Algebra I. I took geometry the following summer and Algebra II with Trigonometry during 8th grade. From 9th grade on I was called upon by friends in school to tutor them in algebra, and I rapidly became an accomplished algebra tutor during my high school years. In college I joined a Saturday program to teach middle and high school students algebra, gaining another 4 years of Algebra I tutoring experience. I've also assisted an Algebra I teacher to tutor those students who were in danger of failing her class, helping determine what the gaps were in their math preparation and backfilling those gaps so they could succeed in Algebra I. I've also been called upon to help a college student who was taking College Algebra (the same thing as high school algebra!) and in danger of getting a D grade. I tutored her the last month of her semester and she scored so well on the final exam that she ended up with a B for the semester. I have a keen ability to discover what it is that's blocking a student's understanding of algebra, and rapidly helping them to overcome it.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

I first studied this subject at my local high school while I was in 8th grade, and the following summer took "College Algebra" at a local college to follow up. It turned out to be exactly the same topics: systems of linear equations, polynomial factoring and roots, matrices and determinants, conic sections, logarithms and exponential equations, trigonometry and probability theory. During my 3 years of high school, I tutored many friends and classmates in Algebra II, and became a very accomplished tutor in this subject. The standardized exams that test it are the ACT, SAT and especially SAT Math Level II exams. I scored 760 and 800, respectively, on these two SAT tests when I took them "cold" with no advance preparation. My real strength is in discerning what step or concept my student has difficulty with, so that I can clarify that particular issue once and for all. This enables my student to make rapid progress in improving a grade by acing homework assignments and subsequent math exams in class. I help both students who want to accelerate and those who are having difficulty in the subject.
Calculus,

Calculus

In the past several years I've very successfully tutored capable AP Calculus AB and BC students who wanted to raise their class grade and/or boost their AP Calculus exam score. I've also tutored college students taking single and multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations as well, both in-person and online. I first took Honors Calculus at a local college when I was in 9th grade, and I've been tutoring other students in calculus ever since. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested in Calculus exams and how to boost their AP Calculus test scores, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, so I studied advanced calculus extensively and also tutored high school students in math while I was in college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at finding out what a student doesn't get in concepts or techniques. Once I know where the problem lies, I explain it in very clear terms, so my students get much stronger in their ability to work problems and take tests.
English,

English

I have been assisting students to brainstorm topics and content for English essays, and helping them with MLA and APA format, in-text citations and bibliography of works cited, as well as proofreading what they've written for grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary and sentence structure. I also help with expanding vocabulary for standardized tests as well as helping ESL students with improving their pronunciation and English conversational skills. I've also been very successful helping ADD and ADHD students to power through their online English courses taken to replace failing grades in school, and have a particular skill at patiently redirecting them to the material when they get distracted and keeping it fun for them.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
French,

French

I first started learning French from a native speaker while I was spending my last year of high school in Austria to learn German. This training, together with my musically trained ear, enabled me to develop a robust Parisian accent in French that native speakers have always admired about me. Consequently, one of my specialties is teaching others to develop excellent pronunciation in French. I followed that first experience with an intensive French class in UC Berkeley's summer session, and the following year went to the University of Dijon in France to develop fluency in the language. Another of my specialties is helping students of French to develop conversational fluency in the French language. Since returning to California I've kept up my French by seeking out opportunities to converse with native speakers and by listening to and translate French poetry sung by famous French musicians, and by watching French culture on DVD. Because of this background I especially love using French poetry and songs to teach about the marvelous culture of France (including French history and philosophy) as a vehicle to learn the language.
Geometry,

Geometry

I tutored several students who were in danger of failing their geometry class to catch up speedily and pass their geometry class by the end of the semester, sometimes with only 3 weeks to go before the semester ended. Because of my deep experience in teaching math to kids, I'm also good at helping home-school students whose parents may be tearing their hair out trying to explain geometry to their kids.
Physics,

Physics

I first studied physics as a 10th grade high school student at a local liberal arts college, and then went on to major in Applied Physics at Caltech. When teaching physics, I help a student understand the concepts and also how to attack a problem based on its content, how to know which formula is best applicable, and how to mathematically solve the resulting equation. I tutor in both algebra-based physics and calculus-based physics. My experience includes tutoring high school students enrolled in CP, Honors and AP Physics 1 and 2, courses as well as college students taking Physics in college. I help both students seeking to get ahead in physics and those who have been struggling with it, as well as those who wish to prepare for an AP Physics 1 or 2 exam or SAT Subject Test in Physics, or boost their test scores.
Prealgebra,

Prealgebra

Pre-algebra is such a key subject because these days the schools are actually cramming the beginning parts of real algebra classes into the pre-algebra course. If a student gets off on the wrong foot here, chances are they'll do very poorly when they advance to a full-on Algebra I class. I know where the key pitfalls and traps are that impede a student from learning what they have to know to advance to Algebra next year and to be very successful in that course. I'm also very gifted at figuring out what a student misapprehends and why they're getting the wrong answer, so that I can help them correct those issues and move on from failure to success in pre-algebra and in years to come.
Precalculus,

Precalculus

Last school year, I tutored a precalculus student who had been getting a D in this subject. To be frank, she hadn't put much effort into understanding or studying the material. By working with her on a regular basis, I was able to figure out where her difficulties were, backfilling the missing elements in her preparation for the course, and set her on the path to success in precalculus. After 2 months of tutoring she scored an A on her final exam and was able to improve her semester result to a B. I'm also very effective at helping good math students become great math students by working with them to explain and supplement what they're doing and learning in class, and helping them find the right way to approach homework and test problems. I've also helped students taking online courses in precalculus (AKA math analysis) to master the material and score high on their chapter tests and final exam.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

My own math SAT score was 760 when I took it cold with no preparation. My SAT Math Level 2 score was 800. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested on the SAT and how to maximize their math test score, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I myself majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, studying advanced math extensively and tutoring middle school and high school students every Saturday during 4 years of college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at determining where a student has a gap in their understanding or a misunderstanding of mathematical concepts or techniques. Once I have grasped where the shortfall is, I find a way to explain it in very clear terms, enabling my students to make rapid progress in their understanding and in their capability to work homework problems and take exams. I helped several students who scored in the 500's on the SAT math section to catch up rapidly and improve their score to 650 or above, sometimes with only 2 months to go before the retest date. I've also helped very bright students to accelerate in math, finding ways to challenge them and keep them motivated.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have a strong ability to teach methods for students to organize their studies, their homework and their time. One of the students I coached in middle school and high school raised his cumulative GPA from 3.2 to 4.0 between 7th and 12th grades, graduating as a valedictorian of his senior class. While not every student will make such a stellar improvement, I can definitely assist students to develop and execute on a plan of attack that will significantly enhance their results on quizzes, tests, report cards and standardized exams. I have also assisted several students who were getting D or F grades in math to pass the courses I was brought in to help them with during the last month of the course, and to obtain B or A grades the following semester. I am a specialist in emergency help for students who are very behind in their work, helping them organize and learn the material to get caught up quickly and to begin achieving at the highest level commensurate with their abilities.
Writing

Writing

I have 20 years experience writing technical marketing materials for electronics manufacturers, and 10 years experience tutoring middle school and high school students in their essay and research report writing assignments. In addition I have several years experience helping students prepare for the PSAT and SAT writing exams, including multiple choice questions to identify common writing errors, vocabulary building, and help with the mechanics of writing such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and optimal word choice/selection. I've also helped quite a few students with their college application and scholarship application essays. If you need help to improve your writing and your vocabulary, I can definitely help you with that. On top of that I have experience teaching English speaking and writing to students of other countries, including a year teaching English at the Taiwan Electric Power Company in Taipei. My experience studying 3 foreign languages abroad helps me to appreciate the difficulties experienced by foreign students trying to learn or improve their English here in the USA.

Language

Chinese,

Chinese

I studied Mandarin Chinese in college and then went to the Mandarin Training Center at Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan for a year of one-on-one language instruction. Subsequently I spent 10 years managing Far East Sales, during which I traveled 3 times a year to Taiwan and Mainland China (PRC), giving technical seminars on RF and microwave electronic test equipment and automated test systems at trade shows and customer sites. This helped me to develop full fluency in Mandarin Chinese including business and technical vocabulary, with a very accurate Mandarin accent. I enjoy helping others who want to learn business or technical Mandarin develop fluency in conversational Chinese.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
French

French

I first started learning French from a native speaker while I was spending my last year of high school in Austria to learn German. This training, together with my musically trained ear, enabled me to develop a robust Parisian accent in French that native speakers have always admired about me. Consequently, one of my specialties is teaching others to develop excellent pronunciation in French. I followed that first experience with an intensive French class in UC Berkeley's summer session, and the following year went to the University of Dijon in France to develop fluency in the language. Another of my specialties is helping students of French to develop conversational fluency in the French language. Since returning to California I've kept up my French by seeking out opportunities to converse with native speakers and by listening to and translate French poetry sung by famous French musicians, and by watching French culture on DVD. Because of this background I especially love using French poetry and songs to teach about the marvelous culture of France (including French history and philosophy) as a vehicle to learn the language.

Math

ACT Math,

ACT Math

Because I'm very effective at teaching algebra, geometry and precalculus, I've been able to help students become very proficient at solving the kinds of problems that appear on the ACT Math exam. The key to my students' success on this exam has been teaching them both test taking strategy and getting them very familiar with the types of problems that appear on the ACT Math test as well as how to solve them. I'm also great at finding out what it is they "don't get" and helping them "get it" so they'll succeed on the ACT Math test.
Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I originally learned Algebra I in 7th grade before it became popular with school districts to push every 7th or 8th grader who's able to into Algebra I. I took geometry the following summer and Algebra II with Trigonometry during 8th grade. From 9th grade on I was called upon by friends in school to tutor them in algebra, and I rapidly became an accomplished algebra tutor during my high school years. In college I joined a Saturday program to teach middle and high school students algebra, gaining another 4 years of Algebra I tutoring experience. I've also assisted an Algebra I teacher to tutor those students who were in danger of failing her class, helping determine what the gaps were in their math preparation and backfilling those gaps so they could succeed in Algebra I. I've also been called upon to help a college student who was taking College Algebra (the same thing as high school algebra!) and in danger of getting a D grade. I tutored her the last month of her semester and she scored so well on the final exam that she ended up with a B for the semester. I have a keen ability to discover what it is that's blocking a student's understanding of algebra, and rapidly helping them to overcome it.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

I first studied this subject at my local high school while I was in 8th grade, and the following summer took "College Algebra" at a local college to follow up. It turned out to be exactly the same topics: systems of linear equations, polynomial factoring and roots, matrices and determinants, conic sections, logarithms and exponential equations, trigonometry and probability theory. During my 3 years of high school, I tutored many friends and classmates in Algebra II, and became a very accomplished tutor in this subject. The standardized exams that test it are the ACT, SAT and especially SAT Math Level II exams. I scored 760 and 800, respectively, on these two SAT tests when I took them "cold" with no advance preparation. My real strength is in discerning what step or concept my student has difficulty with, so that I can clarify that particular issue once and for all. This enables my student to make rapid progress in improving a grade by acing homework assignments and subsequent math exams in class. I help both students who want to accelerate and those who are having difficulty in the subject.
Calculus,

Calculus

In the past several years I've very successfully tutored capable AP Calculus AB and BC students who wanted to raise their class grade and/or boost their AP Calculus exam score. I've also tutored college students taking single and multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations as well, both in-person and online. I first took Honors Calculus at a local college when I was in 9th grade, and I've been tutoring other students in calculus ever since. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested in Calculus exams and how to boost their AP Calculus test scores, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, so I studied advanced calculus extensively and also tutored high school students in math while I was in college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at finding out what a student doesn't get in concepts or techniques. Once I know where the problem lies, I explain it in very clear terms, so my students get much stronger in their ability to work problems and take tests.
Differential Equations,

Differential Equations

I first took a college course in ordinary differential equations while in 10th grade, and followed that up at Caltech with an advanced course that included partial differential equations as well. As an Applied Physics major, I had many opportunities to apply differential equations to problems in electromagnetic theory, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and analytical mechanics. I have a rich background in the methods of solving differential equations, including the use of LaPlace Transforms, etc.
Geometry,

Geometry

I tutored several students who were in danger of failing their geometry class to catch up speedily and pass their geometry class by the end of the semester, sometimes with only 3 weeks to go before the semester ended. Because of my deep experience in teaching math to kids, I'm also good at helping home-school students whose parents may be tearing their hair out trying to explain geometry to their kids.
Physics,

Physics

I first studied physics as a 10th grade high school student at a local liberal arts college, and then went on to major in Applied Physics at Caltech. When teaching physics, I help a student understand the concepts and also how to attack a problem based on its content, how to know which formula is best applicable, and how to mathematically solve the resulting equation. I tutor in both algebra-based physics and calculus-based physics. My experience includes tutoring high school students enrolled in CP, Honors and AP Physics 1 and 2, courses as well as college students taking Physics in college. I help both students seeking to get ahead in physics and those who have been struggling with it, as well as those who wish to prepare for an AP Physics 1 or 2 exam or SAT Subject Test in Physics, or boost their test scores.
Prealgebra,

Prealgebra

Pre-algebra is such a key subject because these days the schools are actually cramming the beginning parts of real algebra classes into the pre-algebra course. If a student gets off on the wrong foot here, chances are they'll do very poorly when they advance to a full-on Algebra I class. I know where the key pitfalls and traps are that impede a student from learning what they have to know to advance to Algebra next year and to be very successful in that course. I'm also very gifted at figuring out what a student misapprehends and why they're getting the wrong answer, so that I can help them correct those issues and move on from failure to success in pre-algebra and in years to come.
Precalculus,

Precalculus

Last school year, I tutored a precalculus student who had been getting a D in this subject. To be frank, she hadn't put much effort into understanding or studying the material. By working with her on a regular basis, I was able to figure out where her difficulties were, backfilling the missing elements in her preparation for the course, and set her on the path to success in precalculus. After 2 months of tutoring she scored an A on her final exam and was able to improve her semester result to a B. I'm also very effective at helping good math students become great math students by working with them to explain and supplement what they're doing and learning in class, and helping them find the right way to approach homework and test problems. I've also helped students taking online courses in precalculus (AKA math analysis) to master the material and score high on their chapter tests and final exam.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

My own math SAT score was 760 when I took it cold with no preparation. My SAT Math Level 2 score was 800. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested on the SAT and how to maximize their math test score, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I myself majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, studying advanced math extensively and tutoring middle school and high school students every Saturday during 4 years of college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at determining where a student has a gap in their understanding or a misunderstanding of mathematical concepts or techniques. Once I have grasped where the shortfall is, I find a way to explain it in very clear terms, enabling my students to make rapid progress in their understanding and in their capability to work homework problems and take exams. I helped several students who scored in the 500's on the SAT math section to catch up rapidly and improve their score to 650 or above, sometimes with only 2 months to go before the retest date. I've also helped very bright students to accelerate in math, finding ways to challenge them and keep them motivated.
Trigonometry

Trigonometry

Trigonometry is a really key subject to master if students want to be successful on their SAT exam and on their SAT Math Level II subject test as well. It's also an important key to success in learning physics and helps boost calculus test results too. I first took a trigonometry class at my nearby high school while I was an 8th grader, and then took a college trigonometry class the following summer. Guess what, the content was identical, so I snagged an A in the college class as well! It excited my imagination to learn that trigonometry could be used to determine the size of the earth and of the moon through simple measurements here on the ground, and to understand how electricity works through a knowledge of trigonometry as well. To this day I find that exciting my students with the many fascinating applications of trigonometry is very helpful in motivating them to learn trig. I'm very effective at teaching students exactly what they need to know to succeed in their trig class, homework and exams, and in overcoming any obstacles they may have in grasping the material and the techniques they need to know.

Most Popular

Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I originally learned Algebra I in 7th grade before it became popular with school districts to push every 7th or 8th grader who's able to into Algebra I. I took geometry the following summer and Algebra II with Trigonometry during 8th grade. From 9th grade on I was called upon by friends in school to tutor them in algebra, and I rapidly became an accomplished algebra tutor during my high school years. In college I joined a Saturday program to teach middle and high school students algebra, gaining another 4 years of Algebra I tutoring experience. I've also assisted an Algebra I teacher to tutor those students who were in danger of failing her class, helping determine what the gaps were in their math preparation and backfilling those gaps so they could succeed in Algebra I. I've also been called upon to help a college student who was taking College Algebra (the same thing as high school algebra!) and in danger of getting a D grade. I tutored her the last month of her semester and she scored so well on the final exam that she ended up with a B for the semester. I have a keen ability to discover what it is that's blocking a student's understanding of algebra, and rapidly helping them to overcome it.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

I first studied this subject at my local high school while I was in 8th grade, and the following summer took "College Algebra" at a local college to follow up. It turned out to be exactly the same topics: systems of linear equations, polynomial factoring and roots, matrices and determinants, conic sections, logarithms and exponential equations, trigonometry and probability theory. During my 3 years of high school, I tutored many friends and classmates in Algebra II, and became a very accomplished tutor in this subject. The standardized exams that test it are the ACT, SAT and especially SAT Math Level II exams. I scored 760 and 800, respectively, on these two SAT tests when I took them "cold" with no advance preparation. My real strength is in discerning what step or concept my student has difficulty with, so that I can clarify that particular issue once and for all. This enables my student to make rapid progress in improving a grade by acing homework assignments and subsequent math exams in class. I help both students who want to accelerate and those who are having difficulty in the subject.
Calculus,

Calculus

In the past several years I've very successfully tutored capable AP Calculus AB and BC students who wanted to raise their class grade and/or boost their AP Calculus exam score. I've also tutored college students taking single and multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations as well, both in-person and online. I first took Honors Calculus at a local college when I was in 9th grade, and I've been tutoring other students in calculus ever since. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested in Calculus exams and how to boost their AP Calculus test scores, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, so I studied advanced calculus extensively and also tutored high school students in math while I was in college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at finding out what a student doesn't get in concepts or techniques. Once I know where the problem lies, I explain it in very clear terms, so my students get much stronger in their ability to work problems and take tests.
English,

English

I have been assisting students to brainstorm topics and content for English essays, and helping them with MLA and APA format, in-text citations and bibliography of works cited, as well as proofreading what they've written for grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary and sentence structure. I also help with expanding vocabulary for standardized tests as well as helping ESL students with improving their pronunciation and English conversational skills. I've also been very successful helping ADD and ADHD students to power through their online English courses taken to replace failing grades in school, and have a particular skill at patiently redirecting them to the material when they get distracted and keeping it fun for them.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
French,

French

I first started learning French from a native speaker while I was spending my last year of high school in Austria to learn German. This training, together with my musically trained ear, enabled me to develop a robust Parisian accent in French that native speakers have always admired about me. Consequently, one of my specialties is teaching others to develop excellent pronunciation in French. I followed that first experience with an intensive French class in UC Berkeley's summer session, and the following year went to the University of Dijon in France to develop fluency in the language. Another of my specialties is helping students of French to develop conversational fluency in the French language. Since returning to California I've kept up my French by seeking out opportunities to converse with native speakers and by listening to and translate French poetry sung by famous French musicians, and by watching French culture on DVD. Because of this background I especially love using French poetry and songs to teach about the marvelous culture of France (including French history and philosophy) as a vehicle to learn the language.
Geometry,

Geometry

I tutored several students who were in danger of failing their geometry class to catch up speedily and pass their geometry class by the end of the semester, sometimes with only 3 weeks to go before the semester ended. Because of my deep experience in teaching math to kids, I'm also good at helping home-school students whose parents may be tearing their hair out trying to explain geometry to their kids.
Physics,

Physics

I first studied physics as a 10th grade high school student at a local liberal arts college, and then went on to major in Applied Physics at Caltech. When teaching physics, I help a student understand the concepts and also how to attack a problem based on its content, how to know which formula is best applicable, and how to mathematically solve the resulting equation. I tutor in both algebra-based physics and calculus-based physics. My experience includes tutoring high school students enrolled in CP, Honors and AP Physics 1 and 2, courses as well as college students taking Physics in college. I help both students seeking to get ahead in physics and those who have been struggling with it, as well as those who wish to prepare for an AP Physics 1 or 2 exam or SAT Subject Test in Physics, or boost their test scores.
Prealgebra,

Prealgebra

Pre-algebra is such a key subject because these days the schools are actually cramming the beginning parts of real algebra classes into the pre-algebra course. If a student gets off on the wrong foot here, chances are they'll do very poorly when they advance to a full-on Algebra I class. I know where the key pitfalls and traps are that impede a student from learning what they have to know to advance to Algebra next year and to be very successful in that course. I'm also very gifted at figuring out what a student misapprehends and why they're getting the wrong answer, so that I can help them correct those issues and move on from failure to success in pre-algebra and in years to come.
Precalculus,

Precalculus

Last school year, I tutored a precalculus student who had been getting a D in this subject. To be frank, she hadn't put much effort into understanding or studying the material. By working with her on a regular basis, I was able to figure out where her difficulties were, backfilling the missing elements in her preparation for the course, and set her on the path to success in precalculus. After 2 months of tutoring she scored an A on her final exam and was able to improve her semester result to a B. I'm also very effective at helping good math students become great math students by working with them to explain and supplement what they're doing and learning in class, and helping them find the right way to approach homework and test problems. I've also helped students taking online courses in precalculus (AKA math analysis) to master the material and score high on their chapter tests and final exam.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have a strong ability to teach methods for students to organize their studies, their homework and their time. One of the students I coached in middle school and high school raised his cumulative GPA from 3.2 to 4.0 between 7th and 12th grades, graduating as a valedictorian of his senior class. While not every student will make such a stellar improvement, I can definitely assist students to develop and execute on a plan of attack that will significantly enhance their results on quizzes, tests, report cards and standardized exams. I have also assisted several students who were getting D or F grades in math to pass the courses I was brought in to help them with during the last month of the course, and to obtain B or A grades the following semester. I am a specialist in emergency help for students who are very behind in their work, helping them organize and learn the material to get caught up quickly and to begin achieving at the highest level commensurate with their abilities.
Writing

Writing

I have 20 years experience writing technical marketing materials for electronics manufacturers, and 10 years experience tutoring middle school and high school students in their essay and research report writing assignments. In addition I have several years experience helping students prepare for the PSAT and SAT writing exams, including multiple choice questions to identify common writing errors, vocabulary building, and help with the mechanics of writing such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and optimal word choice/selection. I've also helped quite a few students with their college application and scholarship application essays. If you need help to improve your writing and your vocabulary, I can definitely help you with that. On top of that I have experience teaching English speaking and writing to students of other countries, including a year teaching English at the Taiwan Electric Power Company in Taipei. My experience studying 3 foreign languages abroad helps me to appreciate the difficulties experienced by foreign students trying to learn or improve their English here in the USA.

Other

College Counseling,

College Counseling

I have been active for 20 years in counseling high school students in how to find the colleges compatible with their career goals and educational achievement, and how to get the right preparation for excellent universities including our best public universities and the Ivy Leagues. I use resources such as online databases available by paid subscription only, experiences with other students I have counseled, and my own experience speaking with college admissions officers and my children's' experiences applying to schools such as UC, USC, Caltech, Columbia, Stanford and Princeton Universities, as well as local schools like Pepperdine, CLU, Pomona College, Harvey Mudd College and CMC. I help students realize what SAT/ACT range, GPA range and extra-curricular activities they need to have a very good shot at the colleges they're interested in, and to discover additional colleges they ought to be considering based on their interest and achievement profile. I also assist them to optimize their college admission essays and how they present their credentials to each college. I have special expertise in how to get into science and engineering programs at elite schools, because I was fortunate to attend Caltech myself, majoring in Applied Physics.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
Marketing,

Marketing

I have 13 years of highly successful experience in B2B market research, product management and marketing management in the electronics industry. My job titles have included Product Marketing Manager, Product Manager and Market Research Manager at companies including TRW, Northrop Grumman, Lucent Technologies, Agere Systems, Perkin Elmer, JMAR Precision Systems and QLA. The skills I developed working in marketing include: - market research in high technology products such as RF, microwave, MMIC and fiber optic components, semiconductors, modules, equipment and software-driven systems, defining market sizes and market shares - interviewing key customers to determine what sorts of products will meet their next generation requirements - creating Marketing Requirements Documents (MRD) to help initial definition of a potential new product and assist with the "go / no-go" decision - preparing SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) for a high-technology manufacturer - leading the product development process including stakeholders from engineering, operations and quality assurance - preparing competitive analysis documents of my employer's products versus those of competitors to stimulate thoughts on new products that will bring us competitive advantage and for use as a sales tool in training the sales force - identify highly suitable technology licensing and acquisition candidates to expand product line, reduce product development time, advance marketing objectives, and facilitate buy/build/partner decisions - create competitive sales tools such as 20-page technical marketing product literature, color brochures, technical proposals and business case solutions, PowerPoint presentations, price lists and quotation templates - prepare detailed technical proposals to generate new business, finding opportunities to create discontinuity between customers and incumbent suppliers, e.g. providing unsolicited proposals for new technology or advancing relations with new decision makers - marketin
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have a strong ability to teach methods for students to organize their studies, their homework and their time. One of the students I coached in middle school and high school raised his cumulative GPA from 3.2 to 4.0 between 7th and 12th grades, graduating as a valedictorian of his senior class. While not every student will make such a stellar improvement, I can definitely assist students to develop and execute on a plan of attack that will significantly enhance their results on quizzes, tests, report cards and standardized exams. I have also assisted several students who were getting D or F grades in math to pass the courses I was brought in to help them with during the last month of the course, and to obtain B or A grades the following semester. I am a specialist in emergency help for students who are very behind in their work, helping them organize and learn the material to get caught up quickly and to begin achieving at the highest level commensurate with their abilities.
Government & Politics

Science

ACT Science,

ACT Science

I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, so I have a deep understanding and appreciation for the sciences, as well as for the skills of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem solving that the ACT science exam tests for. The enthusiasm I developed studying cell biology from one of the primary inventors of the field of electron microscopy (Dr. Jean-Paul Revel) and studying physics with Nobel laureate Dr. Richard Feynman is contagious, so I'm able to help inspire students of science with my enthusiasm. I also help students learn the most effective way to speed through ACT science questions; I supply just the right techniques for them to score high on the ACT Science exam.
Physics,

Physics

I first studied physics as a 10th grade high school student at a local liberal arts college, and then went on to major in Applied Physics at Caltech. When teaching physics, I help a student understand the concepts and also how to attack a problem based on its content, how to know which formula is best applicable, and how to mathematically solve the resulting equation. I tutor in both algebra-based physics and calculus-based physics. My experience includes tutoring high school students enrolled in CP, Honors and AP Physics 1 and 2, courses as well as college students taking Physics in college. I help both students seeking to get ahead in physics and those who have been struggling with it, as well as those who wish to prepare for an AP Physics 1 or 2 exam or SAT Subject Test in Physics, or boost their test scores.
Physical Science

Special Needs

ADHD,

ADHD

Over the years I've had several students in middle school and high school whose parents had them in treatment for ADD/ADHD. I've been very successful in teaching them mathematics, writing mechanics and essay writing, and greatly improving their grades. It requires a teacher with great patience who's able to redirect the student's attention to their studies and to teach them in a fun and engaging manner that won't make it seem like a chore. I'd welcome the opportunity to help your ADD/ADHD student excel as well.
Dyslexia,

Dyslexia

I've had a number of math students with dyslexia, requiring an extra measure of understanding and patience on the part of their teacher. Since I possess that understanding of this issue and am blessed with great patience, I've been very successful helping dyslexic students to master algebra, geometry and even calculus. I'd welcome the opportunity to help your dyslexic student to excel.
Study Skills

Study Skills

I have a strong ability to teach methods for students to organize their studies, their homework and their time. One of the students I coached in middle school and high school raised his cumulative GPA from 3.2 to 4.0 between 7th and 12th grades, graduating as a valedictorian of his senior class. While not every student will make such a stellar improvement, I can definitely assist students to develop and execute on a plan of attack that will significantly enhance their results on quizzes, tests, report cards and standardized exams. I have also assisted several students who were getting D or F grades in math to pass the courses I was brought in to help them with during the last month of the course, and to obtain B or A grades the following semester. I am a specialist in emergency help for students who are very behind in their work, helping them organize and learn the material to get caught up quickly and to begin achieving at the highest level commensurate with their abilities.

Summer

Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I originally learned Algebra I in 7th grade before it became popular with school districts to push every 7th or 8th grader who's able to into Algebra I. I took geometry the following summer and Algebra II with Trigonometry during 8th grade. From 9th grade on I was called upon by friends in school to tutor them in algebra, and I rapidly became an accomplished algebra tutor during my high school years. In college I joined a Saturday program to teach middle and high school students algebra, gaining another 4 years of Algebra I tutoring experience. I've also assisted an Algebra I teacher to tutor those students who were in danger of failing her class, helping determine what the gaps were in their math preparation and backfilling those gaps so they could succeed in Algebra I. I've also been called upon to help a college student who was taking College Algebra (the same thing as high school algebra!) and in danger of getting a D grade. I tutored her the last month of her semester and she scored so well on the final exam that she ended up with a B for the semester. I have a keen ability to discover what it is that's blocking a student's understanding of algebra, and rapidly helping them to overcome it.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

I first studied this subject at my local high school while I was in 8th grade, and the following summer took "College Algebra" at a local college to follow up. It turned out to be exactly the same topics: systems of linear equations, polynomial factoring and roots, matrices and determinants, conic sections, logarithms and exponential equations, trigonometry and probability theory. During my 3 years of high school, I tutored many friends and classmates in Algebra II, and became a very accomplished tutor in this subject. The standardized exams that test it are the ACT, SAT and especially SAT Math Level II exams. I scored 760 and 800, respectively, on these two SAT tests when I took them "cold" with no advance preparation. My real strength is in discerning what step or concept my student has difficulty with, so that I can clarify that particular issue once and for all. This enables my student to make rapid progress in improving a grade by acing homework assignments and subsequent math exams in class. I help both students who want to accelerate and those who are having difficulty in the subject.
Calculus,

Calculus

In the past several years I've very successfully tutored capable AP Calculus AB and BC students who wanted to raise their class grade and/or boost their AP Calculus exam score. I've also tutored college students taking single and multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations as well, both in-person and online. I first took Honors Calculus at a local college when I was in 9th grade, and I've been tutoring other students in calculus ever since. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested in Calculus exams and how to boost their AP Calculus test scores, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, so I studied advanced calculus extensively and also tutored high school students in math while I was in college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at finding out what a student doesn't get in concepts or techniques. Once I know where the problem lies, I explain it in very clear terms, so my students get much stronger in their ability to work problems and take tests.
Chinese,

Chinese

I studied Mandarin Chinese in college and then went to the Mandarin Training Center at Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan for a year of one-on-one language instruction. Subsequently I spent 10 years managing Far East Sales, during which I traveled 3 times a year to Taiwan and Mainland China (PRC), giving technical seminars on RF and microwave electronic test equipment and automated test systems at trade shows and customer sites. This helped me to develop full fluency in Mandarin Chinese including business and technical vocabulary, with a very accurate Mandarin accent. I enjoy helping others who want to learn business or technical Mandarin develop fluency in conversational Chinese.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

As a result of having spent 5 years studying foreign languages in the USA, Austria, France and Taiwan, and becoming fluent in 3 foreign languages myself (French, German and Mandarin), I have a keen appreciation for the challenges of people seeking to learn or improve their English. I spent 9 months teaching ESL at the Taipei Electric Company in Taipei, and became skilled at teaching not only English language skills but also teaching about American society and culture. I'm very good at teaching grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing skills, as well as helping develop conversation skills and accent improvement. I also have years of experience teaching foreign students in California, tutoring them in subjects ranging from US History and World History to English Literature and Composition, Biology, Physics and Mathematics. I've also helped foreign engineers to improve their conversational fluency so they could be more effective at work. In addition I've helped foreign students brainstorm for their college application essays, and helped them proofread the final version before submission.
French,

French

I first started learning French from a native speaker while I was spending my last year of high school in Austria to learn German. This training, together with my musically trained ear, enabled me to develop a robust Parisian accent in French that native speakers have always admired about me. Consequently, one of my specialties is teaching others to develop excellent pronunciation in French. I followed that first experience with an intensive French class in UC Berkeley's summer session, and the following year went to the University of Dijon in France to develop fluency in the language. Another of my specialties is helping students of French to develop conversational fluency in the French language. Since returning to California I've kept up my French by seeking out opportunities to converse with native speakers and by listening to and translate French poetry sung by famous French musicians, and by watching French culture on DVD. Because of this background I especially love using French poetry and songs to teach about the marvelous culture of France (including French history and philosophy) as a vehicle to learn the language.
Geometry,

Geometry

I tutored several students who were in danger of failing their geometry class to catch up speedily and pass their geometry class by the end of the semester, sometimes with only 3 weeks to go before the semester ended. Because of my deep experience in teaching math to kids, I'm also good at helping home-school students whose parents may be tearing their hair out trying to explain geometry to their kids.
Physics,

Physics

I first studied physics as a 10th grade high school student at a local liberal arts college, and then went on to major in Applied Physics at Caltech. When teaching physics, I help a student understand the concepts and also how to attack a problem based on its content, how to know which formula is best applicable, and how to mathematically solve the resulting equation. I tutor in both algebra-based physics and calculus-based physics. My experience includes tutoring high school students enrolled in CP, Honors and AP Physics 1 and 2, courses as well as college students taking Physics in college. I help both students seeking to get ahead in physics and those who have been struggling with it, as well as those who wish to prepare for an AP Physics 1 or 2 exam or SAT Subject Test in Physics, or boost their test scores.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

My own math SAT score was 760 when I took it cold with no preparation. My SAT Math Level 2 score was 800. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested on the SAT and how to maximize their math test score, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I myself majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, studying advanced math extensively and tutoring middle school and high school students every Saturday during 4 years of college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at determining where a student has a gap in their understanding or a misunderstanding of mathematical concepts or techniques. Once I have grasped where the shortfall is, I find a way to explain it in very clear terms, enabling my students to make rapid progress in their understanding and in their capability to work homework problems and take exams. I helped several students who scored in the 500's on the SAT math section to catch up rapidly and improve their score to 650 or above, sometimes with only 2 months to go before the retest date. I've also helped very bright students to accelerate in math, finding ways to challenge them and keep them motivated.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have a strong ability to teach methods for students to organize their studies, their homework and their time. One of the students I coached in middle school and high school raised his cumulative GPA from 3.2 to 4.0 between 7th and 12th grades, graduating as a valedictorian of his senior class. While not every student will make such a stellar improvement, I can definitely assist students to develop and execute on a plan of attack that will significantly enhance their results on quizzes, tests, report cards and standardized exams. I have also assisted several students who were getting D or F grades in math to pass the courses I was brought in to help them with during the last month of the course, and to obtain B or A grades the following semester. I am a specialist in emergency help for students who are very behind in their work, helping them organize and learn the material to get caught up quickly and to begin achieving at the highest level commensurate with their abilities.
Writing

Writing

I have 20 years experience writing technical marketing materials for electronics manufacturers, and 10 years experience tutoring middle school and high school students in their essay and research report writing assignments. In addition I have several years experience helping students prepare for the PSAT and SAT writing exams, including multiple choice questions to identify common writing errors, vocabulary building, and help with the mechanics of writing such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and optimal word choice/selection. I've also helped quite a few students with their college application and scholarship application essays. If you need help to improve your writing and your vocabulary, I can definitely help you with that. On top of that I have experience teaching English speaking and writing to students of other countries, including a year teaching English at the Taiwan Electric Power Company in Taipei. My experience studying 3 foreign languages abroad helps me to appreciate the difficulties experienced by foreign students trying to learn or improve their English here in the USA.

Test Preparation

ACT Math,

ACT Math

Because I'm very effective at teaching algebra, geometry and precalculus, I've been able to help students become very proficient at solving the kinds of problems that appear on the ACT Math exam. The key to my students' success on this exam has been teaching them both test taking strategy and getting them very familiar with the types of problems that appear on the ACT Math test as well as how to solve them. I'm also great at finding out what it is they "don't get" and helping them "get it" so they'll succeed on the ACT Math test.
ACT Science,

ACT Science

I majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, so I have a deep understanding and appreciation for the sciences, as well as for the skills of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem solving that the ACT science exam tests for. The enthusiasm I developed studying cell biology from one of the primary inventors of the field of electron microscopy (Dr. Jean-Paul Revel) and studying physics with Nobel laureate Dr. Richard Feynman is contagious, so I'm able to help inspire students of science with my enthusiasm. I also help students learn the most effective way to speed through ACT science questions; I supply just the right techniques for them to score high on the ACT Science exam.
ASVAB,

ASVAB

I have tutored several students on ASVAB with very successful results. Tutoring in math, science, electronics and English are things I do very well.
Career Development,

Career Development

I have 8 years experience as a contingency recruiter ("headhunter"), and have helped a large number of job seekers to elucidate their job skills and career desires, and to create and/or enhance their resume for targeted jobs or careers. I've also counseled them on specific credentials, skills or experience they will need to acquire their desired next career position. In addition I've assisted them to identify likely employers for their skillsets in the geographic areas of interest to them, and researched for them the names, job titles and contact information of hiring managers in their field at these target companies. Finally, I've assisted them to create and/or enhance their LinkedIn profiles to greatly magnify their career potential and find suitable job openings through social networking. I have 16 million contacts myself on LinkedIn, which greatly facilitates my ability to advise clients on hiring managers at prospective employers.
College Counseling,

College Counseling

I have been active for 20 years in counseling high school students in how to find the colleges compatible with their career goals and educational achievement, and how to get the right preparation for excellent universities including our best public universities and the Ivy Leagues. I use resources such as online databases available by paid subscription only, experiences with other students I have counseled, and my own experience speaking with college admissions officers and my children's' experiences applying to schools such as UC, USC, Caltech, Columbia, Stanford and Princeton Universities, as well as local schools like Pepperdine, CLU, Pomona College, Harvey Mudd College and CMC. I help students realize what SAT/ACT range, GPA range and extra-curricular activities they need to have a very good shot at the colleges they're interested in, and to discover additional colleges they ought to be considering based on their interest and achievement profile. I also assist them to optimize their college admission essays and how they present their credentials to each college. I have special expertise in how to get into science and engineering programs at elite schools, because I was fortunate to attend Caltech myself, majoring in Applied Physics.
GRE,

GRE

I have been tutoring GRE students for several years with great results. These include students who are having troubles with the math section because it's been so long since they studied math, or because it's not their area of strength. I've also been very helpful to those seeking to improve the English language skills for the GRE test as well.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

My own math SAT score was 760 when I took it cold with no preparation. My SAT Math Level 2 score was 800. I'm very good at helping students understand the material tested on the SAT and how to maximize their math test score, and we do a lot of timed practice tests as well as going through solutions together to the problems missed and special techniques to get speedy answers. I myself majored in Applied Physics at Caltech, studying advanced math extensively and tutoring middle school and high school students every Saturday during 4 years of college. In teaching mathematics, I am especially perceptive at determining where a student has a gap in their understanding or a misunderstanding of mathematical concepts or techniques. Once I have grasped where the shortfall is, I find a way to explain it in very clear terms, enabling my students to make rapid progress in their understanding and in their capability to work homework problems and take exams. I helped several students who scored in the 500's on the SAT math section to catch up rapidly and improve their score to 650 or above, sometimes with only 2 months to go before the retest date. I've also helped very bright students to accelerate in math, finding ways to challenge them and keep them motivated.
TEAS,

TEAS

The TEAS exam for nursing school admission covers reading, math, science, and English and Language Usage. The content is fairly similar to what one would find in an ACT exam, with additional questions corresponding to the easiest portions of the SAT Subject Tests in biology and chemistry. I have been teaching the SAT and ACT for several years, and I majored in science at Caltech, where I studied chemistry, biology, mathematics and physics. I have a particular skill at determining where a student is not understanding a subject, and helping them to fill in that gap so that they can score much higher on standardized exams. My educational and teaching background are very well suited to helping students score high on the TEAS exam for successful admission to nursing school.
PSAT

Ratings and Reviews

Rating

4.8 (343 ratings)
5 star
(304)
4 star
(29)
3 star
(6)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(4)

Reviews

The Best Tutor You Will Find for Calculus/Algebra/Trigonometry!!!

I cannot thank Jim enough or recommend him more for any of your high school/college math courses! I called on Jim for help with my M25s calculus with analytic geometry course which I was struggling with in the beginning of the semester. I failed my first test, managed a 70 (due to partial credit) on my second, and knew that I needed help because I just was not understanding the concepts. After using several $20 an hour tutors that were recommended by friends who weren't very helpful, I used this site to find the most regarded tutor. It was the most beneficial decision of my collegiate career to call Jim. Over the course of about two months, he took me from an F with no understanding of what i was doing, to a high B! I hadn't done any math in nearly 10 years, and he not only got me caught up with my class material, but also refreshed with all my algebra/precalculus/trig skills which I hadn't touched for so long. If you are returning to math after years of being away, struggling with new concepts, or are new to advanced math do yourself a favor and call Jim. All levels, all ages, Jim can help anyone. He is generous, kind, extremely polite, works around any schedule, and gets joy out of helping people understand difficult concepts. I cannot say enough positive things about him!

Christopher, 7 lessons with Jim

Very knowledgeable and patient

My son had taken calculus in his initial years of high school and had forgotten most of it and was concerned about entering an engineering oriented university so he wanted to get back up to speed before entering. He advised me that Jim S. is terrific because he is so helpful and knowledgeable and easy to understand.

Karl, 3 lessons with Jim

Excellent tutor

My daughter took only 3 pre-calculus sessions and it changed the way she looks at math now.she feels very comfortable with pre-calculus and did very good in her finals.!!! Highly recommended!!! Thank You Jim!

Raj, 2 lessons with Jim

Knowledgeable, dedicated and extremely helpful

I hired Jim to help my son with his college applications. My son asked me to post this on his behalf: “Jim was the best writing tutor I could’ve ever hoped for. While I have the grades to make a competitive application, my strong suit is science and math and my weakness is in writing. Jim helped me apply to TEN different universities, some of them being highly selective. Jim helped me apply to Duke, Cornell, Brown, USC, Georgia Tech, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Columbia, and Rice! Jim teaches a specific formula for tackling any prompt on a personal level. The Common Application can be extremely nerve wrecking, causing some applicants to write a generic or “safe” essay that could be sent to any university. Jim really helped me avoid that, and he outlined a strategy for developing a well written essay that is specific to each school. I have worked extremely hard to get to where I am today by achieving a 4.0 GPA at my current community college in addition to gaining leadership positions in various student clubs. Previously I was confident in my grades but I feared that my poor writing skills would leave me doomed. I can now say that I am confident in my essays, and I can rest easy knowing that if I don’t get in somewhere, it won’t be due to the quality of my essays. Jim really helped me to produce amazing results in my application process. He even helped me to develop a strong student resume. I consider Jim a great mentor and a life saver! I would recommend Jim to anyone seeking application help!“

Mark, 2 lessons with Jim
Tutor responded:

It was a privilege and an honor to help your son with his Personal Statement and college application essay prompt responses. It is a very rare and beautiful thing to see someone so young who is so dedicated, so amazingly hard-working, and so successful in powering through life obstacles that would have eviscerated a lesser young man. He is the embodiment of what W. H. Murray meant in his memoir "The Scottish Himalaya Expedition" when he said, "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."

Very good tutor, reliable and on time

we've been happy with Jim. he is very knowledgable and polite. He is always on time and explains things well. we would recommend him

Steve, 8 lessons with Jim

Very helpful

Glad that Jim can spend more time to help on the essay before it is due tomorrow. He took extra time to go through the draft, read the related articles, help my daughter to understand.

Longchuan, 20 lessons with Jim

Math focused SAT tutoring

Excellent response and discussions. My daughter valued the time and Jim not only provided instruction on the problems but a roadmap for success when taking the SAT.

Wayne, 1 lesson with Jim

Nice and helpful, but too far to travel

Jim was very kind and helpful, but, unfortunately, he had a hard time making our meetings on time. So, we ended up only meeting one time. I am sure this had to do with the location. He is likely much more punctual with students in his area.

La, 1 lesson with Jim

Extremely Good Tutor

I found myself in a very bad spot during Calculus 2 this semester and realized that I needed to get a tutor. After searching through WyzAnt, I quickly came across Jim because of his high ratings and I decided to give him a try. Jim responds promptly and professionally, and is willing to accommodate the needs of his students. He really truly wants to help and to teach. After meeting him for the first time, we proceeded to go over some of the coursework that I was struggling with. He has an amazing ability to teach things in a way that a struggling student can understand. I was able to understand the basics of sequences and series in about 10 minutes, whereas my 2 hour lecture of the subject in class just led to absolute confusion and a lack of understanding. As I continued to learn from Jim, I really started to understand the material we were going over. He can apply any concepts to real life situations to provide context for complex things. On my first test after having several sessions with him, I literally doubled my test score. Fact is, he is kind, extremely patient, and really truly cares about his students' success. It was sheer luck and an absolute pleasure that I found him, and I will strongly consider driving all the way up from San Diego a few times a month while at UC just to get his help if I need it. Thanks, Jim.

Chris, 3 lessons with Jim

A Math wizard who knows how to teach!

My daughter scored a 30 in Math when she recently took the ACT cold. She now wants to score near perfect so she needs someone to teach her all four corners of every math concept she still hasn't mastered. She found one who could do that in Jim!

Roberto, 5 lessons with Jim
Hourly Rate: $50
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