Michael

About Me

I am a certified tutor who specializes in Test Prep . I have a bachelor's degree from Southern Connecticut State University, and I am pursuing a PhD in Topology (the study of shapes in higher dimensions).  I have many years of experience in both teaching and tutoring people to prepare for the big tests (SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, ACCUPLACER, ASVAB), as well as smaller, but still important tests (Regents, MCAS, Keystone, etc.).  Let's work together to prepare for the big, life-changing tests to work towards a better future!

Tutoring Style

It's hard to describe my teaching style because it does depend on the student. I usually start by asking what the student can tell me about whatever it is they're struggling with, and then address gaps in their knowledge as we come across them. If the student doesn't know where to begin, we'll start at the beginning, or maybe work backward if that works for them. I'm very flexible, and I'll do my best to find the best way to cover each subject for each student!  If I had to describe my style, it's that I do my best to figure out what works for the student, and then do that!

Success Story

I once had a student who was a very bright kid who had some of the worst test scores you have ever seen.  It was clear that the school system just wasn't working for them.  It's tragic when it happens, but it does happen.  They were worried that they would get stuck in a dead end job unless they could get into college.  Unfortunately, they had an abysmal SAT score that all but guaranteed that they were bound for manual labor for the rest of their life.  We started working together, and it became clear that they had the potential for more.  It took a while, but with hard work and persistence, we were able to improve their score by 600 points!  Please keep in mind that this is a special case and not everyone will be able to increase their score by that much... but I promise to do my best, and I will work as hard for my future students as I did for that one!

Hobbies & Interests

It may come as a great shock, but I, the mathematician, am a huge nerd. In my spare time, I will read high-level math books, but I'll also read history books and science books, I also won't say no to a good sci-fi or fantasy book. I play video games (mostly PC and Switch), and thanks to Pokemon Go, I usually walk about 25-50km every week.  When I have time, I will take practice tests of all kinds to keep myself sharp for whatever help someone might need in the future.

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