Love to Learn. Math, English, and Test Prep Tutoring

I am a Cornell Law School graduate with an expertise in math and science. I have tutored autistic adults, math students, English students, and test takers. I specialize in teaching the mathematical concepts and reading skills tested by standardized tests like the GED, ACT, SAT, and GRE.

I owe my love of math to a fantastic middle school teacher that emphasized conceptual understandings and thought experiments. Since then, I’ve taken courses in mental math techniques, discrete math, differential equations, linear algebra, statistics, and calculus. I also taught statistics and forensic science to attorneys after graduating law school. I can help you or your child understand the fundamentals of mathematics and ignite a passion for solving math problems.

My love of English comes out of my struggles to learn other languages. Over the years I’ve ventured into Spanish, French, Japanese, Mandarin, and Turkish, which has given me a lot of insight into effective communication. I’ve also taught persuasive writing to undergraduate students and won awards for my academic writing. Skill at reading and writing is not acquired overnight, but I can give you the tools to improve your vocabulary, your writing, and your reading comprehension.

Test-taking, of course, involves more than just understanding the fundamentals of mathematics and English; it also requires strong test-taking strategies. Students can be intimidated by problems that require extensive computation, but knowing a handful of patterns and approaching problems from alternative perspectives can eliminate unnecessary work. I can help you learn how to spend your test time wisely.

I can meet at your house or at a nearby library - my preference is to meet at the Mount Pleasant Public Library, a few blocks away from the Columbia Heights metro station and right next to a Sixteenth Street bus stop.

I look very forward to working with you and I’m excited to get started!

Sincerely,
Ben

Benjamin's Subjects

Math:	ACT Math, algebra 1, algebra 2, geometry, prealgebra, precalculus, probability, SAT math, statistics, trigonometry
English:	ACT English, ACT Reading, English, ESL/ESOL, grammar, proofreading, public speaking, reading, SAT reading, SAT writing, vocabulary, writing
Test Preparation:	ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, GED, GRE, PSAT, SAT math, SAT reading, SAT writing
Language:	ESL/ESOL
History:	criminal justice, government & politics, social studies
Elementary Education:	elementary math, elementary science, grammar, reading, spelling, vocabulary
Business:	GRE, law, public speaking
Corporate Training:	criminal justice, ESL/ESOL, grammar, law, proofreading, public speaking, statistics
Homeschool:	algebra 1, algebra 2, English, ESL/ESOL, geometry, prealgebra, precalculus, reading, SAT math, SAT reading, statistics, writing

Algebra 1

Algebra is the foundation for all higher mathematics; mastering it is the key to success in math. Many students perform poorly in pre-calculus and calculus because they don’t have a solid grasp of algebra. As an aside, I’m going to give you one guess about the origin of the word “algebra”. No googling! Like “Al Jazeera” and “alhambra,” algebra comes from the Arabic word for restoration or completion (al-jabr, in romanised script). The Islamic world was the place to be for mathematicians in the... Read More

Algebra 2

Okay, first question. Which is more, 5 * 7 or 6 * 6? How about 13 * 15 or 14 * 14? What about 25 * 27 or 26 * 26? See any sort of pattern? Can you prove that this pattern holds true for all integers? Algebra can help you! FOIL is all you need here, but it takes some cleverness to set up the proof. If you figure that one out, the next question is how does this pattern relate to the areas of rectangles and squares? Mathematics is all about patterns, and patterns can be pretty awesome. Algebra II... Read More

Prealgebra

Prealgebra contains the fundamental mathematical tools that students will be using throughout the rest of middle school, high school, and college. I often find that students who are struggling in higher mathematics do so because they never developed a facility for manipulating fractions, exponents, roots, or factoring. To get good at this stuff takes both a lot of practice and solid conceptual understandings. I currently tutor prealgebra at Center City Public Charter Schools in D.C.

Statistics

Statistics has got to be the most important math subject for living in the modern world. At heart, it’s about gleaning information from data. Knowing statistics is as much about empowering yourself to understand the torrent of information and news that floods our brains each day as it is about inoculating yourself against those who misrepresent that information. I took two statistics courses in college (in addition to AP statistics in high school) and spent part of my job as a forensic attorney... Read More

SAT Math

Math is a trouble spot for many students prepping to take the SAT. Although you have only 70 minutes to answer 54 questions, the SAT rewards cleverness. Part of what makes the test challenging is that sometimes algebra questions look like geometry questions and sometimes questions involving simple arithmetic actually look like algebra questions. I took the SAT test twice in high school; the first time I only did okay, but the second time I did pretty well (750 in math, 750 in verbal - this was... Read More

GRE

If you’re studying for the GRE, you’re probably having to revisit some mathematical concepts you have long forgotten and learn a lot of vocabulary you never knew in the first place. It can be a little frustrating. I took the GRE last November and got a 338 (grr... those last two points would have been nice...). As with anything, the key is to consistently practice and identify your weaknesses. Ideally, you should be learning new vocabulary words everyday (in context) and reviewing them up until... Read More

SAT Reading

The reading portion of the SAT tests both meaning relationships and vocabulary. Reading helps. A lot. Read books and material that challenge you: The New Yorker, The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and LongForm.org are all good places to gain advanced vocabulary. But also take a visit to your local library and pick something up. Even if you read for just fifteen minutes a day it’s going to be helpful. Then you can start speeding up your timing and improving... Read More

SAT Writing

The SAT writing section tests clarity of expression. In the multiple-choice portion, there are a handful of grammar and organizational mistakes that come up again and again, so it’s good to be prepared for them. Also, don’t neglect to practice the essay writing section! Organizing and writing your own essay can really help you improve on the multiple-choice portion.

SAT Verbal: 750 (thirteen years ago, before more recent changes to the format)
GRE Verbal: 170 (last year; a perfect...

PSAT

The PSAT is a great way to prepare for the SAT and also qualifies you for the national merit scholarship. It is significantly shorter than the SAT, but tests the same subject areas and most of the same sub-topics. It's also one of the first times students are asked to start putting together their academic knowledge of math, reading, and writing in new ways to solve problems under timed conditions. As with the SAT and ACT, solving the problems quickly requires math and language fundamentals and... Read More

ACT Reading

The ACT focuses a lot on reading: the English, science, and reading questions are all passage-based. And there are many questions attached to each passage, making it crucial for the student to deeply understand every passage to do well. Like for other reading tests, it helps to read a lot in your free time. The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, and the Economist are all great options for reading articles that use advanced vocabulary and syntax. But also... Read More

ACT Math

SAT Math: 750 (~13 years ago)
GRE Math: 168; 97th percentile (last year)

Read all subject qualifications »

Education

Undergrad, Washington University in St. Louis Graduate, JD, Cornell Law School

Hourly Fee

Standard Hourly Fee: $50.00

With Prepaid Discount: $42.50 - $47.50

Save up to 15%

Cancellation: 5 hours notice required

You don't pay until after your tutoring and there are no hidden fees or charges. The price you see here is the price you pay.

Your first hour with any tutor is always 100% refundable. You must be completely satisfied or we will gladly issue you an instant refund.

Travel Policy

Benjamin will travel within 15 miles of Washington, DC 20010.

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Benjamin K.