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Experienced PhD Student & Instructor in Math and Science
Jacob S.

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About Jacob

Bio

Hi, my name’s Jacob. I am currently a Physics PhD student at UCLA, where I also earned my M.S. in Physics. Before coming to UCLA, I graduated from the University of Louisville with Honors B.S. degrees in both Neuroscience and Physics with a concentration in Astrophysics, as well as minors in Mathematics and Chemistry. It was at there that I also became a CRLA Level II certified tutor. This interdisciplinary background allows me to tutor across a range of STEM subjects, particularly physics,...

Hi, my name’s Jacob. I am currently a Physics PhD student at UCLA, where I also earned my M.S. in Physics. Before coming to UCLA, I graduated from the University of Louisville with Honors B.S. degrees in both Neuroscience and Physics with a concentration in Astrophysics, as well as minors in Mathematics and Chemistry. It was at there that I also became a CRLA Level II certified tutor. This interdisciplinary background allows me to tutor across a range of STEM subjects, particularly physics, mathematics, neuroscience, and related sciences. Because my own education spans both the physical and biological sciences, I especially enjoy helping students understand not just how to solve a problem, but why the underlying concepts and equations work.

I have more than eight years of teaching, tutoring, and mentoring experience with students ranging from K–12 through undergraduate and graduate levels. At UCLA, I have worked as a Graduate Teaching Associate and instructor, teaching in classroom, laboratory, discussion, and remote settings. Previously, I worked as a university tutor and teaching assistant at the University of Louisville and taught K–12 students at Sylvan Learning. My experience includes one-on-one tutoring, small-group instruction, full classrooms, academic coaching, and standardized-test preparation, including the ACT, SAT, and GRE.

My tutoring approach is highly individualized. I first try to determine where a student’s understanding begins to break down rather than simply repeating the material in a different way. From there, I use guided problem solving, diagrams, demonstrations, analogies, practice problems, and targeted review to build both conceptual understanding and technical skill. My goal is not simply to help a student complete the assignment in front of them, but to give them the confidence and tools to approach the next problem on their own.

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Education

University of Louisville
Physics
UCLA
Masters
UCLA
PhD

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Approved Subjects

ACT Math

ACT Math

I am a physics PhD student with a strong mathematical background and extensive experience teaching and mentoring students. I earned a 36 across all subjects in the ACT myself and can apply strategies for success. I can help students prepare for ACT Math by strengthening core skills in algebra, geometry, functions, statistics, and problem solving while also developing efficient strategies for working under time pressure. My approach emphasizes understanding why a solution works, recognizing common problem types, and learning faster methods when appropriate for standardized testing.
ACT Science

ACT Science

I have extensive experience teaching and tutoring science and standardized test preparation, including the ACT (for which I scored 36, myself), with students from K–12 through the university level. I hold Honors B.S. degrees in Physics and Neuroscience, an M.S. in Physics, and am currently pursuing a PhD in Physics at UCLA. My scientific training has given me extensive experience interpreting graphs and data, evaluating experiments, and drawing conclusions from evidence, which are central skills tested in ACT Science. I help students develop efficient strategies for interpreting unfamiliar scientific passages and data while improving their accuracy, pacing, and confidence.
Algebra 1

Algebra 1

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics, an Honors B.S. in Physics, and a minor in Mathematics. I have more than five years of teaching and tutoring experience, including working with high school students in mathematics in both one-on-one and classroom settings. I help students strengthen their understanding of functions, equations and inequalities, polynomials, exponentials and logarithms, systems of equations, and other core Algebra topics. My approach emphasizes understanding why algebraic methods work, identifying gaps in foundational skills, and developing a systematic problem-solving process that prepares students for precalculus and calculus.
Algebra 2

Algebra 2

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics, an Honors B.S. in Physics, and a minor in Mathematics. I have more than eight years of teaching and tutoring experience, including working with high school students in mathematics in both one-on-one and classroom settings. I help students strengthen their understanding of functions, equations and inequalities, polynomials, exponentials and logarithms, systems of equations, and other core Algebra topics. My approach emphasizes understanding why algebraic methods work, identifying gaps in foundational skills, and developing a systematic problem-solving process that prepares students for precalculus and calculus.
Biostatistics

Biostatistics

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics and an Honors B.S. in Neuroscience, and my research relies extensively on statistical analysis of biological and neuroscience data. I have experience with hypothesis testing, regression, ANOVA, correlation, probability distributions, multiple-comparison correction, resampling methods, and the interpretation and visualization of experimental data. I regularly apply these methods computationally in Python to large neural and behavioral datasets, giving me practical experience connecting statistical concepts to real research questions. When tutoring biostatistics, I emphasize understanding why a statistical method is appropriate, its assumptions, and how to interpret the results rather than simply memorizing formulas and tests.
Calculus

Calculus

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics and an Honors B.S. in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. Calculus is fundamental to both my academic training and research, and I have extensive experience applying single-variable and multivariable calculus to problems in physics and quantitative science. I have more than eight years of teaching and tutoring experience, including teaching university students in mathematics and physics. I focus on building an intuitive understanding of limits, derivatives, integrals, and series while helping students develop systematic problem-solving skills rather than relying solely on memorized procedures.
Differential Equations

Differential Equations

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics, an Honors B.S. in Physics, and a minor in Mathematics. Differential equations are fundamental to my academic and research work, and I have extensive experience using ordinary and partial differential equations to model physical systems. I have more than eight years of teaching and tutoring experience and have worked with students across a range of mathematics and physics courses. I focus on helping students understand both the mathematical techniques for solving differential equations and the physical or conceptual meaning behind the solutions, rather than relying on memorized procedures alone.
GRE

GRE

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics and Honors B.S. degrees in Physics and Neuroscience, and I have experience tutoring students in GRE preparation. My extensive background in mathematics, scientific reasoning, and academic writing allows me to help students with the quantitative, verbal, and analytical writing components of the exam. I focus on identifying each student’s areas for improvement and developing efficient approaches to common GRE question types. I also incorporate timed practice and test-taking strategies to improve accuracy, pacing, and confidence on exam day.
Neuroscience

Neuroscience

I earned an Honors B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Louisville and am currently pursuing a PhD in Physics at UCLA, where my research applies quantitative methods to systems neuroscience. My academic and research experience includes neurophysiology, neural systems, sensory processing, behavior, and the analysis of large-scale neural recordings. I have more than five years of teaching, tutoring, and mentoring experience with students from K–12 through the university level. I emphasize understanding how neural mechanisms connect across levels, from individual neurons and circuits to behavior, while adapting explanations and problem-solving approaches to each student’s background.
Physics

Physics

I am a physics PhD student with extensive training in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, and modern physics. I have experience teaching and mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students as well as helping them work through both conceptual questions and quantitative problem solving. My tutoring approach emphasizes building a strong physical intuition first, then connecting that understanding to the equations and mathematical techniques needed to solve problems efficiently. I can help students with high school, AP, and college physics, including homework, exam preparation, and strengthening foundational skills.
Quantum Physics

Quantum Physics

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics and an Honors B.S. in Physics, giving me extensive graduate- and undergraduate-level training in quantum mechanics. My coursework and research background have given me experience with wave functions, operators, the Schrödinger equation, angular momentum, spin, perturbation theory, and the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. I have more than five years of teaching and tutoring experience and am comfortable working with students from introductory modern physics through upper-division quantum mechanics. I emphasize developing physical intuition alongside the mathematics, helping students understand what the formalism means and how to approach unfamiliar quantum problems systematically.
SAT Math

SAT Math

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics, an Honors B.S. in Physics, and a minor in Mathematics, and I have experience tutoring students in SAT preparation. I have more than eight years of teaching and tutoring experience, including working with high school students in mathematics and standardized test preparation. For SAT Math, I help students strengthen skills in algebra, functions, geometry, data analysis, and advanced mathematics while developing efficient strategies for the digital SAT. I emphasize recognizing common problem types, choosing the most efficient solution method, using tools such as Desmos effectively, and improving accuracy and pacing through targeted practice.
Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics

I am a Physics PhD student at UCLA with an M.S. in Physics and an Honors B.S. in Physics, with extensive undergraduate- and graduate-level training in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. I am comfortable tutoring topics including the laws of thermodynamics, entropy, heat and work, thermodynamic potentials, equations of state, heat engines, phase behavior, and introductory statistical mechanics. I have more than five years of teaching and tutoring experience and have worked with students across a wide range of mathematics and physics courses. I emphasize connecting the equations to their physical meaning and helping students develop a systematic approach to setting up and solving thermodynamics problems.
ACT English
ACT Reading
Astronomy
Elementary Math
Geometry
GMAT
Python
Statistics
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Hourly Rate: $60
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