Kathryn S.
Newport Coast, CA
ACT, AP Physics, and AP Calculus
Harvey Mudd College
Molecular BiologyAbout Kathryn
Hello! My name is Kathryn. I am a professional private tutor, and I serve high school students who are passionate about their academic lives. You should request my tutelage not if you want to 'pass' or 'get an A', but if--and only if--you are genuinely interested in learning the material. I am a demanding tutor. In addition to our twice-weekly
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Cancellation
24 hours notice requiredTravel Radius
Travels within 20 miles of Newport Coast, CA 92657Kathryn offers online lessons
Kathryn is approved to conduct lessons through Wyzant Online. Wyzant Online allows students and tutors to work remotely via video, audio, and collaborative whiteboard tools. For more information about how online tutoring works, check out Wyzant Online.
If you’re interested in online lessons, message Kathryn to get started.
"Great Tutor"
- Chris, Costa Mesa, CA on 3/20/17Kathryn is a saint. Seriously, look no further. I hadn't taken math in 10 years and was enrolled in a business calculus class. Not only did she teach me calculus but pretty much every level of math prior (alg 1,2 geometry, etc). She took the time to explain everything, making sure I understood the fundamentals. Whether it be math, English, science or whatever, I would trust Kathryn to help. She truly cares about the success of those she works with.
"Such an amazing tutor!"
- Mike, Irvine, CA on 11/24/15Kathryn is always so patient and helpful. Always finds a way to present concepts in understandable ways. Wonderful demeanor and super fun!
"Clear and concise"
- Claire, Brooklyn, NY on 7/11/15With Kathryn's extensive knowledge and guidance, I now know studying for the CBEST Mathematics section will be a fun experience!
"Great Tutor for ACT preparation"
- Beverly, Laguna Beach, CA on 2/6/15Kathryn has been working with my son on ACT preparation. We consider her a top notch tutor. It is interesting in that my son is also doing extremely well in Calculus and he mentioned that work with Kathryn also helped him with his high school studies.
"Organized and Effective"
- Carrie, Laguna Beach, CA on 4/3/14Kathryn has an ability to help the student learn the best way he or she can. She is creative in her teaching technique, positive and able to keep my son on task as much as possible during their time together.
"BRILLIANT!"
- Janene, Dana Point, CA on 11/5/13I just don't have the words to describe how important Katie's help has been to our daughter, who is a senior in high school. She is so bright and enthusiastic about learning- her love and energy for learning and tutoring completely contagious that even I want to sit and learn during my daughter's tutoring sessions. I wish all teachers in school were this gifted. She's a SIX STAR tutor.
"Great Tutor"
- Mike, Laguna Beach, CA on 10/14/13My daughter has been working with Katie for two school years and she is being able to maintain her 3.7 3.8 GPA.
"Best tutor"
- Catherine, Laguna Beach, CA on 9/8/13I would recommend Katie to anyone. Her combination of knowledge, patience and enthusiasm is hard to find in a tutor and her breadth of the subject matter is amazing.
"Bright, positive, engaging, reliable and effective."
- Henry, Laguna Beach, CA on 8/2/13When I asked, the response was "I can't imagine a question she could not answer." Her high level of credibility and knowledge coupled with her ability to quickly engage, assess and tailor her content and delivery make her an ideal tutor. Based on several months of progress with pre-calculus and SAT prep, I would recommend her without hesitation.
"Wonderful Tutor!!"
- Todd, Newport Coast, CA on 5/18/12Katie is amazing. She has an excellent understanding of the material and has connected very well with my high school sophomore son. I am especially pleased with her ability to break down the concepts to a level that works well and then builds on them to create a complete and thorough understanding for my son. My son is more confident after each session...and his performance in the classroom has greatly improved.
"Great with Difficult Subjects"
- Andrea, Lake Forest, CA on 5/13/12Katie has helped my son prepare for his IB Physics tests and for the science section of the ACT. It was difficult to find a tutor with advanced knowledge of physics, and she did an excellent job of helping him understand key concepts and preparing him with test taking strategies. She also identified ways he could improve his science score, and this was reflected in a marked improvement the second time he took the test. She is patient, upbeat and very committed to helping her students succeed.
"Biology Tutoring"
- Kim, Irvine, CA on 2/3/12Katie has tutored my son for about 3 months now and has done a wonderful job. She is so enthusiastic about teaching kids biology. You can tell it truly is her passion. She has a way of keeping it fun and interesting so my son can relate and learn very quickly. She does it by using examples, diagrams and many times finding u tube videos to watch. She goes above and beyond.
I highly reccomend her to anyone whose son or daughter might be struggling or not understanding a concept.
Approved subjects are in bold.
Approved subjects
In most cases, tutors gain approval in a subject by passing a proficiency exam. For some subject areas, like music and art, tutors submit written requests to demonstrate their proficiency to potential students. If a tutor is interested but not yet approved in a subject, the subject will appear in non-bold font. Tutors need to be approved in a subject prior to beginning lessons.
Algebra 2
Algebra II is probably my favorite subject, because it builds your mathematical intuition. There's nothing quite like determining end-behavior of polynomial functions!
Biology
Although I hold my degree in the subject, I'll agree that Biology is one of the toughest sciences to master; there's a ton of material, and the field keeps changing its mind about how much of our DNA is actually junk. That said, I am completely at ease guiding my students through introductory Biology courses.
CBEST
I studied for and passed the CBEST test myself. For the math portion: I understand the importance of learning to estimate. For the writing portion: I understand the importance of creating a well-thought-out outline before writing. For the reading section: I understand the importance of the process of elimination. All of these skills I plan on passing on to my students.
Chemistry
I've lost count of the number of chemistry students I've helped. What I do remember is their confusion over periodic trends, orbital diagrams, electron configurations, and unit conversions. With eight chemistry courses and years of tutoring experience under my belt, I am qualified to help you understand the intricacies of this subject.
ISEE
I have experience with the ISEE. I know what independent schools are looking for, and am ready to help my students rise to the occasion. Independent schools look for students who can think critically, and who trust their own brains. They're looking for fluency in vocabulary, mathematics, and reading skills. To measure these skills, the ISEE contains four sections: a 20-minute Verbal Reasoning section, a 35-minute Quantitative Reasoning section, a 25-minute Reading Comprehension section, and a 30-minute Mathematics Achievement section. Some basic techniques include: know your roots and prefixes; when you hit a hard QR problem, circle it and move on; and read the RC questions first, then the passage.
MCAT
I am qualified to tutor the MCAT material because I have taken multiple tests and scored well. I have also tutored MCAT students in the past, and they have improved their scores as a result of their work with me. More specifically, as a Molecular Biologist, I'm qualified to tutor the Biological Sciences section. I'm qualified to tutor the Physical Sciences section because I have extensive experience tutoring Physics and General Chemistry. I am qualified to tutor the Verbal and Writing portions because these sections require critical thinking, with which I also have years of experience.
Microbiology
I hold my BS in Molecular Biology. In studying for this degree, I did a significant amount of work with microbes. I'm comfortable speaking in depth about bacteria, fungi, and viruses. My experience with the Biological Sciences portion of the MCAT keeps my knowledge of microbiology fresh.
Physics
I took AP Physics in high school and six full courses in college. I am comfortable speaking in depth about mechanics, electricity and magentism. My years of experience tutoring the subject qualify me to help you today.
Other Newport Coast, CA Tutors
Kathryn S.
Newport Coast, CA
ACT, AP Physics, and AP Calculus