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Cambridge expert in psychology and English language
Ellen R.

5.0 (69 ratings)

240 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $150
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About Ellen

Bio

Welcome to my classroom! My name is Ellen and I completed my undergraduate degree from Occidental College in cognitive neuroscience. Later, I pursued social psychology in my masters and PhD degrees at the University of Cambridge. Recently, I've been teaching college psychology classes and advising PhD students in their research and writing. However, I started tutoring even before I went to college. For 15+ years, I've taught and tutored a huge range of students in Spanish, ESL, writing, and...

Welcome to my classroom! My name is Ellen and I completed my undergraduate degree from Occidental College in cognitive neuroscience. Later, I pursued social psychology in my masters and PhD degrees at the University of Cambridge. Recently, I've been teaching college psychology classes and advising PhD students in their research and writing. However, I started tutoring even before I went to college. For 15+ years, I've taught and tutored a huge range of students in Spanish, ESL, writing, and psychology. For example, I taught ESL at the American English Center in Kharkiv, Ukraine and at Berlitz in Madrid, Spain. Before teaching college courses in psychology, I tutored Cambridge undergraduates in the subject. Through all of these positions, I am consistently teaching writing and helping my students navigate the particular challenges of grammar and style.

I come from a family of educators and am passionate about developing effective, adaptive, and student-centered approaches to learning. I plan my lessons around the specific needs of the student, utilizing interactive exercises as much as possible. This includes in-depth discussions, critical thinking exercises, and hands-on examples of the concepts. My students consistently report that this approach helps them stay engaged in the lesson and understand abstract concepts.

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Education

Occidental College
Cognitive Neuroscien
University of Cambridge
Masters
University of Cambridge
PhD

Additional Languages

Spanish

Policies

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Approved Subjects

ESL/ESOL

ESL/ESOL

I have formal training in teaching ESL and have taught ESL in Ukraine and Spain. Additionally, many of my writing students are non-native speakers, so I am very familiar with the particular language difficulties they face. Although I am a native English-speaker, most of my family is not, which has also contributed greatly to my understanding of learning ESL.
Grammar

Grammar

Having received my PhD from the University of Cambridge, I am currently a professor of psychology. My experiences as both a student and a professor have required an in-depth understanding of English grammar and usage. Additionally, I am formally trained in teaching English as a second language, which, naturally, includes extensive familiarity with grammar.
Neuroscience

Neuroscience

I hold a BA in Cognitive Neuroscience from Occidental College and bring over five years of teaching experience, including five years teaching neuroscience at Horizon, a role as an adjunct professor at Carolina University, and many students on Wyzant. This combination of classroom teaching and higher-education instruction gives me a strong sense of how students at different levels learn and where they tend to struggle. I can help break down core concepts — from neural communication and brain anatomy to cognition, learning, and memory — in ways that build genuine understanding rather than rote memorization. I'm comfortable working across levels, from introductory coursework to more advanced material involving research methods and primary literature.
Personal Statements

Personal Statements

As a former professor with a PhD and MPhil from Cambridge and a background reviewing countless student applications, I know what admissions committees are looking for. I help students move beyond generic summaries to statements that show genuine voice, intellectual curiosity, and a clear narrative arc. My approach combines structural feedback — organization, pacing, how you open and close — with substantive coaching on how to translate your experiences into a compelling case for admission. I've supported students applying to programs ranging from undergraduate to doctoral level, with particular strength in psychology, neuroscience, and social science fields.
Psychology

Psychology

Having received my MA and PhD from the University of Cambridge in psychology, I currently work as a professor. I have a broad range of knowledge in the field, including cognitive neuroscience (the subject of my BA) and social psychology (the subject of my graduate education). I have been teaching in general for over 15 years and teaching psychology for 7 years. As such, I am well-versed in how to explain complex, abstract concepts to students from a range of ages and educational backgrounds.
Sociology

Sociology

I completed the equivalent of a sociology minor through coursework taken while studying abroad, and my graduate work — a PhD and MPhil from Cambridge — sits at the intersection of psychology and sociology, an area sometimes called sociological social psychology. This background gives me a strong grasp of core sociological concepts like social structure, institutions, inequality, and group dynamics, alongside the ability to connect them to individual behavior and cognition. I can help students work through foundational theory, research methods, and the kind of interdisciplinary thinking that connects sociology to adjacent fields. I'm especially well-suited to students exploring where sociology meets psychology, though I'm comfortable supporting core sociology coursework more broadly.
Spanish

Spanish

I grew up speaking Spanish as my family is from Spain. I first started teaching Spanish as a second language when I was in high school. Since then, I have honed my ability to teach, and currently am a professor of psychology. I have simultaneously developed my understanding of languages by continuing to teach Spanish, teaching ESL, and studying foreign language myself.
Thesis Writing

Thesis Writing

I hold a PhD and MPhil from Cambridge and worked as a professor and PhD advisor supervising and evaluating student theses before transitioning into a research-focused role. My focus is helping students understand and manage the actual process of thesis writing — in my experience, this is the hardest part, since advisors rarely teach it and students are left to figure it out on their own. I work with students on structuring the work into manageable stages, from shaping a research question through drafting and revision, so the process feels transparent and navigable rather than overwhelming. Alongside this, I help refine arguments and tighten academic prose so the final writing matches the quality of the underlying research.
Writing

Writing

Having completed my PhD from the University of Cambridge, I currently work as a university professor. My work involves constant guidance of student writing at all stages: concept development, research, outlining, drafting, and polishing. I have developed a step-by-step system for guiding students through this often frustrating process. My approach focuses on connecting to the purpose of your text, not just writing by convention.
Reading
Spelling
Vocabulary
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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (69 ratings)
5 star
(68)
4 star
(1)
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Reviews

Ellen was a perfect fit!

From Leo (student): Ellen was a perfect fit for me! Ellen was a fantastic tutor! I am a college student and spent my summer prepping for two exams in psychology (Cognition and Social Psychology). She was always on time, created novel lesson plans, and has a breadth and depth of knowledge about both Psychology subjects. She kept me focused and on track throughout the few months we worked together. Ellen is also very personable, a quality which helped facilitate learning by creating a safe and professional environment. I highly recommend Ellen as a tutor! From parent of student: Working with Ellen was priceless! My son who goes to school in Europe worked with Ellyn from June-Sept. She reinforced his classroom learning in two subjects with weekly 2 hr. Sessions (approximately 21 sessions). She was extremely smart, supportive, organized, and focused. Thanks to Ellen and the work they did together this summer, he exceeded his expectations on his final exams. Working with Ellen was worth every penny!

Elaine, 21 lessons with Ellen

Knowledgeable and helpful tutor

Ellen helped my daughter with her psychology class. She provided her with mock exams, and study strategies based on the topics they discussed. She explained the concepts my daughter was confused about in simple terms and answered the questions she had.

Nancy, 8 lessons with Ellen

Well Prepared, Knowledgable, and Friendly Tutor.

I needed assistance in my Brain and Behavior psychology class and Ellen has been the perfect person I could've asked for help. She came to every tutoring session very prepared and always brought an engaging energy which helped me better focus on learning the material at hand. Additionally, she often took the liberty of creating documents and practice assignments for me on her own time outside of our sessions which I found extremely generous and beneficial at improving my academic performance. She is very knowledgeable in the material and answered every question I had about the subject matter we were working on. I enjoyed every tutoring session and cannot thank her enough for all of the help she provided me throughout the semester. 5 Stars, definitely recommend Ellen as a tutor!

Dylan, 12 lessons with Ellen

Fantastic Teacher

Ellen is patient, supportive, and very organized. She is fantastic at tutoring and will help you no matter what level you are at in writing. You will have the confidence and knowledge to become a strong writer.

Roosevelt, 15 lessons with Ellen

Amazing!

Currently working on my SOPs for graduate school. One of the only tutors that really sat down with me and explained everything was Ellen. She seemed to really care about my success and my statement of purpose looked like. We went word by word to make sure everything sounded right. It was such a pleasure to work and have her on my team this round.

Negin, 2 lessons with Ellen

Ellen is a writing pro!

Ellen helped me with revising my case analysis. She is so knowledgable and helpful! She came to the session being prepared with her notes with her suggestions. We made the most out of our tutoring time together.

Lijie, 22 lessons with Ellen
Hourly Rate: $150
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