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Academic & Executive Function Coach | SAT/ACT & College Admissions
Mary M.

5.0 (7 ratings)

11 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $75
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Response time: 58 minutes

About Mary

Bio

I am an experienced educator, academic coach, and behavioral health professional with a master’s degree in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and doctoral-level training in clinical psychology. My work has spanned college teaching, academic and executive-function coaching, SAT/ACT preparation, literacy instruction, and behavioral health. I particularly enjoy working with students who are capable but struggle with motivation, focus, procrastination,...

I am an experienced educator, academic coach, and behavioral health professional with a master’s degree in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and doctoral-level training in clinical psychology. My work has spanned college teaching, academic and executive-function coaching, SAT/ACT preparation, literacy instruction, and behavioral health. I particularly enjoy working with students who are capable but struggle with motivation, focus, procrastination, organization, or simply getting started.

Most recently, I provided one-on-one academic and executive-function coaching to students with ADHD, learning differences, and other support needs. I helped students identify what was getting in the way, develop realistic strategies, and build stronger systems for managing school independently. I also taught undergraduate psychology and research methods at Hunter College and spent three years providing individual and small-group literacy instruction in Bronx middle schools. Across these settings, I have worked with students from middle school through college and adapt my approach to each student’s learning style, strengths, and goals.

I am also a Princeton Review-trained SAT tutor with years of experience in test preparation, reading, writing, grammar, and college admissions essays. My approach combines direct instruction with practical strategy, structure, and mentorship. Sometimes a student needs help understanding a difficult concept or preparing for an exam; other times, the real challenge is figuring out why three assignments haven’t been started and making a realistic plan for the week. My goal is not simply to help students complete the next assignment, but to help them become more confident, engaged, and increasingly capable of navigating school on their own.

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Education

CCNY - City College of New York
Psychology
Teachers College Columbia University, New York
Masters
Albert Einstein -Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology
Graduate Coursework

Policies

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Approved Subjects

ACT English

ACT English

I have years of experience helping students strengthen the grammar, rhetoric, and editing skills tested on the ACT. My background includes college teaching, literacy instruction, and extensive work with academic writing and standardized-test preparation. I teach students to recognize recurring question types and apply clear strategies efficiently under timed conditions.
ACT Reading

ACT Reading

I have extensive experience teaching reading comprehension and standardized-test strategies to middle school, high school, and college students. I spent three years providing literacy instruction in Bronx middle schools and have also taught at the college level. I help ACT students identify what a passage is actually saying, distinguish evidence from tempting distractors, and approach timed reading strategically.
ADHD

ADHD

I have extensive experience supporting individuals with ADHD in developing executive functioning skills using evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT, and ACT. I have worked with students across middle school, high school, and young adult populations, helping them navigate challenges such as inattention, impulsivity, procrastination, and difficulty with organization and time management. ADHD-related demands can feel overwhelming, but I am highly skilled at breaking tasks into manageable steps, building structured systems, and creating strategies that align with how each individual learns best. I collaborate closely with clients to develop practical, sustainable tools that improve focus, follow-through, and overall functioning.
Algebra 1

Algebra 1

I work with middle and high school students on Algebra 1 concepts as part of broader academic and standardized-test preparation. I focus on making unfamiliar problems manageable, identifying gaps in foundational skills, and helping students understand the reasoning behind a procedure rather than simply memorizing steps. My background in psychology and education also helps me work effectively with students who struggle with confidence, attention, or executive functioning.
Biology

Biology

I tutor high school biology and help students understand both course content and the study strategies needed to retain it. My graduate training in psychology included substantial coursework in biological and behavioral science, and my research background included psychiatric and behavioral-health research. I particularly enjoy helping students organize complex material and move beyond memorization toward conceptual understanding.
College Counseling

College Counseling

I have extensive experience supporting students through the college counseling process, including application strategy, essay development, and navigating academic and extracurricular planning. I have worked with high school students and young adults to help them identify strengths, clarify goals, and build cohesive, competitive applications. The college admissions process can feel complex and overwhelming, but I am highly skilled at breaking it into manageable steps, from school list building to personal statement development and application completion. I collaborate closely with students to ensure their applications authentically reflect their experiences, values, and aspirations while meeting admissions expectations.
Creative Writing

Creative Writing

I have extensive experience supporting students in creative writing, including narrative development, character building, and refining voice and style across a range of genres. I have worked with learners at the middle school, high school, and university level, helping them move from initial ideas to fully developed stories and written pieces. Creative writing can feel intimidating or blocked at times, but I am highly skilled at breaking the process into manageable steps, generating ideas, and helping writers overcome barriers such as self-doubt and perfectionism. I collaborate closely with students to develop original, expressive work while strengthening clarity, structure, and confidence in their writing.
English

English

I have taught and tutored English, reading, and writing across middle school, high school, and college settings. I spent three years as a literacy and guided-reading tutor and later taught undergraduate courses at Hunter College. I help students strengthen reading comprehension, analytical writing, grammar, organization, and confidence while adapting instruction to their individual needs.
Essay Writing

Essay Writing

I have extensive experience teaching essay-based courses at the university level, tutoring students in drafting and editing thesis statements, and collaborating with students to formulate and execute trenchent arguments throughout their essays. I have worked with students at the middle school. high school, university, and graduate level, and have assisted students in combating hurdles such as procrastination, writers block, and writing anxiety. Essays can be an overwhelming aspect of coursework, but I am highly skilled at breakaing down essay writing into managable steps and troubleshooting barriers that arise throughout the writing process.
Executive Functioning

Executive Functioning

I have extensive experience supporting executive functioning skill development through my clinical work using evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT, and ACT. I have worked with individuals across middle school, high school, and young adult populations, helping them navigate challenges such as procrastination, task avoidance, disorganization, and difficulty with time management. Executive functioning demands can feel overwhelming, but I am highly skilled at breaking tasks into manageable steps, building structured systems, and troubleshooting barriers as they arise. I collaborate closely with individuals to develop practical, personalized strategies that promote independence, follow-through, and long-term success.
GED

GED

I have extensive experience supporting adolescent and adult learners in reading, writing, mathematics, and standardized-test preparation. My teaching background ranges from middle-school literacy instruction to undergraduate teaching at Hunter College. I help GED students identify gaps, build an achievable study plan, and develop the skills and test-taking strategies needed to approach the exam confidently.
Grammar

Grammar

I have extensive experience teaching grammar and writing to middle school, high school, and college students. My background includes three years of literacy instruction, undergraduate teaching at Hunter College, and years of SAT and ACT preparation, with a particular focus on grammar and rhetorical conventions. I help students understand the rules behind sentence structure, punctuation, usage, and syntax so they can apply them confidently in both academic writing and standardized-test settings.
Literature

Literature

I studied English extensively as an undergraduate and have a longstanding interest in literature, literary analysis, and writing. I have tutored students in literature and humanities courses and later taught at the college level. I help students move beyond plot summary to understand theme, structure, language, characterization, and historical context and translate those ideas into strong analytical writing.
Personal Statements

Personal Statements

I have particular expertise using storytelling as a basis for crafting compelling personal statements. I have extensive experience supporting students in writing personal statements, including brainstorming compelling narratives, refining structure, and editing for clarity and impact. I have worked with individuals at the high school, university, and graduate level, helping them navigate challenges such as writer’s block, self-doubt, and difficulty articulating their experiences. Personal statements can feel high-stakes and overwhelming, but I am highly skilled at breaking the process into manageable steps, from idea generation to final polish. I collaborate closely with students to develop authentic, cohesive essays that clearly communicate their strengths, goals, and unique perspectives.
Proofreading

Proofreading

I have extensive experience editing academic, personal, and college-admissions writing. As a college instructor, I provided detailed feedback on undergraduate research papers, including organization, clarity, grammar, argumentation, and APA style. I focus not only on correcting errors but on helping writers produce clearer, more precise work while preserving their individual voice.
PSAT

PSAT

I am a Princeton Review-trained SAT tutor with years of experience helping students prepare for standardized admissions tests. I work across reading, writing, and math and help students learn both the underlying material and the recurring patterns of standardized-test questions. I tailor preparation to each student's strengths, gaps, pacing, and score goals rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Psychology

Psychology

I have a master’s degree in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and completed 42 credits of doctoral training in clinical psychology. I taught undergraduate Introductory Psychology and Research Methods at Hunter College, where I designed course materials and guided students through research design, SPSS analysis, and APA-style writing. I also have several years of psychiatric and behavioral-health research experience, as well as extensive clinical experience working with adolescents and adults. I can help students with psychology coursework, research methods, academic writing, APA style, and understanding difficult concepts in a way that goes beyond memorization.
Reading

Reading

I have more than a decade of experience teaching and supporting students across middle school, high school, and college settings. I spent three years providing literacy and guided-reading instruction in Bronx middle schools, working individually and in small groups with students who needed additional reading support. I help students improve comprehension, vocabulary, inference, fluency, and confidence while developing strategies they can use independently.
SAT Reading

SAT Reading

I am a Princeton Review-trained SAT tutor with extensive experience teaching reading, writing, and standardized-test strategies. My broader background includes college teaching, literacy instruction, academic writing, and college-admissions essay coaching. I help students recognize recurring SAT question types, understand the underlying grammar and rhetorical principles, and develop efficient strategies for working accurately under time pressure.
SAT Writing

SAT Writing

I am a Princeton Review-trained SAT tutor with extensive experience teaching writing, grammar, and standardized-test strategies. My broader background includes college teaching, literacy instruction, academic writing, and college-admissions essay coaching. I help students recognize recurring SAT question types, understand the underlying grammar and rhetorical principles, and develop efficient strategies for working accurately under time pressure.
Social Work

Social Work

I have extensive experience in social work practice across clinical and academic settings, supporting adolescents and young adults navigating acute mental health needs, system involvement, and complex psychosocial stressors. I have worked in hospital-based and outpatient environments using evidence-based modalities such as CBT, DBT, and ACT, while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive care. Social work requires balancing empathy with structure, and I am highly skilled at building strong therapeutic alliances while also helping clients develop practical coping skills and access needed resources. I am committed to a strengths-based, person-centered approach that supports resilience, autonomy, and long-term stability.
Thesis Writing

Thesis Writing

I approach thesis writing as both an intellectual and project-management process, helping students move from broad interests to focused, defensible arguments grounded in strong evidence. My experience working with university and graduate-level writers has equipped me to support each stage—refining research questions, organizing complex ideas, integrating sources, and sustaining momentum over time. I place particular emphasis on helping students develop a clear academic voice and confidence in their analytical thinking. By combining big-picture structure with detailed feedback, I help transform what often feels like an open-ended, overwhelming task into a coherent and manageable process.
Vocabulary

Vocabulary

I spent three years providing literacy and guided-reading instruction to middle school students and have continued teaching reading and writing across age groups. I teach vocabulary through context, word relationships, roots, and active use rather than relying exclusively on memorization. My goal is to improve both immediate vocabulary knowledge and the reading skills students can use to determine unfamiliar meanings independently.
Writing

Writing

I have taught writing across middle school, high school, and college settings and have extensive experience helping students with academic and admissions essays. As an adjunct lecturer at Hunter College, I guided undergraduates through research papers and APA-style scientific writing, and I have also coached students through college application essays. I help writers develop ideas, structure arguments, revise effectively, and produce polished work that still sounds like them.
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Ratings and Reviews

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5.0 (7 ratings)
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Reviews

Engaging & Experienced

Mary jumped in when my daughter was having a crisis with her college essays and really helped her focus what was important in them. My daughter was so impressed with how quickly they struck up a rapport. She’s looking forward to working with Mary on the next set and some other schoolwork, as well.

Lorraine, 1 lesson with Mary

Very Helpful

Mary was simply great at helping my daughter study for the essay portion of the ACT. I appreciate that she came prompt, prepared and enthusiastic for each lesson. I especially liked how she was able to provide guidance with exercises that helped my daughter get ideas down on paper. It''s pretty obvious that Mary is highly gifted and enjoys what she does. Thanks Mary for all your help!

Seid, 3 lessons with Mary
Hourly Rate: $75
Response time: 58 minutes
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