Search
Sheila V.'s Photo

Sheila V.

SAT/ACT/PSAT/TOEFL Teacher & College Expert. Be Prepared.

SAT/ACT/PSAT/TOEFL Teacher & College Expert. Be Prepared.

$95/hour

5.0 (7 ratings)

  • 16 hours tutoring

About Sheila

Bio

I'm Sheila - nice to meet you!

Here's a quick summary about me and my qualifications:
*I have a BA from UC Berkeley and an MA from Columbia University (so you could say I'm both a dog and a cat person - loosely speaking).
*I'm part tutor, part counselor, part cheerleader, part (unofficial) therapist. I've taught the SAT, ACT, PSAT, and TOEFL, and helped kids get into Stanford, Harvard, Yale, MIT, University of Chicago, Northwestern, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Amherst College, and - of...

I'm Sheila - nice to meet you!

Here's a quick summary about me and my qualifications:
*I have a BA from UC Berkeley and an MA from Columbia University (so you could say I'm both a dog and a cat person - loosely speaking).
*I'm part tutor, part counselor, part cheerleader, part (unofficial) therapist. I've taught the SAT, ACT, PSAT, and TOEFL, and helped kids get into Stanford, Harvard, Yale, MIT, University of Chicago, Northwestern, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Amherst College, and - of course - UC Berkeley and Columbia, among others (go alma maters!).
*More than a decade has passed since I started teaching test preparation. Please do not do that math.
*I'm a CELTA-certified teacher of English and Do What You Are certified.
*I welcome students of all ages, races, nations, gender identities, and sexual identities.

A Few More Details:
I started teaching because I loved learning. I had a penchant for over-thinking, so I studied philosophy; my favorite way to learn was to discuss my ideas with friends over a coffee (or 10) in the middle of a finals night. Philosophical concepts aren't the easiest to explain in the world (try saying "transcendental idealism" five times fast), but I learned that if I prepared thoroughly, thought systematically, and spoke carefully, I could convey even complex ideas clearly.

I used those lessons when I became a tutor and teacher. I started with the SAT reading and writing (there were two verbal sections of the test back in those days) and expanded into the PSAT, ACT, math, science, and TOEFL. I worked at major Southern California test preparation centers, and, most recently, created Meridian Prep, a college counseling and test preparation company that I founded with my husband. We are working together to reach out to the community and provide college assistance to those who may not be able to afford it otherwise.

Outside of my work as a counselor and teacher, I'm a writer, editor, rock climber, and marathon-runner-to-be. You'll find me reading Iranian literature, working on s

Read more

Education

UC Berkeley
Philosophy
Columbia University
Masters

Policies

  • Tutor’s lessons: In-person
  • Hourly Rate: $95
  • Travel policy: Within 30 miles of Ontario, CA 91764
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 5/4/2018

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

Loading...

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Subjects

English

ACT English,

ACT English

I started teaching English writing and grammar as an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley. I realized that language, which had always seemed so opaque and which I had used so intuitively, was governed by careful rules. Since then, at a range of test prep institutions from East Coast to West, I have helped students improve their writing, worked as an editor, and taught hundreds of kids the rules they need to improve their ACT and SAT English scores. There is never a time when an option just "sounds wrong." Standardized tests require students to understand a specific range of non-controversial English language rules and to know when and how to apply them. I can help (and have helped!) students recognize these rules and improve their ability to understand them.
ACT Reading, SAT Reading, SAT Writing

Homeschool

SAT Math, SAT Reading

Math

ACT Math, SAT Math

Other

College Counseling

College Counseling

College admissions is more competitive than ever, as acceptance rates at the most selective colleges drop well below 10%. As an Ivy League graduate and longtime college consultant, I have helped students polish their applications, providing detailed assistance on everything from activities to essays. My goal in applications is to guide students through the quirks and trends of modern college admissions while helping them stay true to their unique voices. I began educational consulting at Elite Education and went on to become a college counselor at HS2, the premier college counseling academy in Southern California, where I led a branch and worked with hundreds of students from middle school onward. I met with families, developed educational plans, helped kids discover their interests, guided them towards appropriate coursework, organized a testing schedule, and researched unique extracurricular activities to help them stand out. I'm committed to the principle that students should participate in their own education and that, with support, they can utilize their strengths to get into a great college and design their long-term goals.

Science

ACT Science

Summer

SAT Math

Test Preparation

ACT English,

ACT English

I started teaching English writing and grammar as an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley. I realized that language, which had always seemed so opaque and which I had used so intuitively, was governed by careful rules. Since then, at a range of test prep institutions from East Coast to West, I have helped students improve their writing, worked as an editor, and taught hundreds of kids the rules they need to improve their ACT and SAT English scores. There is never a time when an option just "sounds wrong." Standardized tests require students to understand a specific range of non-controversial English language rules and to know when and how to apply them. I can help (and have helped!) students recognize these rules and improve their ability to understand them.
College Counseling,

College Counseling

College admissions is more competitive than ever, as acceptance rates at the most selective colleges drop well below 10%. As an Ivy League graduate and longtime college consultant, I have helped students polish their applications, providing detailed assistance on everything from activities to essays. My goal in applications is to guide students through the quirks and trends of modern college admissions while helping them stay true to their unique voices. I began educational consulting at Elite Education and went on to become a college counselor at HS2, the premier college counseling academy in Southern California, where I led a branch and worked with hundreds of students from middle school onward. I met with families, developed educational plans, helped kids discover their interests, guided them towards appropriate coursework, organized a testing schedule, and researched unique extracurricular activities to help them stand out. I'm committed to the principle that students should participate in their own education and that, with support, they can utilize their strengths to get into a great college and design their long-term goals.
ACT Math, ACT Reading, ACT Science, SAT Math, SAT Reading, SAT Writing

Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (7 ratings)
5 star
(7)
4 star
(0)
3 star
(0)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(0)

$95/hour

Sheila V.'s Photo

Sheila V.

$95/hour

  • No subscriptions or upfront payments

  • Only pay for the time you need

  • Find the right fit, or your first hour is free

Contact Sheila