Harvard Grad | Perfect SAT | Test Prep & Essays

Bj A.

I graduated from Harvard University, and I also scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT. Over the past 15 years I've tutored students ranging from elementary school through high school in reading, writing, creative expression, and test preparation — working one-on-one in home settings, coffee shops, and online. My students have included elementary-aged learners building foundational literacy skills, middle schoolers developing stronger writing habits, and high school juniors and seniors preparing for the SAT and college application process.

My teaching approach is entirely student-centered. I don't use a one-size-fits-all curriculum. I start by understanding how each student thinks, where their confidence breaks down, and what angle will make the material click for them. For SAT prep specifically, I focus as much on strategy, pacing, and mental composure as I do on content, because in my experience those factors separate good scores from great ones. For college essay coaching, I draw on my background as a professional performer and storyteller trained at The Groundlings Theater and Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles — I help students find the authentic narrative only they can tell.

Beyond academics, I won Season 9 of CBS's The Amazing Race, which required solving complex problems clearly and quickly under extreme pressure across five continents. That experience deeply informs how I teach students to perform under pressure: whether on test day, in a college interview, or delivering a presentation. I am patient, encouraging, and genuinely invested in every student I work with.