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JD | Former College Professor | AP Gov Reader | SAT/ACT & Writing
Jessica W.

5.0 (146 ratings)

496 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $75
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Response time: 8 minutes

About Jessica

Bio

I hold a J.D. and B.S. in Political Science, spent more than 15 years teaching at the college level, and have nine years of private tutoring experience. I’m also an AP U.S. Government Reader. I specialize in admissions and academic writing, SAT/ACT English, AP Government, and history.

My teaching starts with how a student thinks. I don’t just look at whether an answer is right or wrong—I listen to how the student got there. That lets me find the actual gap and choose an explanation that...

I hold a J.D. and B.S. in Political Science, spent more than 15 years teaching at the college level, and have nine years of private tutoring experience. I’m also an AP U.S. Government Reader. I specialize in admissions and academic writing, SAT/ACT English, AP Government, and history.

My teaching starts with how a student thinks. I don’t just look at whether an answer is right or wrong—I listen to how the student got there. That lets me find the actual gap and choose an explanation that makes the material click without lowering the academic standard. A math-minded student may understand an essay when we map its structure almost like an equation; another may need to talk through the logic. The standard stays high. The route changes.

Whether we’re working on an admissions essay, an SAT question, an AP FRQ, or a history paper, I teach students to understand the reasoning and structure behind the work. We identify what isn’t working, build a clear system for approaching it, practice it together, and gradually remove the support.

The goal is independence. I want students to leave tutoring knowing not only what to do, but why it works—and eventually be able to do it without me.

Instant Book is welcome. If you have an upcoming test, essay, or assignment, send the material before our session when possible so we can make the most of our time.

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Education

Columbus State University
Political Science
Roger Williams University School of Law
J.D.

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $75
  • Rate details: 24-Hour Notice Required: To cancel or reschedule your lesson. Late Cancellations: Lessons canceled with less than 24 hours' notice will be charged the full lesson fee.
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 11/27/2023

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

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Approved Subjects

ACT English

ACT English

With 10+ years of test-prep experience, I use an oral diagnostic and five-tier system to identify exactly where students are losing points and why. We target grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, transitions, and rhetorical skills while building the speed and accuracy needed for ACT English.
ACT Reading

ACT Reading

With 10+ years of test-prep experience, I begin with an oral diagnostic so I can hear how students arrive at their answers—not simply whether they are right or wrong. My five-tier method identifies where reasoning breaks down and targets the reading and analysis skills needed for faster, more accurate ACT performance.
ADHD

ADHD

I have more than 15 years of experience as a college professor and extensive experience working with students with ADHD and executive-function challenges. I help students build practical systems for time management, organization, task initiation, assignment planning, and breaking larger projects into manageable steps, adapting strategies to how each student learns and works best. I also completed professional training through The Pacific Institute in 2008, with an emphasis on goal setting, motivation, productive thought patterns, and behavioral change. My approach focuses on developing sustainable skills and routines so students can become increasingly confident and independent learners.
American History

American History

As a former college professor with experience teaching audited AP and high-school history courses, I help students understand the connections between events, ideas, primary sources, and historical arguments—not simply memorize dates. I also teach the writing and document-analysis skills students need for strong history essays and AP-style responses.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

I have more than 15 years of teaching experience and extensive experience adapting instruction for autistic students across academic levels. I individualize instruction by identifying how each student processes information, communicates understanding, organizes tasks, and responds to different teaching approaches, then build predictable and manageable systems around those strengths and needs. My experience includes supporting executive-function skills, academic organization, reading and writing, assignment planning, and breaking complex tasks into clear, sequential steps. I also completed professional training through The Pacific Institute in 2008 focused on goal setting, motivation, productive thought patterns, and behavioral change.
Career Development

Career Development

I have more than 15 years of experience as a college professor, including teaching first-year seminar courses focused on career exploration, academic planning, and the transition from college to the workforce. I have helped students identify career paths, evaluate majors and educational options, develop professional goals, and create practical plans for reaching them. My experience includes resume development, professional communication, interview preparation, and helping students understand how their academic choices connect to career opportunities. I hold a Juris Doctor and a B.S. in Political Science and bring experience in higher education, legal training, and career-focused student advising.
College Counseling

College Counseling

I have more than 20 years of experience working with college and college-bound students through higher education, tutoring, advising, and private-client work. I have guided students through the college admissions process, including developing college lists, understanding application requirements and timelines, evaluating academic and career goals, and building an effective application strategy. I also have extensive experience teaching college-level writing and helping students develop Common App, transfer, graduate, and professional-school application essays from initial story development through final revision. I hold a Juris Doctor and previously taught at the college level for more than 15 years, giving me a strong understanding of both the admissions process and the academic expectations students face after enrollment.
Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

I hold a Juris Doctor and have three years of university-level teaching experience in Criminal Justice at South University in Montgomery. I taught courses in criminal law, criminal procedure, and criminal justice theory, helping students understand both substantive legal principles and how the criminal justice system operates in practice. My instruction included constitutional protections, criminal offenses and defenses, policing and procedure, court processes, and the analysis of judicial decisions. I use real and hypothetical cases to help students move beyond memorization and learn to apply criminal justice concepts to specific facts and situations.
Elementary (K-6th)

Elementary (K-6th)

I am a former licensed teacher and college professor with more than 20 years of teaching and tutoring experience, including direct experience teaching students in grades 3–6 through homeschool co-ops and learning pods. I work with younger students to strengthen foundational reading, writing, study, and academic skills while adapting instruction to each student’s learning needs. I break challenging concepts into manageable steps and focus on helping students understand how and why they reached an answer rather than relying on memorization alone. After years of teaching at the college level, I especially value helping students build strong academic foundations early so they are prepared for increasingly challenging work.
English

English

With 25 years in education, I work with middle and high school students who need stronger skills in reading comprehension, literary analysis, and academic writing. I teach students how to analyze what they read, organize their thinking, and turn that analysis into clear, well-developed writing—with the goal of building independent skills they can carry into high school and college.
Essay Writing

Essay Writing

I have more than 20 years of experience teaching and evaluating academic writing, including 15+ years as a college professor and current experience as an AP U.S. Government Reader. I have read and graded thousands of student papers and have designed writing prompts, assignments, and grading rubrics for hundreds of college-level essays while continuing to teach, assess, and tutor student writing. I work with middle and high school students on foundational essay structure and progress through advanced analytical and AP-style writing, including thesis development, evidence, reasoning, organization, and effective revision. I hold a Juris Doctor and teach writing as a structured, repeatable process that students can learn to apply independently across subjects.
European History

European History

With 25 years in education, including teaching history and social sciences at the high school and college levels, I help students understand European History through cause and effect, historical context, and connections across events rather than memorizing isolated facts. I also teach students how to analyze primary sources and turn historical evidence into strong, well-supported written responses.
Executive Functioning

Executive Functioning

I have more than 15 years of teaching experience helping students develop the executive-function skills needed for academic independence and success. I completed professional training through The Pacific Institute in 2008, with an emphasis on goal setting, motivation, productive thought patterns, and behavioral change, and I incorporate these principles into individualized learning strategies. I work with students on time management, organization, task initiation, prioritization, syllabus and assignment mapping, and breaking complex projects into manageable steps. Rather than relying on one system for every student, I help students identify strategies that fit how they think and work so they can gradually manage their academic responsibilities independently.
Geography

Geography

I have taught audited AP Human Geography courses and work with students on both content mastery and AP exam preparation. I help students connect population, culture, migration, economics, politics, and the environment while also teaching the structure, evidence, and analysis needed to write strong AP Human Geography FRQ responses.
Government & Politics

Government & Politics

I’m a JD, former college professor, AP U.S. Government Reader, and longtime instructor of audited high-school government courses for homeschool students. I help students connect constitutional principles, institutions, Supreme Court cases, and political behavior so they understand how government works—not simply memorize facts.
Homeschool

Homeschool

I have extensive experience as a homeschool educator, including homeschooling, teaching homeschool co-ops and learning pods, and providing individualized tutoring to homeschool students. I have developed and taught courses across grade levels and have College Board-audited AP courses in U.S. Government and Politics and U.S. History that I have taught to homeschool students. My background as a college professor also allows me to help homeschool students transition into advanced high school, dual-enrollment, and college-level expectations. I work with families to adapt curriculum and instruction to the student's academic level, learning style, and educational goals.
Legal Writing

Legal Writing

I hold a Juris Doctor (JD) and spent 15+ years teaching at the college level, including law-related courses such as Constitutional Law and Medical Law & Ethics. My teaching required instruction in case analysis, legal reasoning, issue identification, application of law to facts, and structured analytical writing. I have extensive experience teaching and evaluating research-based and analytical writing and can teach legal writing methods including IRAC/CREAC, case analysis, organization of legal arguments, use of authority, citation integration, and clear legal analysis. My JD training and years of teaching law and college-level analytical writing provide the academic and professional foundation for tutoring Legal Writing.
Personal Statements

Personal Statements

I have extensive experience helping private and online clients develop personal statements for college, law school, graduate, and master’s program applications. I guide students through understanding the prompt, brainstorming meaningful experiences, identifying the strongest story, and developing a clear story path that connects their experiences to the purpose of the application. I then help students strengthen structure, organization, voice, and narrative development before moving to sentence-level editing for syntax, grammar, clarity, and flow. As a JD and former college professor with more than 20 years of writing experience, I focus on helping applicants produce polished personal statements that remain authentic to their own experiences and voice.
Proofreading

Proofreading

As a former college professor and AP Reader, I have evaluated thousands of student papers and written responses. I provide detailed review of academic, admissions, and professional writing, focusing on grammar, syntax, clarity, organization, transitions, and readability while preserving the writer’s voice. Live sessions and detailed draft review are available through Wyzant.
PSAT

PSAT

With 10+ years of SAT/PSAT prep experience, I begin with an oral diagnostic so I can hear how students arrive at their answers—not simply whether they are right or wrong. My five-tier method identifies specific gaps in reading, grammar, and test reasoning, then targets those skills to build accuracy, speed, and confidence for the PSAT and future SAT.
SAT Reading

SAT Reading

With 10+ years of SAT prep experience, I begin with an oral diagnostic so I can hear how a student reasons through each question—not just whether the answer is right or wrong. I use a five-tier system to pinpoint skill gaps, correct the reasoning behind missed answers, and build students toward faster, more accurate, independent test performance.
SAT Writing

SAT Writing

With 10+ years of SAT prep experience, I use an oral diagnostic and five-tier system to identify not only which Writing questions students miss, but why they miss them. We target grammar, sentence structure, transitions, rhetorical analysis, and recurring SAT patterns, building from foundational skills to faster, more accurate test-day decisions.
Social Studies

Social Studies

Hello, I'm Jessica, and my educational journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, followed by a Juris Doctorate. With two decades of teaching experience in college and certification for grades 6-12, I've tutored students in various subjects, including AP Government, AP US History, and both regular and honors-level courses in Government, American History, and World History. My expertise extends to teaching government at the college level. I take pride in designing lessons that cater to students' unique learning styles. I'm equally comfortable offering single classes focused on specific topics, ensuring a tailored and effective educational experience for each individual.
Study Skills

Study Skills

With 25 years in education, I am a former college professor who also held a 6–12 Social Studies teaching license while developing secondary-level programs. I help middle and high school students understand history, government, civics, and geography through connections and analysis while strengthening primary-source and academic writing skills.
United States History

United States History

I previously held a Florida 6–12 Social Studies teaching license and have taught U.S. History, civics, world history, and government at the secondary level. As a former college professor, I also taught seminar and current-events courses that incorporated American history, politics, law, and government into the study of contemporary issues. I have College Board-audited AP U.S. History and AP U.S. Government and Politics courses and currently serve as an AP U.S. Government Reader. My approach emphasizes historical context, primary-source analysis, cause and effect, and understanding the connections among American history, government, law, and current events.
World History

World History

With 25 years in education, I am a former college professor and private homeschool instructor with experience tutoring high-school students in World History, including college-level dual-enrollment courses. I help students connect civilizations, geography, events, and cause and effect while building the source-analysis and evidence-based writing skills needed for strong essays and higher-level coursework.
Writing

Writing

I teach middle and high school students how to build strong essays from the ground up—not just fix the paper in front of them. Using a structured outline-and-scaffolding method developed through 15+ years of teaching, I help students learn to break down prompts, organize ideas, develop paragraphs, and move toward clear, independent writing.

Examples of Expertise

Jessica has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 1 question submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (146 ratings)
5 star
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4 star
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Reviews

An absolute lifesaver for college essays!

Jessica jumped on my son's college essays for an online review right away. She did a great job highlighting areas for improvement while keeping the tone positive and uplifting. The corrections were detailed, it was the encouraging feedback that really stood out. My son went from feeling like there was never going to be an end to this to finishing his essays. Thank you!

Nicole, 1 lesson with Jessica

Exceptional History teacher

Miss. Jessica is an amazing teacher, human being and a friend to my 7th grader. Her dedication, passion with knowledge about History has helped my daughter immensely so much so that my daughter has started taking interest in the subject and scoring A ➕️ in the subject. Miss. Jessica goes out of her way to make her understand the subject in terms of explanation , patience and spending extra time if needed. She is so sweet to my daughter that my daughter looks forward to her class every week. Because of her engaging teacher method , my daughter confidently talks about the subject. We truly feel very grateful and appreciative to have found her as out daughter's teacher come friend. I sincerely hope other parents should take advantage of this genuine teacher. Thank you Miss Jessica !

Jayashree, 100 lessons with Jessica

Knowledgeable and patient tutor

Jessica continues to guide me on my journey with tools and accountability. She gives me testing knowledge to help me study for my license exam. She has the strength to help those with mental challenges of coming up with new methods.

Gabrielle Sundhari, 4 lessons with Jessica

Excellent TLC with a student who has never before had a tutor

An experienced teacher who can share the value and practical implementation of good study skills. Old school (which of course is a good thing :-) My kid loves her, she's the best.

Don, 1 lesson with Jessica

Thorough and patient tutor for your most precious cargo!

Jessica has moved the needle with our precious Charli quickly. We've found ourselves in a unique situation with some foundational reading issues and we've felt her steady hand and thorough advice every step of the way. She was straightforward and sobering in a time where we could have reacted emotionally as a family. If you're looking for a turnaround that's backed up with a plan, bet on Jessica!

Tiffany, 34 lessons with Jessica

Knowlegeable and fantastic teacher

Jessica helped my daughter with some assignments for her government class. I was not only very impressed with the fact that she was knowlegeable but had my daughter engaged, smiling and actually enjoying the class. I say this because this was the first time I ever saw my daughter smile or be enthusiastic working on this subject that she hated all year long. In my daughter's own words "Jessica is an awesome teacher" Thank you Jessica!

Gabriela, 2 lessons with Jessica

Helpful, knowledgeable, and patient tutor!

Jessica is helping my son learn study skills and testing taking techniques for college level courses. She has created a plan for him based on his strengths and weak areas, as well as the specific classes he will be taking this semester. Thanks Jessica!

Katie, 56 lessons with Jessica
Hourly Rate: $75
Response time: 8 minutes
Contact Jessica