Essay, Admissions & Writing Coach | Bowdoin Grad

Noa W.

ACT English

I scored 35 out of 36 on ACT English and have two writing-intensive degrees from a top liberal arts college. I'll figure out where you're losing points, then focus on the handful of grammar and rhetoric patterns the test repeats, so you learn to spot them fast and reason through each answer instead of guessing.

ACT Reading

I scored 35 out of 36 on ACT Reading, and my degrees trained me to read dense material quickly. I start by finding what's slowing you down, then we work on moving through passages efficiently, pinning down what each question is really asking, and ruling out wrong answers with confidence under time pressure.

ADHD

I have both personal experience with ADHD and direct experience working with ADHD students in academic tutoring settings. I help students build practical systems for managing schoolwork, studying, and staying organized, with a focus on strategies that fit how their brain actually works rather than generic advice that doesn't stick. I am particularly experienced working with students who struggle with task initiation, time management, focus during long assignments, and breaking large projects into manageable steps. I also help students navigate academic accommodations and communicate effectively with professors and advisors about their needs. I tailor every session to the individual, work at a pace that actually works, and bring patience, compassion, and a genuinely non-judgmental approach.

Career Development

Figuring out what you want to do and how to go after it are two different challenges, and I can help with both. For students and young professionals still exploring, I focus on the kind of reflection that actually moves the needle: identifying your values, strengths, and the experiences that have energized or drained you, and using that to build a clearer picture of what directions are worth pursuing. For those ready to apply, I have firsthand experience with competitive internship and fellowship applications, including the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program, and familiarity with major fellowships like Fulbright and Watson. I received the Bowdoin College Career Accelerator Grant for a professional development project, giving me experience translating interests into compelling written pitches. I've also worked professionally at the Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights, and have helped people build resumes, cover letters, and application materials that present their background clearly and strategically. Whether you are figuring out your direction, preparing a specific application, or trying to make a non-traditional background work in your favor, I can help.

College Counseling

I graduated from Bowdoin College with a BA in Government & Legal Studies and German, and have firsthand experience navigating a competitive liberal arts admissions process, including writing application essays and selecting a school that fit my goals. As a Learning Assistant and peer mentor, I supported students through high-pressure academic moments and helped them present their best work. I help students approach college applications strategically by identifying their strengths, crafting their story, and building a realistic and well-matched school list.

Elementary (K-6th)

My teaching experience spans formal and informal settings across age groups. At the college level, I served as a Learning Assistant for both an intermediate German course and a philosophy course, working directly under professors to plan lessons, support students, and develop my pedagogical approach. Through Paper Airplanes, a nonprofit English tutoring program, I coordinated and mentored a team of tutors working with conflict-affected youth, developing curriculum strategies and supporting tutors in building effective, trauma-informed relationships with their students. With younger learners, I have tutored elementary and middle school-aged students one-on-one across reading comprehension, writing, homework help, and language learning, including direct experience working with an 11-year-old with autism and ADHD. Beyond content, I focus on helping students build the study skills and organizational habits that will serve them long-term. I also find that having a consistent, supportive person to be accountable to who isn't a parent can make a real difference, especially for kids who resist homework help at home. I take a patient, strengths-based approach and create an environment where students feel safe to make mistakes and grow.

English

I've tutored academic writing and reading at the college level since 2023. I start by figuring out what you actually need, then work on grammar, essay structure, and comprehension around that. I explain the why behind each change, so the skills stick and your work keeps improving on its own.

ESL/ESOL

I've worked with non-native English speakers of all ages since 2018, including tutoring recent immigrants and serving as a Learning Assistant for a college language course. I learned German through full immersion and tutored students learning it as a second language in Vienna, so I understand language learning from the inside. I'll work with you across speaking, listening, reading, and writing, focused on real, usable English and the situations you actually face.

Essay Writing

I've tutored writing at the college level since 2023, with everyone from younger students to adults working on applications and academic work. I start by figuring out what you're trying to say, then help you give it a clear structure. I keep it practical and explain the why behind each change, so your writing gets stronger on its own.

Executive Functioning

I have hands-on experience supporting students with structure, planning, and follow-through, both as a Learning Assistant at Bowdoin College and as a tutor coordinator managing 21 volunteers and a full meeting and communication system. I also have personal experience navigating executive functioning challenges and have developed practical strategies that actually work in real life. Beyond systems and skills, I help students learn to understand and articulate their own needs, so they can advocate for themselves confidently in different environments.

German

I learned German through a 13-year immersion program, majored in it at a top liberal arts college, and hold the Deutsches Sprachdiplom II (C1) plus a 5 on the AP and a 7 on the IB Higher Level exam. I worked as a Learning Assistant for a college German course and tutored German as a second language in Vienna. I support beginners through high-intermediate learners, focused on speaking, listening, reading, and real, usable fluency.

Government & Politics

I hold a degree in Government and Legal Studies, with coursework in international law and security. I'll help you understand the core concepts, write strong analytical answers, and connect the theory to how politics actually works, whether you're at the high school or college level.

Homeschool

I have formal teaching experience across multiple subjects and age groups, including serving as a Learning Assistant at the college level for both a German language course and a philosophy course, working directly under professors to plan lessons and support students. I also coordinated a nonprofit youth tutoring program for three years, managing a team of tutors and developing instructional strategies across different learning contexts. My strongest subject areas for homeschooling are humanities, writing, German, social studies, history, and government, grounded in my degrees in Government and German from a small liberal arts college. I bring a flexible, student-centered approach and am comfortable adapting to different curricula, learning styles, and paces. I also focus on building the study skills and organizational habits that make self-directed learning sustainable, which is especially valuable in a homeschool environment.

IELTS

I have a strong foundation in academic English and language instruction built through my degrees in Government and German at a small liberal arts college, where reading, writing, and argumentation across complex texts was constant. I also have firsthand experience with high-stakes language proficiency testing, having taken and passed the Deutsches Sprachdiplom II, a nationally recognized German language exam with a similar format and structure to the IELTS. I served as a Learning Assistant for a college language course, working with students on functional language skills including speaking and writing, and my research assistant work on AI and language learning gives me additional grounding in how language acquisition works and what effective instruction looks like. In sessions we work across all four IELTS skills: timed reading practice with academic passages and comprehension questions, essay planning and drafting for writing task 2 with structured feedback, mock speaking practice with real-time feedback on fluency, coherence, and word choice, listening comprehension with note-taking strategies, grammar and sentence structure review targeting patterns that come up in IELTS writing, and vocabulary building focused on the academic topics the test commonly covers. I work with students at a range of levels and tailor sessions to where each person actually needs the most support.

Interview Prep

I've helped people prepare for interviews across a range of formats, including behavioral, competency-based, informational, and academic and fellowship interviews. My approach is structured: we identify the story behind each answer, work on delivery, and sharpen responses so they're clear and memorable without sounding rehearsed. I've been on both sides of the table. As Club President of a nonprofit tutoring program, I interviewed and selected tutors, and as a grant committee member I interviewed nonprofit organizations and evaluated their pitches for funding. I know firsthand what makes a candidate fall flat: answers that are too vague or generic, experience that isn't connected to the role, rambling without structure, underselling through excessive modesty, or not having specific examples ready. I've also gone through competitive selection processes myself, including applications for institutional research funding and international fellowships, so I understand the preparation that goes into performing well under pressure across different contexts and audiences. I know that people perform best when they feel like themselves, not like they're performing a role. A big part of what I work on with people is finding a way to present authentically and confidently, so the polish comes from clarity and preparation rather than from sounding like everyone else. I'm also comfortable working with nerves, helping people build the kind of quiet confidence that comes from actually knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Literature

Literature rewards close attention, and one of the most valuable things a tutor can do is help students slow down and actually read, noticing not just what a text says but how it works and why it matters. I studied both English and German literature through my degrees at a small liberal arts college, engaging with a broad range of texts from historical to contemporary across multiple traditions. In sessions we might work on close reading and textual analysis, building an argument about a text and supporting it with evidence, essay structure and literary writing conventions, understanding historical and cultural context, or just working through a text that feels confusing or inaccessible. I work with students at the high school and college level and tailor sessions to whatever they are working on, whether that is a specific text, an essay, an exam, or building general analytical skills.

Personal Statements

I help students pull together their experiences and values into a strong, cohesive story that supports the rest of their application. I graduated from a top liberal arts college, have received competitive research grants and national fellowships, and served on a selection committee, so I understand the process from all sides. I work with applicants at the high school and undergraduate level.

Political Science

I majored in Government and Legal Studies at a top liberal arts college, with coursework across political theory, international relations, comparative politics, and international law. I help students apply theoretical frameworks, read political texts critically, write strong analytical papers, and develop sharp research questions.

Proofreading

I've edited academic and application writing since 2023 for native and non-native English speakers. I'll fix grammar, punctuation, and word choice with you, and explain the patterns behind each correction, so your essays, applications, and professional documents read clean and confident.

Reading

I served as a Learning Assistant for both a German language course and a philosophy course, helping students at different levels work through challenging readings and develop their analytical skills. I also tutored students learning German as a second language in Austria, giving me direct experience supporting readers who are working in a non-native language. I meet you where you are and focus on the skills that will actually make a difference for you.

SAT Reading

I scored in the 98th percentile on ACT Reading, which tests the same skills, and my degrees in Government and German trained me to read dense texts quickly and precisely. I help students work through passages efficiently, identify what each question asks, and use evidence to rule out wrong answers.

SAT Writing

The SAT's writing questions are really about editing: fixing grammar, tightening sentences, sharpening transitions, and making a passage clearer. I hold degrees in Government and German built on precise written English, and I help students learn the logic behind each correct answer so they can spot the right fix quickly.

Study Skills

Strong study skills are not about working harder, they are about working in a way that actually fits how your brain works. I help students build systems for managing time, organizing information, preparing for exams, and staying on top of long-term projects without burning out.

TOEFL

I have a strong foundation in academic English that translates directly to TOEFL prep. I've tutored students for the TOEFL, prepared for a similar high-stakes exam myself (the C1 Deutsches Sprachdiplom), and worked as a Learning Assistant for a college language course. We work across all four skills, tailored to where you need the most support.

Vocabulary

I work across English and German and have tutored readers and writers at every level, including students learning in a second language. I'll help you build vocabulary through context, roots, and real use rather than flashcards alone, so the words stick and show up in your reading and writing.

Writing

I hold a BA in Government and German from a top liberal arts college and have tutored writing at the college level since 2023, working with native and non-native English speakers and younger students. I help you communicate clearly, turn scattered thoughts into well-structured work, and understand the reasoning behind each change so your writing keeps improving.