Professional Historian: Yale BA, PhD Candidate at Michigan

Joseph Y.

I'm Joe! I studied History and French at Yale, and I'm now a PhD candidate in History at the University of Michigan. Since undergrad, I've worked professionally in history and education, and I still find every excuse I can to teach. I have more than ten years of experience tutoring in history, French, Spanish, English, and college application prep. I bring passion and patience to every session, and I promise to go the extra mile to make sure the material really sticks. My hope is that by the end of our time together, you'll understand the subject and enjoy it, too.

I've tutored students of all ages. At Yale, I tutored at New Haven Reads, a literacy center, working with kids as young as 6 on basic reading and writing and students as old as 18 on research papers. I also taught French and Spanish to my fellow Yalies. I was born in Venezuela, so Spanish has been part of my life from the start, and I've spoken French since I was 8, including many summers in Paris. I nearly majored in English alongside History, and I'm comfortable with literature from the Renaissance onward, from Chaucer to Dickinson to Yeats.

But my greatest strength is my historical training. I work in European history at the graduate level, but my training covers American history just as thoroughly, from the colonial period through the twentieth century. I'm equally comfortable with AP US History, AP European History, or general coursework in either.

I'm also glad to help with the broader college application process: essays, personal statements, interview prep, and strategy for students aiming at competitive or elite schools. Having gone through that process at Yale and stayed close to it through graduate admissions, I know what selective schools are looking for.

Whether you're prepping for the AP exam, working on a term paper, applying to college, or just curious about history or literature because you love learning, I'm eager to help. Reach out anytime.