Cornell Pre-Med (4.0 GPA) | 524 MCAT (100th Percentile)

Ryan K.

Hi! My name is Ryan, and I’m a senior at Cornell University studying Biological Sciences with a minor in Biomedical Engineering, maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Over the past several years, I’ve developed extensive experience teaching and mentoring students in both one-on-one and structured classroom settings. I have served as a teaching assistant for four courses at Cornell and have spent five semesters as an AEW (Academic Excellence Workshop) facilitator, where I led a 1-credit supplementary course in general chemistry. In this role, I designed and guided interactive sessions focused on problem-solving, active recall, and collaborative learning. In addition, I’ve worked as a tutor for Cornell engineering students for the past three years, helping students master challenging STEM material and build confidence in their academic abilities.

Beyond teaching, I have also conducted engineering education research focused on spaced retrieval and active recall, studying how these evidence-based strategies improve long-term retention and exam performance. I incorporate these principles directly into my tutoring, helping students move beyond passive studying and instead use methods that are proven to work.

My primary focus is MCAT tutoring, where I help students achieve high scores (510+) by combining deep content understanding with effective test-taking strategy. Rather than relying on memorization alone, I emphasize active recall, pattern recognition, and developing the ability to think like the exam. I work closely with students to identify weaknesses quickly, improve passage-based reasoning, and create structured, efficient study plans using resources like UWorld and AAMC materials. Having gone through the process myself, I understand the transition from content review to full-length practice exams and the challenges that come with it.