Experienced Tutor Specializing in Essay Writing and Basic STEM

Maria J.

I'm Maria! I am a final (fourth) year medical student. I graduated with magna cum laude from Saint Joseph's University, where I majored in biology.

As a student who sometimes struggled with difficult concepts, I understand how useful a tutor can be. I approach tutoring as an individualized concept, assessing students' needs and learning styles to figure out how best to approach each student. I prefer to guide students through material and provide help as needed, whether that means creating practice problems or working on foundational understanding. My goal as a tutor has always been to help students to not just learn concepts, but to learn how to learn–I provide guidance on note taking and study strategies as well!

I have multiple years' experience tutoring. I began by working as a tutor for a summer math enrichment program for 6th grade students, resulting in an increase of average test scores to 80-90%. Throughout the pandemic, I led small group and individual tutoring sessions online in science and pre-algebra through my local library. At the college level, I have three years' experience tutoring at the in general biology (cell biology, genetics, and organisms), where I was PEAK certified as a peer tutor and also served as a mentor to other tutors. I focused mainly on one on one sessions ranging from 30-60 minutes.

I also have experience guiding students through the medical school application process, focusing specifically on short essays and personal statements. The method I use helps bring out applicants' best strengths and can be tailored to fit each stage of the process from scholarship programs all the way to residency applications. I have helped students produce effective, impactful personal statements in just one to two sessions.

I welcome any materials or suggestions and am here for your needs. Please contact me with any questions or to schedule a lesson!