One-On-One Personalized HSPT Tutoring

Erica has a PhD from Emory University and has extensive experience ​​in undergraduate and graduate school admissions. She has served as an Honors Scholarship Application Reviewer, Scholar Interviewer, and Faculty Leadership Academy Application Reviewer at Georgia State University. She has also acted as PhD Recruitment Support for Emory University and was an Honors Fellow Interviewing and Recruitment specialist for the Honors College at the College of Charleston.

Erica finds it fulfilling to help people find the environments where they can thrive and guide them in taking the necessary steps to get there. As a coach, she cultivates a growth mindset and helps students learn project management and storytelling skills to present themselves in the best possible light. Erica believes in working hard and being kind, and she fosters a dynamic that encourages diligence and kindness in the people she mentors. She believes having a vision is wonderful, but there is freedom in not figuring everything out immediately. Erica sees this process as helping students take a big step toward figuring out who they want to grow into. She is always happy to help applicants find the right way to convey their readiness for the journey.

Erica's greatest learning from her time in admissions is that delivering a cohesive and convincing story is equally, if not more, important than the content of that story. Self-reflection is also essential, and Erica encourages students to describe what they have done in a way that shows an upward trajectory and willingness to continue learning.

One of Erica's most meaningful interactions with students has been through her role with the Brain Bee. She founded a series of Brain Bee Workshops in 2015 and became Graduate Student Chair and now Faculty Advisor for the event. Although the Bee focuses on learning about the brain, Erica has always prioritized bringing in college-preparatory skills and helping students determine who they want to become.

When Erica isn’t coaching, she is an avid Barre workout enthusiast, unique beverage connoisseur, and cat and plant parent. She enjoys cuddling with her furry family members, drinking bubble tea, and listening to podcasts.

Andy has a Master’s degree from UC Irvine and has over a decade of experience in SAT, ACT, and GRE tutoring. Andy loves to see learners push themselves out of their comfort zones and gain the confidence to reach their goals. In working with students of all backgrounds and abilities, from first-generation students to children of Ivy League alumni, their favorite tutoring moments are when candidates spot patterns in tests and therefore realize they have the skills to ace the ACT or SAT. This is why Andy focuses on strategy first, personalizing each learning plan to the candidate's unique strengths and goals.

Andy is passionate about helping students understand different ways to approach a problem or understand a concept - there's never one right way because everyone learns differently. They are  skilled at helping students spot the differences between what they learned in classes at school and what to pay attention to on a standardized test. Andy also likes creating graphic organizers and other tools to help applicants stay organized and break the work down visually. Nothing makes them happier than congratulating a graduating senior – especially one who was nervous at the beginning of the school year – and seeing the excitement in their eyes when they talk about what's ahead of them.

Andy's greatest strengths as a tutor include empathizing with students, respecting their learning styles, and developing customized tools and strategies to help applicants stay organized and focused. Andy has helped students gain acceptance to several prestigious schools, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, NYU, and Northwestern University.

Outside of their work, Andy enjoys walking around Los Angeles, learning about local history, reading, and watching horror movies.

Aaron is a PhD candidate at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, pursuing research projects in cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology. He graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and has worked as a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. Aaron discovered his passion for mentorship at SBU when he ran and supervised a college admissions mentorship program for high school students in New York City.

While at Stony Brook, Aaron served as a writing mentor and was elected President of the university’s undergraduate research journal. In this position, he supervised and trained incoming editors and writers. Aaron’s writing has led to publications in high-impact journals and a research grant from the American Heart Association as a principal investigator. As a coach, Aaron excels at helping QRI students develop strong writing, interviewing, research planning, and management skills to help them successfully execute their research projects. Aaron encourages his mentees to pave their paths, creating their own opportunities through research.