Flexible schedule, personalized curriculum.


I offer one-on-one and small group tutoring for standardized tests and various academic subjects to students throughout northern Virginia. I drive to my students' houses - or wherever is convenient - for our meetings. I am usually available for tutoring seven days a week, in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

My clients and I work together to develop a personalized study plan for every student. Although each pupil presents a unique case, there are certain basic practices I follow for all. Below are brief descriptions of the various kinds of tutoring I offer. If you would like to see what others have said about my tutoring, please read this; if you want more information about any of my services, please write to me.

SAT and ACT tutoring.


The SAT/ACT tutoring process begins with a free 40-minute in-home consultation - with the whole family present if possible - in which we will review the student's previous test scores (PSAT, SAT, or ACT). When there are no test scores available, I usually request that the student take a complete diagnostic exam (SAT or ACT, depending on the student's preference) before the first meeting. These test scores are important because they reveal precisely which aspects of the test are the most troublesome for the student. I also like to review the history, intentions, and format of each test with students and parents, so that we can reach a mutual decision about whether to prepare for the SAT, the ACT, both, or neither.

It takes 10-12 sessions of 90 minutes each (15-18 hours total) to review all sections of the SAT or ACT with a typical student. That means that it is prudent to begin the tutoring about three months before the test date. If we are focusing only on one particular subject area (e.g. Math or Reading), or if less time is available, we can design an accelerated course that requires fewer meetings. 1-2 hours of homework per session is the norm. I also strongly encourage all of my students to take at least two complete practice tests (slightly under 4 hours each) before the actual test, as those tests are the best way to confirm that a student can apply the techniques and strategies we've discussed in a realistic setting. I am available to proctor these practice tests for students if desired, and I will sometimes proctor them for several of my students at once. We will use two coursebooks - one for classwork, and another for practice tests - which I provide at a deep discount.

Academic tutoring.


I tutor in most subjects, including math up through Calculus BC. I also assist students in areas such as study habits and organizational skills. The following high-school subjects are ones that I DO NOT tutor:

  • Foreign languages
  • Chemistry
  • Biology

Academic tutoring can consist either of regular meetings (when a student has been struggling with a subject for a while) or a small number of meetings in close succession (when a student is preparing for a big test, project, or essay). I will work with you to determine the most effective approach.

SAT Subject Tests, AP Tests, etc.


I provide tutoring for all SAT Subject  Tests EXCEPT for the following:

  • Foreign languages
  • Chemistry
  • Biology

I provide tutoring for the following AP Tests:

  • Art History
  • Calculus AB/BC
  • English Language/Literature
  • European/US/World History
  • Government US/Comparative
  • Music Theory
  • Physics B/C

When preparing for Subject Tests, the first step is to identify exactly which colleges on your list require/recommend the tests, and how many you will need to take. This website is a very useful tool for this. Most colleges that require the Subject Tests (except the engineering- or science-focused ones) allow you to submit any tests you want. Therefore, in most cases you don't need to fret about what colleges want, and you can focus on the subjects that you're best at. I usually recommend that students take their Subject Tests in May and/or June of their Junior year, right around the time of finals in those subjects. For Subject Test or AP Test tutoring, between three and five 60-minute sessions (accompanied by 2-3 hours of homework each) usually suffice.

Rates and Cancellation Fees


My base rate is $74/hour. There is also a modest driving fee based on the distance I travel to get to our meeting place. I will calculate this and let you know what it is before the first meeting.

Payment by cash, check, or Paypal ($2/hour surcharge) is fine. You can pay as you go or for several meetings in advance. You are under no obligation to sign up for a certain number of meetings, and you can stop the tutoring at any time.

There is no charge for rescheduling or cancelling a meeting unless you need to make the change on the day of the meeting. In that case, I charge half the cost (rounded up) of the scheduled session. I usually waive this fee if the change is due to illness or emergency.