SAT and ACT Prep. Have helped students increase over 400 points (150 point average). Personally achieved a 1540 SAT and 34 ACT. Focus on mathematics, reading, and writing.

Find out more about Sebastian

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I have always had a knack for tutoring as I remember classmates asking me for help on their homework and help understanding class material since middle school. I have always enjoyed helping out fellow peers as it gave me a sense of fulfillment seeing their faces and days brighten up once they understood and knowing that I was the reason why they could finally learn properly. I developed an interest in SAT, ACT, and standardized testing due to a friend's recommendation. After receiving my score and doing exceptionally well, a friend recommended that I help out fellow classmates and family members which prompted me to begin my tutoring service, Prep Academy.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach standardized testing specifically for college applications such as the SAT and ACT. I focus on teaching tips & tricks, recommendations, and lessons, and practicing & applying them to real problems. Specifically, I teach English, which breaks down into reading & writing, and Mathematics. I love to teach Mathematics as teaching a new lesson brings me the greatest joy as it is usually something new to students which brings a slightly bigger challenge. I have also recently begun enjoying teaching reading passages and annotating them with my students.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  My role models have been my AP Chemistry teacher, Mr. Caprio, and my AP Calculus BC teacher, Ms. Ferrier. They taught me to teach with proper motivation and determination and they showed me that the effort I put into my students is what will be reciprocated back towards me.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  I believe a good tutor must not just be smart and qualified but also determined, friendly, quick on their feet, flexible, and can have fun while keeping a professional aspect with their students.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  I love to begin my sessions by asking my students how their days have been and what they have been up to. It is just a simple way to lighten the mood and at times it provides helpful insight into the student that allows me to make a better connection with them and can even lead to helping them in other aspects of their careers. For example, once my student told me that they were stressed over their college applications and I recommended that we discuss it in further detail during one of our "Extra Help Sessions". Rather than teaching about the SAT or ACT, I focused on helping solve the issue of my student and guided them ever so slightly through the college application process. This ended up relieving much of their stress and it made me happy that I could make a different sort of impact on someone's life.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  The challenges I faced while studying for the SAT and ACT were mainly just issues of not knowing the material. At times I would come across topics that I did not properly understand primarily because I had not been exposed to them many times or at all. I learned that with the SAT and ACT, practice truly does make perfect. The more you take practice exams and review similar questions, the easier the test will become.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  I have a passion for teaching mathematics. For some reason, the numbers and data flow to me in a way that allows me to comprehend them effectively and efficiently. This is reciprocated in the way I teach as I just value helping students comprehend difficult topics and I believe it allows me to see different angles of the problem that make my explanations unique to every student depending on their issue.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering this interview questions :-P)?

  I believe that my education, results, vigor, passion, and more all make me a Superprof. My dedication to my students as well as my professionalism and compassion are all great combinations of a Super Tutor. My ability to break down any question, speed up or slow down a lesson, and connectivity to my students allows me to be a Superprof to many and I hope to continue to expand my horizon and impact many others to come!