Alice has tutoring experience in subjects and test prep across the board, loves learning languages (and helping others learn), and is keen on attending med school after graduating from Rice. Her tutoring style can be described as targeted and encouraging, and she seeks to boost each student’s confidence and help them find their footing in their academics.
What subjects and classes do you help our students with?
Currently, my main focus for tutoring is test prep, specifically for the ISEE. I also love tutoring Math and English up to a high school level, as well as advanced Sciences at a college level like Chemistry or Biology.
What is your educational background?
I am finishing up a B.A in Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology at Rice University, with minors in Biochemistry and Medical Humanities and a certificate in Spanish. I plan on applying to medical school in the following summer.
What is your favorite subject to tutor?
My favorite subject to tutor would probably be verbal reasoning or math! I enjoy knowing the etymology of words and showing my students how they can determine the meaning of unknown words by separating its pieces. It’s interesting to see how words are formed and the context behind their meanings.
I also enjoy tutoring math, especially algebra, since it is like a puzzle that you have to solve. There is a correct answer, and once you get enough practice solving algebraic equations, it becomes easy and fun.
What does a typical tutoring session with you look like?
- A typical session with me begins with us catching up about the student’s week (any fun events, sports games, positives and negatives, what they are learning in class) to continue getting to know them.
- Then, I transition over to reviewing their homework for the week, discussing with the student how they felt about it as a whole and its parts.
- We dive into areas they did not feel confident about and areas they want to continue practicing more, and I use that as the target for the lesson. For example, if I assigned a Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning section to an ISEE student, and they had some trouble with QR concepts, I would then focus on building more knowledge with the specific math concepts during the lesson by doing practice problems.
- Following the review, I move on to newer topics focused on general areas that need improvement or sections that the student didn’t cover last week, like Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement.
- During the session, I prioritize helping the student find the right strategy to solve the problems, as well as similar problems that might come up on the exam. I make sure to gauge their confidence and level of understanding and adapt my teaching methods to best suit the student throughout the lesson.
- I usually end my sessions by giving a quick recap about what we worked on, what the student should do for homework, and any concerns or questions they may have for me.
What’s your typical approach with working on executive functioning with your students?
When I work on executive functioning with students, I focus on giving them practical tools they can use day to day. We often start with building simple systems for organization—things like planners, digital calendars, or color-coded folders—that make their workload feel more manageable. This is especially important to start as early as possible with my younger students so they can build upon it without getting behind in their academics. From there, I introduce strategies for breaking large tasks into smaller steps, prioritizing assignments, and setting realistic timelines.
I also spend time helping students develop self-monitoring habits, such as checking in on their progress or reflecting on what strategies are most effective for them. The goal is not just to “get through” assignments but to help them build independence, resilience, and confidence in managing their responsibilities. I keep up with them in each session to ensure these skills are consistently reinforced in their routines.
How do you view your role as a tutor?
I view myself as both a mentor and teacher. I teach the students the concepts and strategies they need to succeed, and I watch over their progress and mentor them throughout their journey. I want them to gain independence and confidence as we continue tutoring, but I also want them to realize that when they do have doubts and questions that I will always be there for them to depend on.
Tell me about one of your favorite sessions you’ve had.
I worked with a student preparing for the Lower Level ISEE who initially felt overwhelmed by the Reading Comprehension section. She often rushed through the passages and chose answers based on instinct rather than evidence. In our session, we slowed down the process, practicing strategies like underlining key details, identifying the author’s purpose, and eliminating distractors. We also built her confidence by starting with shorter passages before moving on to full-length practice sets. By the end of our time together, she was scoring several points higher on practice tests, and more importantly, she felt calm and capable when approaching the questions. Seeing her confidence change was like night and day and really meant the world to both of us!
What is your favorite part of being a tutor?
Seeing how the student grows in their knowledge is by far my favorite part of tutoring. Seeing how they progress each session ignites my passion to teach more. Seeing how they make new connections, or when they state how they now understand each problem, is very rewarding as a tutor.
Outside of tutoring for us, what do you like to do for fun?
Outside of tutoring, I enjoy being physically active and getting a workout in! I play intramural flag football and soccer at Rice, and I also enjoy activities such as snowboarding, surfing, playing beach volleyball, and rock climbing. I also like having alone time to decompress, which usually consists of reading, playing piano, or watching new shows. Finally, I find lots of joy in exploring new food places, cafes, and karaoke spots with my friends.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would probably be my great-grandfather, who passed away after I came to the United States. I used to spend a lot of time with him when I was young and have very fond childhood memories of playing hide and seek in his room with my brother. However, I was too young to properly know his life, and I wish to have gotten a chance to talk to him as the person I am now.
Tutoring with General Academic
General Academic’s subject and test prep tutors provide the structured support to accommodate your student wherever they’re at. We help our students with a wide range of materials, ranging from 1st through 12th grade subject prep, ISEE, and SAT. To get the ball rolling, give us a call at (713) 838-7774 or fill out our tutoring request form.
