MEET OUR EXPERT TUTORS

Darrin graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University with a B.A. in theatre and minors in history and dance. In his eight years of tutoring, Darrin has been delighted to support his students towards their goals. He has experience tutoring the SAT, ACT, SSAT, ISEE, SHSAT, TOEFL, GRE, and academic subjects (including AP and IB courses), as well as providing executive functioning support. His students have been accepted to elite high schools around the country, and have matriculated at prestigious universities such as Yale, Brown, Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Wesleyan, Rice, USC, and Bocconi (Milan). He believes in systematic approaches when working on standardized testing and brings his warm and light-hearted nature to each tutoring session.

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“We are immensely grateful for the exceptional support and guidance provided by Darrin during our son's preparation for the SHSAT. Darrin demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring our child's success on the test. Darrin not only clarified complex concepts but also instilled confidence and a sense of purpose for our son by creating enthusiasm and focus during each tutoring session. As parents, we appreciated Darrin's open communication and regular updates on our child's progress. He took the time to understand our son's learning style and adapted his approach accordingly, ensuring a personalized and effective tutoring experience.” - Stefanie S, Brooklyn parent

Gillian graduated with a degree in Education from Bucknell University and is in the process of receiving her Master's degree in Special Education from Hunter College. Gillian has been tutoring students from the age of 5 (learning how to read) through college--and even adults going back to school--for the last decade. One of her recent middle school students was barely passing math, and it was close to the end of the marking period, but after a few intensive sessions, he was able to pass with flying colors! Gillian believes in an individualized learning approach, which combines playing to a student's strengths, while being cognizant of his or her areas of improvement.

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“Gillian has been an instrumental part in our daughter's growth and self confidence in math for the past year. Gillian is kind, patient and always available if additional help is needed around quizzes or tests. She is also great at communicating with school teachers in order to provide our daughter with the specific help she needs.” - Shirly S, Park Slope parent

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“We're extremely thankful for Gillian's support of our middle schooler's math achievements this year which have grown greatly. In only a few months our child has improved her grade to an astounding 91% which is a huge improvement from where she was, varying from 71% to 81% last year, and with the summer off. Our child was able to start the year with a bang and has steadily increased in confidence and performance thanks to Gillian's ability to help guide her, nurture her math critical thinking skills, her ability to distill concepts and her warm and fun personality.” - Vida S, Fort Greene parent

Jon was born in the desert city of Phoenix, Arizona, but has spent much of his adult life in NYC, where he now considers himself a "Brooklyn Boy." He has his undergraduate degree from Arizona State University in Theater Studies, and proudly has his MFA in English from Long Island University: Brooklyn Campus. His love of Junior's Cheesecake aside, Jon gained a passion and the training to tutor and mentor young students at LIU: Brooklyn, and has since gone on to teach English on both the high school and college levels, as well as to tutor students both in group settings and one-on-one. He is excited to join Andersen Education to continue to inspire and help students thrive.

Nikko received a Master’s degree in creative writing and music composition from New York University, and has worked as a writer and arts educator for over ten years. He began tutoring in 2018, working with students in multiple subjects through middle and high school, and specializes in ELA/writing and math from basic algebra to calculus.

Nikko believes there is a path to success for every kind of learner. One of his most consistent students, with whom he started working with as a sophomore, began with comprehension issues, test anxiety, and general dread for any major assignment. That student recently graduated with a 4.0 in his senior year and accepted early admission into his first choice school. Today’s students face academic pressures that can often get in the way of real learning. In his sessions, Nikko works with students to find individualized solutions to those challenges: building confidence in problem areas, and mastery in the subjects they’re passionate about.

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“Nikko did a great job! He was very well mannered, professional, and prepared.” -Rick J, Lower East Side parent

Steven graduated cum laude from Northeastern University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and minor in Mathematics. He continued his studies at the City College of New York, earning a Master's of Philosophy degree in Chemistry in 2021, and publishing his work in the Reaction Chemistry and Engineering journal. Steven has extensive real-world lab experience: working professionally at Hughes Research Lab in Malibu, CA, and in a graduate setting in the Green Chemistry and Energy Laboratory at the City College of New York. Additionally, he has tutored middle school, high school, and college-level math and science students since 2017. Previous students find Steven's easy-going nature comfortable to work with and note his ability to relate textbook concepts to real-life problems. Steven grew up in Staten Island playing baseball and basketball and is a huge fan of the Mets, Giants, and Knicks. He still plays recreationally in men's league basketball and softball leagues.

Tyler is an alumnus of the Yale Writers' Workshop, holds a B.S. in Drama from Syracuse University, and is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University, where he received the Eloise Klein Healey Scholarship. With over six thousand hours of test prep experience, Tyler brings out the best in his students using a calm, systematic approach to all test sections. He views test prep as an opportunity to teach critical thinking skills in addition to getting a fantastic score! 

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"Just wanted to say THANK YOU! S is a fabulous kid, but without your help and guidance, she wouldn’t have been able to get this far. Thanks for pushing her, recognizing her limits, and keeping her on track." - Katrina B, New Jersey parent

“We had a really positive experience. Tyler is an excellent tutor and he really helped my son. Not only did my son learn a lot from Tyler, but he learned that getting additional help is a privilege with no negative connotation.” - David S, Upper West Side parent

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"We are first-timers to the world of ACT prep. We began this journey thinking our son would thrive in a class test prep setting- boy, were we wrong. From the first meeting with Tyler, we knew that he was exactly what our son needed. My son thrives from the one-on-one attention he receives each week. Tyler is patient, professional, and motivating. He is able to give my son personalized instruction in the areas he needs to focus on the most, and his scores have gone up 3-4 points since beginning his work with Tyler. Somehow Tyler is able to make this whole process manageable, and we have seen a huge increase on our son’s confidence. We absolutely recommend Tyler for ACT prep, and will surely be in touch with him to work with our younger children in the future." - Erica B, Scarsdale parent

Sami is an experienced, creative tutor who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Shenandoah University in 2020. During her time at school, she worked as a peer tutor and fell in love with helping her students connect to course material and improve test scores. After moving to New York in 2021, Sami began her journey as an independent tutor, working with students in grades K-12 on Test Prep, Math, English, Reading, Writing, Study Skills, and Music Theory. Sami's students have been accepted into rigorous private schools, seen a drastic improvement in academic performance, and become more confident learners. Beyond tutoring, Sami has worked with children of all ages as a voice teacher, childcare provider, and camp counselor, and loves working with folks on the Autism spectrum. 

Sami encourages her students to stay curious, and her work produces lifelong learners. When she isn't tutoring, Sami writes music for theatre, TV, and film, and performs in various venues around the city. She has been known to write songs for her students to use as study tools and loves bringing her creative chops to the tutoring space. 

Serena graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a BS in Neuroscience and Applied Mathematics & Statistics. She specializes in tutoring for the SHSAT, ISEE/SSAT, PSAT/SAT, and ACT, and also has expertise in a variety of mathematics subjects. Albert Einstein once said, "Any fool can know. The point is to understand." Serena not only cherishes the opportunity to share her knowledge and assist students but also values the personal connections she builds with them. While a "one size fits all" approach can work in many contexts, Serena believes it's not suitable for teaching. She finds joy in tutoring, focusing on boosting students' confidence in their academic abilities. Drawing from her background in Neuroscience, Serena understands how students absorb information and customizes her sessions accordingly. She aims not only to help them academically but also to instill a love for learning. Serena employs the Socratic method in her tutoring, involving students actively by encouraging them to ask questions. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of the subject matter and enhances retention over time. In her free time, Serena enjoys traveling and trying new cuisines.

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"Serena has been an instrumental part in our daughter's self-confidence and growth in geometry. Serena is patient, understanding, and great at communicating with us. She is also flexible with sessions, and accommodates emergency sessions for quizzes/ exams. We love working with Serena." - Fordham parent

"We wanted to get our son a tutor for SAT help. We are so thankful to have found Serena as we have seen so much progress with her. She is extremely professional, punctual, organized, and has a natural gift for teaching. She keeps an open line of communication and makes coordinating effortless. We highly recommend her to anyone looking for a tutor!" - Bronx parent

A Yale University graduate and National Merit Scholar, Zina is passionate about empowering students to unlock their potential. Whether it's through career prep or educational access initiatives, she finds deep fulfillment in helping students of all ages find their voice and achieve their goals. Building strong relationships is key – Zina goes beyond test scores and applications, fostering growth as individuals. Her students have secured acceptances to top universities like Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford, often exceeding ACT and SAT benchmarks (30+ and 1500+ respectively). With a College Counseling certificate from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a commitment to ongoing professional development, Zina is constantly refining her skills to better serve her students.