Pinnacle Prep's dynamic tutors understand how students learn and that each student learns in a unique way. Our expert tutors are selected based on their superior education and tutoring experience, and are rigorously trained by the president of Pinnacle Prep to teach our score-raising method.


Pinnacle Prep's Tutors

Amy
Amy graduated with honors in history from Harvard, where she won the Lillian Bell Prize for her senior honors thesis. She was also the recipient of a research grant from the Harvard Center for Jewish Studies, and served as president of Harvard Students for Israel. Amy was also the winner of Harvard Idol. She is currently pursuing a career in musical theater and comedy.

Lauren
Lauren graduated cum laude from Yale University with a B.A. in international studies and economics. She currently works as a research assistant, spends all her "free" time at various volunteer organizations, and is pursuing post-baccalaureate studies in psychology. A tremendous performance history (National Merit Scholarship winner) and a lifelong love of algebra (winner of the Rensselaer Medal for Math & Science) make her an enthusiastic and well-rounded tutor.

Nicole
Nicole earned her B.A from NYU with a major in Anthropology, where she placed on the Dean's List all four years. When she is not wrapped up in a great math problem, Nicole is performing with her band at various locations around New York. As a tutor, Nicole utilizes her creativity to help students see problems from many different angles.

Mike Z
Mike earned a B.S. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University, where he divided his time between writing funny articles for campus publications, playing Ultimate Frisbee, and studying the molecular basis of plant immune response. An aspiring satirist, he has written in nearly every conceivable medium, including the comic, essay, postcard, short story, poem, blog, and opinion column. He is currently working on a musical. In his sessions with students, Mike is a patient, engaging tutor who uses humor to make difficult concepts approachable.

Josh
Josh graduated with a B.A. from Yale University where he studied subjects ranging from theater and English to psychology and law. After performing in some of the most acclaimed regional theaters in the country - and after receiving a Governor's medallion as a "California Arts Scholar" in his hometown of Berkeley - Josh is now pursuing his twin loves in New York: acting and tutoring. Josh's positive energy, warmth, and command of test-taking techniques make him an ideal instructor.

Jenny
Jenny grew up in her parentsŐ bookstore, where, nurtured by books and stories, she developed an early passion for communication, love of language, and curiosity about the world around her. After receiving a Presidential Scholarship, she went on to Yale University, where she graduated with honors in psychology and theater studies. Her dual interests informed her senior thesis on empathetic connection between artist and audience and work on theater for social change in Swaziland and NY. Currently she is working as an actor in New York. Her extra-professional activities include playing cello and running through Central Park. Her sensitivity, patience, dynamism, and love of learning, teaching, and collaborating make her an ideal tutor.

Patricia
Patricia graduated from Boston College as the valedictorian of her class with a dual degree in English and Theater Arts. While at Boston College, Patricia was a member of the Presidential Scholars Program and, as a playwright, saw two of her award-winning plays produced and directed by university faculty. She is an established actress who can be seen performing in and around New York City. Patricia is a patient and engaging tutor who developed a creative teaching style while teaching within BostonŐs prison system.

Sam
Sam graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a B.A. in psychology. He is currently pursuing a Masters in clinical psychology at Rutgers University. Sam has enjoyed tutoring students since high school, when he volunteered to be a middle-school academic mentor. Since then, Sam has successfully worked with students of all ages and from a wide variety of backgrounds: he recently taught SAT prep, English, and composition for a year in Seoul, Korea. When not helping students tackle tricky reading comprehension questions, Sam enjoys completing crossword puzzles and cooking vegetarian food.

Darian
Darian is currently completing his Ph.D. in Anthropology and African American Studies at Yale University, where he also earned M.A. and M.Phil. degrees, both in Anthropology. He also holds B.A. degrees in English literature and Anthropology from UCLA. Darian has been tutoring and teaching writing and English literature for over 12 years at the elementary, middle school, high school and college levels. He has also been teaching SAT prep for the past 5 years. As an educator, Darian enjoys helping students overcome academic challenges and using literature/composition as a means of helping them to cultivate critical thinking skills. DarianŐs scholarly pursuits involve all things philosophical and theoretical: existentialist philosophy, Continental philosophy more generally, critical theory and literary criticism, among other topics.

Michael H
Michael graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in Music and a Certificate in Computer Science. For his senior thesis project, Michael designed and programmed an interactive software application for performing musicians which he then used to compose music for a room full of 30 laptops. He currently works as a music producer, sound designer, and occasionally as a web developer. In his spare time, Michael enjoys picking up new programming languages and training for half-marathons.

Christopher
Christopher has a B.A. in Drama from Tufts University and an M.F.A. in Acting from the Brown University/Trinity Rep Consortium. He loves theatre and film, from Oedipus the King to The Hustler, Tartuffe to Annie Hall. Chris' contagious energy inspirse students to do their best - his dynamic personality makes even SAT tutoring engaging!

Ben M.
Ben graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a degree in English literature. He enjoys reading, writing, and going to the movies. In addition to writing on film for a variety of publications, he works as a part-time copy editor (i.e., professional grammar stickler). His ability to help students feel at ease while inspiring them to work hard is a recipe for success, and his track record in test prep is proof.

Alex
Alex graduated summa cum laude from New York University where he focused on the fields of philosophy, literature, and art history. He is an artist, musician, and filmmaker. Alex's sense of humor, versatility, and rigor help his students master a range of concepts.

Carl
Carl is completing a Ph.D. in philosophy at CUNY. His early training in the sciences at college, his later training in philosophy, and his engaging and dynamic teaching style make him a well-rounded, accessible tutor.

Ethan
Ethan graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Classics, focusing on Latin. He wrote his senior thesis on the correspondence between Cicero and M. Caelius Rufus. He also holds an MA from Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, where he indulged two of his life-long loves, music and tinkering with electronics.

Stephanie
Stephanie received her B.A. in American Studies from Duke University, where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Drawn to Duke's acclaimed Center for Documentary Studies, Stephanie studied audio documentary production and worked as co-coordinator of Youth Noise Network, Durham's youth radio program. As a Pinnacle Prep tutor, she continues to engage and guide students with her zest, insight, and diligence.

Eric
Eric received his B.A. in English from Grinnell College, where he was Phi Beta Kappa and won top graduating English major honors. After graduating, Eric came to New York to teach English and history at a public school in Harlem through Teach for America. He now works at a medical clinic in SoHo and is pursuing post-baccalaureate studies in psychology. His experience in education and diverse interests make him a great fit for a wide range of students looking to excel.

Danny
Danny received his M.F.A. from Brown University, graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Theatre and a Minor in International Studies, won a prestigious scholarship to spend his junior year abroad at Cambridge University, and was a National Merit Scholar. His love for word problems is second only to his love for helping people achieve their goals.

Valerie
Valerie holds a B.A. in English and theater studies from Yale, where she won the Richter Summer Research Fellowship, and an M.F.A. in playwriting from Brooklyn College. In addition to being a tutor and playwright, she is editor of offoffonline.com and an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College.

Claire
Claire earned her B.A. from Bennington College, where she concentrated in Literature and Natural Science. An avid reader with a serious soft spot for grammatical studies, Claire can often be found editing for fun - she also loves gardening and is currently working on the New York Restoration Project. Her patience as well as her love of problem solving and teaching make her an excellent tutor.

Kiran
Kiran graduated magna cum laude from New York University, where she was selected as a Senior Legacy Ambassador and as a participant in the Dean's Research Colloquium. She was also a National Merit Scholar and member of the National Dean's List. Having worked in public relations, marketing, education, and theatre, Kiran has a variety of skills that make her a well-rounded tutor and skilled communicator. She is currently working as an actress and brings her energy from the stage to her tutoring sessions.

Paul
Paul received his bachelor's degree in mathematics. Always fascinated by math and science, Paul has a strong background tutoring students of all levels. His high-energy, charismatic personality makes Paul especially effective and enjoyable to work with.

Megan
Megan graduated magna cum laude and went on to earn her M.A. in Latin American Studies from Tulane. Megan is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Sigma Iota and Mensa. Megan brings terrific enthusiasm and patience - a rare combination! to every session, inspiring her students to reach their goals.

Andrew
Andrew grew up in Virginia, where he enjoyed racing sticks down creeks and walking to the local public library. After graduating as the valedictorian of his high school, he attended Swarthmore College. In addition to being an exceptional tutor, Andrew is a wonderful singer/songwriter who wrote and performed the Pinnacle Prep Jingle, which you can hear by calling our office and being placed on hold.

Dan
Armed with a degree in neurological science, Dan specializes in biology. Several years of experience in the research, clinical, and marketing aspects of medicine coupled with a dynamic and engaging personality, Dan fosters a supportive learning environment with patience and grace. Dan is also fluent in Spanish.

Susie
Susie graduated from Yale magna cum laude with a B.A. in English literature and theater studies. Her enthusiasm, thoroughness, and patience make her an ideal tutor for students of all ages. She also makes a mean apple pie.

Kelly, Tutor / Tutor Manager
Kelly received her M.A. in art history from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She has taught English in Beijing and performed curatorial work for museums in Pittsburgh and New York. Kelly's French skills are formidable, her love of grammar is often contagious, and her ability to impart unforgettable mnemonics has saved lives at least once. In addition to being one of Pinnacle Prep's most requested tutors, Kelly plays an invaluable administrative role as Tutor Manager. As Tutor Manager, Kelly is involved in hiring and training tutors and plays a key role in assigning tutors to students.

Sarah, Program Coordinator
Sarah received her M.A. from Brooklyn College in English Literature. She has her B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and is an avid writer and poet, whose publications can be found in both local and nationally recognized literary journals. Her management and tutoring background supplies her with the ability to see the big picture and context while at the same time appreciating the minutiae that often stymies the best intentions.

Leo, Tutor / Program Coordinator
One of the most senior Pinnacle Prep tutors, Leo also is the Program Coordinator. As Coordinator, he monitors the progress of each student, relays feedback to parents, and makes sure that all students are on track to reach their goals. As a tutor, Leo engages students with his dynamic personality, inspires them, and instills confidence with his reassuring manner. Leo received his B.A. in English from Vassar College and his master's in cinema studies from New York University. Leo also writes film criticism for a variety of national and international publications.

David Gordon, Founder and President
David has developed unique methods and techniques that have been proven to help students achieve higher scores. He handpicks tutors not only for their impeccable academic records, but also for their excellent communication skills and engaging personalities. He personally trains each tutor and is actively involved with each student, both tutoring and providing progress reports throughout the test preparation process.

Want to be a Pinnacle Prep tutor? Contact us for more information.




Don't Be Afraid to Guess

If you can eliminate even one answer choice, you stand to gain points by guessing. Mathematically speaking, you aren't risking anything when you guess blindly. So if you can eliminate two or three answer choices, you MUST guess!


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