Great Expectations only hires a mere 1-2% of its applicants — our staff is made up of the most experienced, educated, friendly, and charismatic education experts out there.

Sajel O

ClassicAcademic TutorCollege Counselor
EducationEarned a B.F.A. in Drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts
HobbiesActing, classical singing and musical theater, songwriting, guitar, hiking/yoga, Cinespia movie nights, Bollywood dancing
Test Prep
Academic SubjectsComposition, Creative Writing, Journalism, AP English Language & Composition, AP English Literature & CompositionBiology, AP Biology, Human Anatomy and PhysiologyUS History & Government, World Civilizations/World History, US History, AP US History, AP World History, Eastern PhilosophySpanish ILeadership, World Religions, Food & Nutrition, Film Studies/Film Integration/Media
General Strengthselementary education, academic writing, organizational skills, managing test anxiety, creative writing, study skills, reading comprehension, technical writing, literary analysissummer enrichment planning, major advisement/selection, editing and proofreading college essays, financial aid (need-based aid), resume review/evaluation, pre-college summer programs, college audition preparation for performance tracks, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, UC specialization, college research and advisement, course selection for undergraduate programs, humanities programs, college list building, public health programs, highly selective colleges/universities specialization, transcript analysis, extracurricular/resume development, application review, personal statement brainstorming and composition, medical school applications, scholarship search (merit-based aid), liberal arts school specialization, interview skills, dance programs, dental programs
Related ExperienceExtensive experience with college counseling, test prep for SAT/ACT, and tutoring a wide variety of academic subjects (5+ years); involved in peer-tutoring programs during high school; worked as SAT test prep instructor in a group/private setting; specialization in college application essay composition with extensive editing experience; AP and subject specific tutoring; unique experience with supplemental arts applications for musical theater and drama; graduated top of class at an arts magnet high school with acceptance to 20+ top tier schools; actress/classical and musical theater singer (12 years); competitive Bollywood dancer (6 years)

Samarah B

ClassicCollege Counselor
EducationEarned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Washington; earned a Master of Public Policy and a Ph.D. in Education from UC Los Angeles
HobbiesDecorating my house (or any room that I can get my hands on!), swimming, hiking, attending football and basketball games, concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, and binge watching K-dramas on Netflix
Test Prep
Academic Subjects
General Strengthscollege-level courseworksummer enrichment planning, major advisement/selection, editing and proofreading college essays, social science programs, financial aid (need-based aid), resume review/evaluation, transfer student application process, pre-college summer programs, course selection for high school, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, UC specialization, non-traditional student application process, college research and advisement, course selection for undergraduate programs, journalism programs, humanities programs, social science Masters and Ph.D. programs, Cal State specialization, college list building, course selection for Masters and Ph.D. programs, highly selective colleges/universities specialization, transcript analysis, extracurricular/resume development, application review, personal statement brainstorming and composition, business programs, interview skills
Related ExperienceMore than 15 years of experience as a college preparation, admission, retention, and success educator at the high school and college levels; worked with university pre-college outreach programs and non-profit organizations to support students in all aspects of the college preparation process; 10 years of experience teaching college courses and managing university programs at UCLA and UC Riverside, focused on student success and graduation while in college; extensive experience working with a wide range of students from different backgrounds; expertise and knowledge with HBCUs, out-of-state college options, and highly selective public universities; strong passion for artfully engaging students in a creative and empowering admission essay writing process, providing support with compassion and understanding for both the student and their families; strong experience in scholarship support

Sarah R

ClassicCollege Counselor
EducationEarned a B.A. in Communications Studies and a minor in Philosophy from UC Los Angeles; Earned a College Counseling Certification from UC San Diego
HobbiesWriting poetry, thrifting, fashion styling, exploring LA, attending concerts, spending time with my friends, 3 sisters, and 2 cats, binging too much Netflix, listening to the same songs on repeat
Test Prep
Academic Subjects
General StrengthsDeadline managementacademic writing, organizational skills, creative writing, reading comprehension, literary analysis, students with learning differences, students with ASDmajor advisement/selection, editing and proofreading college essays, social science programs, resume review/evaluation, transfer student application process, course selection for high school, UC specialization, International Baccalaureate (IB), college research and advisement, course selection for undergraduate programs, humanities programs, Cal State specialization, college list building, application review, personal statement brainstorming and composition, interview skills
Related ExperienceEight years of experience in independent college counseling, specializing in application essays

Shalaka P

ClassicCollege Counselor
EducationEarned a First Class B.A. Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford; Earned an LL.M., with a Specialization in International and Comparative Law from UC Los Angeles Law School, Dean's Fellow and Moot Court Champion
HobbiesGlobal travel, ceramics, boxing, and making excellent homemade cappuccinos and lattes
Test Prep
Academic SubjectsSpanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Spanish VInternational Relations, Criminal Law/Pre-Law
General StrengthsEditing and proofreading international admissions essays, program selection at international schools (particularly humanities and social sciences programs), advisement on pros and cons of international universities, highly selective international school applications, interview skills for specialized international universitiesacademic writing, organizational skills, study skills, reading comprehension, literary analysisinternational student application process, summer enrichment planning, major advisement/selection, resume review/evaluation, foreign college/university application process, transcript analysis, extracurricular/resume development, application review, personal statement brainstorming and composition
Related ExperienceFormer Admissions Reader at UC Berkeley; led access initiatives for prospective students at University of Oxford; extremely versed in international application processes

Sofia T

ClassicAcademic Tutor
EducationEarned a B.A. in French and a minor in Anthropology; M.A. in French Literature and a TESL Certificate from University of Florida
HobbiesYoga, hiking, surfing, cycling, acoustic guitar, traveling, sailing, watching live comedy shows, and watching movies
Test Prep
Academic SubjectsSpanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, Spanish V, AP Spanish Language and Culture, French I, French II, French III, French IV, French V, AP French Language and Culture, French Literature & Arts
General Strengthsacademic writing, organizational skills, speed reading skills, study skills, reading comprehension, ESL, college-level coursework
Related ExperienceExtensive experience in tutoring French, ESL and Spanish to children and adults; attained experience as a teaching assistant for French I and French II at University of Florida for two years; worked in Sydney, Australia at two institutions teaching ESL and helped students prepare for English exams to include the IELTS for one year; worked and lived in central Europe (Luxembourg) for almost 4 years, and tutored Spanish and worked in a francophone office environment at a top American financial investment banking firm

Stephanie R

ClassicCollege Counselor
EducationEarned a B.A. in Humanities from Yale University; earned an M.F.A. from NYU's Tisch School of The Arts with a concentration in writing and directing
HobbiesWriting young adult fiction, reading, traveling, languages, watching TV and movies of all kinds, watching Premier League, hanging out with my family and the world's best dog, and finding the best Thai food in Los Angeles
Test Prep
Academic Subjects
General Strengthselementary education, organizational skills, creative writingsummer enrichment planning, major advisement/selection, editing and proofreading college essays, resume review/evaluation, pre-college summer programs, course selection for high school, college research and advisement, humanities programs, film programs, highly selective colleges/universities specialization, high school selection, extracurricular/resume development, personal statement brainstorming and composition, liberal arts school specialization, interview skills
Related Experience5+ years of tutoring experience including college essays, high school essay writing, middle school writing, creative writing, play and film writing, and English; story and writing specialist; extensive experience with story - created and wrote over 20 hours of produced network television; unique experience with application to competitive film and theater programs; deep understanding of private elementary and secondary schools, understanding of current trends affecting both private and state school admissions; extensive experience applying to and gaining acceptance to competitive academic programs; true passion for helping students feel empowered and supported during the admission process; strong ability to help students harness their creativity and tap into their unique qualities during the essay writing process

Stephen B

ClassicAcademic TutorTest Prep Tutor
EducationEarned a B.A. in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University, with minors in Sustainable Energy and History & The Practice of Diplomacy
HobbiesAppreciating so-bad-they're-good movies with friends; listening to music (some favorites are Evanescence and Boris Godunov); singing; writing (at first, poetry and aiming towards a novel, now screenwriting!); hiking; racquetball
Test PrepACT (English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing)
Academic SubjectsAlgebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Precalculus, Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, Statistics, AP StatisticsComposition, Creative Writing, AP English Language & CompositionChemistry, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C: MechanicsEuropean History, AP European History, US History, AP US History, AP US Government/Politics, AP Comparative Government/Politics, Microeconomics, AP Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, AP MacroeconomicsGerman (any)
General Strengthsacademic writing, creative writing, study skills, reading comprehension, standardized test advisement, students with learning differences, test-taking psychology, college-level coursework
Related Experience2+ years of professional academic and test prep tutoring, particularly focused on AP Exams and the SAT/ACT; volunteer tutor across multiple grades of math; studied methods of reducing Chinese rural poverty, student behavior and campus CO2 emissions, and tariffs on the world solar industry