homeFAQresources Academic TutoringCounselingISEESSATPSATACTSATSAT IIAP   Our Tutors Alison received her BS and her MS, magna cum laude, from Umass Amherst. She has been working in education for thirteen years in both private and public institutions. She is a former math and science department head, a director of curriculum for an elite private school, and the developer of a comprehensive home schooling curriculum. She enjoys music, karate, kickboxing, and travel. Alison has extensive expertise in all academic subjects, but has a special affinity towards higher-level math and science. She also tutors standardized tests and counsels students on the college admissions process. Anne holds a BA from Wesleyan University, where she graduated magna cum laude, and an MA from St. John’s College. She is currently pursuing a second graduate degree from Columbia University. Previously, she taught high school English and French for three years. Anne enjoys tennis, music, literature, and collecting rare books. She tutors several academic subjects, standardized tests including the SAT, PSAT, ACT, ISEE, the AP and SAT Subject Tests in French and English, and advises students on their college applications. Claire attended Smith College where she graduated Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in Spanish and Comparative Literature. She has tutored study skills, Spanish, English, mathematics, and the SAT privately for four years. She lived and studied in Spain for a year and speaks Spanish fluently. Claire’s personal interests include dance, health and fitness, and international travel. David graduated summa cum laude from Cornell with a BA in 19th and 20th Century European History. He received his MA from Harvard in English Literature and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation. He was the recipient of several awards and fellowships at Harvard, has published pieces on contemporary art and theatre, and is an award-winning director. David tutors English, history, and French. Garrick graduated magna cum laude from Cal Berkeley with degrees in Astrophysics and Comparative Literature and is currently studying music at Columbia. He has been working as a tutor since 1999, taught classrooms of high school and college students, and designed curricula for a variety of academic subjects, including physics, math, and the SAT. Garrick tutors the SAT and PSAT, all math subjects, physics, Spanish, English composition, and advises students on their college applications. Jeff Sharpe is the Executive Director and Co-owner of Vertex. He has a BA from Bucknell University and an MA from Dartmouth College. He spends most of his time tending to the operations of Vertex and advising parents on educational matters, but occasionally tutors subjects in the Humanities and Social Sciences or standardized tests such as the ISEE, SSAT, or SAT. Jeff is a former program director with Kaplan, Inc. and has been tutoring and working with young people for over a decade. Jonathan graduated from the University of Michigan with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, a BA in English Literature, and a near perfect GPA. He also holds a Master of Science in Education degree from Brooklyn College and taught in the NYC public school system for two years. Jonathan enjoys computer graphic design and animation, sports, and literature. He tutors Regents math and science, the SAT, PSAT, and other standardized tests and academic subjects. Josh A. has a BA from Amherst College, an MFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College, and is currently working on his Master’s in Literature. He has published a variety of fictional works, lectured at the undergraduate level, and is currently working on a novel. Josh played basketball for Amherst and still enjoys a game of pick-up hoops when he’s not writing or tutoring. Josh tutors several standardized tests, a variety of academic subjects specializing in English composition and grammar, and advises students on the college admissions process. Josh R. double-majored in English and Biochemistry at the University of California Berkeley and has completed coursework towards his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He has been published in academic journals and done research at Stanford and UCLA Medical Schools, but found his calling as a tutor in New York City, where he also pursues a career as a musician. Josh tutors science exclusively: biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as the SAT Subject Tests and AP exams for those subjects. Lorraine, senior test prep tutor and curriculum developer, received her BA from Princeton University before embarking on a wide-ranging career that has spanned Broadway, Carnegie Hall, opera, and teaching gigs ranging from NYU to the Stella Academy in Hamburg, Germany. Prior to Vertex, Lorraine worked for several years at Kaplan Test Prep, as both a private tutor and a leader and developer of Professional Development Seminars in the SAT I and II, Global & American History for the NY State Regents, the High School Math Regents, Liberal Arts & Sciences Teacher’s Certification Test (LAST), and the Content Specialty exam (English Literature). As a tutor, Lorraine focuses on critical thinking skills in both math and verbal reasoning as well as proper writing technique for various applications and test essays. Margo holds a BA and a JD from New York University, where she was Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude, among other academic accolades. After practicing law for a short time, Margo left the legal world to pursue a career as a writer and is currently working on her first novel. She has been tutoring for close to a decade and works with students in almost all standardized tests and academic subjects. Matt has a BA in English from College of the Holy Cross and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alabama. He was awarded a writing fellowship at Stanford University, has been published in the New York Times, the Atlantic Monthly, and other publications, and taught at the undergraduate level as well as abroad. Matt is also a former Division I athlete and modestly confesses that he has run the Boston Marathon “a few times.” He has lived in Poland, Kuwait, and Ireland, but now calls New York City home for the opportunities it affords him as a professional writer and teacher. Matt tutors the SAT in addition to English and history. Maya is a magna cum laude graduate of NYU. After college, she worked as the Head of Public Relations and Marketing for an independent record label before becoming a full-time tutor. Maya enjoys a wide range of personal interests from dance and sculpture to Greco-Roman wrestling and aviation. She tutors the SAT, PSAT, English, algebra, geometry, and foreign languages. Mike holds a BA in Philosophy and Political Science from Cornell with “distinction in all subjects” and an MA in International Relations from Columbia. He has been awarded the Harrop Prize for Research and Public Service, the Freeman Prize for Peace Studies, and was a Presidential Management Fellow with the US State Department. Mike left his job with the State Department, where he was reporting on public opinion in the Middle East to the Secretary of State, the National Security Council, and the White House, to pursue a career as a screenwriter. He is a published author and has made several national television and radio appearances. Mike tutors the SAT, English, history, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics. Nancy holds a BA in English and Political Science from Boston College, a BA in Russian from Rutgers University, and Master’s degrees in Comparative Literature and English from Brown University. She is currently working on her dissertation in Comparative Literature and will receive a doctorate from Brown this spring. Nancy has received several scholarships and fellowships, published articles on such varied subjects as education, literature, and sports, and enjoys a wide range of personal interests from the New York Yankees to urban sociology. She tutors the verbal sections of all standardized tests, the SAT Subject Test in Literature, the AP English and Art History exams, foreign languages, the humanities and social sciences, and advises students on their college applications. Shelby is a graduate of the Peabody School of Education at Vanderbilt University. She has been tutoring in New York City for over a decade and specializes in Early Learning and Special Education. Shelby has extensive experience teaching students with a range of disabilities including ADHD, dyslexia, and autism, but is equally at home helping accelerated students work above their grade level. She is also accredited in American Sign Language and has significant experience working with the hearing-impaired and as a sign language interpreter. Her personal interests include acting and sports. Woody graduated magna cum laude from Augustana College with a BA in English and Secondary Education and summa cum laude from NYU with an MFA in Creative Writing. Woody has taught reading and writing extensively to students age four to ninety-one. He is a dedicated, published author and is currently working on publishing a book of his poetry. He tutors the SAT, PSAT, ACT, English composition, literature, and history.   Instruction Vertex uses an individualized instructional process that places each students learning style at the forefront of instruction. All Vertex tutors are trained educators with extensive tutoring experience. Tutor Quick Links Alison Anne Claire David Garrick Jeff Jonathan Josh A Josh R Lorraine Margo Matt Maya Mike Nancy Shelby Woody

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