Tutor profile: Evan S.

How can I improve my SAT vocabulary?

The key thing no matter what is repetition. Get or make some flash cards, whether on paper or digital, and spend plenty of time with them until they feel easy. But there are some other little tricks that can speed up the process. For example, you can get in the habit of looking at word roots. But even better sometimes is to try forming mnemonics. "Egregious" means very bad. If you have trouble remembering that, maybe you can imagine a guy named Greg that you don't like. It can seem silly, but it can also be super helpful.

How should I go about writing my personal statement for college applications?

Before you write anything, just brainstorm a few possible topics. For each option, ask yourself questions like: What does this really say about me? How will it stand out among the dozens of other essays on the reader's desk? Is there a vivid story, or is it a bit abstract? The answers will start to guide you toward a favorite. When you're ready, just sit down and start writing a few paragraphs to see what comes out. Don't be too hard on yourself. You have plenty of time to edit afterward, so for now just get ideas down on the page, and we'll go from there.

What makes Moby Dick a classic?

Beautiful writing, philosophical richness, humor, memorable characters and a compelling plot are just the beginning. Its single most noteworthy feature is the way it breaks the mold of the novel, defying readers' expectations at the time of publication and even today. Long detours into maritime law, the philosophy of color, and whale anatomy, not to mention a whole chapter in which the form abruptly transitions to that of a stage play, may strike some readers as mere oddities, but these "silly" features are in fact a major part of its deserved reputation as a "serious" work of art.