History Tutoring

Hailey Krasnikov is a recent Harvard College Graduate from Albany, NY double majoring in Neuroscience and Economics. In high school, Hailey was the Editor-in-Chief of her newspaper for two years as well as the Tournament Director for her school's chess club. At Harvard, she was on The Harvard Crimson's Super Executive Board for two years and managed a group of 30 staffers. She also conducts clinical research at Boston Children's Hospital investigating eye pain and the effects of painful light. Hailey has experience tutoring college applications, college essays, a wide variety of high school subjects specializing in writing, math, and science, as well as APs such as Language and Composition, Psychology, Biology, World History, European History. Physics, U.S. History, and U.S. Government.

Caroline (Class of 2029) is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is an experienced tutor who scored a 35 on the ACT, and received 5's on AP US History, US Government and Politics, Biology, Language and Composition, Literature and Composition. She competed in and won the National History Day competition in Minnesota with an original research paper and was subsequently recognized on the national level by the National Endowment for the Arts and the White House Historical Association. She has also worked on political campaigns and is passionate about the intersection of community service and politics. Caroline specializes in essay writing help (both ideation, drafting, and final edits) and college application strategy. She is passionate about helping students develop college applications that tell a cohesive and compelling story and ultimately set them up well for competitive college admissions. In addition to, or in conjunction with, college application support, Caroline can provide ACT and/or AP tutoring. Though she is focused on humanities tutoring and strategies for effective reading/english test taking, she can also tutor science and math.

Elana (class of 2029) is from Glen Ridge, New Jersey, but went to Heschel, a Jewish school in New York City. Her primary interests in high school surrounded history, writing, and public speaking. At Harvard, she is taking classes that sit at the nexus between Government and History. She led her to team to a Mock Trial State Championship and organized her school’s programming during her Junior and Senior year. As part of that work, she brought in speakers, organized programming for 400+ people, and led a council of 17 people. In addition, she participated in two years of a History honors seminar and wrote two extensive research papers. She also sang in her school’s Acapella group and sang before 4000 people at a NYC civic event. She spoke at her school’s graduation before 500 people and was the captain of her school’s Varsity Basketball team. She specializes in Essay writing, History, research, and public speaking. She is currently a paid research assistant and works as a tutor for HSA. She specializes in Essay writing, organizational skills, and research help. She is currently a paid research assistant for the Center for Jewish Studies and a Tutor of HSA.

Anthony (class of 2029) is from New York City, NY. He attended Hunter High School, where he developed primary interests in chemistry and research. During high school, Anthony founded a local chess club where he hosted public tournaments and coached students of all ages in chess. Demonstrating strong leadership beyond academics, Anthony also took civic initiative by testifying before the New York City Council. His efforts resulted in the securing of $250 million dedicated to renovating public school cafeterias across the city. In terms of academic specialty, Anthony has a deep mastery of all levels of chemistry and is especially passionate about teaching, always striving to help students develop intuition and a genuine understanding of the subject. Additionally, he specializes in mentoring students through the college application process, using his experience to provide insightful and meaningful feedback to applicants. Looking ahead, Anthony will soon begin work in a chemistry research lab. He plans to pursue an MD-Ph.D. to enter academia. His future goals involve bridging medical practice with research and education, aiming to make impactful contributions as both a scientist and a mentor.

Public Speaking: competitive speech and debater for 8 years. Top Speaker at Tournament of Champions for debate, National Online Forensics Tournament Champion for Extemporaneous Speaking ACT Reading & Writing: 36 on both sections English: three years of Honors English in high school, accepted into Harvard top freshman humanities seminar - ending with an A in the course History: 5 on APUSH exam Language: 6 years of Chinese experience, worked in China with a Chinese companies for two months speaking only Chinese

Anwen is a Harvard sophomore originally from Westchester, New York. She received a 1550 superscore on the SAT and has taken 10 AP exams. Her extensive experience in both STEM and the arts has taught her many learning strategies and made her super passionate about helping students grow in all fields! In high school, Anwen was an executive of a non-profit chapter called Letters for Rose that sent over 300 personalized letters and artwork to nursing homes. She has taken a multitude of visual arts commissions and constructed multiple portfolios in submitting to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and various magazines. She has also previously co-advised a course in preparing for the AP Chinese exam, having Mandarin speaking experience. However, Anwen's main interests are in medicine and biological research, and she has submitted work to 5 research competitions throughout high school. She is currently a pre-medical student on the MD-PhD track and is always willing to answer any questions on what that is like. Anwen is devoted to making sure students feel confident in their knowledge and capability, from preparing for the SATs to finalizing college applications. Academically, she loves all things biological sciences and chemistry and is super excited about guiding students in succeeding at these subjects!

Sophia (Class of '28) is from Bethesda, Maryland, and graduated from a private, all-girls school with Highest Honors as President of the Cum Laude Society. In high school, she scored a 1540 on the SAT and balanced passions in science and the humanities. Sophia published a research paper in the Journal of Neurorehabilitation and completed numerous internships–including research at Johns Hopkins, shadowing neurosurgeons at Walter Reed, and working on a project at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. A designated STEM Scholar and Captain of the Varsity Softball Team, Sophia also founded student organizations like the Future Faces of Medicine Club and the Peer Tutoring Club, while earning awards and recognitions for her writing. Sophia has extensive experience in working with students of all ages. She specializes in advanced, AP, and introductory college-level STEM courses; Latin (including National Latin Exam prep); and essay help for both class assignments and the college application process. In this, she is dedicated to helping students build a strong and compelling narrative to build their confidence throughout this process and stand out to admissions officers. Now, Sophia studies Neuroscience and English on the pre-medical track, planning to pursue a career in surgery. She is an executive member of Mission:Brain, a journalist for The Harvard Crimson, and a supervisor at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, to name a few of her engagements.

Khadija (class of 2028) is from Alexandria, Virginia and scored a 34 on her ACT. She also received 5s on her AP Language, US History, and World History exams. She applied as a Sociology and Astrophysics joint concentrator based on her experience working with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, developing curriculum at the National Air and Space Museum, and leading Mental Health and LGBTQ inclusion teams as a Student Equity Ambassador Lead for Fairfax County. She has also previously written for the Library of Congress. Khadija specializes in English and Writing tutoring, specifically in regards to ACT and SAT prep, but she is also proficient in all levels of History as well as Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus. Khadija is an opinion editor at the Harvard Crimson and a Project Director for the Harvard Undergraduate Association Academic Team. In the future, she plans on pursuing law.

Mercy Ghobrial, a Harvard College Government student, is passionate about international relations, law, and civic engagement. A top graduate of Upland High School with a 4.7 GPA, she ranked in the top 2 of 700 seniors, earned the California Seal of Biliteracy in French, and completed 12 AP courses, including U.S. History, Government, Comparative Politics, and English Literature. She specializes in tutoring humanities, essay writing, and college applications, with additional experience in Algebra and Pre-Calculus. As president of the National Honor Society, Mercy led tutoring initiatives across eight schools and mentored students academically and extracurricularly. An award-winning debater, she has placed in regional and national competitions. She interned at Askander Law Firm, translating for Arabic-speaking clients and assisting in court. At Harvard, she tutors in the Citizenship Tutoring program, teaches civics through CIVICS, and is a member of the Harvard College Debate Union. She also manages SEO and content for her family’s construction business. Having navigated the college admissions process herself, she is eager to help students craft compelling essays and applications that showcase their strengths and unique stories.

Olivia (Class of 2029) is from Cape Coral, Florida, and a graduate of Canterbury High School, where she attended on a full-tuition Girl Scouting Scholarship. She scored a 33 on the ACT with perfect scores in English and Reading. A Girl Scout for 12 years and Gold Award recipient, Olivia earned national recognition for selling over 50,000 boxes of cookies, setting records for both her council and the state of Florida. Fun fact: she’s featured on the nationwide Tagalongs box cover, playing a pink guitar! Olivia has contributed over 1,000 community service hours, leading initiatives such as her Gold Award project on college campus safety awareness and founding the Reading With the Dogs program, which fosters children’s literacy while helping shelter dogs become more adoptable. At Canterbury, she held leadership roles in Model UN, DECA, BPA, Thespians, Cheerleading, Student Council, and Veterans Service Club, and was inducted into eight honor societies, including the Cum Laude Society (top 10% of her class). A First-Generation college student, Olivia specializes in college application strategy and essay development, and tutors English and History, emphasizing analytical writing and critical thinking. At Harvard, Olivia is involved in HMUN, Women in Business, and serves as Director of Events for the Harvard Undergraduate Marketing Group, as well as a tutor with HSA Tutoring. She plans to pursue a Joint Concentration in Sociology and Economics and a future career in marketing.

Claire (class of 2028) is from Saint Louis, Missouri, where she graduated from Webster Groves High School with a 4.0 GPA and a 36 ACT. She was a Missouri Top 100 Scholar, National Merit Finalist, and two-time AP Scholar with Distinction, earning 5’s in AP Calculus AB, AP Biology, AP Statistics, AP English Literature, AP English Language, AP Psychology, AP U.S. History, and AP World History and 4’s in AP Chemistry and AP Physics 1. In high school, Claire led her school’s Best Buddies chapter, tripling membership, and worked as a Planned Parenthood Education Fellow, teaching workshops to over 100 students and leading youth advocacy across St. Louis. Claire specializes in college application strategy, essay writing, ACT preparation, reading comprehension and analysis, and all math below pre-calculus. She’s passionate about helping students find their voice, build confidence, and reach their full academic potential. Claire currently studies English with Honors and Sociology at Harvard University, where she serves as Deputy Chair of the Institute of Politics Campaign and Advocacy Program, a Contributing Editor for The Harvard Crimson, and a Peer Advising Fellow. She plans to pursue a career in education, expanding access to high-quality learning opportunities for students everywhere.

Sarah (Harvard Class of 2029) is from Kansas City, Kansas. She scored a 1600 on the SAT (one-attempt) and took 15 AP classes (all 5s) through high school in the following subjects: Human Geography, World History, Physics 1, Statistics, Computer Science Principles, US History, Language & Composition, Chemistry, Microeconomics, Seminar, Calculus BC, Research, Macroeconomics, Government, and Spanish Language & Culture. In high school, Sarah was President of her city's Teen Council program and interned at the local government. She was also a nationally competitive policy debater (TOC-bid, Michigan 7-Week, Top 32 Nationally). She also competed at DECA Internationals (placed 8th in HRM) and was part of the Young Entrepreneurs Program of KC, where she interned at an international fintech. Sarah specializes in test preparation and strategy. In high school, she was President of the Math and English Honor Societies, where she ran tutoring sessions for 100+ students and improved test scores immensely. She is also capable of tutoring for any of the subjects for which she took AP exams. She can also support students with college essay revisions and strategies. Sarah is currently studying Applied Math & Government at Harvard, looking to pursue a career related to both fields.

Christy (Class of 2028) is from East Hartford, Connecticut. She earned a perfect score on the SAT Grammar section and has a strong passion for all things related to the English language, literature, and grammar. She also earned a 5 on her APUSH and AP English courses. Coming from an underfunded public high school, Christy self-studied for all of her exams while also balancing three-season varsity athletics, part-time work, and active community involvement. Christy specializes in essay writing, particularly for college applications, as well as AP, ACT, and SAT English exams. She is dedicated to demystifying the Common Application essay and sharing the strategies she developed to streamline the process for others. On campus, Christy manages the social media pages for the Harvard Cheerleading team and contributes to the Flyby Blog with the Harvard Crimson. She aspires to pursue a career in writing, editing, and publishing, with a continued passion for education.

Martin Bigil-Rico is a rising senior at Harvard University studying Computer Science and Statistics. He attended a public magnet high school in Southern California, where he held leadership positions in five clubs and participated in several of the nation’s most prestigious summer STEM programs. Martin achieved a 1510 on the SAT and earned 5’s on AP exams including English Language and Composition, English Literature, Calculus BC, Physics C: Mechanics, and Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. At Harvard, he co-founded SAT Daily, an app designed to help students access advanced SAT study resources; served as an editor for the campus Philosophy Review; and worked as a software developer for the Harvard Rocketry Club. He has extensive experience teaching the SAT, ACT, AP exams, and a wide range of academic subjects from English to Calculus, as well as providing college admissions coaching and essay support. His college counseling students have been accepted to top universities including Harvard, Princeton, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Notre Dame, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston University, UCLA, and UC Berkeley.

Kiri-Anna is a sophomore at Harvard pursuing a double concentration in Biology and Government. She attended public high school where she took 14 AP classes, with particular strengths in History, Biology, English, and Statistics. She took the SAT at age 14, scoring 770 math + 780 verbal. She applied solely to colleges with competitive acceptance rates ranging from 3% (Harvard) to 12% (UC Berkeley) and was accepted to every school that she applied to. On campus, she is involved with the International Relations Council, including competing at and chairing Model United Nations conferences. She also works for the Office for Sustainability at Harvard. She is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and is trained in Shakespearian theatre. She is a choral soprano and performed at Carnegie Hall. She played Varsity hockey in high school and has played the violin for ten years. Relevant coursework at Harvard includes Government, Economics, Planetary Science, Organismic Biology, Comparative Literature, and Data Science.

Dian (class of 2026) is from Houston, Texas. She scored 800 on SAT Math, and earned 5’s on AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Chinese, AP U.S. History, AP World History, AP English Language, AP Environmental Science, and AP French Language and Culture. In high school, she was elected Texas Lieutenant Governor of the Junior State of America (JSA), the nation’s largest student-led, nonpartisan organization promoting civic engagement. As captain of her team, she also competed at the international, national, and state levels in world schools debate. Writing is Dian’s strongest skill. She specializes in college application support and humanities writing, helping students craft compelling essays for college, as well as for humanities subjects (AP English, AP US/World History, Government, etc.). She is passionate about helping students stand out in the college process and develop a persuasive and authentic personal voice. Dian is natively proficient and professionally fluent in Mandarin Chinese, having worked in Shanghai at a disability advocacy nonprofit, and tutors Chinese at all levels (including AP Chinese). In addition, she teaches all levels of math through AP Calculus AB/BC, including SAT Math. At Harvard, Dian is double concentrating in Government and Economics with a secondary in Theatre, Dance, and Media, and hopes to pursue law and public service in the future.

Aurora (Class of 2027) is from Conroe, Texas, where she graduated as one of the top students in a class of over 1,000 from the Academy of Science and Health Professions. She now studies Psychology and Government at Harvard College and earned a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 5.28 weighted GPA. Her academic strengths include English, writing, history, and math. At Harvard, Aurora serves as a Project Lead for both the Global Research and Consulting Group and the Clean Energy Group’s Equity Department, where she works on sustainable and equity-driven initiatives. Her college essay—beginning with “I was born in prison”—received national media coverage (People Magazine, New York Post, KTVU) for its emotional depth and honesty. This powerful narrative helped secure her spot at Harvard and has made her a sought-after mentor for students applying to college. Aurora specializes in college application strategy, essay writing, and SAT-related English and math. She brings a warm, organized, and thoughtful approach to her tutoring and is passionate about helping students find their voice and stand out in the admissions process. She currently works with HSA Tutoring and plans to pursue a career in law, policy, and advocacy.

Mary Catherine Hanafee LaPlante is a senior at Harvard University studying Economics and Government. Originally from Mount Prospect, Illinois, she scored a 1550 on the SAT and a 1500 on the PSAT. She is comfortable tutoring a wide range of subjects, including all levels of math up to AP Calculus BC. She is also well-versed in the sciences—especially Chemistry and Physics—and has a strong passion for History and the social sciences. She earned 5s on AP Calc BC, AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, AP U.S. History, AP World History, and AP Human Geography. In high school, Mary Catherine was the Illinois State Champion in Science Olympiad (Ecology), captain of the Varsity Lacrosse team, and the founder of a non-profit that successfully eliminated pesticides and herbicides from her local community’s public spaces. She also ran a successful college essay editing service for two years and has extensive experience helping students craft compelling personal statements and supplementals. At Harvard, Mary Catherine conducts research with the Harvard Economics Department and is involved in cutting-edge AI research. She’s also been offered a full-time role at McKinsey & Company following graduation. With years of tutoring experience and a proven academic track record, Mary Catherine brings both subject expertise and mentorship to every student she works with.