About Honors Prep
Sam M.
Founder
Sam came up through New York City's public schools: P.S. 8 in Brooklyn Heights, East Side Middle School on the Upper East Side, and Stuyvesant High School. After graduating cum laude from Middlebury College with departmental honors in English, he spent a decade in the tech industry before turning to tutoring in 2020 and founding Honors Prep in 2023. Today he evaluates each student, pairs them with the right tutor, and still works with a handful of students himself. Sam lives in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, with his wife and daughter.
Our Mission
At Honors Prep, our mission as educators is to create an environment where students feel simultaneously challenged and empowered to learn.
Whereas an ordinary classroom setting can feel stressful and competitive, quality private-tutoring is an opportunity to foster a safe space for each student to grow and develop healthy study habits that they carry into the future.
Meet the Team!
Our tutors are vetted not merely for their academic credentials but for their ability to communicate and empathize with their students.
We consider our work with each client a partnership in the truest sense of the word: our goals are your goals and vice versa.
Charlie M.
TUTOR
Charlie is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at Stanford University. Before his PhD, Charlie graduated magna cum laude from Haverford College, double majoring with highest honors in both Computer Science and Mathematics. He brings with him six years of experience tutoring at the high school, college, and post-graduate level.
Grace G.
TUTOR
Grace is a tutor with 7+ years of experience in SAT and ACT prep, college application essays, math, and Spanish — experience deep enough that she's developed curricula and trained other tutors. She's helped 70+ students reach top schools with her personalized, stress-free approach. When she's not tutoring, she produces comedy in Brooklyn. Grace graduated summa cum laude from UPenn, where she studied Urban Studies, History, and English.
William S.
TUTOR
William is a tutor and playwright in Brooklyn. He graduated cum laude from Columbia University with a BA in English and a concentration in physics. He teaches all sections of the SAT, ACT, ISEE, and SHSAT, along with high school math and physics, and has led SHSAT group classes across New York.
Stephanie T.
TUTOR
Stephanie holds a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University and a BS from Boston University. A trained mental-health counselor specializing in child and adolescent development, she pairs 5+ years of tutoring experience with proven strategies for easing test anxiety — building on each student's existing strengths to reach their target scores with confidence.
Elianna K.
TUTOR
Elianna holds a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College and an MA in Literature from the Bread Loaf School of English. She has taught creative writing and literary translation at Middlebury College and Columbia University, where she also serves as an MFA thesis advisor. Elianna offers writing coaching, intensive reading seminars, and Spanish tutoring.
Alex S.
TUTOR
Alex is a magna cum laude graduate of Columbia University, where he studied English Literature. A 35 ACT scorer, he has spent seven years mentoring high-achieving students from middle school to college, specializing in standardized test prep, essay writing, and admissions coaching. Outside of teaching, Alex pursues his passions for writing and independent filmmaking.
Emily F.
TUTOR
Emily holds a BA in Government and French from Georgetown University and has over six years of tutoring experience. She specializes in math, English, history, French, and Spanish, and has helped many students prepare for the SHSAT, SAT, and college admissions with a focus on building confidence and mastery.
Devin B.
TUTOR
Devin earned a BS in Chemistry from Purdue University, where he won the national Goldwater Scholarship, and holds a PhD in cell biology from NYU, where he is completing his MD. With 10+ years of teaching experience and a dozen peer-reviewed publications, he tutors chemistry, biology, physics, and math, identifying each student's strengths and weaknesses to build mastery and test strategies.
Alex J.
TUTOR
Alex is a private tutor and executive functioning coach with over 20 years of experience teaching math, science, humanities, and admissions tests like the SAT, ACT, and ISEE. A graduate of Oberlin College and a K–12 alumnus of The Horace Mann School, he has extensive experience working with students with learning differences, collaborating closely with teachers, learning specialists, and families. His spirited approach makes learning engaging for students at every level.
Nolan H.
TUTOR
Nolan holds a BA in Political Science from UCLA and scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT. With over seven years of tutoring experience, he specializes in admissions tests including the SAT, ACT, SHSAT, SSAT, and ISEE, and has prepared middle and high school students across New York City both in person and online. Nolan helps students develop effective test-taking strategies while building the confidence and independence to approach challenging problems on their own.
Nathaniel J.
College Essay Coach
Nathaniel is a writer and college essay coach based in New York City. He holds a BA in Film & Media with a concentration in Anthropology from Columbia University and is an alum of LaGuardia High School's Drama Department. For over six years, he has coached students through US and UK college applications, including the Common App personal statement, supplemental essays, and interviews. His students have earned admission to Columbia, UChicago, Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, and more. He helps each student find confidence in their own story and write essays that stand apart.
What People Are Saying
My daughter had a lot of tutors and she thinks Sam is one of the best. His follow-up emails post tutoring sessions and weekly homework assignments make it easier to see the progress. Highly recommended!
— Brenda H.
I had such a wonderful experience tutoring with Sam! I could not ask for a better tutor. With about 4 months of tutoring I managed to exceed my goal of 1300 on the first try and receive a 1400. Thank you!
— Joanna B.
Sam is an engaging and flexible teacher. He explains new concepts very clearly, checks to make sure understanding is really locked in before moving on, and makes learning fun. My daughter loves him!
— Ana B.
Sam is an amazing tutor, takes the time to explain everything properly and makes sure you're prepared before test day. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to improve their scores!
— Nico M.
Trusted by students from
Berkeley Carroll · Brooklyn Collaborative · Brooklyn Friends · Brooklyn Tech · East Side Middle School · Lab Middle School · LaGuardia High School · The Masters School · Packer · Poly Prep · The School at Columbia University · Stuyvesant High School · Professional Performing Arts High School