PrepNow Tutor - Daniel W.
Daniel has several years of experience working with high school and undergraduate students, particularly in physics and math (pre-algebra, algebra I and II, geometry, pre-calculus, and calculus). Having recently graduated, he’s well-versed in strategies to minimize stress and boost test-taking skills, especially when it comes to the SAT and ACT. A lifelong student, he’s excited to begin a PhD program in astrophysics!
Daniel double majored in physics and mathematics and minored in computer science, earning his BS at Drew University. While there he tutored in the learning center. He pursued tutoring after a professor noted his strong performance and recommended that he help peers. “I found it fun as well as a good way to reinforce materials I had previously learned in class, so I stuck to it,” he recalls. “I want to help create the new generation of STEM students who can change the world,” he adds.
His proudest moment was with a surprisingly “phenomenal student” who Daniel thought wouldn’t need his help. “The only issue was that he looked like he would rather be anywhere else,” he shares. Daniel used Socratic questioning to intrigue and challenge the student’s understanding, prompting him to rework problems even more diligently. “It never felt so wonderful—that moment when I changed a student who seemed to have figured out the entirety of physics, and showed him that these questions are deeper than he had previously thought. To cultivate his curiosity and stoke the fires of learning is something I hope to achieve with all of my students.”
Collaboration and communication are key pillars of Daniel’s approach. “I want tutoring to be seen as peer-to-peer, even with younger students,” he shares. By giving the right clues to guide the student, he aims to foster independence and deeper, long-term learning. “The goal is for their logical development in math or English to aid them in their daily lives and interests, for every profession needs a solid foundation of curiosity and critical thinking,” he concludes.
Daniel graduated cum laude as part of Sigma Pi Sigma, a physics honors society, and Pi Mu Epsilon, a math honors society. His devotion and expertise named him a two-time recipient of the John F. Ollom Prize in Physics as well as the Marshall C. Harrington Award in Physics and Astronomy. He was also president of the Society of Physics Students and VP of TEDx at Drew University. Outside of academia, he sang in the orchestra, fenced, and ran track and field.
In his free time, he loves studying the cosmos. “I love astronomy and learning about the night sky; I used to have a telescope, and I am thinking of upgrading to a better one soon,” he says. He also loves leaning into his creativity and imagination via tabletop role-playing games.
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