Cassandra M

What worked well: You were very attentive to signs of confusion! When students couldn't find the survey or the workbook link, you patiently tried to help them. You also showed great empathy for their anxieties about writing, which helps build a strong, supportive rapport. What could be improved: The technical issues were the main hurdle. While you handled them with grace and humor, having a backup plan (like having the crucial workbook link pre-typed in your notes) would have saved a lot of time and reduced frustration. I'm sure with this first session under your belt, you'll feel much more prepared to handle any tech glitches next time!

Tutor · 2 days ago

What worked well: You were wonderfully engaging and created a very conversational atmosphere! You consistently asked students about their fears, experiences, and opinions. The free-writing activity was a brilliant way to get them actively involved, and you did a great job facilitating the discussion about pitfalls by asking "why" and drawing out students' reasoning, especially with Alberto and Grace. What could be improved: While you were great at engaging the vocal students, the conversation sometimes became dominated by one or two people. You might try to gently draw in quieter students by name, for example: "That's a great point, Alberto. What does everyone else think about that?" or "I'd love to hear from someone who hasn't shared yet."

Tutor · 2 days ago

What worked well: You created an incredibly warm, authentic, and comfortable environment! Your openness about your own nervousness and your personal educational journey made you extremely relatable and built instant trust. Your tone was consistently encouraging, and you validated everyone's feelings, which is so important for a vulnerable topic like personal writing. What could be improved: You built a fantastic foundation of trust! To make it even better, you could use a bit more specific, positive reinforcement. For example, when a student shared a fear, you could say, "Thank you so much for sharing that, it takes courage to be so honest." This kind of feedback makes students feel truly seen and heard.

Tutor · 2 days ago

What worked well: You have a deep and genuine understanding of the college essay process! Your explanation of the essay's purpose—to share something the rest of the application doesn't show and that you have "entire autonomy" over—was absolutely fantastic and incredibly valuable for students. The audio clip you played from the admissions officer was also a powerful and authentic touch! What could be improved: The session was significantly impacted by technical and organizational difficulties. The constant struggle with screen sharing, finding links, and a disconnected agenda made it hard to follow a clear structure. For your next session, a quick tech run-through beforehand and having all links easily accessible could make the experience much smoother for everyone!

Tutor · 2 days ago