Our 2023 Graduates

I decided to self-study Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography during my ninth grade year. Preparing for an AP exam without a school curriculum was difficult, but Ryan helped me greatly along the way. Ryan would assign me chapter reading before each class and additional practice assignments to improve my writing skills, including essay responses and grammar skills. 

Starting a few months before the May AP exam, I completed full diagnostic tests (DTs) and wrote Section 2 free-response question (FRQ) paragraphs on a regular basis. For every essay I submitted, Ryan provided me with feedback and clear instructions. By demonstrating examples that I could potentially implement in my essays, Ryan shaped my essay writing, not only for AP Human Geography, but also for my school English and Humanities courses.

Ryan tutored me for Humanities in Action 1 and Humanities in Action 2, and I consider his teaching a cornerstone of my improvement in writing throughout high school. His feedback regarding research and the structure of academic writing helped me learn where to and where not to elaborate. In addition, he taught me to be more careful with English grammar. I also appreciate that he was straightforward with criticism and fun to talk to in general. My sessions with him were humorous, productive, and made me a more organized and analytical writer.

While taking Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography with Ryan, I had two (2) 90-minute lessons every week, when we went over assigned homework and textbook content. On top of a substantial amount of homework between classes, I was assigned Chapter Tests and Diagnostic Tests (DTs), which were graded and sent back with extreme quickness and specific feedback.

What I learned from AP Human Geography with Ryan was much more valuable than just the content of it. He had an obsession with critical thinking and resourcefulness. I really had to ask a good, unGoogleable question for him to respond. This rigid training instilled a great sense of analytical thinking in me that has only served me better each passing year, with schoolwork growing tougher.  I was put through grueling loads of work, most notably country recons, where I had to memorize and research all 195 countries’ trivia down to arithmetic density (verbatim) and health patterns. 

I came out a much more resilient and disciplined person, as I was able to earn a solid AP 5 score on the College Board AP Human Geography exam! I must add that Ryan’s style isn’t for everyone, but for those who manage to stick it out, the results will speak for all the months of hard work you put in. Good luck!