Rob didn’t attend an Ivy League college, and he didn’t have great SAT scores in high school. So why trust him and Pollak Tutors with your student’s education?
It is precisely because these tests didn’t come naturally to him that Rob is especially well suited to understand the unique challenges his students face. In the many many years since high school, Rob has worked hard to become a subject matter expert in all things SAT and ACT, and as a tutor, he’s earned perfect scores on both the SAT (1600, May 2021) and ACT (36, December 2017).
Rob attributes his unique teaching style to his experiences prior to starting Pollak Tutors. He earned a BA in Communication Studies from Hamilton College, where he fostered his love of learning and language, and a JD, cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law, where he picked up his socratic teaching style. He then practiced law in the white collar defense and investigations practice area at Skadden, Arps, which instilled in him a devotion to his clients and a tireless work ethic.
When he’s not working, Rob loves playing golf, woodworking, and, most of all, spending quality time with his wife Anne and their two sons, Owen and Will.
Anne has worked in education as a private tutor for over 12 years. She absolutely loves teaching and finds nothing better than the look of excitement and pride on her students’ faces when they understand a new concept, get a correct answer, or write a fantastic essay.
Anne’s students range from 2nd grade to college level, and she has experience with kids of any ability, including those with learning differences. Anne teaches all subjects, specializing in math and writing, as well as SAT and ACT prep. She has also advised numerous families with their applications for middle and high schools and college.
Students and parents love working with Anne for her patience, kindness, and professionalism, all of which build a working relationship of trust and open communication.
When she’s not working, you can find Anne visiting museums, seeing plays, or connecting with nature on the the hiking trails.
Dani brings a wealth of test prep experience to Pollak Tutors. Over the years, she has created her own toolkit of effective test prep strategies that she’s picked up from her work in the industry and as the founder of her own company, Steel Trap Tutoring. Dani is not only a veteran of the test prep game, she’s also a published author and freelance writer.
Many students love Dani for her patient, gentle approach to tutoring, while others enjoy her ability to get into the weeds and work a relevant sports analogy into just about any context.
When she’s not working with students, Dani can be found editing the manuscript of her 1st book or restoring mid-century furniture.
Deanna joined Pollak Tutors as an experienced educator with nearly a decade of teaching under her belt. She received her B.A. in English and Linguistics at SUNY New Paltz and her M.A.T at William Paterson University in K-12 English Education.
Deanna cultivates strong one-on-one relationships with her students to help them develop their skills and build their academic confidence. Students find her to have a calming presence that helps them see the bigger picture.
Deanna lives in Jersey City, where she is a musician and obsessive pie baker in her free time.
Ha has over 15 years of experience as a professional tutor and mentor in a variety of math and science subjects. She is currently in medical school at Vanderbilt University. Prior to medical school, Ha earned a PhD degree in Bioorganic Chemistry from Carnegie Mellon University and a BA degree in Biochemistry from College of St. Benedict’s and St. John’s University. During her graduate study, Ha also participated in TutorNet program, a non-profit organization that aims to provide continued educational support for local 6-12 middle and high school students.
When she’s not teaching or studying, you can find Ha biking, jogging, leaf-peeping or singing karaoke with friends and family.
Rina is a journalist, editor, and tutor from New York City. She helped many students of all ages advance their writing, reading, and grammar skills. Her work as a journalist and editor for a wide variety of publications has provided her with a keen eye for detail and a unique perspective on a broad range of topics.
She is excited to continue her work as a tutor, where she is able to help students overcome academic obstacles and achieve scores that once seemed impossible.
Rina’s lessons are always well thought out and engaging. She’s a vibrant presence, who is somehow able to have an energetic and interesting conversation about punctuation.
When she is not teaching, Rina enjoys reading, baking, cooking and exploring new cities.
Robbie grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Princeton University in 2020 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Finance. He's deeply passionate about education and tailoring instruction to each student's learning style.
Students enjoy Robbie’s ability to keep sessions fun and explain complex concepts in a down-to-earth manner.
When he’s not working with Pollak Tutors, he’s busy crunching numbers as a data scientist, shooting hoops, or riding his bike.
Thomas is our resident SAT/ACT verbal expert. He grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and earned his Bachelors degree at Harvard University in History. After spending his early career in Finance, he moved to South Korea and Vietnam, where he founded and successfully exited his own test prep company. Thomas is now back in NJ with his teenage son and excited to be teaching test prep again!
Thomas brings a data-driven approach to all of his sessions and provides his students with a clear and thorough understanding of what they need to do to improve.
When he’s not teaching, Thomas enjoys playing golf, watching movies, and trading cryptocurrency.
