PrepNow Tutor - Anya P.
Anya is a professional harpist and harp teacher based in Chicago and she embraces a strong passion for music and education. She holds a BA summa cum laude in English with a minor in Spanish from the University of Dallas and an MM in harp performance from Northern Illinois University. Since graduating college, Anya has built a multifaceted career in both education and music. She’s spent the past several years tutoring students on the ACT and SAT. Alongside tutoring, she regularly performs as a harpist at weddings and special events and teaches both harp and piano to students of all ages.
Anya started tutoring during her freshman year of high school, helping students who were struggling in math. Later, she became an AP Economics tutor during her junior and senior years, and continued tutoring throughout college, working with students of all ages. Anya has extensive experience tutoring math, English, science, AP Spanish, and all sections of the SAT and ACT. She excels at helping students build confidence. “My proudest moment as a tutor was helping a student improve her ACT score significantly! Her hard work paid off, and she earned a scholarship to the University of Illinois,” Anya shares.
Anya’s teaching style is patient, personalized, and goal-oriented. “I believe in meeting each student where they are, and I adapt my approach to their learning style, confidence level, and specific needs,” Anya explains. “I aim to build not just knowledge, but also self-trust and motivation, because I believe true learning happens when students feel supported, understood, and empowered to take ownership of their growth.” Anya creates a positive, low-pressure environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and thinking critically. She also places a strong emphasis on organization and strategy, especially when preparing for standardized tests. “I’ve seen how much confidence students gain when they understand the ‘why’ behind the content and have a clear plan forward,” Anya says.
As a student, Anya ran track and field and cross country and played in the orchestra. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Tau Delta, studied abroad in Spain, and won a full scholarship to NIU for her master’s degree.
“I love reading! I especially love 19th and 20th century fiction, and Russian literature,” Anya says. “My all-time favorite books are War and Peace by Tolstoy and The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck.” Anya also enjoys running and lifting weights!
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