TUTORING – THE PARTICULARS “A fly was very close to being

Course: SAT Preparation Delivered: February 28, 2019 called a “land” because that’s
basically what it does half the
Instructor: Mr. Carlos Ortiz TBCB: NA
time.” Mitch Hedberg
Students: JULIAN RUIZ ETTC: 10 min

Hi again, Valentina:
I do genuinely appreciate the opportunity to reconnect with you. Below you'll find some
details about my background and revised tutoring services (subjects, rates, availability, etc.). As
far as helping Julian with his SAT (or ACT) preparation, we can certainly make that happen with
an honest effort! Let me know if you have any questions once you have had a chance to peruse
all this information. Thank you, again, for keeping me in mind.
Kind Regards,
Carlos Ortiz

SOME QUESTIONS THAT PARENTS/STUDENTS OFTEN ASK:

Hey Carlos, so how'd you
get into tutoring? What’s
your background? What
are your credentials?
GREAT QUESTIONS → I am a proud
graduate of Brown University in
Providence, RI (Class of '95 - GO
BEARS!) My degree is in Biochemistry
(MSc) with a minor in Biophysics. While
at Brown, I was asked by one of my
professors (Dr. Mark Bear) to be a
Teaching Assistant (TA) for his
Neuroscience course and after some
apprehension - I accepted the invitation.
Hey Carlos, so when are you available
for tutoring? and where? and what type
of payment do you accept?
MY AVAILABILITY - PART 1: I typically tutor from Mondays
through Saturdays (starting as early as 9:00 am - mostly for my
college/university students - and starting as late as 7:00 pm under
REGULAR tutoring hours)
Sessions are typically a minimum of 2 hours
(1 hour is just too short to be genuinely productive) and are held
at my home. Because I tutor quite a few students per day, I no
longer have time to go to students’ homes.
PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT hold sessions for just 1 hour and
payments are CASH ONLY. MY HOME ADDRESS:

WHAT A DECISION! That stint became 1041 SW 93 Avenue

a regular thing in his course and several
others until I graduated - I cannot deny
that a passion for teaching was born.
After graduation, instead of going to
work for the pharmaceutical giant
MERCK - they were aggressively
pursuing me for my sense of humor ;-) -
I decided to take a job teaching...and
that was my first "gig" out of college. I
taught at LaSalle High School in Coconut
Grove for a total of 7 years and then left
to realize a goal of opening my own
business. I did that in 2004 and that
lasted until December of 2013 – at that
point, I closed that business down so
that I can focus on tutoring and other
personal projects. I have kept tutoring
and have grown even more passionate
about imparting the finer points of a
beautiful array of disciplines to today's
young scholars. I am now in my 24th
year of tutoring.
ACADEMIC PREPARATION – Thursday, February 28, 2019
Mr. Carlos Ortiz | JULIAN RUIZ
Copyright © 2019 Carlos Ortiz | www.mrcarlosortiz.com | carlos@mrcarlosortiz.com | 305.785.5005
Miami, FL 33174
Hey Carlos, so how much do you
charge?
MY RATES: My RATES do VARY by discipline and I always ask
parents and students to keep in mind how I approach my tutoring:
Each student will have access to his/her own WEB PAGE. I take time
to prepare for each lesson (that includes time for the preparation of
notes and/or sample quiz/test questions that enhance the session -
these materials are delivered to the student at each session and the
student walks away with a valuable study resource). On the personal
web page, I will usually post additional assignments.
In other words, it's not always just "come on over and I will
deliver a lecture" for me – I take my tutoring very seriously and
deliver what parents and students expect - 100% each time. My role
is to do what the current professor(s) is/are possibly not doing - help
the student understand material in a more accessible and
comfortable atmosphere - one in which he or she can ask ANY
question and receive a reasonable and correct answer each and
every time, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
As far as test preparation (SAT, ACT, MCAT, DAT, etc.) is
concerned, the programs are rigorous and demanding and require a
real commitment from the student – those that cooperate see
promising improvements.
TOPICS: TUTORING PARTICULARS
page 1 of 3
Here is a breakdown of what I charge for tutoring in the following subjects and test preparation
programs as of January 2017 (PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY):

SUBJECT-SPECIFIC TUTORING
$100.00 per hour Pre-Algebra, Physical Science, Earth Science, Life Science, High School Conceptual
(if 2 students, $80 per hour, each)
(if 3 students, $70 per hour, each)
Physics

$125.00 per hour Math Chemistry Biology Physics

(if 2 students, $100 per hour, each)
(if 3 students, $80 per hour, each)
Algebra* Inorganic/GeneralΔ Cell Biology Physics (no Calculus)
Calculus∞ Organic Molecular Biology Physics (w/Calculus)
Finite Math Physical Immunology AP/IB/CAMBRIDGE
Geometry
Precalculus Mechanics, Electricity
(Circuits) & Magnetism
Statisticsβ
Trigonometry
*Algebra → I, II, Intermediate, Advanced, College
∞Calculus → University/College Calculus and High School Honors/AP (Sequences & Series,
Parametric & Polar & Beyond, Differential Equations)
βStatistics → Descriptive and Inferential up through to Hypothesis Testing, Two

Populations & Beyond including ANOVA, Multinomial, Wilcoxon Rank Sum Testing, etc.)
ΔInorganic/General Chemistry → (AP/IB/CAMBRIDGE), College/University Chemistry

(Inorganic, Organic & Physical),

Note: These courses tend to be very demanding and as such, require an extra level
of preparation to achieve mastery. The time and energy I invest in preparation for
these sessions is considerable. When possible, each session involves the creation of a
“packet” that the student then takes home as a valuable study resource.

EXAM/TEST PREPARATION TUTORING

$100.00 per hour SAT, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, PSAT/NMSQT, IOWA/EOC
for preparation in just ONE AREA
of the SAT or just one test of ACT
Note: The preparation programs for these exams are very
demanding and involve the creation of a “packet” for each session.
(if 2 students, $80 per hour, each)
(if 3 students, $70 per hour, each)
The student then takes this packet home as a valuable study
resource.

$125.00 per hour SAT, ACT

for preparation in MORE THAN ONE
AREA of the SAT or ACT
Note: The preparation programs for these exams are very
demanding and involve the creation of a “packet” for each session.
(if 2 students, $100 per hour, each)
(if 3 students, $80 per hour, each)
The student then takes this packet home as a valuable study
resource.

$150.00 to $200 per hour BIOCHEMISTRY, EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, GENETICS

Group settings of up to 4 students are
possible – reduced hourly rate per student
would apply – please inquire with me.
and
DAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT exam preparation is based on individual
study plans and VARY in price – again, group settings can be
accommodated.
Note: The preparation programs for these exams are very
demanding and of high rigor and as such, require advance notice
and at least a three-week PREPARATION PERIOD for me for the
first four lessons of the program. Here are the rates:
DAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT individual discipline area
preparation (example: Natural Sciences only for DAT, OR,
Physical Sciences only for MCAT): $150.00 per hour
(if 2 students, $100 per hour, each; 3 students, $75 per hour, each)

DAT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT combined disciplined area

preparation (example: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences,
Biological Sciences for MCAT): $200.00 per hour
(if 2 students, $150 per hour, each; 3 students, $120 per hour, each)

ACADEMIC PREPARATION – Thursday, February 28, 2019 TOPICS: TUTORING PARTICULARS

Mr. Carlos Ortiz | JULIAN RUIZ page 2 of 3
Copyright © 2019 Carlos Ortiz | www.mrcarlosortiz.com | carlos@mrcarlosortiz.com | 305.785.5005
 Hey Carlos, what if I need you
OUTSIDE of your usual tutoring
days and times?
MY AVAILABILITY - PART 2: There was a time
when tutoring late into the night during weeknights
and even on Sundays was not a big deal but
eventually it became a bit much as some parents
would consistently wait until the proverbial "last
minute" to call me for help. SO, as of the Aug 2012,
I implemented a very simple policy with the sole
aim of having everyone (student AND parent) be as
responsible as possible when it comes time to
schedule a session with me and not wait until
that last minute to schedule tutoring.
PLEASE PERUSE VERY CAREFULLY:
I CAN and DO tutor later in the evening and on
Sundays but here is how it gets priced out:
Here are a couple of examples to clarify this
policy:
Example #1: Billy needs help for a big Algebra test on
Monday and his mom waits until the Friday before to call
me. Since Saturday is typically a very busy day for me, it
turns out I have no room for Billy. She asks if I can see
him on Sunday. NO PROBLEM - I CAN TUTOR HIM ON
THAT SUNDAY, BUT...Since Billy's sessions are usually
$125.00 per hour for his Algebra preparation AND HIS
MOM WAITED 'TIL THE LAST MINUTE TO CALL
ME...THEN, on that Sunday, the session would run
at $250 per hour. YIPES!
Example #2: I have a tutoree named Amy. Amy texts
me on Tuesday afternoon for some last-minute help for a
big AP chemistry test she has on Wednesday. It turns out
I only have a 7:30 start time available that Tuesday
night. Her usual rate is $125 per hour but on this
occasion, it would be $250 per hour. YIPES AGAIN!

ANY TUTORING THAT I BEGIN AT 7:30 PM OR
LATER FROM MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
OR
ANY TUTORING AT ANY TIME ON A SUNDAY
(regardless of time) WILL BE CHARGED AT
Example #3: This time Natalie texts me at 9:52 PM to
ask if I can help her with a tough HW assignment that is
due the next day. While I may not tutor her in person, her
rate would be $200 or $250 per hour while I give
her phone or email/text/SKYPE support. This actually
happens quite often! (and yes, I DO HOLD SKYPE

! ! ! DOUBLE THE TUTORING SESSIONS REGULARLY)

USUAL RATE ! ! ! Believe it or not, even with these “double rates” in place, I
still find myself tutoring a couple of Sundays each month –
Please continue reading the next column as well as several weekday nights starting at 7:30 or later.
for examples of tutoring scenarios and their Oh well, I guess procrastination is just an ugly monster
costs. that rears its head all too often!

I hope this information helps, Valentina. Should you have any other inquiries, please make sure to either
respond to this email with them or simply call me.

THANK YOU,
Carlos Ortiz
carlos@mrcarlosortiz.com Valentina, you can click here to check out one
305-785-5005 option for scheduling appointments with me…
P.S. For scheduling sessions, I set up a simple web
page with my calendar and a button that you can click
on, CHOOSE A “MINIMUM” session time of 120
minutes, pick a date and whatever START TIMES are
available on THAT DATE will be displayed. If a date is “GRAYED OUT,” that indicates that there are
no slots available that day (or at least not for the duration you chose). That web page address is:

www.mrcarlosortiz.com
Thanks again, Valentina ( ). If all the information is clear and you’d like to move forward, the
next RELEVANT step would likely be for us to touch base again and go over scheduling Julian for a
diagnostic exam – even though we are a few months from Summer, we can get an idea of how
much preparation he may require. Let me know! Have a peaceful and productive afternoon.
Smiles,
Carlos Ortiz
ACADEMIC PREPARATION – Thursday, February 28, 2019 TOPICS: TUTORING PARTICULARS
Mr. Carlos Ortiz | JULIAN RUIZ page 3 of 3
Copyright © 2019 Carlos Ortiz | www.mrcarlosortiz.com | carlos@mrcarlosortiz.com | 305.785.5005