Sophie Colalillo

I truly believe that a strong grasp on verbal and written skills enables students to more fully understand the world; it’s for this reason that I love teaching English at TestTakers! While I have worked a variety of odd jobs teaching is absolutely my favorite, if only for that moment when students go from totally confused to totally getting it. I have lived in Manhasset almost all my life and, after graduating from Manhasset Secondary, decided I needed a change and went to undergrad at Carleton College in Minnesota. However, that was way too cold, and I ended up transferring to Tulane University in Louisiana for my junior and senior year. I loved it so much I stayed an extra year for my MA in English and wrote a thesis on Gothic literature and the Goth subculture. Following my graduation in May 2025, I attended the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford University. I have been working with students of all ages in different settings for about 10 years now—first starting as a private tutor of all subjects, then as a private swim instructor and Aquatics Director at Usdan Summer Camp, and currently as an SAT and English tutor at TestTakers. My experiences with all types of students have enabled me to cultivate an enthusiastic and compassionate approach to teaching and a genuine investment in the progress of my students. In my spare time, I am almost certainly crafting, reading, or hunting thrift stores for new CDs.