Regan Moniz
background
Regan graduated from Columbia University and received an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She has worked in test prep as a tutor, instructor trainer, and curriculum developer since 2001, and in admissions essay coaching since 2003. Regan has worked with several hundred students in one-on-one settings. Thousands more students have benefited from working with tutors she trained and curriculum she developed for several of California’s largest test prep companies. Regan specializes in preparing students for standardized tests (SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE), providing support for admissions essays, and custom-designing summer writing and math programs that help students prepare for the year ahead. Regan’s students have gone on to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Georgetown, Stanford, Barnard, Dartmouth, University of Chicago, and many other wonderful colleges. She is frequently delighted to hear from them and their families that they are thriving there and beyond.
Approach
Whether she is coaching students for their college applications or preparing them for admissions tests, Regan always tailors her approach to the individual student. Regan’s background in curriculum development has equipped her with numerous strategies for success, and her experience working with a broad and diverse group of students has given her insight into which methods will work best with a particular student. In all of Regan’s programs, she cultivates a growth mindset, conveying to students that areas of weakness are not fixed. Students learn that with the right tools and focused attention, they can target and strengthen their own weak points. Through gentle, consistent support and clear, personalized instruction, Regan helps students recognize and harness their own ability to grow.
Dave Moniz
Dave has over two decades of experience guiding families through the college admissions process. He helps a wide range of students examine their talents and aspirations in essays that earn acceptance to their top choice colleges.
He began improving students’ college applications and standardized test scores as a volunteer at the University of Southern California. His early work as a professional tutor and trainer led to designing the SAT/ACT textbooks and instructor training programs at Sylvan Learning and Compass Education Group.
Dave helps each student build a college list based on insights from thousands of families, plus hard data. He also draws from 15 years of experience at organizations like the College Board and Unigo, where his clients included colleges that recruited students with specific geographic and academic requirements.
As a standardized testing expert, he has trained admissions staff in the appropriate use of SAT/ACT scores at flagship universities and highly selective colleges. His recent collaborations with universities have included AI policy and detection strategies for scholarship and application essays.