Charlie S.

Charlie’s path to medicine has been shaped by her deep interest in neuroscience, surgery, and translational research. Before medical school, she conducted neuroscience research at UCLA and UCSF, where she developed a strong foundation in scientific thinking, communication, and mentorship. At the University of Chicago, she conducts neurosurgery research, with projects spanning neuro-oncology and craniofacial surgery. Her neuro-oncology work focuses on glioblastoma and novel therapeutic strategies, while her craniofacial surgery research integrates basic science, computational imaging, and clinical outcomes research. She is also the recipient of the Alpha Omega Alpha Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship in Neurosurgical Oncology, supporting her work in translational cancer research.

In addition to tutoring and research, Charlie has experience supporting students through admissions and academic planning. She has helped students gain acceptance to medical schools at UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, Cornell University, Yale University, NYU, Tufts University, and Georgetown University. Whether she is helping a student build a study plan, master difficult MCAT concepts, or communicate their experiences with authenticity, Charlie aims to provide the structure, encouragement, and honest feedback students need to succeed.

As an MCAT tutor, Charlie’s greatest strengths are her approachability, empathy, and ability to make challenging material feel manageable. She believes that strong tutoring goes beyond reviewing content; it requires understanding each student’s goals, learning style, strengths, and insecurities. Her approach is collaborative and individualized, helping students build stronger test-taking strategies, deeper content mastery, and greater confidence in their own abilities. Charlie has tutored students across many academic stages, including middle school, high school, college, and medical school applicants.