Founder David Bossart
Dave, as everyone calls him, has been the outspoken leader of this company since its inception in 2005. He has worked as a private tutor for over twenty years now, and his passion for life and human potential infuses everything he does.
The System is a testament to his unwavering commitment to helping young people create a future that reflects their interests and ambitions. Every student has the potential to pursue an education and career that will fulfill and provide for them. The System provides the support and connection that helps students maximize their productivity and build genuine confidence so that they can pursue the life that they really want.
Below he relates his story of how he began working as a tutor and turned his desire to help people into a successful business.
BORN AND RAISED LOCALLY
I am proud to say that I grew up in San Francisco. I graduated from Town School, Marin Academy,
and UC Berkeley, where I completed a double major in History and Physical Science.
GETTING STARTED
I began tutoring in college as a way to make some extra money. Many parents are looking for a tutor to support their child in math and science, so my background in math, chemistry, and physics was especially useful and led to greater opportunity to work as a tutor. The pay was higher than for other jobs I could get at the time, but more important than that, the job was appealing and exciting because each student was different and I had the freedom to innovate when finding the best ways to explain things.
I later taught in a school for developmentally disabled students in Berkeley, which was a defining experience for me; I realized that my strongest desire was to work with young people, helping them make better decisions and pursue their potential. With autistic youths, the goals were very different from those of the students I tutored, but the underlying dynamic was universal: be an honest advocate for self-empowerment through patience, consistency, and improved focus.
BUILDING A BUSINESS
I eventually decided to pursue tutoring full time and left my job at the Via Center. My tutoring students and their parents had great things to say about me, and by referrals I soon found myself working seven days a week. I loved it, but knew that schedule wasn’t sustainable – so in 2005, I started a tutoring business to get some relief. I called the company Aristotle Associates, in honor of the Greek icon of learning and philosophy, who was himself a tutor. I conscientiously trained each employee, so that I could preserve my reputation for caring about each student and going the extra mile to provide the support they need. I had a lot to learn about running a business, but I was on my way.
REBRANDING MY FIRM
In 2019, nearly fifteen years after my company’s start, I decided to change the name of my business. I wanted to draw attention to our process for working with students, a blend of structure and self-awareness, which goes beyond the content of standardized tests and academic classes. The specific activities into which students invest their time change the way they learn, allowing them to build self-confidence and increase productivity. I call this approach The System, and that became the new name for my company.
I also committed to the highest possible standards for the tutors who work with our clients. I searched for the individuals who are not only completely qualified to explain the most difficult concepts within their subjects, but also personable and compassionate people. It was a tremendous challenge, but I am happy to say that I have succeeded. Read through their bios, below, and see for yourself: I have an incredible staff. And I personally trained each employee, so that they would benefit from my vast experience in this industry.
The System has truly set a new standard for the industry.
METICULOUS AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
I continuously examine my company down to the smallest detail – always looking to refine our processes, to find the most talented tutors to be my employees, and ultimately to craft the best experience for my clients. I have more than twenty years of experience, and it shows: our current services are outstanding. We empower students to achieve more in less time, as they cultivate a deeper understanding of the material and better study habits, week after week. Students begin to set more ambitious goals and reach them, and that carries over into the rest of their lives.
I am grateful to be the leader of this company. I awake each day with a sense of hope and excitement for the opportunity to provide young people with the tools and resources that truly empower them. This is my passion, and nothing could fulfill me more.
Meet the Team: Experts Who Prepare for Each Student
These are the outstanding individuals who create the magic with students. Read through the bios below. There isn’t a weak member on the team – each one is a rock star: master of their subjects, friendly and engaging, and available to help your child right now.
To ensure that students get the most out of each session, we ask students to send the problems and topics ahead of their appointment, a simple step that ensures that our tutors hit the ground running from the first moment. And we don’t bill for any of the time that a tutor spends preparing. With other individuals or companies, students need to wait while a tutor refreshes on a topic or the particulars of how to solve a problem. That can be demoralizing and frustrating, and you’ll never have that problem with us.
Students are frequently amazed to see just how much they can get done in a single appointment.
ANGELA SHARP
Angela Sharp graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Master of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics in 2001. She has taught a range of mathematics courses from College Algebra to advanced Calculus in a university setting for more than two decades. She has always delighted in those “lightbulb moments” when she is helping struggling students one-on-one. During the course of her career she has received numerous teaching awards and has greatly enjoyed the connections she has made with students. In her free time, Angela enjoys gardening, fostering monarch butterflies and exploring the great outdoors in every season with her family.
KINSEY LONG
Kinsey Long is pursuing a PhD in Biophysics at UC Berkeley. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in Chemical Biology with a double-minor in Data Science and Bioengineering. She has over 6 years of experience tutoring high school students in math, chemistry, and computer science. She has also helped develop and teach college-level courses in data science and quantum mechanics. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, board games and traveling.
ALEC PARKER
Alec is a recent graduate from UC Berkeley with a BS in Chemistry and a BA in Astrophysics, with a minor in Developmental Psychology. While an undergrad, he taught coursework ranging from nutritional sciences and toxicology to organic chemistry, the latter of which is his specialty. Since graduating, Alec has specialized in tutoring organic chemistry but has also worked with several students on collegiate general chemistry as well as advanced placement chemistry for high school students. In his spare time Alec enjoys cooking, board games, and journaling on his typewriter.
ANGIKAAR CHANA
Angikaar is a first-year Master’s student at UC Berkeley studying Information & Data Science. As an undergrad, they double-majored in Data Science and Public Health, following a pre-med track and teaching courses in chemistry and data science such as general chemistry, organic chemistry, and machine learning. Angikaar plans to pursue further study in the intersection of the life sciences and information, hoping to contribute to lifesaving biotechnologies. In their spare time, Angikaar likes to play video games, work out, and chat with friends.
BECCA TAUSCHER
Becca Tauscher graduated from Hunter College and received her B.A. in Classical Studies and Classical Archaeology in the spring of 2021. While at Hunter, she was awarded the Solomon Bluhm Scholarship in classics and the Raab Presidential Research Fellowship. Her undergraduate thesis focused on Seven Against Thebes iconography in Etruscan material culture during the 5th-2nd century BCE. Becca has worked with the Paideia Institute as a Latin teacher and tutor at ThinkPrep Academy in Manhattan and helped revive the Latin program at the Williamsburg Charter High School in Brooklyn. This past year she was a Senior Paideia Fellow working in Rome, writing Latin curriculum and running academic tours for high school and college students in Florence, Naples, Rome, and Greece. Currently, she lives in NYC and works as a Latin and writing tutor while applying for Ph.D. programs.
ALAN SHIELDS
Alan is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He received his BA in Computer Science with a focus on Game Design & Development in 2015. He has over 10 years of tutoring Computer Science and Application Development, and 2 years experience as a teaching assistant. He currently works full time for an intelligence company building technology to defend against black hat hackers, and cyber criminals. When not saving the internet from crime, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, playing ice hockey, and outdoor building projects.
LYDIA MILLHON
Lydia Millhon is a PhD student in Hispanic Languages and Literatures at UC Berkeley. She completed her M.A. in Latin American Studies from the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University and received her B.A. with Honors in Spanish at Wake Forest University. With experiences mainly in Spanish speaking instruction and research, Lydia is working towards fluency in Portuguese. Her research interests include the intersections of visual arts and literature across Hispanic and Lusophone spheres like Cuba and Brazil. Her pedagogical background ranges from conversational Spanish with undergrads to working with students in immersive abroad programs, language instruction, and cultural analysis. Lydia aims to create holistic and personalized steps for students to achieve their goals and foster linguistic and intercultural exchanges.
(415) 422 0222