Andrew Wu

Biography

I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the hope of someday seeing snow. When I set out for Carnegie Mellon University to graduate with a degree in electrical and computer engineering, I certainly didn’t expect to see so much of it.

I have worked with students since I was in high school, throughout my college career, and since. I worked as a tutor and teaching assistant for various academic subjects, from elementary-level math and reading to SAT prep and linear algebra. I consider myself an engineer at heart, and most of my teaching hours have been logged working with high school students studying math and science. Although I have found that many students initially dislike or fear these classes, my opinion is that high school classes tend to be far too theoretical. I love explaining practical applications of math and science and often draw anecdotes from my experience as an engineer in college and in the real world. I often recall my own experiences in high school and university in order to have a dual perspective as both student and teacher. I strive to provide my students with insight and priorities I wish I knew as a student and experiences and stories which can’t be found in any textbook or classroom.

A lot of my motivation to teach comes from enjoying the opportunity to meet and interact with new people from many different backgrounds. I strongly believe that every individual has unique conditions for optimal learning, and a classroom setting often fails to fully unlock each student’s potential. I work hard with each student to find these optimal conditions and to discover their passion for lifelong learning with much laughter and camaraderie along the way.

Beyond tutoring, I am interested in software-based gamification and software engineering for social good. I love hiking new trails, and I aspire to someday travel the world. Carpe diem!