...professionally since 1985. Over these many years, I have worked with students from 5 years through 80 years of age, and at all levels of academic achievement, including students who were home schooled and those with IEPs. I have tutored the GRE, GMAT, and LSAT exams for students who were candidates for graduate school, and have worked with students taking the NTE and NYSTCE exams to earn New York State teacher certification. For the past...
Read more
...May 2013, I received my J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and took the Massachusetts Bar Exam in July 2013. During my time at American University, I excelled at legal writing, and my work was published in the Administrative Law Review. My older brother is autistic and my younger brother is seven years younger than me, so I grew up helping them with homework and various other challenges. Additionally, I was a senior...
Read more
I have been tutoring for over 12 years. I have worked with many different students in many different subjects. I've worked as a classroom teacher and instructional content creator, as well. My favorite part of tutoring is knowing that I am making a real difference for my students. I am looking forward to helping more students achieve their academic goals!
Read more
...retired teacher who tutors and writes and who has had decades of success motivating and preparing people for a range of tests and tasks. I also walk/jog 50-plus miles a week, do yoga, and exercise my critical thinking skills regularly. My students since 1979 have ranged from middle school urban and rural to university level juniors and seniors. While I spent almost ten years teaching higher ed. English Composition, Literature, and Research, the majority of...
Read more
...three years while an undergraduate. While securing my masters degree, I worked with the United Way in researching best practices for programs aimed at helping older adults, as well as statistically evaluating performance data for programs receiving funding through the organization. I have also worked on a congressional campaign and assisted my alma maters Department of Institutional Research in appraising the colleges value relative to other liberal arts colleges across a variety of academic and...
Read more
...matriculate at the Medical College of Georgia this fall, where I will pursue my MD. I have over a decade of tutoring and teaching experience. I have worked for public schools and universities, including "alternative" schools, and private tutoring companies, like Varsity. As a result, I have worked with students from a wide variety of backgrounds, including children as young as four, high-school and college students, adult learners, ESL students, and students with learning differences,...
Read more
...a tutor, I was a teacher, and before I was a teacher, I was a mentor. I have spent most of my adulthood working with students in some way, shape, or form. I've worked with a lot of students from various backgrounds and across ages. I've also tutored in almost every subject, but math is my specialty. In 2016, I received my Master's degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. I was...
Read more
...sides in tutoring for all sections of the SAT and ACT. My SAT and ACT students have been admitted to colleges including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Hamilton. I also have abundant experience working with younger students for private school entrance exams and my ISEE, HSPT and SSAT students have been accepted into the independent schools of their choice. I am highly effective at making the process of learning as enjoyable and fun as possible. As...
Read more
...focus on International Security and Norms, English Language and Literature, and Spanish. Since graduation, I got married, moved from my hometown in Michigan to a new home in New Jersey, and started tutoring and nannying students full-time while also attending graduate school full-time. I primarily work with children with learning difficulties and health issues that affect their energy and performance level in relation to their academics. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I...
Read more
...and Professional Studies. In addition to my courses, I devoted my time in New York to gaining professional experience through internships with a local newspaper and InStyle magazine's online publication. Working side by side with esteemed Editors, Photographers, and Reporters was an invaluable experience that exposed me to the excitement and challenges presented by the fast-paced field of communications. Upon graduation, I joined a boutique tutoring agency based in New York City, as the Program...
Read more
...American literature, world literature, middle school math, middle school science, middle school English/reading, American history, world history, essay composition, SAT prep, SSAT/ISEE prep, SHSAT prep, and GRE prep. I always try to discern what the individual needs and learning styles of my students are and then try to meet them where they are. I believe that there is a great student inside everyone, and it takes the right approach to make that great student manifest.
Read more
...capacity ever since. I received my undergraduate degree from Culver-Stockton College and received my master's degree from New York University. I spent the last four years teaching high school English and speech/theatre in Clinton, MO and am prepared to help with everything from persuasive writing to test preparation. To me, the most rewarding part of teaching is helping each student discover what works for them; every learner is different! I challenge my students to look...
Read more
...because it gives me a chance to work individually with each student. My teaching style is very student centered approach which allows the tutoring atmosphere to be particularly great because I can focus on your student and his or her specific needs. I have experience in various types of classroom settings including inclusion. I taught special education for over 10 years and developed curriculum and lesson plans for my students. This required me to work...
Read more
...graduated cum laude from the College of Arts and Sciences with high distinction in English and minors in Psychology and Communication Design, and hope to apply my analytical and communication skills to a career in law or public policy. While attending university, I spent my free time finding ways to positively impact and further educate my community through my involvement as a campus tour guide, writing tutor, sexual assault counselor, and Greek life leader. I...
Read more
...during my undergraduate education, I also have insight into the NYC school system, having attended the NYC Lab School and the Bronx High School of Science. I vividly remember what it is like to go through a rigorous academic education where you constantly have to prioritize school work, extracurricular activities, standardized testing, a social life... and the constant difficulties of just being a high school student! I have a Masters in Chemistry and much experience...
Read more
...you can. At all the times you can. To all people you can. As long as ever you can." Every teaching job I take on is an outflow from this statement. The pedagogical strategies I use, the learning strategies I implement for students, the instructional planning and assessment I put forth for learners, is a natural outflow from this initial belief in helping others. It's the reason I entered teaching in the first place. Without...
Read more
...Teacher. Prior to that, I worked for a nonprofit organization in New York City which provided education to low-income adult students who were preparing for the high school equivalency exam. I began my career in education as a Health and Physical Education Teacher in the Bronx, NY. Brendan has also taught and tutored high school aged students in test prep at Lehman College of the City University of New York. I graduated from Hofstra University...
Read more
...earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science at Montclair State University before going on to study her Master's of Business & Science in Analytics at Rutgers University. As a lifelong student, she loves tutoring to help others feel passionate about their own educational paths. Kelsey still attributes her academic successes to the study tactics she developed during her formative elementary and high school years, and she believes that all students (regardless...
Read more
...I served as a Youth Developement Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru. For two years I lived with a host family in the Andes Mountains and developed sustainable programs in preventative healthcare and education! After Peace Corps I helped launch a technology startup in New York City that partnered with taxi drivers. I absolutely love tutoring and sharing my passion for a variety of subjects including math, history, economics and Spanish! I have extensive experience tutoring...
Read more
...potential! I have a B.A. from UT Dallas in Interdisciplinary Studies, M.A. from Amberton in School Counseling, and M.Ed. from the University of North Texas in Educational Administration. I pride myself in learning about my students and their needs, and I want to build a rapport with them to build their confidence and academic skills. I specialize in elementary reading skills, social studies, and test preparation. I also specialize in TEXES exam preparation. My personality...
Read more
Receive personally tailored ISEE- Upper Level lessons from exceptional tutors in a one-on-one setting. We help you connect with the best tutor for your particular needs while offering flexible scheduling to fit your busy life.
ISEE- Upper Level Tutoring FAQ
The Independent School Entrance Exam, or ISEE, is leveraged by independent and private schools for admissions and placement. It is offered for three different levels: Upper, Middle, and Lower. Each test includes questions in multiple-choice format, as well as an essay question. The amount of time given, the difficulty of the questions, and the number of questions is dependent upon the level taken. Varsity Tutors can help you find a skilled tutor who can help your child study for the ISEE Upper Level exam.
The Upper Level is for students who are entering grades 9-12. The test consists of five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and the essay. Your student will have 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete the entire exam.
The Verbal Reasoning section consists of sentence completion and synonym items. They assess your child's vocabulary knowledge, and his or her ability to reason. Children have 20 minutes to complete the 40 questions on this portion of the exam. Your child's ISEE Upper level tutor may work with your child to increase his or her vocabulary by utilizing flashcards with grade-level appropriate words, or they may use other techniques based on your child's current level of mastery.
The Quantitative Reasoning section of the exam uses multiple-choice questions to determine your child's ability to problem-solve and to think mathematically. It does not assess specific math skills. Your child will have 35 minutes to complete 37 items. The ability to think critically is a key factor in answering these questions correctly. Your child's tutor may work with your student on identifying what the question is asking, as well as time management techniques.
Both the Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement portions of the exam are designed to measure your child's ability to answer grade-level questions in math and reading. Your child will be given 35 minutes to answer the 36 questions in the Reading Comprehension section, and 40 minutes to answer the 47 questions in the Mathematics Achievement section. These sections are skill-based, and your child's tutor will spend time determining which skills your student needs to focus on in order to pursue the highest score possible.
The final section of the exam is a single essay question, which is not graded by the ISEE. Instead, it is sent to the school or schools identified on the registration form. While it will not be part of the ISEE grade, it is an important factor in admissions for many schools and should be given the same care and attention as the other sections. Your child's tutor may work with him or her on creating a clear and concise outline to answer writing prompts in preparation for this portion of the exam.
It is important to note that the ISEE only looks for the number of correct answers and does not impose a penalty for those items that are answered incorrectly. Because of this, your child's tutor may also work on making educated guesses, as there is no benefit to leaving a question blank.
The Varsity Tutors live learning platform allows you to schedule your child's private ISEE Upper Level tutoring session at a time and location that is most convenient for your schedule. Private tutoring sessions can be scheduled in a virtual setting or in person. To connect with a tutor who is eager to work with your child, contact Varsity Tutors today.
4.9/5.0 Satisfaction Rating*
Your Personalized Tutoring Program and Instructor
Identify Needs
Our knowledgeable directors help you choose your tutor with your learning profile and personality in mind.
Customize Learning
Your tutor can customize your lessons and present concepts in engaging easy-to-understand-ways.
Increased Results
You can learn more efficiently and effectively because the teaching style is tailored to you.
Online Convenience
With the flexibility of online tutoring, your tutor can be arranged to meet at a time that suits you.
Recent ISEE- Upper Level Tutoring Session Notes
I first went over some practice tests the student did in the prep book. He did rather well on them. We then worked on an essay the student had started previously, so he finished writing it. After that, we worked on some more complicated square root problems, and finally finished with some synonyms practice.
We started to look the math section and began with geometry. We went through questions on squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombi, other quadrilaterals, kites, and hexagons. I had the student find the measure of angles, length of sides, area, perimeter, and diagonals. Some of the questions included other material such as finding the mean or a percentage. She needs to break the problems down into smaller parts and diagrams are very helpful. She is used to working with the metric system but the ISEE includes questions in both English and metric; she's going to need to learn how to convert between the two systems and within the English system. She also needs to make sure to read questions carefully so that she answers the question being asked. We will work together to make her proficient in all these areas.
We made some great progress with math. We're going through each concept covered on the test and reviewing things he forgot. We also did an overview of reading comp strategy and how to look at the questions given. Great work!
It was great meeting this student today! She's a very bright, very friendly student, and I appreciate the amount of hard work that she puts into our sessions. We began by reviewing the way that the ISEE is structured and basic math vocabulary. When it was clear that she could jump into more advanced topics, we immediately started working on percentages and word problems associated with algebra and percentages. She did a great job with translating those word problems into equations.
The student finished the lessons for all sections on the ISEE today. She feels confident about her progress thus far and is using the notes we took as a guide.
