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Stephen
Certified GRE Tutor
Stephen
AB Grinnell College
12+ Years Tutoring

I am a graduate of Grinnell College, a private liberal arts college located in Grinnell, Iowa. I have a Bachelor of the Arts in Computer Science from Grinnell's Department of Math and Computer Science. Since graduation I have tutored students of a wide variety of ages and background in a number of subjects. I have tutored middle school students in the Chicago area in Math and science and high school students in advanced Math, chemistry, writing, and helped them prepare for standardized tests for college admittance. I have also tutored adults preparing for academic proficiency tests for their jobs and with GRE prep for those interested in going to graduate school. Additionally I have taught English grammar, reading, and conversational skills to ESL students in Chicago, Ecuador, and Colombia. While I tutor a number of subjects, I particularly enjoy helping students with standardized test strategy and following their scores as they increase towards their goal. When I tutor, I aim to lead students to an answer by example so that they can see the reasoning involved themselves, rather than me just telling them the answer. The more the students can come to their own solutions, the more memorable the lessons will be. In my spare time I enjoy reading, playing skill games like scrabble, bridge, and poker, and outdoor activities like biking, camping, and canoeing when the weather is nice.

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Thomas
Certified GRE Tutor
Thomas
AM Columbia University in the City of New York • AM Dartmouth College
9+ Years Tutoring

Thomas covers both the quantitative and verbal sides of the GRE, drawing on a math-heavy science background that spans calculus through statistics and a graduate education built on reading and writing analytically. For the Quantitative Reasoning section, he digs into probability, number properties, and data interpretation — areas where many test-takers lose easy points. On the Verbal side, he teaches strategies for breaking apart dense reading passages and eliminating answer choices systematically.

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Elizabeth
AM Vanderbilt University
11+ Years Tutoring

Elizabeth scored 730 Verbal and 770 Quantitative on the GRE and teaches exclusively from ETS materials, since those mirror test-day question styles more closely than third-party prep books. She built her approach over years of classroom instruction at American University and Princeton Review, creating structured guides for every section — from Data Analysis formulas to Issue Essay frameworks — so students always know exactly what to study next.

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Ruth
PhD University of Pennsylvania • PhD Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary
6+ Years Tutoring

Ruth has taken the GRE from both sides — as a test-taker entering her PhD program in Criminology and as someone who now teaches all three sections. Her doctoral training sharpens the Analytical Writing component, while her math teaching background means she can break down Quantitative Reasoning problems involving probability, combinatorics, and data interpretation without relying on shortcut tricks. Rated 4.9 by students, she builds section-specific strategies that adapt to each person's score gaps.

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Irina
Undergraduate Degree New York University
10+ Years Tutoring

Preparing for the GRE as a whole means juggling Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing — three sections that reward very different skills but share a common thread of logical reasoning. Irina's science background covers the quantitative side, while her years of teaching English abroad and earning an MPH give her genuine range across the verbal and writing sections. She builds study plans around diagnostic weaknesses rather than generic timelines.

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Certified GRE Tutor
Destiny
BS Howard University
9+ Years Tutoring

Scoring 5s on both AP English exams and the AP Psychology exam, Destiny knows how to dissect reading passages under pressure and construct tight analytical arguments — two skills that drive GRE Verbal and Analytical Writing scores. Her psychology background at Howard University also built the quantitative reasoning habits (interpreting data, working through statistical relationships) that carry over to the GRE's math section. She breaks the test into repeatable strategies so students spend less time second-guessing and more time executing.

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Elle
BA University
15+ Years Tutoring

Reviews from students: "I loved how you explained math. You were able to explain formulas so they made sense and it was engaging. Thank you for making math interesting." - Ferol Conklin "I have published over 20 articles, and no one has ever edited my articles as thoroughly or as helpfully as you did." - Mark Ragel "The instructor was the best I had at this university." - Spanish student, University of Illinois "Elle was kind, patient, and funny. She seemed to really enjoy teaching." - Spanish student, University of Illinois I have three years professional teaching experience and several years of tutoring experience. I have always been a teacher at heart. I feel my biggest strength as a tutor is looking at material from the perspective of the student. I have also been described as a calm, patient, passionate, and fun tutor. I think lesson plans should be interesting to motivate students to care about the subject and engage in the process of learning. I worked as a Spanish TA at the University of Illinois for two years as as the main instructor for over 200 students. I have also worked as a middle school teacher. I have experience tutoring a variety of subjects, including test prep, reading and writing, and various levels of math. My degrees are in Linguistics, Spanish, and Journalism, with a minor in Math.

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Mimi
MS Harvard University • BA Dartmouth College
6+ Years Tutoring

I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.

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Aaron
BA The University of Texas at Dallas • Current Grad Student, Mechanical Engineering Duke University
10+ Years Tutoring

I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old electronics, playing Pokemon, or picking at my guitar.

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Nina
MS Columbia University • BA Northwestern University
10+ Years Tutoring

I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.

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Reid
PhD Harvard University • BA Wesleyan University
1+ Years Tutoring

I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.

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Michelle
MD Baylor College of Medicine • BA Rice University
1+ Years Tutoring

I am proud to be a part of Varsity Tutors! I am originally from San Antonio, TX; I completed my undergraduate education at Rice University in Houston where I received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Currently, I am in my second year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you work with a tutor, but most students see meaningful gains of 5-10 points per section when they have a focused study plan. The GRE is highly learnable—weak areas often stem from unfamiliar question formats or pacing issues rather than fundamental ability gaps. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert GRE tutors who can identify exactly where you're losing points and create targeted strategies to address those specific challenges.

The Quantitative Reasoning section challenges many test-takers, especially those who haven't studied math in years. The GRE math isn't about advanced concepts—it's about speed and problem-solving strategies under time pressure. Many students also underestimate the reading comprehension section, which tests your ability to find key information quickly in dense passages rather than deep reading comprehension. A tutor can help you build confidence in whichever section is your weak spot by breaking down question types and teaching you efficient approaches.

Most students benefit from 3-6 months of consistent preparation, dedicating 10-15 hours per week to studying. Your timeline depends on your target score and starting baseline—someone aiming for a top-tier program may need longer than someone with a baseline strong foundation. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction can compress your timeline by helping you focus on high-impact areas rather than spending time on concepts you've already mastered. A tutor can also create a customized schedule that fits your life in Chicago while keeping you on track toward your goals.

Practice tests are essential—they help you identify weak areas, build stamina for the 3.5-hour exam, and get comfortable with the actual test format and pacing. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions is far more valuable than studying isolated concepts. Most students should take at least 4-5 full practice tests during their prep. Tutors can review your practice test performance to spot patterns in your mistakes, whether you're running out of time, misunderstanding certain question types, or struggling with specific content areas.

Pacing is one of the most common GRE challenges—spending too long on difficult questions while rushing through ones you could get right. The key is developing a strategic approach: for each section, you should allocate roughly 1.5 minutes per question, but be willing to skip and return to tricky items. Learning to quickly assess question difficulty and make smart guesses on hard questions helps you maximize your score. A tutor can teach you tested pacing strategies specific to each section and help you practice implementing them until they become automatic during test day.

Test anxiety is normal, and it often stems from uncertainty about what to expect or fear of particular question types. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who build confidence by making the test familiar—when you've seen similar questions dozens of times and practiced your strategies repeatedly, the actual test feels less intimidating. Tutors also teach mental strategies like how to handle unexpected difficult questions without spiraling, how to recognize when you're overthinking, and how to move forward productively. Mock test practice under realistic conditions is one of the best ways to build the calm confidence that reduces anxiety on test day.

The Analytical Writing section (Analyze an Issue and Analyze an Argument essays) rewards clear structure and specific reasoning more than brilliant prose. Most students need to practice recognizing common argument patterns, identifying logical fallacies, and organizing coherent responses in just 30 minutes. Writing multiple timed essays and getting feedback is more valuable than studying writing theory. A tutor can evaluate your essays, point out where your logic is weak or unclear, teach you efficient templates that organize your thinking, and help you practice until you can write a solid response quickly and confidently.

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