If you are planning to take the California High School Proficiency Examination, Varsity Tutors can help you prepare with a personalized CHSPE course. We can place you int a CHSPE prep class that focuses on your needs specifically. Your CHSPE class instructor is a test prep expert who knows how to help people like you put everything together to perform at their best on test day. Reach out to our Educational Directors today or continue reading to find out how CHSPE classes could help you reach for your goals.
The CHSPE acts as a gateway to a Certificate of Proficiency, which the State of California considers an equivalent to a high school diploma. By studying effectively in CHSPE courses, you could be eligible to pursue financial aid and move on to college. Your CHSPE prep course instructor can help you focus on the academic areas where you need the most help, or they can assess where your gaps are and put together a customized plan so that you're always working to fill the gaps you need to pursue success on test day. CHSPE prep classes are all about helping you put your best foot forward on the exam.
To earn your Certificate of Proficiency, you'll need to perform up to standards in both the Math and English Language Arts section of the exam. The following table breaks down the exam and what you can expect to study for during a CHSPE class:
CHSPE Breakdown
Number of Test Questions by Content Cluster | |||||
English Language Arts Section | Mathematics Section | ||||
Language Subtest | Reading Subtest | ||||
Content Cluster | Number of Questions | Content Cluster | Number of Questions | Content Cluster | Number of Questions |
Mechanics | 24 | Comprehension | 54 | Number Sense & Patterns | 24 |
Expression | 24 | Vocabulary | 30 | Statistics and Geometry | 26 |
Total | 48 | Total | 84 | Total | 50 |
There's plenty of academic material you'll need to demonstrate your command of during the CHSPE, but that's not all you'll work on with your instructor. Personalized CHSPE prep courses also give you the opportunity to hone your test-taking skills. Strong capabilities in areas like time management and exam strategies can make a difference in your performance. If you have test anxiety issues, understanding the format and utilizing relaxation techniques can help. This is also something a CHSPE course can help you learn about. The goal of building these skills is to help you perform at your maximum potential with confidence.
The drive to build your test-taking skills doesn't come at the expense of making sure you're studying the concepts you need to have command of when test day arrives. Your CHSPE course instructor can help you drill through topics like arithmetic operations, reading comprehension, grammar and punctuation, sentence structure, and more. Here's just a sampling of the topics you can study for in your CHSPE prep courses:
CHSPE Topics (Non-Comprehensive)
- Capitalization
- Usage
- Sentence Structure
- Prewriting
- Initial Understanding
- Interpretation
- Synonyms
- Context Clues
- Number Sense and Operations
- Patterns, Relationships, and Algebra
CHSPE tutors can help you practice concepts at your pace, explaining topics you struggle to understand in unique ways until you feel comfortable moving on to something else. Your instructor can identify and teach to your learning style for maximum efficiency. We'll also set you up with a test prep instructor who can work with you at a time that's convenient. In addition, you can study with your CHSPE class instructor in face to face online sessions using our Live Learning Platform for a convenient test prep experience. If you're ready to get started, contact Varsity Tutors today.
Colton
...at my high-school for an after-school program, tutoring subjects from Spanish literature and English grammar to organic chemistry and calculus. Similarly, I've worked as a private tutor in SAT prep, AP test prep, and French, as the latter is my native language. For that reason, I like tutoring foreign languages, since a foreign language is a process that doubles one's ability to communicate with others without the need for a translator or dictionary. However, I'd...
Education & Certification
- Brown University - Bachelor in Arts, Philosophy
Subject Expertise
- Spanish 1
- ACT
- SAT Subject Test in French
- SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening
- +99 subjects
Travis
...answers to their problems, but providing them with the resources and strategies to arrive at the correct answer themselves. Not only does this empower students, but it also gives them a framework to understand and tackle more complex problems outside of tutoring. Additionally, I see no value in simply telling a student that they are wrong, or that they are incorrect. By working with each student through the thought processes and steps that led them...
Education & Certification
- University of Southern California - Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
- University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy - Master in Public Health Administration, Master of Public Administration
Subject Expertise
- SAT Reading
- SAT Math
- Math
- Test Prep
- +34 subjects
Christopher
...including my senior honors thesis, concerned the adverse of effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing hippocampal region of the brain. After graduating, I served a year, full time, as an Americorps member with City Year, tutoring and mentoring 7th and 8th grade students in the Englewood Community of Chicago in 1-on-1 and small group settings. I am currently working toward a TEFL certification that would allow me to teach English as a foreign...
Education & Certification
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Bachelors, Psychology
Subject Expertise
- College English
- Life Sciences
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Test Prep
- +32 subjects
Ingy
...in college. The cumulative nature of math poses challenges to many students, and I like to find ways to connect the dots to help my students have a better grasp of difficult concepts. While I have tutored a variety of subjects, such as math, economics, chemistry, finance, and linguistics, I now focus on tutoring math, primarily, since it is my passion. I have a very flexible tutoring style, and my approach strongly depends on each...
Education & Certification
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - Bachelors, Mathematics with Actuarial Science Specialization
Subject Expertise
- Elementary School Math
- College Algebra
- SAT
- Math
- +38 subjects
Gabrielle
...as a teacher for students of all ages, gaining significant experience in tutoring a wide variety of subjects. From ESL to public speaking, I have had the chance to help students make remarkable advancements in both confidence and competency levels. I am particularly passionate about tutoring English, Mandarin, and standardized test prep. In my experience working with students struggling to pass a class or to prepare for college entrance exams, we always have fun determining...
Education & Certification
- Arizona State University - Bachelor in Arts, Chinese Language & Global Studies
Subject Expertise
- Mandarin Chinese 2
- TOEFL
- Mandarin Chinese 1
- SAT Writing and Language
- +29 subjects
Andrew
...and I described 10 species of weevil (snout beetle) that were completely new to science. As part of my degree program, I have taught several different science classes. One of my favorite parts of being a doctoral student has been teaching and working one-on-one with students. To me, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing something 'click' for a student. My interdisciplinary training in biology and materials science has taught me how to communicate complex...
Education & Certification
- University of Florida - Bachelors, Entomology and Nematology
- Arizona State University - Masters, Biology, General
Subject Expertise
- Summer
- Science
- Algebra 3/4
- IB Mathematics HL
- +29 subjects
Ben
...eating, dancing, playing music, reading, and solving puzzles and problems. I try to have fun and be grateful every day. I enjoy my day job as an IT Specialist with Peace Corps, a federal agency whose values I share and whose work I love. My goal as a tutor is to help students discover their individual path to learning. Students do this by identifying their motivations, strengths and goals. Learning is about exploration, discovery, and...
Education & Certification
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus - Bachelors, Marketing
- Carnegie Mellon University - Masters, Public Policy and Management
Subject Expertise
- College English
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Quantitative
- College Geography
- +37 subjects
Ben
...classes where I tutored students in groups and one on one in both mathematic and theoretical concepts. I also have experience teaching musical lessons such as jazz bass, piano, and music theory to younger students. Experience in these different teaching environments has helped me cultivate a teaching style that identifies how to teach each individual student based on their learning style and personality. While working with students on topics from math to music theory to...
Education & Certification
- Oberlin College - Bachelor in Arts, Economics
Subject Expertise
- Geometry
- Calculus 2
- ACT Math
- IB Music HL
- +52 subjects
Chandler
...College, where I am majoring in Chemistry. I have a passion for teaching and engaging students with their education. There is little that is more rewarding than aiding a struggling student successfully. In high school, I was a member of the National Honors Society and relished the opportunities that organization provided me to tutor others. I love learning, and I love sharing that with others. What better way to engage others learning than tutoring?I enjoy...
Education & Certification
- Occidental College - Current Undergrad, Chemistry
Subject Expertise
- Geometry
- AP Calculus BC
- College English
- AP Chemistry
- +36 subjects
Alexandra
...to two hundred students twice a week for three years. I have over 150 hours of teacher training and countless hours in the classroom. Furthermore, I was the editor of our student newspaper, The Daily Cardinal, and have extensive writing-coaching skills in addition to a strong grasp on the English language. I am currently employed by an educational non-profit in Alexandria, Virginia and would like to spend time outside of my regular 9 to 5...
Education & Certification
- University of Wisconsin-Madison - Bachelors, History and Journalism
Subject Expertise
- Social Studies
- AP World History
- ACT Reading
- GED
- +23 subjects
Javier
...eyes to this deep and wonderful truth. Math is something to be enjoyed. I believe that while knowing the formulas and procedures is important, memorizing mathematical formulas without appreciating the concepts is akin to memorizing the lines of a Shakespeare play without paying attention to the underlying prose. My strongest subjects are linear algebra and pre-calculus though I am proficient at tutoring all high school and college underclassmen mathematical subjects. I hope that my passion...
Education & Certification
- Temple University - Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Subject Expertise
- Calculus 3
- Calculus 2
- Honors Chemistry
- Statistics
- +20 subjects
Jan
...answers. I tutor a range of subjects, but I especially enjoy teaching middle school math and SAT prep. I have a strong grasp of the approaches necessary to succeed in those areas. It is fun to share those approaches with students and watch the AHA! moments unfold. Why do I teach? Successful learning requires awareness of HOW you think: how you create and organize your own perception. I am fascinated with this meta-thinking, this thinking...
Education & Certification
- Oberlin College - Bachelor in Arts, Creative Writing and Dance
Subject Expertise
- College Essays
- Algebra 2
- Social Studies
- High School English
- +27 subjects
Ben
...subjects in the classroom, and it can quickly feel like it is too late to catch up. My goal is to work together to pick up the pieces that were lost or are close, but not quite there: learning the way you want to learn and the way you learn best rather than having topics taught at you. For standardized testing: I have taken the special classes and labored through the workbooks to prepare for...
Education & Certification
- George Washington University - Bachelor in Arts, Psychology
- Roosevelt University - PHD, Clinical Psychology
Subject Expertise
- GRE Subject Test in Psychology
- ACT Science
- Study Skills
- College English
- +50 subjects
Jean
...learn new concepts and thereby discover how to apply them appropriately. With both a tech and an artistic background, Im particularly interested in using technology to teach concepts in visual, interactive, and fun ways. Lately, when Im not working remotely as a CRM consultant or shooting photography, Ive been working on Prezi presentations and reviewing various test prep books to gather meaningful and common practice problems to teach. I would credit my teaching philosophy to...
Education & Certification
- University of California-Los Angeles - Bachelors, B.S. Mathematics/Economics
Subject Expertise
- ACT Math
- Math
- GMAT Verbal
- Graduate Test Prep
- +30 subjects
Zachary
...State University majoring in math with a minor in music. I specialize in tutoring high school math and chemistry, but I can also tutor for standardized tests. I have tutoring experience from highschool. I enjoy tutoring because I get to see how my students develop their skills over time. Outside of school, I enjoy playing trombone and singing (I do enjoy using songs to help memorize math formulas), speedcubing (solving Rubik's Cubes really fast), and...
Education & Certification
- Illinois State University - Current Undergrad, Mathematics - Actuarial Science
Subject Expertise
- AP Calculus AB
- MAP
- Math
- PSAT
- +19 subjects
Ariela
...often my job to take in complicated and conflicting pieces of information (the blocking, a quick change in costumes, changes in a script) and quickly organize that information so that I can convey it to someone else. I enjoy and excel at condensing and re-communicating facts or tasks, so that they become comprehensible to someone who may not understand them the first time around. It is not just my success at standardized tests or in...
Education & Certification
- University of Chicago - Current Undergrad, Theater & Performance Studies
Subject Expertise
- SAT Math
- 11th Grade Writing
- Calculus 2
- Comparative Literature
- +50 subjects
Katie
...mentor program for first year college students, working as an academic advisor, and teaching first year experience courses to new college students, focusing on topics like time management and study skills. I understand firsthand the importance of standardized tests as students make goals for their next level of education; I am happy to help students prepare for these exams. I enjoy students of all ages and am excited to tutor a wide range of subjects,...
Education & Certification
- University of Notre Dame - Bachelor in Arts, American Studies, Gender Studies
- University of Connecticut - Master of Arts, Higher Education and Student Affaris
Subject Expertise
- ACT Science
- SAT Mathematics
- ACT Reading
- English
- +40 subjects
Miguel
...their own pathway. Naturally, questions from students are encouraged and valued during all of my sessions. I emphasize a strategy based approach to studying, and keep an updated list of strategies that my students are finding helpful. I prefer to test mastery of material via a role reversal in which I see if the student can teach me how to correctly solve problems and arrive at the correct answers. In my opinion, there is no...
Education & Certification
- The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelors, Computer Science / English
Subject Expertise
- Microeconomics
- PCAT Verbal Ability
- AP Calculus AB
- Science
- +176 subjects
John
I graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC in 2008, the oldest English speaking acting conservatory in the world. I graduated Summa from University of St Thomas with a BA in English, and just wrapped up a MS in Data Science from Northwestern. I'm a huge Red Sox fan and love watching detective shows when I have free time.... Positivity. Always. I believe that if a student is given positive tools and is allowed to understand the material rather than be lectured at, they're more likely to do well in the future.
Education & Certification
- American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Associates, Acting
- University of St. Thomas - Bachelor of Fine Arts, English/Drama
Subject Expertise
- SAT Subject Test in Physics
- College Math
- Creative Writing
- English
- +110 subjects
Ruthie
...at Fairmont Heights High School, I taught honors students and also coached seniors who had not yet passed the Biology state test they needed to graduate. At the Noble Academy, I taught AP Biology ninth graders as well as all of our ninth graders with IEPs. Three ninth graders passed the AP Biology exam and the ninth grade grew 2.18 points as a whole on the ACT science section. I therefore am an incredibly flexible...
Education & Certification
- University of Pennsylvania - Bachelors, Biological Basis of Behavior
Subject Expertise
- Spanish 1
- French 1
- Spanish 2
- French 2
- +22 subjects