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Award-Winning COMPASS Writing Skills Tutors

Certified Tutor
Molly
I am an Illinois certified Teacher in grades K-9. I attended Northwestern University and received a Master's of Science in Education. I have ample classroom experience and expertise in elementary Math and Reading intervention. I have several tools and resources from various curricula to work with an...
Northwestern University
Master of Science in Education
Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor in Arts, History

Certified Tutor
Christopher
I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tut...
Harvard College
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Dylan
I'm looking forward to pursuing graduate studies in the fall for Environmental Management. During the past 3 years, I've been fortunate to travel and work on different organic farms and sustainable land stewardship projects; I'm hoping that my graduate studies will offer an opportunity to merge my f...
Cornell University
Bachelors, Policy Analysis and Management

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Jackie
I am a senior at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. I have a minor in Spanish and a passion for writing. I have experience tutoring several subjects, including Spanish, English/Writing and Algebra. I am a teacher's assistant at the business school and have a lot of experience read...
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Bachelor in Business Administration, Business, General

Certified Tutor
Danelle
I am an expert in psychology, reading, writing, and general scientific literacy. As a teacher and a tutor, I have worked with students ranging from children to doctoral degree candidates. I like tutoring students individually because it allows me to tailor my approach to each student in a way that I...
Ohio State University-Main Campus
PHD, Cognitive Psychology
Denison University
Bachelor in Arts, Psychology

Certified Tutor
10+ years
Lucy
I'm a freelance writer, recent Yale grad, former concert pianist and word lover. For the past three years I've worked as a writing specialist at the Yale College Writing Center, where I edited papers on topics from Turkish prison reform to Faulkner to hemoglobin studies. This past summer, I traveled...
Yale College
Bachelors, English

Certified Tutor
9+ years
I am an avid Lakers basketball fan. I also enjoy cooking and traveling.
University of Queensland
Masters, Medicine
Brown University
Bachelors, Biology, General

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Samantha
I am a rising Junior at Princeton University who is passionate about the ways in which people learn, which has led me to pursue a degree in Neuropsychology. Through great experiences teaching English in Chiangmai, Thailand for two months and tutoring Calculus I and II through Princeton University's ...
Princeton University
Current Undergrad Student, Psychology

Certified Tutor
8+ years
Mia
I am an undergraduate student at Yale University majoring in Religious Studies. Outside of class I spend a lot of time pursuing a career in theater, film, and comedy. I have worked as a freelance tutor and babysitter since sophomore year of high school.
Yale University
Bachelor in Arts, Religious Studies

Certified Tutor
6+ years
I am excited to tailor each and every session to a particular student's needs and preferred method of learning.
Harvard College
Bachelor in Arts, Biopsychology
Top 20 Test Prep Subjects
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John
Calculus Tutor • +39 Subjects
I am not tutoring, teaching, or helping others increase their communication skills, I can be found playing piano and saxophone around town with some bands, being upside down while practicing Acroyoga, biking around with friends, or playing with my dog. Hobbies: books, writing, reading, music, yoga, art
Rithi
AP Statistics Tutor • +158 Subjects
I am now a medical student at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Arianna
12th Grade math Tutor • +277 Subjects
I am a Dartmouth graduate. I am currently working on my med and business endeavors. I have not only an interest, but a motivation to help others. I have helped students get into Ivy League schools as well as other top universities across the country with top scholarships. I tutor in all subjects from French to Essay Writing and Algebra to Chemistry! I want my students and tutees to see the value in themselves and know that they can accomplish anything with determination and hard work! Realizing you can do it is half the battle and working hard to bring that dream to fruition is the other half! Hobbies: reading, music, writing, painting, art, books, photography
Nicole
Calculus Tutor • +74 Subjects
I am currently a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling master's program at Nova Southeastern University, and I received my B.A. in English with a minor in Spanish from the University of Miami in 2016. I am a native speaker of English and Russian. Throughout the course of my education, I have helped my fellow students improve their analytical and writing skills through collaboration. I am able to tutor a broad range of subjects, including standardized test preparation, English literature up to the college level, essay and academic writing and grammar, Russian and Spanish language skills. Having scored in the top percentiles on the verbal and essay writing sections of standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE, I also possess the perspective and expertise to help others excel on these and similar exams. I am passionate about empowering students to achieve their full potential through education, and I strongly believe tutoring can be a valuable tool for any student's academic growth. In my free time, I enjoy reading, crafting, and journaling.
Jennifer
Middle School Math Tutor • +93 Subjects
I am a recent graduate of the University of Alabama, where I got my Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and majored in public relations and English. I recently moved to the Atlanta area to begin an exciting job as a digital media specialist! I have six years of tutoring experience, especially in English, grammar, writing, general study skills, and essay planning.
Emily
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +55 Subjects
I am a graduate student at Columbia University, working towards Masters degrees in Public Health and Social Work. I am a graduate of Brandeis University with Bachelor's degrees in Anthropology and Environmental Science. I have been teaching students ages 9 and up for approximately 8 years, and I would love to help you reach your academic potential! My favorite subjects to tutor are reading comprehension, environmental science, and essay-writing.
Alexandra
Middle School Math Tutor • +182 Subjects
I am a rising senior at The University of North Texas in Denton. I am working towards my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish as well as English with a concentration in Creative Writing. I was raised in an academically competitive environment in Fort Bend County and my rigorous secondary education prepared me for success in college. I am a fortunate member of the Terry Scholarship Foundation, which has provided me and hundreds of other Texans with a private, four-year, full-ride scholarship. As a Terry Scholar, I am well-versed in all subjects and have taken on the role of mentor to many of the incoming freshmen. I have spent most of my free time in college as a nanny and tutor to families around the DFW area. I have experience with all age groups and there is nothing that intimidates me! While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about English, Literature, History, Spanish, and Government/Social Studies. Through my experiences helping struggling students and peers, I have realized the value of adaptability. Most people reach out to a tutor because the traditional classroom method is not best suited for their learning needs. There is nothing more joyful than when a student finally understands the material in a way that makes sense to them. Many times, students need flexibility and patience in order to grasp a foreign concept. I am a firm believer in the power of education and I hope to share my love of learning with all of my students. After graduation I plan on returning to Houston to obtain my Master of Arts in Teaching from Rice University. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and writing anything from poetry to screenplays. I have also been involved in competitive dance for most of my adolescence, so I understand the balance of academics and extracurriculars. Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books, dancing, yoga
Naomi
9th Grade math Tutor • +141 Subjects
I am happy to tutor for Varsity Tutors. I study English literature and philosophy, so reading and writing are my strongest suits, but I am glad to help in any of my listed subjects. Please send me a message to let me know how I can be of assistance!
Chloe
Calculus Tutor • +31 Subjects
I am Chloe, and I am passionate about all things English! I have been teaching English at a South Korean kindergarten for the past several months, and I was TEFL certified as of October 2016. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May of 2016 with a BA in English Literature and a certificate in Global Cultures. I'd love to help with any ACT/AP English prep, as well as any other English-related teaching services required. I believe learning works best when the subject becomes relevant for the student, not just as something they "have" to learn, but as something that can help make life worthwhile. Learning should be a joy, not a chore!
Rifat
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +26 Subjects
I am an undergraduate student attending Tandon School of Engineering at New York University. I will be earning a Bachelors of Science in Business and Technology Management while minoring in Mechanical Engineering. Before attending college, I was a teacher and office assistant who taught students elementary, middle school, SHSAT and SAT level math, while performing clerical tasks under a tutoring center. Additionally, as a member of the National Honor Society I tutored underclassmen STEM related subjects such as physics and calculus during my senior year at high school. While tutoring a wide variety of STEM related subjects though, I find great interest tutoring elementary and middle school math, specifically pre-algebra, algebra, SHSAT, along with the basic concepts of math at those levels. Given the experience I had helping students prepare for Common Core State Exams or SHSAT, the students and I feel like we are solving a "detective case" with each math question in front of us, and I'd allow the students to be detectives looking for clues in the problem as that is what math involves; this in fact makes the learning experience a lot fun for me as a teacher and them as students that I wouldn't want to really give up on. I consider myself to be a strong advocator of education for every child as Malala Yousafzai once said "one child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world." During my free time, I enjoy reading the news about social reforms, exercising, and cooking.
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you work with a tutor. Most students see meaningful progress within 4-8 weeks of focused preparation, with improvements ranging from 10-30+ points depending on baseline performance and effort. A tutor can help you identify your specific weak areas—whether that's grammar, sentence structure, or organization—and target those directly rather than studying everything generically.
Consistent practice combined with personalized feedback tends to yield the best results. Your tutor can track your progress on practice tests to adjust the study plan as needed.
Students typically struggle with three main areas: identifying and correcting grammar and punctuation errors quickly under pressure, understanding the distinction between correct and effective writing choices, and managing time while reading longer passages and multiple-choice options.
Additionally, many students find it challenging to spot errors when reading their own work, especially when fatigue sets in during a test. A tutor can teach you targeted strategies for recognizing error patterns, scanning efficiently, and maintaining focus throughout the entire section.
The best COMPASS Writing Skills tutors combine test expertise with strong teaching skills. Look for someone who understands the specific format and question types on the COMPASS, can explain grammar rules clearly without overwhelming jargon, and takes time to understand your personal weak spots rather than following a generic curriculum.
A great tutor should also use practice tests strategically to identify patterns in your mistakes, teach you efficient test-taking strategies (like how to spot errors quickly), and help build your confidence by celebrating progress along the way. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who excel at explaining writing concepts in ways that stick.
Practice tests are essential because they show you exactly where you stand and help you identify patterns in your mistakes. By taking full-length or section-specific practice tests under timed conditions, you'll discover whether your challenges are with speed, accuracy, specific grammar concepts, or test anxiety itself.
Your tutor can use practice test results to create a targeted study plan, focus on the error types that appear most frequently in your work, and teach you pacing strategies. Taking 3-5 practice tests throughout your preparation helps you track improvement and build test-day confidence.
Most students benefit from 4-12 weeks of preparation, depending on their starting point and test date. If you're targeting a specific score or applying to a program with a deadline, working backward from that date helps create urgency and structure.
A typical effective schedule includes 2-3 tutoring sessions per week combined with independent practice between sessions. Your tutor can adjust the pace based on how quickly you're mastering concepts and improving on practice tests. Starting earlier rather than later gives you flexibility to focus on challenging areas without cramming.
Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about question formats. Working with a tutor builds genuine confidence by ensuring you understand the material thoroughly and practice under realistic test conditions repeatedly. Familiarity breeds comfort—the more practice tests you take, the less intimidating the real exam feels.
Your tutor can also teach you practical strategies like reading questions carefully before answering, managing your time so you're not rushed, and using breathing techniques if anxiety rises during the test. Building a strong foundation through targeted practice is one of the most effective ways to calm test-day nerves.
The COMPASS Writing Skills section focuses heavily on grammar fundamentals: subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, verb tense consistency, sentence fragments, comma placement, and parallel structure. You'll also see questions about word choice, clarity, organization, and how sentences work together within a passage.
Rather than advanced or obscure grammar rules, the test emphasizes practical writing skills that matter in college and workplace writing. A tutor helps you master these high-frequency concepts through targeted practice and teaches you to spot these errors quickly during the test, which is just as important as knowing the rules themselves.
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