...was the start of what has now been an 8 year journey! I have worked with 50+ students, mostly in the areas of math, science and standardized testing. After college, I spent two years working as a biology teacher at a top charter school in NYC where my classes ranked #1 by test results. I left teaching to pursue a role as a financial analyst, but I have maintained a full roster of 1-1 private...
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...lot of theatre on campus, and I volunteered in pre-school and kindergarten classrooms. Last year I worked at a charter high school in Boston, MA that supplied students with in-school tutoring during the day. There I tutored Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Spanish and all high school levels of English. I also organized all of the clubs and activities for the school and led the choir. I would never describe myself as...
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...school and does not always sound like fun. I believe that if a student is relaxed and excited for a tutoring session, they learn a lot more and are more engaged in the lesson. Especially with test prep for standardized exams, which can be a lot of pressure for students, I like to come up with individualized test-taking strategies for each student I tutor. If I can help a student feel more self-confident and self-assured...
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...Infectious Diseases. I then went on to complete a Masters program at Georgetown University in human physiology. Given the amount of schooling I have gone through myself, I have taken a wide range of subjects and more standardized tests than I would like to admit. I have taught students of almost every age in various fields such as elementary science, Hebrew, chemistry, MCAT prep, and many more.. My ultimate plan is to go to medical...
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I'm a rising junior at Harvard College. I study African American Studies with a secondary in Women's Studies and I am pursuing a language citation in Spanish. I aspire to one day go to business school. When I am not doing work, I can typically be found reading, writing, or dancing.
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...well as the familiarity with the teachers. It was a driving factor in the my college choice. I went to Swarthmore College, a liberal arts college outside of Philadelphia. There, I completed my Bachelor's degree in Latin American Studies. I plan to continue my education and get a Master's in Public Policy. My tutoring philosophy partially comes from what worked with me, but it also from my experience working with students. I worked in a...
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...involved in an organization called Camp Kesem where I was a counselor for kids whose parents were affected by cancer. Through this I developed a sense of empathy and patients that I hope to utilize when tutoring students I work with. I have also had experience tutoring high school students one-on-one in a variety of subjects. Through this, I was able to come up with unique ways of teaching students complex subjects. I have taken...
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...and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Fordham University with a triple major in English, Philosophy, and American studies. I have two masters' degrees, and am a certified teacher in the State of Massachusetts. As a tutor, I am both flexible and patient. No two students are the same, and therefore there is no "right approach" to tutoring. Rather, I try to meet students where they are, and find ways to help them...
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...Italy. I have a broad liberal arts background, but I am especially good at helping students understand coursework in Politics/Government, World History, or International Affairs. I take a patient and nonjudgmental approach; no one is good at everything, but everyone can improve with practice and guidance. There are usually several ways to teach the same material, and I have a knack for finding the one that works. I enjoy using examples and analogies that help...
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...graduated from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA with my Bachelor's in Biochemistry and my Master's in Forensic Science and Law. I was drawn to this major because of my interest in science as well as mysteries (especially Nancy Drew as a kid!). In my free time I enjoy hiking, kayaking, playing tennis, working on arts and crafts, and traveling My love of learning started at a young age, thanks to my parents and a library...
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...my Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology with a business focus. At Rice I was a student/athlete representing the Division I Owls in track and field. After several years experience voluntarily tutoring friends and family members I became a professional private tutor my junior year of college. My senior year, I took advantage of the opportunity to reach more students, creating a small private tutoring company in Houston in which I served as lead tutor and...
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...programming. My tutoring ranges from history, both US and world, English, writing, and grammar to elementary and middle school math and Algebra 1 and 2. I love to learn and want to share that with my students. Beyond helping my students better understand subject matter, I want to help my students appreciate how they learn and the ways for them to negotiate challenges. I am an avid reader; I try to alternate between history, philosophy,...
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...a focus on Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot, and Jules Laforgue. Many summers have found me working as a residential assistant for Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, where I often would run the ever popular Seuss & Silverstein appreciation session. My ultimate goal is to become a high school English teacher and I am interested in becoming involved in educational policy at the national level later on in my life. Teaching is a joy...
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...year of high school. When I work with a student for the first time, I like to begin with the very basics of the subject to ensure the individual has a proper grasp of the fundamentals. Students can often be hesitant to admit they are unsure of concepts that were taught in previous years because they feel they are expected to know them. However, without a proper understanding of the simple facets of a subject,...
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...learning style, whatever your difficulties, I will help you through it. Together, we can solve any problem you have. I can teach you how to study, I can edit your papers, I can teach you memory tricks and organizational skills and I guarantee that after a little while with me, your grades WILL improve. I'm very friendly, feel free to contact me and schedule a session. I look forward to meeting you :)... My teaching philosophy...
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...and be efficient. In particular, I want to help students who struggle with timed essays - I myself had to learn ways to complete them successfully, and I hope I can pass on some of these skills. Outside of school, I enjoy volunteering, making music, and reading. I have volunteered in a number of healthcare environments and would love to talk to any student who is interested in healthcare or wants advice on what steps they...
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...2008 and a master's degree in secondary education in 2009. Since graduation, I have worked teaching high school English and coaching wrestling in a relatively poor and rural district just south of Richmond. Though I am fully qualified and capable of tutoring any subject related to English, one of the things I have enjoyed the most success with as a teacher is preparation for standardized tests. I also very much enjoy teaching British literature and...
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...to learn -- to fill up their "writing and reading bag o' tricks! I tutor students in English subjects -- writing and reading. I also tutor in history/world cultures as well as SAT prep. When I'm not working with students, I spend time with my camera. I'm an amateur photographer and especially love taking pictures of the beautiful PNW landscape and furry four-leggeds (mostly dogs and cats but the occasional wilderness furball too when I...
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...horn teacher, working with students in grades 6-12. I enjoy the variety of teaching these different subjects. Math is my specialty and the subject I have to most experience tutoring. I got a 740 on the SAT Math section and a 5 (top score) on the AP Calculus test. My schedule is quite flexible, so I'm always happy to try and accommodate your availability. If you have questions about me, my tutoring services, or my...
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My name is Oliver. I'm a current student at Northwestern University and standardized test tutor. I've been tutoring for the past 3 years and have helped many students score well on the SAT, ACT, PSAT, and similar exams. I am also fluent in French.
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Receive personally tailored PSAT Critical Reading 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.
PSAT Critical Reading Tutoring FAQ
Taking the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) can open up numerous opportunities for a student's future. Students who earn exceptional scores are able to begin the process of being named National Merit Scholars. This prestigious honor can bolster college applications and is often accompanied by offers of significant merit-based financial aid. National Merit Scholarship qualification aside, any student who takes the PSAT gains the experience of sitting for an exam modeled after the SAT. This experience can give a student an edge when it comes to studying for the SAT itself, as the PSAT score report can help identify one's weakest academic areas and pinpoint any testing anxieties or difficulties which will need to be addressed before taking the actual SAT.
Students who find themselves struggling with content tested in the PSAT Critical Reading section will need to review this material in a structured and focused way. This can present quite a challenge, as most high school English classes typically don't spend a significant portion of time on preparing students for the PSAT because it is seen as an optional exam. Knowing exactly what material to focus on while studying can be overwhelming. Students may have mastered sentence completion problems, but may find passage-based questions difficult. What is the best way to focus one's studies on improving these specific areas? Varsity Tutors can help students connect with personal PSAT Critical Reading tutoring to prepare for test day.
Experienced tutors take the time to really get to know their students. This involves evaluating the student for specific academic strengths and weaknesses so they are able to create custom lesson plans to address the aspects of the PSAT Critical Reading section which are most challenging for the student. A personal PSAT tutor will also take into account the personal learning style of the student. This ensures the subject material will be covered in a way that is easy for the student to understand. This helps students reach their academic goals as quickly as possible, while minimizing frustration and burnout.
PSAT Critical Reading tutors have achieved superb scores on this part of the exam. They know exactly what kind of knowledge and skills the section tests, and they also have the teaching experience and communication skills to help students learn what they need to know. An experienced tutor can also help make sure students are working at a pace that will allow them to carefully answer each problem on the Critical Reading section, without spending too much time on each question or passage. Individual tutoring sessions ensure students have their instructor's full attention, making it simple to receive advice and feedback about individual concerns as they arise.
Scheduling a personal PSAT Critical Reading tutoring session is far more convenient than many students believe. It is possible to schedule weekly sessions in the location that best fits with the student's schedule. This may be the student's home, school campus, coffee shop, or local library. Tutoring sessions can even be held face-to-face online using our live learning platform. Tutors are available for day, evening, and weekend sessions to make sure even the most hectic schedule can be accommodated.
The skills one learns through private PSAT Critical Reading tutoring can help them succeed on the PSAT. Beyond that, improved reading comprehension abilities can form a strong foundation for success on other standardized tests. Great reading comprehension skills benefit students in almost all future academic endeavors. Varsity Tutors is skilled at connecting students with the tutors that best fit their academic needs. Call us today to find out how to connect with a private PSAT Critical Reading tutor.
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Today we worked on more PSAT-type Critical Reading practice. We reviewed the passage from last week and worked on two more (rather lengthy) passages that I had assigned as homework. The student did quite well with the passages, and we had a few incorrect answers to work through. His conceptual understanding seems to be pretty good, especially for a rising 9th grader! He knows some of the Critical Reading passage tips and tricks. We talked about how to deal with passages whose questions end with "except"; those questions can have some rather irritating logical consequences that require some sort of "backwards" thinking, so we'll continue working on those. I left him with some SAT grammar practice, and soon we'll begin discussing (and writing about) "1984" to encourage both grammar and critical thinking practice. Great session!
The student and I worked through a PSAT Reading section together. He seems to be improving, especially in vocabulary. He seems to be finding it easier to understand the questions.
The student and I started by working with the critical reading section of the assessment and then moved on to Writing. We worked on techniques to move through questions efficiently and tackle unfamiliar vocabulary words. On the writing section, we worked on finding red flags in grammar questions.
Reviewed vocabulary words covered by previous tutor; created flashcards for additional vocabulary words; took 25-minute critical reading practice test. The student seems to have a pretty strong grasp of the vocabulary we covered.
We covered the assessment reading test. Reviewed overall strategies for the other assessment test, seven tips for organizing and categorizing questions, critical reading strategies, and he got some practice. I assigned homework of an hour a day and required that he start taking practice simulated tests.
In my first session with the student today, we first discussed the breakdown of the PSAT vs. SAT, what PSAT scores mean, why he wants to do well/why it isn't as important for colleges in comparison to the SAT, and what kind of questions/format he can expect to see. The student was quiet, but started talking more once we started doing practice questions together. He should fit some type of vocabulary studying (on a phone app, website game, flashcards etc.) with his other studying. We will also need to spend at least a session reviewing Grammar and the types of questions in the Writing section.
