Award-Winning GRE
Tutors
Award-Winning
GRE
Tutors
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who needs tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I recently graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in Communications and a minor in Business. Since 2020, I have had the privilege of tutoring students of all ages, forming meaningful connections that I deeply cherish. While I tutor a diverse array of subjects, my passions lie in Math, English, and Writing. I also love helping students with college admissions! I firmly believe that learning should be an enjoyable and enriching experience for everyone, so I strive to make each tutoring session unique and engaging.
When I was young, I used to hate swimming at the beach. The idea of sharks moving around under the waves where I could not see them made me scared to go into the water. As I grew up, however, and began to learn about the different sharks that lived off the shores of my home in Massachusetts, USA, I became less and less scared and more and more fascinated with how and why sharks move around in this underwater world. I began to ask questions like, what do sharks do under the water when we cannot see them? and, where do sharks like to go and why? As a marine scientist now I try to answer these questions. Because sharks live and breathe under the water and can swim long distances and go deep into the ocean, further and deeper than I could follow by myself, to study how these animals move and behave underwater I have to use lots of different types of technology. Sometimes I use underwater robots that can follow the sharks down deeper than humans can go, and that can carry things like cameras so I can directly see what the sharks are doing. In my work now, I use special tags that send out signals every few seconds with a unique name that identifies individual sharks. When the shark swims close enough to receivers placed out in the ocean, these receivers are able to hear and record the tag name, telling where and when individual sharks are present in different areas of the ocean. One thing I love about being a shark scientist is that I can follow sharks all over the world. First, I followed the movement of sharks all the way over in the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of the USA. Then I moved to Tasmania, Australia, and I followed young sharks as they move around off the coast of New South Wales. Now I am back home in Massachusetts and working on publishing my research.
As a passionate educator with a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Liberty University, Dr. Barnett brings 20 years of tutoring and classroom experience to his role. His specialties in Elementary School English, Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies enable him to create engaging, interactive lessons tailored to each student's unique needs. Dr. Barnett believes in fostering a supportive learning environment that empowers students to build confidence and achieve academic achievement. Through personalized tutoring plans, he offers effective online tutoring for grades 1-8, guiding students through their educational journeys. Dr. Barnett finds great joy in celebrating students' successes and inspiring a lifelong love for learning. Currently certified to teach in Maryland, he is dedicated to making a positive impact in students' lives.
I am attending the University of Pennsylvania where I am majoring in Bioengineering on the premed track, with my goal after graduation to become an orthopedic surgeon. My passion for tutoring stems from a genuine love for helping people discover their strengths and succeed in their learning journey, much like guiding a friend through a challenging but rewarding adventure. My teaching philosophy centers on adaptability and personalized instruction, tailoring each session to meet the unique needs of my students. As a tutor, I find immense joy in helping students navigate the field of STEM, while also sharing my enthusiasm for French and Arabic languages. Beyond academia, I am an avid explorer of the world, and I relish the beauty of cultural diversity. In my free time, I enjoy immersing myself in outdoor adventures, savoring diverse cuisines, and partaking in various athletic activities.
I love literature and reading and writing -- they've been central to my life since early childhood -- and I hope as a tutor not only to help students improve their skills in these areas but to instill in them a similar kind of lifelong affection for these pursuits. I believe that reading and writing are key not only to enjoying a broadly fulfilling and exciting life but also to performing effectively in virtually any kind of serious job. As a kid, my dream was to become a writer of fiction -- novels and stories -- and I majored in English and creative writing in college. But then it was literature that led my life to take a different, unexpected path. At Princeton, I had to write a senior thesis, and the topic I chose was native American prose literature -- novels, poems and other writings that hugely enhanced the love of nature and wilderness that I had already acquired through hiking and camping trips with my father. Instead of wanting to write fiction, I became an environmental advocate, and wanted to write about wilderness and environmental issues. So, I moved from the East Coast to Montana for graduate school, where I studied wilderness and wildlife management issues and earned a Master's degree in natural resource conservation. For decades ever since I have made my living primarily as a communicator, through writing as well as public speaking. Every job I've had depended on my ability to write well, from working as an editor of technical research papers for the US Forest Service; as communications director for an environmental protection group; as a press secretary in a Presidential campaign; as an international publicist for a PR firm in New York City; as an aide in the Montana Governor's Office; and as a self-employed lobbyist and campaign manager for numerous large corporations and small nonprofit groups. I also taught public and media relations at Carroll College in Montana and have done a fair amount of freelance writing along the way, with essays published in diverse outlets including Western Wildlands, the Journal of Soil & Water Conservation, Range magazine and Playboy. My love of reading and literature has never ceased. I am always reading at least one good book at a time, and I still write almost daily. On the side, I recently have edited two books for publication and have written several grant proposals. I look forward to sharing my passion for learning with students through the Varsity Tutors program.
Testimonials
Because the right GRE tutor makes all the difference.
Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
Practice GRE
Free practice tests, flashcards, and AI tutoring for GRE
Top 20 Graduate Test Prep Subjects
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Pacing is one of the biggest challenges GRE test-takers face, especially on the Quantitative section where you have roughly 1.5 minutes per question. A tutor can help you identify which question types consistently slow you down—whether that's data interpretation, geometry, or complex word problems—and teach you strategic shortcuts specific to those formats. Practice with timed sections is essential; tutors often use full-length practice tests to pinpoint where you're losing time and help you develop realistic strategies for skipping difficult questions strategically rather than getting stuck.
GRE Reading Comprehension passages are dense and often feature unfamiliar academic topics, making it easy to get lost in details. Effective tutors teach active reading techniques like annotating for main idea, author's tone, and argument structure—skills that differ significantly from how you read for pleasure. They also help you practice the specific question types (inference, detail, main idea, author's purpose) so you recognize what each question is really asking, which is often the key to avoiding trap answers designed to catch careless readers.
Many test-takers struggle with algebra (especially manipulating equations and solving for variables), word problems (translating English into math), and data interpretation under time pressure. Geometry and coordinate geometry also trip up students who haven't seen these topics since high school. A tutor can assess which of these areas are holding back your score and focus on building conceptual understanding rather than just memorizing formulas—this approach helps you tackle unfamiliar variations of familiar topics, which is what the GRE tests.
The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) is often neglected, but it's highly improvable with targeted practice. Most students can gain 1-2 points (on the 0-6 scale) by learning the specific structure GRE graders expect: a clear thesis, relevant examples, logical reasoning, and error-free writing. A tutor can provide feedback on your essays that goes beyond grammar—helping you develop stronger arguments, anticipate counterarguments, and manage the 30-minute time constraint. Since many programs weight the AWA less heavily than Quant and Verbal, tutors often help you decide whether to prioritize it based on your target schools.
Most students see measurable improvements within 4-8 weeks of consistent tutoring and practice, though the timeline depends on your starting point and target score. If you're aiming for a 10-15 point increase, you might achieve that in 6-10 sessions; larger jumps (20+ points) typically require longer commitment and more independent practice between sessions. The key is combining tutoring with regular full-length practice tests—tutors use these to track progress and adjust strategy, so you're not just studying harder but studying smarter based on what's actually holding your score back.
Test anxiety on the GRE often stems from unfamiliar question formats, time pressure, or past experiences with standardized tests. Tutors build confidence by demystifying the test structure, teaching you exactly what to expect in each section, and running timed practice drills so the format feels familiar on test day. They also help you develop a realistic pacing strategy and permission to skip hard questions—knowing you have a plan reduces panic. Many tutors discuss mindset and test-day logistics (sleep, timing, breaks) to help you approach the exam as a manageable challenge rather than a high-stakes threat.
Taking full-length, timed practice tests under realistic conditions is non-negotiable for GRE prep—they reveal your true score, not just your ability on untimed questions. A tutor helps you use practice tests strategically: taking one early to establish a baseline, then using subsequent tests to track progress and identify patterns in your mistakes (Are you missing inference questions? Running out of time on Quant?). The real value comes from thorough review afterward—tutors help you understand not just what you got wrong, but why the right answer is correct and how to recognize similar questions in the future.
While the GRE does test vocabulary, memorizing a 5,000-word list is an inefficient approach. Modern GRE questions often provide context clues, and the test focuses more on your ability to understand how words function in sentences and arguments. A tutor can teach you to use word roots, prefixes, and suffixes to decode unfamiliar words, and help you focus on high-frequency GRE vocabulary (words that actually appear repeatedly). They'll also help you practice reading comprehension and text completion in context, which is far more effective than flashcards alone for building the vocabulary skills the GRE actually tests.
Let’s find your perfect tutor
Answer a few quick questions. We’ll recommend the right plan and match you with a top 5% tutor.


