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TUTORS FROM

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Award-Winning History Tutors

Ruth

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Ruth

PhD
Ruth's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Writing
History
High School Level American History

My teaching philosophy is focused on a single objective - that students learn. I have a Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. from Temple Law School. My GRE score was a 326, and my LSAT score was a 173. I've tutored over 60 students through Varsity Tutors. I'm co...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

PhD

Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary

PhD

Melinda

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Melinda

PhD
Melinda's other Tutor Subjects
PSAT Writing Skills
SAT Reading
ACCUPLACER WritePlacer
ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills

With a Ph.D. in Communications, I have dedicated my career to enhancing students' skills in visual, spoken, and written communication at the University of Maryland and various colleges in Pennsylvania. For over 3 years, I have specialized in online tutoring, focusing on preparing students for the ve...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

PhD

Jacqueline

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Jacqueline

Doctorate (PhD)
Jacqueline's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Geometry
Algebra

As a dedicated educator with a PhD in German Studies from Cornell University, I am passionate about nurturing student success through personalized tutoring. With over 7 years of teaching experience, I specialize in a wide array of subjects, including AP courses in Physics, English, and Calculus, as ...

Education

Cornell University

Doctorate (PhD)

Cornell University

Master's/Graduate

Yale University

Bachelor

Stella

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Stella

Master's/Graduate
Stella's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Elementary School Math
Grade 11 Math
PSAT Writing Skills

I'm a current PhD student in the history department at Georgetown University who is also an experienced instructor with Varsity Tutors. As a recipient of several degrees, the most recent being a BA in history from Hillsdale College and a MA in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies from Stanfo...

Education

Stanford University

Master's/Graduate

Clark College

Associate

Abigail

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Abigail

BS
Abigail's other Tutor Subjects
PSAT Writing Skills
ACCUPLACER ESL
ACCUPLACER WritePlacer
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic

I am a knowledgeable tutor with over 5 years of experience in SAT tutoring. While studying psychology at Yale, I focused on developmental psychology, early childhood education, and writing. I have a background in nannying as well, so connecting with kids comes naturally to me. I have a master's degr...

Education

Yale University

BS

Nico

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Nico

AB
Nico's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math

Studying both Economics and Global Affairs at Yale means Nico constantly encounters history not as a standalone subject but as the foundation underneath every policy debate, trade agreement, and political crisis he analyzes in his coursework. That dual lens is especially useful for teaching U.S. con...

Education

Yale University

AB

Michael

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Michael

AB
Michael's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Statistics

A history degree from Northwestern trained Michael to treat the past as an argument to be constructed, not a list to be memorized. He teaches students to read primary sources critically, identify bias, and build thesis-driven essays — the same skills that transfer from a DBQ to a college research pa...

Education

Northwestern University

AB

Curran

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Curran

AB
Curran's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Geometry
Algebra

As a professional educator with over a decade of experience, I specialize in delivering personalized, high-impact instruction across the humanities, test preparation, and college readiness. I've taught everything from early literacy and middle school ELA to AP-level history, civics, and economicsand...

Education

University of Notre Dame

AB

Orne

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Orne

BS
Orne's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Geometry
Algebra

Hey! My name is Orne Akter and I am an undergraduate student at Harvard College under the majors of Neuroscience and Psychology! After 3 years of teaching Geometry and Algebra at my high school, I have picked up a passion for teaching students like myself! I can teach math (geometry, Algebra I/II, S...

Education

Harvard University

BS

Theodore

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Theodore

MD
Theodore's other Tutor Subjects
10th-11th Grade AP Psychology
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Trigonometry

I am a Master of Divinity student at Princeton Theological Seminary. I graduated Harvard College in 2016 and was a peer tutor at Harvard. Before Divinity School, I taught high school and middle school debate and was an SAT/ACT tutor in Birmingham, Alabama. I then taught middle school debate at Succe...

Education

Harvard University

MD

Meet Our Expert Tutors

Connect with highly-rated educators ready to help you succeed.

Harleen

AP Statistics Tutor • +151 Subjects

I am a Molecular Engineering major at the University of Chicago, I am currently taking time off to focus on other aspects of my career but I don't want to stop tutoring outside college campus!. I am a child of immigrants and have spent my life tutoring my siblings and younger students, and I loved working with them! See y'all in class!

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Linford

PSAT Writing Skills Tutor • +49 Subjects

I am a committed mentor and scholar passionate about enabling students to meet and exceed their learning goals. With Masters degrees from Northwestern and Yale, I have experience tutoring students from diverse backgrounds in Israel/Palestine and across the United States. My favorite subjects to tutor include any topic in Humanities, Social Studies, and Language Arts, especially History, Geography, Study Skills, and German. I also love to offer any kind of support/advising on the college application journey. I get satisfaction from seeing students connect deeply with themselves and their subjects while having fun in the process. In my free time I enjoy painting, reading, watching TV, and learning new languages.

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William

SAT Subject Test in World History Tutor • +72 Subjects

I have a lot of teaching experience in both high-school and college settings, in the United States and abroad. I cover subjects ranging from ESOL, German, literature, and essay writing to most of the humanities topics that arise in AP and IB courses.

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Megan

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +55 Subjects

Hello parents and future students! I've been tutoring for more than six years now and have tons of experience working with learners of all ages. My teaching focuses on building confidence and encouraging vulnerability- we all make mistakes and tutoring helps us fix them! As for some background on myself, I'm a recent graduate of the University of Florida with a BS in Microbiology and Cell Science as well as two minors, one in history and one in Spanish. I'm currently pursuing an MS in Biomedical Sciences from Vanderbilt University before attending medical school in the future. I hope to get to know each and every one of you to help you reach your goals and achieve your dreams!

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Elizabeth

SAT Reading Tutor • +17 Subjects

Hi, really nice to meet you! I have 10 years experience teaching GRE. I taught GRE and GMAT as an Adjunct Professor at American University for 3 years, which enhanced my ability to create a standardized GRE itinerary for the classroom. I have taught GRE at Varsity Tutors for 5 years, in person and virtually to individual students, and I was rated in the top 10 percent of tutors by students. Prior to working at Varsity, I taught at Princeton Review for 2 years, teaching the GRE in a classroom setting. I received a score of 730 on my Verbal Section and a score of 770 on my Quantitative Section. I use the ETS GRE text, as the Educational Testing Service (ETS) creates and administers the exam, and I find it the most realistic indicator of how the questions will appear on test day. I hand out guides for the Quantitive section (with formulas and hints for the Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Data Analysis chapters) and the Verbal and Essay sections (with tips for learning vocabulary and guides for Sentence Equivalence, Reading Comprehension, and the Issue Essay). I received my BA in English Literature and U.S. History from Vanderbilt University in 2005, my MA in U.S. History from The George Washington University in 2010, and my MBA in Medical Policy Management from the University of Minnesota in 2024.

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Brooke

AP Statistics Tutor • +133 Subjects

Hi! I'm a student currently studying Government at Harvard, and I'm really looking forward to getting to work with you. I have experience tutoring high school students in a number of subjects, including math (Algebra 2 and Precalculus), English, History, and Spanish. I also have helped students write and revise college essays and supplementals. Additionally, I have experience with public speaking as captain of the Harvard Mock Trial team, which has awarded multiple times at the national championship. I'm happy to help with whatever you're looking for, and I feel strongly about catering my tutoring to each individual student's needs. I look forward to getting to work with you!

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Patrick

Elementary School Math Tutor • +82 Subjects

After serving as an intelligence officer in the Air Force for seven years, I completed a doctoral program in American Literature at UNC-Chapel Hill. Since then, I have edited a literary journal, managed a research center, and published several peer-reviewed articles on American autobiography, fiction, and poetry. I live with my wife and three daughters in Durham, North Carolina.

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Emily

Middle School Math Tutor • +65 Subjects

I am an Ivy-league graduate (Princeton summa cum laude) and an editor for an academic publishing press. I have years of experience teaching and mentoring at the university level (University of Notre Dame), and I've also tutored students in chemistry, math, the arts, and humanities from elementary school through high school. I've worked and lived in over seven different countries with international colleagues and I'm very understanding of different cultural backgrounds. I fell in love with teaching years ago while serving as a librarian for children and teens, and I enjoy working with students to reach their full potential.

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Straley

AP Statistics Tutor • +255 Subjects

I hold a Master's degree from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. I tutored GED math for 3 years in college, so I have experience breaking down concepts for students with a variety of learning styles. I've also informally tutored other students in my math and science classes. My favorite part of working with students is seeing people's faces light up when they understand a tough concept. In my free time, I enjoy reading, walking, dancing, and listening to music.

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Obada

Elementary School Math Tutor • +34 Subjects

I have been a passionate educator for more than 7 years. I completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Pre-Med at the University of Michigan, a Master of Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and am completing a Graduate degree in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh. I have taught, tutored, and mentored students in different schools and organizations across the country. I have also worked as a counselor, advisor, and co-curricular instructor for students at the University of Michigan. I have extensive knowledge and experience in history, reading, english, writing, science, and math. I always seek to support my students in meeting and exceeding their academic goals. I love working with all students, no matter their experiences and backgrounds. I believe in the importance of education and in particular in the importance of providing top quality educational opportunity for all students. I hope to instill the love of learning and growth in all of my students and those that I serve.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Students often find it challenging to synthesize broad historical periods—like understanding the causes and consequences of major revolutions or wars—rather than just memorizing dates and events. Many also struggle with historiography: understanding that historical interpretations change based on new evidence and scholarly perspective. Additionally, students frequently find it difficult to analyze primary sources critically, distinguishing between a document's historical context, the author's bias, and its reliability as evidence. Tutors help students move beyond surface-level facts to develop the analytical frameworks historians actually use.

History essays require more than restating facts—they demand evidence-based arguments with clear thesis statements and supporting documentation. A tutor helps you learn to construct arguments by selecting relevant primary and secondary sources, evaluating their credibility, and using them to support your interpretation rather than just filling space. They'll also help you avoid common pitfalls like confusing correlation with causation (e.g., assuming one event caused another simply because it happened first) and teach you how to acknowledge counterarguments. This approach builds the critical thinking skills needed for AP History exams and college-level history courses.

Primary sources—letters, speeches, government documents, photographs—are the raw material historians use to construct arguments about the past. However, reading them effectively requires asking specific questions: Who created this? When and why? What was their perspective or bias? What does it reveal about the time period, and what doesn't it tell us? Tutors teach you a systematic approach to source analysis that goes beyond simple comprehension, helping you evaluate reliability, identify bias, and use sources as evidence in your own arguments. This skill is essential for history research papers and standardized exams like AP US History, AP European History, and AP World History.

Historical causation is rarely simple—most major events result from multiple, interconnected causes operating over time (economic conditions, political decisions, social movements, technological changes). Students often fall into the trap of identifying a single cause or assuming that because Event A happened before Event B, it caused it. A tutor helps you develop a more sophisticated approach: identifying primary and secondary causes, understanding how different factors interact, and recognizing that historians may disagree about causation based on which evidence they emphasize. This nuanced thinking is what distinguishes strong history work from surface-level analysis.

AP History exams (US, European, World, or African) test not just content knowledge but your ability to analyze sources, construct arguments, and make historical connections under time pressure. The document-based question (DBQ) and long essay questions require you to synthesize multiple perspectives and evidence into a coherent argument—skills that go well beyond memorization. Tutors help you practice these specific exam skills: quickly analyzing unfamiliar documents, identifying relevant historical examples, organizing complex arguments, and managing time across multiple question types. They can also help you identify gaps in your content knowledge and teach you efficient strategies for retaining the breadth of material these exams cover.

At the middle school level, tutors focus on building foundational chronology, understanding cause-and-effect relationships, and developing basic source analysis skills. In high school, the emphasis shifts to constructing evidence-based arguments, understanding historiography, and analyzing competing interpretations of events. For AP-level students, tutors help refine exam-specific skills like rapid document analysis, synthesizing multiple sources into coherent arguments, and making sophisticated historical connections. At all levels, effective tutoring moves students from passive memorization toward active historical thinking—asking why events happened, whose perspectives are represented or missing, and how we know what we know about the past.

Beyond finding sources, History research requires you to evaluate their credibility and relevance to your argument. You need to understand the difference between primary sources (firsthand accounts from the period) and secondary sources (modern historians' interpretations), and know when each is appropriate to use. Strong History writing also demands that you integrate sources smoothly into your own analysis—using quotations and paraphrasing strategically to support your points, not just to fill space. A tutor can teach you how to construct a thesis that's specific and arguable, organize evidence logically, and revise your work to strengthen your argument. These skills transfer across all your academic writing.

Every historical source reflects the perspective of its creator—their time period, social position, political beliefs, and what they had access to. Learning to identify and account for bias doesn't mean dismissing a source; it means understanding how perspective shapes what information is included, emphasized, or omitted. Similarly, modern historians' interpretations are influenced by the questions they ask and the evidence available to them, which is why historical understanding evolves over time. A tutor helps you develop a critical eye for these layers of perspective, teaching you to ask: Whose voice is heard here? Whose is missing? How does that shape what we can conclude? This analytical approach is central to thinking like a historian.

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