...exciting and relevant to children. One of the greatest challenges facing young students is that information is presented to them in a stale, inaccessible way. Specifically in the context of standardized testing, they are asked to memorize and regurgitate information without truly grasping its content; such a style makes it impossible for students to approach unfamiliar problems and think critically, and often contributes to their discouragement and their writing off of entire subjects like math...
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...that the most important quality that a great tutor can have is accountability- by being consistently accountable to the student, showing up prepared and eager to spend time with them, you show them how much you care. Doing so forms a close bond, and allows the tutor to be much more effective. I think that it is also important to understand the place that the student is coming from- to be empathetic about problems they...
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...of, it's that I genuinely enjoy tutoring. I'm also a "professional" student. I say this because absorbing, analyzing, and integrating knowledge from my medical courses are necessary skills for my own academic success. And so, I am more than happy to share my study strategies, techniques, and tips with students. My strengths lie within the sciences (e.g. AP Biology, Biochemistry, AP Chemistry), followed by mathematics. I also enjoy teaching and tutoring Latin. Believe me when...
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...of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and I am double majoring in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development and French. I am pre-med, so I do hope to go to medical school next year and am currently in the process of applying. I graduated from Hinsdale Central High School in 2012, and there I was a member of the National Honors Society which was my first experience with tutoring. I am currently a volunteer at the University of...
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...life. I scored in the 100th percentile on the SAT, the MCAT (old and new), and pretty much any exam you could think of. I was also a National AP Scholar. I majored in Physics and Biochemistry at NYU, and published several papers as well as patents through my research. I tutor well over 135 subjects, but my favorite subject to tutor is the MCAT and Physics. I've never taken a break from tutoring, which...
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...educational goals. Whatever the task, no matter how long it takes, I will make sure you get the most out of your sessions and will tailor my personal approach to whatever you need. I have been tutoring middle school, high school, and college students for five years. As an Ivy League graduate, I know what it takes to succeed in a highly competitive academic environment and can help you succeed as well!
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...neuroscience and computer science. I have tutored students in a wide range of materials from standardized tests (SAT and ACT), to various high-school subjects (including Physics, Chemistry, Algebra, and Geometry). I scored in the 99th percentile of both the ACT and SAT, and I strive to help every student I tutor gain the necessary skills and habits to achieve whatever score they are aiming for. Standardized testing and school in general can be a huge...
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...the track to a Bachelor of Arts in Statistics with a double major in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences, which is just a fancy way of saying math-based economics, and a minor in Legal Studies as well as Marketing. After my undergraduate studies, I plan on working in consulting for a few years before attending law school. Finally, I hope to combine my law studies with my consulting work to become a well-rounded corporate...
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...Pennsylvania in May of 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a minor in Spanish. While I tutor a wide variety of subjects, I am most passionate about SAT/ACT Reading and Writing, Spanish, History, and ESOL. I enjoy being a tutor because I love to help students strive for and achieve their goals! I believe every student learns in a different way, which is why I personalize my tutoring approach to fit...
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...is vitally important to anyone with a vested interest in seeing individuals enjoy a happy, flourishing life, especially to those who are or wish to become teachers. I view studying and doing mathematical work as one of the greatest joys available to human beings in this context, and it is my role as a teacher to effectively, enthusiastically communicate the importance and beauty of math to my students as well as to foster their powers...
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...others learn. As a student, I have had great success at rigorous and selective schools, earning my Bachelor's with High Honors and Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College and my Master's with perfect grades from Brown University. Since leaving formal education, I continue to pursue learning opportunities through independent reading and professional development. I often tell my students that learning is my addiction, as many make fun of my choices for "fun" reading. As a...
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...the fall where I plan to major in English. I have had several experiences in tutoring ranging from volunteer tutoring for underprivileged children to tutoring many of my peers in standardized testing to leading an English class for students at a Chinese university. While most of my experience in tutoring comes in standardized test preparation and English composition and literature, I also have a great interest in mathematics and have experience in teaching it as...
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...of Notre Dame, and I am pursuing a degree in the Program of Liberal Studies (PLS). PLS is a renowned Great Books program that aims to perfect the student's ability to think critically in a variety of disciplines, such as literature, philosophy, and history. In PLS, great emphasis is placed on formulating deep and effective arguments and presenting them clearly in a technically correct manner, both in class and through my written work. Consequently, I...
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...99th percentile on the SAT as a high school senior. This 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...
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...High School for Science and Technology, and recently graduated from the University of Virginia with a Distinguished Bachelor's in Neuroscience. As a medical student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, I am excited to provide growing students with the unique perspectives on typically difficult STEM subjects that I have learned myself over the past few years. I am deeply passionate about mentorship and teaching, and am excited to use the experience I have...
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...skills and to prepare them for future academic success. I'm a rising sophomore at UC Berkeley, studying Economics and Public Health. I love working with others, getting involved on campus, and spending time with family and friends. In high school and freshmen year of college, I was on the Speech Team. Getting to know the speech and debate community has been truly amazing, and I know my passions shine through with everything I do. I...
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...the classroom I have taught most levels of high school math as well as physics and AP physics. Outside of the classroom I have over 7000 hours of 1 on 1 and small group tutoring in all levels of math through college Calculus 3, physics, chemistry, SAT and ACT. SAT and ACT are my favorite subjects to tutor because they are very stressful for students and I can provide confidence. I love teaching/tutoring because of...
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...some of my favorites include various levels of test prep (SAT, SSAT, ISEE, HSPT, etc.), college essay editing, AP English Literature and Language, AP U.S. History, and AP Music Theory. While at Dartmouth, I performed in theater and opera productions, sang in several choirs, took ballet and yoga classes, worked as a teaching assistant and stage manager in the Theater Department, and volunteered as an arts teacher in under-served local public elementary schools. Dartmouth expanded...
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...of Arts in English and Comparative Literature, emphasizing critical theory. My tutoring spans a diverse range of experiences: I tutored math at an inner-city school in Los Angeles, English to students in Hyderabad, India, and reading to rehabilitated refugee children in Arizona. After graduating, I instructed reading programs for the Institute of Reading Development, where I saw that, as my students' reading skills improved, their overall confidence skyrocketed. They became better students because they stopped...
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...from Ball State University in the summer of 2014 and have been taking a break from academia since then. I am in the process now of applying for PhD programs in Computational Biology. I have done research in the field of freshwater ecology and am anticipating the publication of a paper I co-authored in the next several months. In the past I have worked with students of a variety of age ranges on standardized test...
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Our interview process, stringent qualifications, and background screening ensure that only the best PSAT Critical Reading tutors work with Varsity Tutors. To assure a successful experience, you're paired with one of these qualified tutors by an expert director - and we stand behind that match with our money-back guarantee.
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.
