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Award-Winning Reading Tutors

Brooke

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Brooke

Bachelor
Brooke's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra

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 writ...

Education

Harvard University

Bachelor

Nico

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Nico

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

I'm a student at Yale University majoring in both Economics and Global Affairs. Over the past 4 years, I am lucky to have worked with students of all ages and helped them reach their full potential. I offer tutoring services in all subjects, and I'm particularly interested in English, Economics, Go...

Education

Yale University

AB

Zoe

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Zoe

MED
Zoe's other Tutor Subjects
Elementary School Math
Elementary School Science
Phonics
Essay Editing

Hello, I hold two soon-to-be three Ivy League degrees, an undergrad and graduate degree from the University of Pennslyvania and I am currently getting a second Masters from Harvard in Education Leadership. I know what it takes to write an essay or application to get into your dream school and specia...

Education

Harvard University

MED

University of Pennsylvania

MED

Joey

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Joey

Master's/Graduate
Joey's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra

Howdy! My name's Joey, I love all things music and tech as well as hitting the gym. I hold degrees in mechanical and aerosapce engineering as well as scientific computing from the University of Glasgow and University of Pennsylvania. I've been an instructor and TA at both institutions and I greatly ...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Master's/Graduate

University of Glasgow

Bachelor

Aaron

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Aaron

AB
Aaron's other Tutor Subjects
6th Grade AP Language Composition
Middle School Math
Elementary School Math
PSAT Writing Skills

I am a recent college graduate with an A.B. in Education Studies from Brown University (Providence, RI). I have worked as a remote tutor for other online platforms throughout 2021. I am most passionate about English, especially literary analysis and essay writing. When I am not tutoring, I enjoy exe...

Education

Brown University

AB

Alma  Lizette

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Alma Lizette

Bachelor
Alma's other Tutor Subjects
SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening
SAT Subject Tests
Public Speaking
Phonics

Ready to meet you right where you need me. With a background for teaching and tutoring both in person and online. I am dedicated to crafting each lesson to your needs.

Education

Brown University

Bachelor

Kaleb

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Kaleb

Professional (JD, MD, DMD, etc)
Kaleb's other Tutor Subjects
Cell Biology
Neuroscience
Microbiology
Biology

Hello! I'm a 3rd-year medical student with plans to specialize in neurology or psychiatry. I previously graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with minors in biology and chemistry. I have an extensive tutoring background, beginning in high school. First, as an elementary sc...

Education

Wabash College

Bachelor

Midwestern University-Downers Grove

Professional (JD, MD, DMD, etc)

Valerie

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Valerie

Bachelor's
Valerie's other Tutor Subjects
AP English Literature and Composition
AP English Language and Composition
Literature
Essay Editing

I have a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, where I majored in Communication through Annenberg and minored in Consumer Psychology through Wharton. Since graduating in 2019, I have amassed experience in both business and creative communication. From 2019 to 2024, I focused on public relation...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelor's

Elizabeth

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Elizabeth

AM
Elizabeth's other Tutor Subjects
SAT Reading
College Essays
Writing
Reading

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 v...

Education

Vanderbilt University

AM

Sophia

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Sophia

Bachelor
Sophia's other Tutor Subjects
Public Speaking
AP English Literature and Composition
AP English Language and Composition
English Grammar and Syntax

At a time when so many tutors use AI to create lesson plans, conduct research, and even grade students' work, I want to reiterate my committment to not using AI in our work together. Hi! I'm Sophia, a writer, editor, tutor, and voice teacher. I graduated Vanderbilt University with my Bachelor's in ...

Education

Vanderbilt University

Bachelor

Meet Our Expert Tutors

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

Robert

Middle School Math Tutor • +36 Subjects

I graduated from The University of Virginia in 2019. I received my Bachelor of Science in Commerce with a concentration in finance. I also received my masters in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania in 2023. I have spent many years tutoring the GRE, with a strength in GRE Quant. I also tutor Spanish, algebra, middle school math, and lower school math. I take my time with each student to make sure they understand concepts and are comfortable with the material. Furthermore, I always try my best to create a fun and relaxing environment in which students can excel. It is my goal to help every student gain confidence when tackling any standardized test and/or school subject and I take great pride in the growth of my students.

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Sophia

Middle School Math Tutor • +35 Subjects

I am a freshman at Cornell University studying Biological Sciences. I am an undergraduate researcher with the Wolfner Lab studying drosophila melanogaster, and I sing in the Cornell University Chorus. I was the student director of my high school's Academic Resource Center, tutoring in math, science, Spanish, and SAT/ACT for 3 years.

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Norah

Biology Tutor • +29 Subjects

I am a Yale undergraduate student majoring in American Studies! I am interested in education, specifically the subjects history and social studies, because I believe it is very important to have a holistic understanding of the world and communities we live in. I am interested in reading and writing.

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Maham

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +71 Subjects

I am currently an undergraduate student at Rice University pursuing a bachelor of science in biochemistry and cell biology on the pre-med track. One of my most memorable experiences in the medical field has been working as a research intern at Texas Children's Hospital and collaborating with genetic specialists to publish a research paper about a rare genetic disease. Medicine is truly one of my greatest passions, and biology has been one of my favorite subjects to tutor through the peer mentorship program at my high school. Through this program, I have also extensively tutored math (from middle school math all the way through IB Mathematics) and find myself drawn by the methodical nature of the subject. Many times, I find that students simply label math as "difficult" because the concepts are brand new and numbers seem like a foreign language. Relating math concepts to simpler everyday ones is one of the many strategies I use when tutoring math, and I have found a lot of success through it. Throughout high school, I have been very active in my school community as the Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, president of the Speech and Debate Team, and president and founder of the Random Acts of Kindness Club. Through these roles, I have mentored younger students in areas such as writing, research, and public speaking. Additionally, I am fluent in 4 languages (English, Urdu, Arabic, and Spanish), although my favorite one to teach is Spanish. Attending an international school has emphasized to me the importance of diversity, inclusion, and tolerance, and I believe that learning a new language is one of the best ways to reinforce these ideals. In my spare time, you can find me engrossed in arts and crafts, running my Etsy store, or volunteering my local art museum's kids' crafts classes. I also love listening to music, creating music on my violin, and singing various genres.

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Samantha

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +45 Subjects

I'm 31 years old and graduated salutatorian at Brighton High School. I attended MSU and graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. I worked as an engineer for a couple of years and am now working on growing a business I co-founded. In my spare time I would love to tutor math and science, and ACT and SAT prep in general. I am very open minded and patient.

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Sarah

Pre-Calculus Tutor • +35 Subjects

I recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor's of Science in Neuroscience. As a prospective medical student, I have and will continue to spend a lot of time in the classroom, understanding what makes teaching and learning most effective. I work to integrate my studies into my tutoring, focusing on giving meaningful examples to help drive complex topics home and provide plenty of opportunities for repetition to increase retention. I have a few years of formal tutoring experience, primarily in middle school and high school math, though my focus and interests have shifted since then. Now, my expertise lies in neuroscience, MCAT prep, and all the relevant class material included in those specialties (biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, etc). I've spent most of my education informally tutoring those around me. Whether it was a teacher's request to help explain a concept to my peers or taking the initiative to help out my peers with challenging subjects, I've had plenty of practice working with a variety of subjects and students. I hope to help students not only learn material but understand how they best learn and study, raising their confidence and comfortability inside and outside of the classroom.

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Stephanie

Essay Editing Tutor • +24 Subjects

I have found purpose in tutoring for as long as I can remember. It's meaningful to partner with others to solve problems together. I believe in providing trauma informed and customized learning sessions for diverse students.

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Tallulah

Middle School Math Tutor • +59 Subjects

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.

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Molly

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +36 Subjects

Currently I am a graduate student in Stanford University's Master's Program for Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling. Prior to my enrollment at Stanford, I worked as a Genetic Counseling Assistant for Igenomix, a genetic testing laboratory. I graduated from Cornell University in December of 2021 with a BS in Biological Sciences and a minor in Education. As a student, I was a member of a research lab that works with the genetic basis of epilepsy in fruit flies as well as an undergraduate TA for a genetics laboratory course at Cornell. While I tutor a range of subjects, I am most passionate about tutoring biology and genetics, as that is where most of my expertise lies. I have enjoyed tutoring SAT and ACT math and science sections in the past and have found students have great success on these stressful tests after seeking out help from tutors like me. In my free time I love watching TV shows with my friends, being active, and painting. I am also a Crisis Text Line volunteer and enjoy taking shifts to help people through difficult times.

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Jiatian

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +27 Subjects

I am a 2020 graduate of Rice University and currently in my final year of Medical School. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I've found that one of the most rewarding parts of education is helping others reach their potential. I've worked with students across many stages, from high schoolers preparing for the SAT/ACT, to applicants refining personal statements for college and medical school, to medical students tackling board exams. In each of these settings, my goal remains the same: to help students not just learn material but learn how to learn. My teaching philosophy is built on the belief that success doesn't depend on being naturally gifted, it comes from consistency, structure, and a willingness to improve. I work with students to develop individualized study plans, set achievable milestones, and build momentum. I focus on helping students become confident learners who can approach problems with clarity and strategy. Especially in standardized test prep, I emphasize the importance of going into each question with a plan of attack. Whether it's reading comprehension, a science passage, or a medical vignette, I teach students how to prioritize information, filter out distractions, and apply what they know efficiently. Test-taking is a skill, and through consistent practice, students can go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling in control. I'm especially passionate about tutoring subjects that require strategic thinking, like exam prep, because it allows me to show students how much of academic success is not about memorizing facts, but about mastering the process. My ultimate goal is to help students become independent, confident thinkers who can take these skills beyond any one test or class.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Reading comprehension challenges often stem from a few key areas: decoding fluency, vocabulary gaps, or difficulty with inference and critical thinking. Personalized tutoring targets the specific barrier your student faces. A tutor can break down complex texts, teach active reading strategies like annotation and questioning, and build foundational skills through scaffolded practice. With 1-on-1 instruction, your student gets immediate feedback and can work at their own pace—something that's harder in a classroom setting.

Strong literary analysis requires both close reading skills and clear writing. Tutors teach students how to identify themes, analyze character development, and support interpretations with textual evidence. They then help organize these ideas into well-structured essays with strong thesis statements and coherent arguments. Since tutoring is personalized, students receive direct feedback on their writing, revision suggestions, and guidance on how to strengthen their analytical voice—skills that transfer across all subjects.

Vocabulary grows fastest when students encounter words in context and use them repeatedly. Rather than drilling word lists, effective tutoring embeds vocabulary instruction into authentic reading experiences. Tutors help students learn word roots, use context clues, and apply new words in their own writing and speech. Research on spaced repetition shows that revisiting words across multiple sessions and contexts leads to stronger retention than one-time memorization.

Yes. Varsity Tutors connects students with tutors who have experience supporting readers at all levels, including those with reading gaps, dyslexia, or English as a second language. These tutors use research-backed strategies like multisensory approaches, decoding instruction, and high-interest texts to build confidence and fluency. They also understand how to adapt pacing and materials to match a student's needs, which is critical for readers who have fallen behind.

Absolutely. Reading sections on tests like the SAT, ACT, and standardized state assessments require specific strategies beyond general comprehension—like time management, identifying question types, and navigating dense passages under pressure. Tutors teach test-specific techniques while building the underlying reading skills that matter most. They can also provide targeted practice with past test passages and help students understand why they miss questions, rather than just providing correct answers.

Look for tutors with strong backgrounds in English, education, or a related field, as well as demonstrated experience teaching reading across grade levels. It's helpful if they understand reading science—phonics, fluency, comprehension strategies—and can explain why they're using certain approaches. Beyond credentials, the best tutors are skilled listeners who can identify what's actually holding a student back (is it decoding? vocabulary? comprehension? engagement?) and adjust accordingly. They should also be encouraging and patient, especially with struggling readers.

Progress depends on the starting point and frequency of tutoring. Many students notice better comprehension and confidence within 4-6 weeks of consistent 1-on-1 instruction, especially when tutoring is paired with practice at home. For deeper gains—like improved fluency or stronger analytical skills—expect 2-3 months of regular sessions. The key is consistency; weekly tutoring with targeted skill-building and feedback typically yields faster results than sporadic sessions. Your tutor can set specific, measurable goals early on and track progress along the way.

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