Award-Winning SHSAT Tutors serving Chicago, IL

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Award-Winning SHSAT Tutors serving Chicago, IL

Arthur

Bachelor in Arts, Economics
5+ years of tutoring

I am available to tutor in a broad range of subjects, though I am most passionate about Economics, History, and Civics. Please feel free to contact me and I would be happy to arrange a session.

Education & Certificates

Middlebury College

Bachelor in Arts, Economics

ACT Scores

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John

Bachelor of Fine Arts, English/Drama
16+ years of tutoring

I'm a huge Red Sox fan and love watching detective shows when I have free time.

Education & Certificates

University of St Thomas

Bachelor of Fine Arts, English/Drama

American Academy of Dramatic Arts

Associates, Acting

ACT Scores

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Rhea

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
6+ years of tutoring

I am a current student at the University of Chicago. I am working towards a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, and I am on the pre-medical track. I am extremely passionate about tutoring, and...

Education & Certificates

University of Chicago

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

ACT Scores

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Max

Bachelors, Biology, General
1+ years of tutoring

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 t...

Education & Certificates

Ball State University

Bachelors, Biology, General

ACT Scores

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Vansh

Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering
9+ years of tutoring

I am currently pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. I am also a graduate of the high school International Baccalaureate Program. I have info...

Education & Certificates

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering

ACT Scores

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Conor

Bachelor of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering
9+ years of tutoring

I am currently a medical student in Philadelphia, and have a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Stony Brook University. I have several years of experience tutoring SAT students, but thanks to my mi...

Education & Certificates

Stony Brook University

Bachelor of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering

Drexel University

Doctor of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences

SAT Scores

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Emily

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
8+ years of tutoring

I am currently a fourth year medical student in Indianapolis. I completed my undergraduate education at Indiana University Bloomington, where I majored in Biology and Spanish. I also completed two min...

Education & Certificates

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Doctor of Medicine, Community Health and Preventive Medicine

ACT Scores

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Julia

Bachelors, English & Linguistics
1+ years of tutoring

I am a recent college graduate currently pursuing a career in publishing in New York City. My interest in tutoring and the publishing industry stem from the same source: I want to help instill in othe...

Education & Certificates

The College of William & Mary

Bachelors, English & Linguistics

SAT Scores

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Min

Master of Science, Electrical Engineering
8+ years of tutoring

I'm a motivated and enthusiastic engineer with a drive to always continue learning, share knowledge with others and inspire.

Education & Certificates

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Master of Science, Electrical Engineering

Lehigh University

Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering

SAT Scores

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Ken

Current Grad, Physical Therapy
1+ years of tutoring

I am a Wake Forest University graduate with a degree in Psychology, and I am currently pursuing a career as a physical therapist.

Education & Certificates

Wake Forest University

Bachelors, Psychology

Stony Brook University

Current Grad, Physical Therapy

SAT Scores

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Frequently Asked Questions

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you prepare. Most students who work with tutors see meaningful gains—typically 50-150 points—by focusing on their weakest sections and mastering test-specific strategies. The SHSAT is very learnable; many students underperform not because they lack ability, but because they're unfamiliar with the question formats and pacing demands. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who specialize in identifying exactly where you're losing points and building targeted skills to recover them.

The ELA section's reading passages trip up most students—they spend too much time reading, then rush through questions and make careless errors. The math section has similar pacing issues, especially when students try to solve every problem in their head instead of writing things down. Experienced tutors teach you how to skim strategically, identify what each question is actually asking, and manage your time across sections. With practice and personalized feedback on your pacing, you'll learn to work steadily without feeling rushed.

Aim for at least 4-6 full-length practice tests under timed conditions over several months. Early practice tests help you identify weak areas; later tests let you track improvement and refine strategies. More importantly, it's not just about quantity—it's about how you review them. Tutors help you analyze every wrong answer to understand the underlying skill gap, not just memorize answers. This targeted review is where real improvement happens.

Absolutely. Many Chicago students have this exact pattern, and tutors can focus entirely on reading comprehension and writing if that's where you need help. The ELA section requires specific strategies—learning to annotate efficiently, spotting question traps, and managing time across long passages. Tutors can pinpoint whether your challenges are with vocabulary, inference questions, main idea identification, or test pacing, then build a plan around those specific gaps. You won't waste time on skills you've already mastered.

Test anxiety usually stems from two things: unfamiliarity with the format and self-doubt about your abilities. Tutors address both by exposing you to tons of practice questions and timed sections so the test format becomes comfortable, not scary. When you've seen similar questions many times and built a track record of solving them correctly, confidence naturally follows. Tutors also teach concrete anxiety-management techniques—like how to breathe through difficult moments, move on from hard questions strategically, and maintain focus across the full test length.

Most students benefit from 3-4 months of consistent preparation, meeting with a tutor 1-2 times per week. If you're starting further out (6+ months), you can work at a more relaxed pace. If you're closer to test day, you'll need to intensify. The key is consistency—regular practice and feedback work much better than cramming. Varsity Tutors can help you create a personalized timeline based on where you're starting and when your test is scheduled.

Yes. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who are familiar with Chicago's school system and understand the competitive landscape for selective enrollment schools across the city's 12 districts. They know which question types trip up Chicago students most often and can tailor preparation to your specific goals. Whether you're aiming for a selective high school in your district or across the city, personalized 1-on-1 instruction lets you work at your pace with someone who gets your situation.

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