Award-Winning SSAT- Upper Level
Tutors
Award-Winning
SSAT- Upper Level
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.

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

I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.
I am a second year law student at the University of Chicago who hails from the San Francisco Bay Area! I tutor the SAT, ESL, and Spanish. I was an AVID tutor in high school, and after college I taught an ESL class and tutored a high school student in Spanish. In law school, I am involved with the Lawyers in the Classroom program. My tutoring philosophy is based on listening to students work through problems and helping them to spot their confusions or incorrect assumptions. I believe students learn much better when they aren't simply told the right answer or right reasoning; they need to get there on their own.
I am proud to be a part of Varsity Tutors! I am originally from San Antonio, TX; I completed my undergraduate education at Rice University in Houston where I received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Currently, I am in my second year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.
I'm Anna! I'm currently a student in the MD/MBA program between Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and the Kellogg School of Management, and graduated from Northwestern University as part of the Honors Program in Medical Education. I attended the Bergen County Academies in New Jersey, a selective, application-based magnet school, for high school.
I am currently a resident physician at Northwestern Hospital.
I'm a current medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine with undergraduate degrees from Washington and Lee in chemical engineering and anthropology. I have extensive experience in tutoring and teaching since 2010, and am ready to help you with your learning needs! I focus on standardized testing (SAT/ACT) and also tutor in a wide range of math, English, and Spanish classes. In my free time, I like to run, do CrossFit, volunteer, and watch TV!
I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.
I am happy to accommodate and work with learners on the spectrum.
The SSAT Upper Level packs verbal reasoning, reading comprehension, and quantitative problem-solving into a single high-stakes morning, and each section rewards a different kind of thinking. Miranda's background in standardized test tutoring since high school means she knows how to build section-specific strategies — like tackling analogy questions through word relationships rather than guessing from context. Rated 5.0 by students.
I am a junior studying Writing for Screen and Television at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. For the past two spring semesters I worked as a CollegeSpring Mentor, tutoring Green Dot Charter high school juniors for the SAT and teaching them predatory skills for college. In addition to my experience tutoring for the SAT, as a screenwriting major I most enjoy teaching my favorite subject, English. I love showing students the power language endows upon them to communicate their ideas and beliefs with others. I believe every student deserves the chance to succeed and to try to capitalize on their strengths while encouraging them to improve in areas they may traditionally find challenging. Endowing a student with confidence in themselves through patience and support is the best way not only to improve academic performance, but also transform them into lifelong learners. I try to share not only my passion for knowledge with students, but also my love of sports (football, baseball, and softball), action films, and global affairs. Seeing students not only improve academically but also show improved confidence and happiness is the most rewarding part of my job.
As a Phillips Exeter Academy graduate, Violet went through the boarding school admissions process herself, including the SSAT. She knows the upper-level quantitative and verbal sections inside out and teaches targeted strategies for the analogies and reading comprehension passages that tend to cost students the most points. She also advises on the broader admissions picture, from the writing sample to interview prep.
I am currently attending New York University where I am pursuing a degree in Finance and Statistics. I have previous experience tutoring individuals in math, a subject I have always excelled at academically. My knowledge and interest in mathematics, makes it easy for me to frame and deconstruct seemingly complicated concepts and theories in ways students will be able to understand and remember. Outside of academia I enjoy playing tennis, going to movies, and spending time with friends and family.
I am a Yale graduate with over 8 years experience tutoring students from a variety of backgrounds. I recently graduated from the Yale School of Public Health with a MPH concentrating in Epidemiology and Global Health. I also received my B.S. from Yale with a double major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and French. I have experience both leading group classes and working with students one on one. I will respond to a student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning style in order to help them succeed and make the most of our time together. I earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT, 2280 on the SAT, and qualified as a National Merit Scholar on the PSAT. I look forward to working with you!
I'm eager to teach students how to make connections and understand any part of the world they need!
I am a first year medical student at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. I have been a private tutor in the past in subjects such as math, biology, chemistry, and the SATs and every single one of my more than twenty students have shown significant improvement. Most importantly, I have a passion for teaching, and your needs and preferences as the learner will always be paramount. I hope to help every one of my students reach every bit of their potential, and along the way, to utterly shatter any self-induced limitations that have been placed upon what they can accomplish.
I am a graduate from Georgetown University, where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics with a minor in Music. I'm currently pursuing a Master's of Science in Business Analytics at Carnegie Mellon University. I've been tutoring since I started high school, focusing on mathematics and writing. Throughout my college career I was employed both privately and by Georgetown University to tutor peers and high school students in the Washington, D.C. area. I worked with students taking classes in all levels of mathematics falling under Algebra, Calculus, Combinatorics, and Problem Solving.
I'm a rising junior at Brown University studying biomedical engineering. I have lots of experience in middle school through college level instruction in STEM and SAT/ACT prep. My goal is to provide a fun and productive learning environment by only teaching subjects that I am passionate about.
I am an incoming medical student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. I graduated from Rice University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in Medical Humanities and Business.
I am currently studying chemical engineering at the University of Michigan. I have always helped out my fellow students with schoolwork, and I have tutored in the National Honor Society for three years. My tutoring strengths include my abilities to stay calm, be patient, and offer different perspectives on the learning process. I do not just help my students learn the material, but I also teach them how to learn it. I tutor math and test prep courses. Outside of school and tutoring, I play the piano. I have played classical piano for 13 years and jazz piano for 7.
I am a graduate of Columbia University with a degree in Drama and Theatre Arts. I taught math and essay writing to my peers in high school and college, and have tutored a close friend in her mathematics courses since junior year of high school. I am most comfortable and passionate about tutoring SAT prep, particularly the Math section and subject tests. I believe in supporting and encouraging my students and making material as accessible as possible, breaking down what may be difficult subject matter into terms and concepts that they already understand. I firmly believe in the potential of every student to grasp material that they may think is out of reach, and aim to reduce the stress factor of studying as much as possible. Outside of tutoring, I am a professional actor and playwright, and in my free time (a rare, mystical thing these days) I enjoy playing guitar and mandolin, practicing yoga, and my PS4.
I am a graduate of the University of Chicago, with a bachelor's degree in psychology and linguistics. Currently, I am pursuing a master's degree in speech-language pathology at Teachers College, Columbia University. In the past, I have worked as a teacher's aide in a public school classroom, a mentor to middle school girls, an instructor and tutor at the literacy education organization 826, and a summer camp counselor. I tutor a diverse range of subjects, and I find that I especially enjoy tutoring language arts, reading, and writing at all levels, from elementary school all the way up to college/grad school test prep. As a tutor, I am committed to helping students reach their full potential as learners. Throughout my years as an educator, I have seen firsthand the remarkable academic growth that can occur when tutors provide students with the individualized support that they need. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, journaling, and learning about other languages and cultures.
I am available to tutor a range of middle school and high school subjects, but I am most excited about tutoring test prep. I remember how stressful preparing for college can be and I am eager to do my part in helping students fulfill their college goals. I believe that learning is a collaborative process and I am committed to being as actively involved in the student's learning as I can. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, going to the movies (I try to see each Oscar nominee before the ceremony every year.), and am a huge Michigan sports fan.
I am 22 years old and just graduated from the University of Kentucky with a double degree in French and Biochemistry. I have been a tutor for over a year now at UK's tutoring center. I believe that anyone can learn anything with enough practice and encouragement, and I love helping students overcome challenges and gain more self-confidence!
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 others the same love of learning I have felt throughout my life. Whether it's getting lost in a good book or feeling the thrill of excitement at finally solving a difficult math problem, I feel that learning should be fun and viewed as a challenge, not a chore. Throughout my academic career, I have been a well-rounded student, excelling in math as well as language and literature. I am a notoriously good test-taker, a skill developed from solid study habits that I hope to pass on to future students. For me, tutoring is my way of giving back to my community and paying forward the help I've gotten from teachers, mentors, and fellow students throughout my life.
I am a student at Cornell University pursuing a double major in Biological Sciences, concentrating in computational biology, and Computer Science. I have tutored math, biology, physics, and French to middle school and high school students. I have also facilitated group discussion sessions for English language learners. I love learning new things and helping others understand these concepts as well.
I'm a college student attending the University of Michigan and I'm majoring in chemistry and computer science. I have two years of extensive experience tutoring high schoolers in chemistry and all subjects of the SAT and ACT. I can also say that I understand completely how difficult the process of test prep and high school chemistry can be because I recently survived the whole process myself having taken IB chem and the ACT/SAT in the last 1-2 years and studying and prepping extensively for them. That being said, I'm always super eager not just to tutor students in those subjects, but also to offer the best advice and guidance I can in tackling those challenges as a high schooler and as someone planning for college. I believe it's super important as a tutor not just to spoon-feed answers but to teach how to problem-solve, so I take care to solidify our understanding of the methods to approach a problem. Most of all, I try to be as flexible and communicative as possible.
I am excited to help anyone who might need it!
I am currently a sophomore pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in Medicine, Health, and Society. Being a student, Ive understood the frustration of not knowing what to do or who to turn to in the moment I dont understand something. This feeling can be very disheartening, but having the right person to guide you can make all the difference. For struggling students, I want to be that person to help them reach their full potential. In high school, I tutored people (mostly high school students like myself at the time) within the community, and it was personally rewarding every time I saw a student gain confidence in their studies.
I am a student at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Neuroscience while on the pre-med track. In the future, I hope to become a pediatrician. I have experience with and tutor in a wide range of subjects, and am most passionate about helping students with standardized exams. I know from personal experience that any exam score can be improved with studying and practice, no matter how frustrating or impossible it may seem. As a tutor, my goal is to listen to and address my students' needs as thoroughly as possible. Outside of academics, I love to fold origami, watch Criminal Minds, and hang out with my dog.
The Upper Level SSAT can be a student's first encounter with high-stakes standardized testing, and the verbal and reading sections in particular reward specific strategies that most middle schoolers haven't developed yet. Asta spent years as an admissions consultant and test prep tutor in Hong Kong, coaching students through exactly this kind of competitive entrance process. She breaks the exam into manageable skill sets — analogies, reading inference, quantitative comparison — so nothing on test day feels unfamiliar.
I am a 2019 graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where I received a dual degree BFA in Vocal Performance and BA in Creative Writing. I also achieved a GPA of 3.92, 3 semesters on the Dean's List, induction into Phi Beta Kappa as well as Sigma Tau Delta (the English honors society) and Pi Kappa Lambda (the Music honors society), Carnegie Mellon University Honors, and Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences Honors. I graduated Bloomfield Hills High School with a 3.96 GPA in 2015, and was a National Merit Finalist as well as a Presidential Scholarship candidate, thanks to my top test scores.
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 informal experience tutoring high school physics, but am most passionate about tutoring students for the ACT standardized test, having had extensive experience preparing for standardized tests throughout high school. I am eager to aid students in boosting their scores before their upcoming college applications, an important milestone in many students' lives. In my free time, I also enjoy playing tennis.
I am a rising senior at Harvard College pursuing an AB in Government. Academically, I have diverse interests, including history, language, math, physics, philosophy, music, and politics. In high school, I tutored elementary, middle, and high school students in music, math, ACT and SAT prep, and Spanish. At Harvard, I spent a year as a course assistant in the math department, helping to teach introductory undergraduate calculus. Currently, I volunteer with the Leadership Institute at Harvard College (LIHC) as part of its Social Outreach Committee. This work involves teaching a weekly course called "Fundamentals of Leadership" to a class of middle school students. Overall, I have found my experiences tutoring math to be the most rewarding.
I am a patient, intellectual, and calm college student at the University of Michigan passionate about tutoring others to improve their proficiency in a wide variety of subjects. I teach students by creating individualized plans that cater to the strengths and weaknesses of the student. I work hard and as long as it takes to ensure that the student derives maximum benefit. I love teaching a wide variety of subjects, and have a speciality in standardized tests.
I am a lifelong learner, teacher, and researcher in the field of physics. I received a PhD in Physics from the University of Michigan and a BS in Physics from Rice University. I have four years of physics teaching experience at the University of Michigan, primarily undergraduate laboratory courses with an emphasis on electromagnetism, circuits, waves, optics, and real-world applications of these and other physical phenomena. Many of these courses, including one I helped design, focused on helping non-STEM students master physics concepts that may be difficult to grasp in a standard classroom setting. I have tutored in a variety of subjects since high school, but most recently I have spent several years helping students understand concepts and succeed in coursework throughout a large variety of college-level physics topics, from basic mechanics to advanced electrodynamics and special relativity.
I am currently studying molecular biology and I hope to work at a pediatric hospital after graduating from medical school. As an undergraduate, I am involved in volunteering organizations, photography, dance companies, and Asian-American political organizations.
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 minors in Mathematics and Chemistry. While at IU, I worked for the Department of Mathematics and Department of Spanish. I also worked as a Peer Tutor for the IU Athletics Department, tutoring in several subjects including statistics, chemistry, physics, and Spanish. I graduated from college with a 4.0, and I entered medical school shortly thereafter. Since coming to medical school, I have excelled in all of my pre-clinical coursework, and I currently rank in the Top 20% of my class. I feel very comfortable and confident tutoring other students in a variety of subjects from math and science to Spanish. I like to think that the same techniques I have used to excel in all phases of my education can be easily adapted to other students and help you achieve your academic goals, just as I have!
Testimonials
Because the right SSAT- Upper Level tutor makes all the difference.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Score improvement depends on your starting point and commitment level, but most students see meaningful gains within 8-12 weeks of consistent practice and personalized instruction. Students typically improve by 100-200+ percentile points, though the exact amount varies based on your baseline score and target schools.
The key is identifying which sections are holding you back—whether that's reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, or verbal skills—and developing targeted strategies to address those weaknesses rather than studying everything equally.
Pacing is one of the biggest challenges students face on the SSAT Upper Level, especially in the quantitative section where complex problems can eat up valuable time. The strategy isn't to rush—it's to recognize which questions are within your skill level and solve those first, then attempt harder problems if time allows.
A tutor can help you practice timed sections systematically, teaching you how to quickly identify question difficulty, skip strategically, and allocate your 25-30 minutes per section effectively. With practice tests as part of your preparation, you'll develop an intuitive sense of your pace.
Many students make the mistake of trying to memorize every detail in the passage. Instead, effective SSAT reading requires active reading where you identify the main idea, author's purpose, and tone while skimming for specific details. Questions often test inference and understanding of structure rather than fact recall.
A personalized approach involves learning which question types appear most frequently on your test, practicing active annotation techniques, and working through passages under timed conditions. Your tutor can show you how to spot common question patterns and avoid the answer traps the test makers set for students who read too quickly or miss nuance.
The quantitative section tests a mix of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and word problems, and most students have uneven mastery across these topics. Rather than spending equal time on everything, you need to pinpoint exactly where your gaps are—whether it's algebraic reasoning, geometry concepts, or translating word problems into equations.
Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who use diagnostic practice tests to map your specific weaknesses, then focus instruction on those areas while maintaining your strengths. This targeted approach is far more efficient than generic test prep and leads to faster score improvement.
The essay section isn't about writing a perfect composition—it's about demonstrating clear thinking, organization, and voice under pressure. Graders focus on whether you understood the prompt, developed your ideas logically, and wrote with clarity and grammar appropriate for your grade level.
The best preparation involves writing multiple timed essays (usually 25 minutes), learning to brainstorm quickly, and getting feedback on your structure and argumentation. A tutor can help you develop a reliable essay template that works for different prompts, manage your time so you have time to proofread, and build confidence in expressing ideas clearly.
Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about strategies. The best antidote is confidence built through practice—working through dozens of real SSAT questions and full practice tests before test day so nothing surprises you.
Beyond preparation, you can develop specific coping strategies like pacing yourself deliberately, reminding yourself that it's okay to skip difficult questions, and practicing deep breathing during your prep. Many tutors work with students on the mental side of test-taking, helping you shift from perfectionism (every question matters) to strategic thinking (getting questions right that you can get right).
Most students benefit from 8-12 weeks of focused preparation, though this varies based on your starting level and target schools. Students aiming for top independent schools (90th percentile+) typically need more intensive work than those aiming for solid performance.
Rather than counting hours, what matters more is consistent, focused practice 3-4 times per week with a mix of concept review, targeted question practice, and full practice tests. Your tutor can help you create a personalized study plan based on your baseline score, timeline, and specific weak areas, ensuring you're making efficient use of your preparation time.
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