Award-Winning HSPT Tutors
serving Philadelphia, PA
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Award-Winning HSPT Tutors serving Philadelphia, PA

Certified Tutor
Julie
I am a Special Education English teacher in Philadelphia with a passion for education. I love working with students of all ages to find their learning style and to meet their personal goals. I also love to laugh and have fun while getting work done!
University of Pennsylvania
Masters, Urban Education
Fordham University
Bachelor in Arts, Sociology

Certified Tutor
Lydia
Temple University
Bachelor in Arts, Communications

Certified Tutor
10+ years
Amy
I love to learn and enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for learning with others. Even when you face a subject and course that isn't as easy as others, there can still be ways to enjoy and succeed. I want to help you succeed!I have always been that person my classmates would seek out to explain what the tea...
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Masters, Masters of Divinity
Northeastern University
Bachelors, Human Services

Certified Tutor
10+ years
Jenny
Hello! I'm Jenny and I am here to help. I graduated from Barnard College in May of 2018 with a History degree and the pre-med curriculum under my belt. I am in the process of applying to medical schools with aspirations to matriculate in 2021. Before going back to school, I am making it my mission t...
Barnard College
Bachelor in Arts, History and Philosophy of Science and Technology

Certified Tutor
4+ years
Sarah
I enjoy working with students of all ages on various subjects. I have previously tutored students from pre-K to college age in subjects ranging from pre-reading/phonics skills, language arts, basic Spanish and study skills to high level math and college test prep.I have a bachelor's in elementary ed...
Drake University
Bachelors, Elementary education

Certified Tutor
6+ years
Jeannette
Hi there! My name is Jeannette and I would be delighted to help your child reach his or her academic goals.My tutoring experience rests upon a solid educational foundation: After having graduated in the top 1% of my high school class, I obtained a BA, cum laude, in French and Romance Philology from ...
Institut dtudes Politiques de Paris
Master of Science, Finance
Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor in Arts, French

Certified Tutor
9+ years
Amar
I am extremely excited to be able to help other students with their academic goals. I first realized the value of having a good tutor when I was studying for my Dental Admission Test and scoring highly.The subjects I teach are Biology, Organic Chemistry, DAT prep as well as SAT prep. My teaching sty...
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Master of Science, Biomedical Sciences
Temple University
Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

Certified Tutor
Amy
During my time as a graduate student in the English Department at Oregon State University, I have taught seven sections of first-year composition classes as a graduate teaching assistant. As an undergraduate, I tutored a seventh grade student with learning disabilities and worked one on one with her...
Oregon State University
Master of Arts, English
Point Loma Nazarene University
Bachelor in Arts, English Literature

Certified Tutor
14+ years
Allison
I first became interested in tutoring in high school, where I found myself helping friends in anything from AP Literature to the math portions on the SATs. In my experience, working one on one with people has been incredibly rewarding, as it allows for a deeper level of communication between the tut...
Boston University
Current Undergrad Student, Computer Science

Certified Tutor
Matthew
I'm a recent college grad looking to assist students to the best of my abilities during this difficult time.
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management
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Frequently Asked Questions
The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is a standardized entrance exam used by many Catholic and private schools in the Philadelphia area to evaluate students' readiness for high school. It assesses verbal skills, quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, and math—helping schools make admissions decisions and determine course placement. Performing well on the HSPT can open doors to selective high schools across Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
The HSPT consists of five sections: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics, and Language. Each section is scored on a scale, and schools receive a composite score that reflects overall performance. The test is typically administered in the fall for students applying to 9th grade, and most Philadelphia-area Catholic schools use HSPT scores as a primary admissions criterion.
Many students struggle with the HSPT's fast pace and the breadth of content it covers—particularly the quantitative and verbal reasoning sections that require quick problem-solving. Time management is another major hurdle, as students must work through multiple questions in limited time. Personalized tutoring helps address these specific weak areas and builds test-taking strategies tailored to each student's learning style.
Most students benefit from 2-4 months of consistent preparation, though this varies based on starting level and target schools. Students typically meet with tutors 1-2 times per week to build foundational skills, practice test sections, and refine strategies. Starting preparation in the spring or early summer before the fall test date gives students plenty of time to master content without feeling rushed.
Personalized tutoring focuses exclusively on your student's specific strengths and weaknesses, whereas classroom prep moves at a fixed pace for the whole group. A tutor can spend extra time on challenging sections like quantitative reasoning or verbal skills, teach test-specific strategies that match your student's learning style, and adjust pacing based on progress. This targeted approach typically leads to faster improvement and more confident test day performance.
During the first session, a tutor will assess your student's current skills through diagnostic questions or a practice test section, discuss goals and target schools, and identify specific areas needing improvement. This baseline helps create a customized study plan focused on the most impactful areas. The tutor will also explain test format, timing strategies, and what to expect in upcoming sessions.
Look for tutors with strong backgrounds in standardized test preparation, familiarity with the HSPT format and scoring, and experience working with middle school students. Ideally, tutors should have scored well on similar tests themselves and understand both the content and test-taking strategies. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have proven success helping students improve their HSPT scores and gain admission to competitive Philadelphia-area schools.
Score improvement varies by starting point and effort, but students working consistently with a tutor typically see meaningful gains within 2-3 months. Many students improve by 50-100+ points on composite scores through focused practice, error analysis, and strategy refinement. The key is identifying weak areas early and building both content knowledge and test-taking confidence before test day.
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