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Kate
I'm available to tutor biology, chemistry, physics, math from Algebra up through AP Calculus, SAT test prep, and French. I've been tutoring students in science and math for 7 years. I also spent 8 months working and studying in France, and have tutored high school and adult students in French. When ...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Masters, Environmental Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bachelors
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Jai
I'm a recent Stanford graduate (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), and have been working at a major Management Consulting firm for a few years now. I personally scored a 2360 (out of 2400) on the SAT and 35 on the ACT and was successful in gaining admission to several top universities. I'...
Stanford University
Bachelors in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Certified Tutor
I am a licensed physician from Florida who is currently changing careers. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and have extensive tutoring and editing experience. While a student, I became a certified writing tutor through the Critical Writing Department. Since I completed my writ...
Nova Southeastern University
PHD, Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelors, History
University of Pennsylvania
undergraduate
Certified Tutor
6+ years
Rhea
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 I have several years of experience tutoring students in my high school's learning center in various...
University of Chicago
Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Certified Tutor
Erika
I am available to tutor middle and high school math, history and test prep. I have tutored math and history in the past and I previously taught a test prep course at a school in Hanoi, Vietnam. I have a lot of experience teaching all the need-to-know tricks to doing great on the SATS/ACTS! When I am...
Harvard University
Master of Public Policy, Public Policy
Certified Tutor
6+ years
Jeffrey
I am enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering PhD program at Rice University which will begin Fall 2020, and I am hoping to return to academia as a professor after earning my PhD. In the meantime, I am looking to share my passion for gaining knowledge, specifically in STEM, by educating the up and com...
University of Notre Dame
Bachelor of Science
Rice University
Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Earnest
I am comfortable with either setting. I'm confident that I can help you (or your student) achieve to the best of their ability, so please don't hesitate to get in touch!
University of Pennsylvania
Masters, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelors, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Samantha
I'm a first-year medical student and recent graduate from Duke University, where I studied Global Health Determinants, Behaviors, and Interventions. From running a piano program at a nonprofit children's theatre to private tutoring in math, science, and standardized test prep, I enjoy helping my stu...
Duke University
Bachelors in Global Health Determinants, Behaviors, and Interventions
Harvard Medical School
Current Grad Student, MD
Certified Tutor
Charles
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best descr...
Yale University
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Certified Tutor
6+ years
I am willing to address any issue with an open mind and I try to develop strategies that play to a student's strengths. I would like to think I am very approachable and personable, and I have had very positive experiences with many students in the past using this philosophy. Outside of academics, I ...
University of Notre Dame
Bachelor in Arts
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Pinelopi
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +25 Subjects
I am a Duke University graduate with a Bachelors degree in Psychology. I have experience tutoring all levels of Spanish language, all sections of the SAT, as well as algebra, pre algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus! I love kids & I have a very flexible schedule and a lot of patience! Let me help you :)
Sharon
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +29 Subjects
I am a graduate of the University of Chicago, and I will be starting a graduate program at Columbia in August. I am about to complete a year of service with City Year, an education non-profit that places young adults into under-served schools. As a City Year member, I worked full-time in the classroom with middle-school students who were in approximately the 10th percentile for math (meaning they score lower than 90% of students). One-fourth of those students were able to grow around 15 percentile points by the end of the year! Hobbies: reading, cooking, gardening, music, art, nature, books, writing
Zachary
Trigonometry Tutor • +35 Subjects
I am passionate about teaching and tutoring and I thoroughly enjoy helping students gain an understanding and a drive for their studies. I have a long history of working with students of all grade levels and abilities (elementary school through college), and I have a good understanding of strategies to excel in both general academics and standardized tests.
Tony
Calculus Tutor • +28 Subjects
I am a recent graduate of Yale University and incoming first year medical student at Columbia University. Originally from the DC area, I have always had a passion for science and medicine and pursued a degree in Biology while at Yale. During the 2008-2009 academic year, I tutored science, math, English, history, and Mandarin Chinese part-time with a DC-based tutoring company. At Yale, I worked as a freshman counselor to provide academic and career advice to incoming freshmen. I have taken both SAT and MCAT test prep classes and am familiar with both tests as well as the preparation necessary to score well. My personal career goals include attending medical school to pursue either immunology/infectious diseases or psych/neurology, teaching biology at the university level, and working in public/global health with either the CDC or the WHO.
Tiffany
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +56 Subjects
I am available to tutor a broad range of subjects, I am passionate about test preparation, Accountancy, and Algebra.
Annie
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +28 Subjects
I am currently a second year medical student. I was a Physiological Sciences major at UCLA (class of 2015), and pursued research during my gap year between undergrad and medical school.
Samuel
AP Calculus AB Tutor • +29 Subjects
I am a freshman at Caltech majoring in Applied and Computational Mathematics. My favorite subject to tutor is math because I find it very rewarding to simplify complex topics to aid in understanding. I have lots of tutoring experience. In high school, I ran and taught an SAT prep class and was vice president of my school's NHS chapter where I ran our tutoring program, and I, myself, tutored. I also was a teaching assistant in the summer of 2020 for a class in discrete mathematics through a program called PACT (Program in Algorithmic and Combinatorial Thinking). I love learning and hope to make the process enjoyable for you!
Matthew
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +39 Subjects
I'm a highly creative person who works best with visual thinkers. Very recently graduated from Stanford University, I majored in Human Biology with a concentration in Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Science. Technical though my background may be, I am currently gigging as a singer/songwriter/composer in NYC and tackle even the most hard-science of problems with a top-down, big-picture, holistic approach. If you have a propensity to look at problems in a cross- or inter-disciplinary manner (or want to learn how to do so), I'm the tutor for you!
MaryAnn
Calculus Tutor • +21 Subjects
I am a published author who has enjoyed “coaching” our daughter, as she navigated through high school, college and graduate school. I mentor college juniors who are seeking careers in financial services, and I serve as a peer resource to professionals who are transitioning from private industry to the nonprofit sector. Hobbies: reading, cooking, writing, books, music, art, travel
Sami
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +19 Subjects
I am a Duke University graduate in Economics and Computer Science. I am currently pursuing an MBA degree at the Yale School of Management. I have worked in the financial field, both at a management consulting firm and a fortune 500 company. My hobbies include playing and coaching soccer. Hobbies: reading, writing, art, books, music
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Frequently Asked Questions
The NES Biology Exam assesses your understanding of core biology concepts including cell structure and function, genetics and heredity, evolution and natural selection, ecology and ecosystems, human body systems, and photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The exam emphasizes not just memorizing these concepts, but understanding how they connect to real-world applications in medicine, agriculture, and environmental science.
A strong preparation approach focuses on both the content knowledge and the scientific reasoning skills needed to apply these concepts to novel scenarios on test day.
Many test-takers struggle with knowing how much to memorize versus how much to understand—this is a real challenge in biology. The key is to memorize essential facts (like the steps of meiosis or the structure of ATP), but then immediately connect those facts to broader concepts and real-world examples. For instance, rather than just memorizing mitochondrial structures, understand why those structures allow for efficient energy production.
A tutor can help you identify which facts are worth memorizing and teach you how to build conceptual frameworks around them. This approach reduces the cognitive load and makes the information stick better than rote memorization alone.
While the NES exam is paper-based, understanding experimental design and the scientific method is crucial. Many questions ask you to interpret data from studies, predict outcomes of experiments, or identify flaws in methodology. If you haven't had strong lab experience, these questions can feel abstract and confusing.
Working with a tutor who understands experimental biology helps you visualize procedures, interpret graphs and data sets, and think through the logic of why scientists design experiments particular ways. This bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical scientific thinking.
An excellent NES Biology tutor combines deep content expertise with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly. They should be able to break down intimidating topics like photosynthesis or genetic inheritance into digestible pieces, use diagrams and visuals to help you see processes at the molecular level, and connect abstract concepts to real-world examples you can relate to.
Beyond content knowledge, they should diagnose where your understanding breaks down—are you struggling with memorization, conceptual gaps, or test-taking strategy?—and tailor their instruction accordingly. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who excel at this personalized approach.
Preparation time varies based on your starting point and how frequently you work with a tutor. Some candidates need 6-8 weeks of consistent study, while others benefit from a longer 12-16 week timeline, especially if they're rusty on biology fundamentals or need to build strong study habits.
The advantage of personalized instruction is that a tutor can accelerate your learning by identifying exactly where you need to focus, eliminating wasted time on topics you've already mastered. Even 1-2 sessions per week can significantly improve your understanding and confidence if you're also doing focused studying between sessions.
One of the biggest challenges in biology is that much of what you're studying happens at scales you can't see—inside cells, at the molecular level, or across ecosystems. Many test-takers find these abstract concepts frustrating because they can't build a mental picture of what's happening.
A skilled tutor uses diagrams, animations, analogies, and step-by-step walkthroughs to help you build accurate mental models of these processes. For example, understanding photosynthesis becomes much clearer when you can visualize electrons moving through the electron transport chain, or see how glucose molecules are built step-by-step. This visual foundation makes test questions feel less abstract and more manageable.
Students frequently struggle with genetics (especially Punnett squares and inheritance patterns), photosynthesis and cellular respiration (the interconnected cycles trip people up), and ecology questions that require systems thinking. These topics are challenging because they require holding multiple pieces of information in mind simultaneously and understanding how they interact.
Another common stumbling block is scientific reasoning—questions that ask you to interpret experimental data, identify variables, or predict outcomes based on new information. With targeted tutoring on these high-impact areas, you can significantly boost your overall score since these topics appear frequently on the exam.
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