Award-Winning OAT Survey of Natural Sciences Tutors

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Award-Winning OAT Survey of Natural Sciences Tutors

Abrahim

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Abrahim

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Abrahim's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math

Medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin means Abrahim didn't just study biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry — he mastered them under exam conditions designed to test exactly the kind of rapid content switching the OAT demands. His biology degree from UCLA (cum laude) anchors...

Education

University of California Los Angeles

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

Medical College of Wisconsin

Doctor of Medicine, Premedicine

Test Scores
ACT
34
Roshni

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Roshni

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Roshni's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Pre-Calculus
Middle School Math

Being in VCU's BS/MD Guaranteed Admissions program means Roshni is actively immersed in the biology and chemistry content the OAT Survey of Natural Sciences covers — cell biology, metabolic pathways, acid-base chemistry, and organic functional groups are part of her current coursework, not distant m...

Education

Virginia Commonwealth University

Bachelor of Science, Biology, General

Test Scores
SAT
1550
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Carsen

Bachelor in Arts, Chemistry
Carsen's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Pre-Calculus
Middle School Math
Calculus

I'm a 2016 graduate of Pepperdine University with my Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. Currently I'm preparing to apply to optometry school; I hope to be accepted for the 2018-19 academic year. During my time in college, I was involved as a teaching assistant for General Chemistry I and II laboratory, ...

Education

Pepperdine University

Bachelor in Arts, Chemistry

Test Scores
SAT
1420
ACT
31

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Sam

Doctor of Philosophy, Biochemistry
Sam's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Cell Biology
Neuroscience

Covering biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry in a single section makes the OAT Survey of Natural Sciences uniquely demanding on breadth. Sam's molecular biology and biochemistry training means he can connect concepts across all three domains — showing, for example, how amino acid chemi...

Education

Messiah College

Bachelor of Science, Molecular Biology

Drexel University

Doctor of Philosophy, Biochemistry

Test Scores
ACT
31

Certified Tutor

Kevin

Bachelor of Science, Human Biology/Education Studies
Kevin's other Tutor Subjects
College Algebra
Calculus
Algebra
AP Physics 1

As a medical student at UCF with a human biology degree from UCSD, Kevin has spent years cycling between biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry at exactly the depth the OAT Survey of Natural Sciences demands. His teaching assistant experience in UCSD's biology department sharpened his abi...

Education

University of California-San Diego

Bachelor of Science, Human Biology/Education Studies

Certified Tutor

2+ years

Malik

Bachelor's
Malik's other Tutor Subjects
1st-12th Grade Math
1st-12th Grade French
6th-12th Grade Calculus
6th-12th Grade AP Calculus

As a second-year medical student with a strong foundation in science and a passion for education, I specialize in making tough subjects easier to understand. I excel in math, biology, physics, and other challenging topics that often intimidate students and I genuinely enjoy helping others master th...

Education

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Bachelor's

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Aaron

Current Grad Student, Mechanical Engineering
Aaron's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Calculus 2
Calculus
Algebra

I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old e...

Education

The University of Texas at Dallas

Bachelors, Mechanical Engineering

Duke University

Current Grad Student, Mechanical Engineering

Test Scores
SAT
1530

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Mimi

Masters in Education, Education
Mimi's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math

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 su...

Education

Harvard University

Masters in Education, Education

Dartmouth College

B.A.

Test Scores
SAT
1560

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Nina

Masters in biostatistics
Nina's other Tutor Subjects
Statistics Graduate Level
Statistics
Calculus
Algebra

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 ...

Education

Columbia University

Masters in biostatistics

Northwestern University

Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences (focus in neurobiology)

Columbia University in the City of New York

Current Grad Student, Biostatistics

Test Scores
SAT
1550

Certified Tutor

Reid

PHD, Education
Reid's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra

I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults...

Education

Harvard University

PHD, Education

Wesleyan University

Bachelor in Arts, Sociology

Test Scores
ACT
32

Certified Tutor

Liz

Masters, Special Education: Mild to Moderate Disabilities 5-12
Liz's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra

I am a graduate of Washington University in St Louis, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Humanities and Anthropology. Since graduation, I have worked as a tutor, teacher, and director of tutors at a charter public middle school in Boston. During this time I also received ...

Education

Simmons College

Masters, Special Education: Mild to Moderate Disabilities 5-12

Washington University in St. Louis

Bachelor of Arts in History (minors in Humanities and Anthropology)

Test Scores
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

Christopher

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Christopher's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Trigonometry

I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tut...

Education

Harvard College

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Test Scores
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

Michelle

Current Grad Student, M.D.
Michelle's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Pre-Calculus
Geometry
Calculus

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 Medici...

Education

Baylor College of Medicine

Current Grad Student, M.D.

Rice University

Bachelor's in Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Test Scores
SAT
1570

Certified Tutor

Charles

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Charles's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Trigonometry

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...

Education

Yale University

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Test Scores
SAT
1440
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Solange

Bachelor in Arts (Sociology & Women's Studies)
Solange's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
ACT Writing
Public Speaking

I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campu...

Education

Harvard University

Bachelor in Arts (Sociology & Women's Studies)

Test Scores
ACT
34

Meet Varsity Tutors Experts

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

Liz

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +41 Subjects

I am a graduate of Washington University in St Louis, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Humanities and Anthropology. Since graduation, I have worked as a tutor, teacher, and director of tutors at a charter public middle school in Boston. During this time I also received my Masters in Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Simmons College. I have worked extensively with students with a range of abilities, including students with specific learning disabilities, emotional impairments, dyslexia, and ADHD. My teaching experience has given me a deep understanding of the knowledge and habits essential to academic success and has given me the opportunity to hone a variety of strategies that ensure students at each level can achieve their academic goals. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, my favorite ones are Reading, Elementary/Middle School Math, History, and Test Prep. In my experience, tutoring is the most rewarding when a student has that "aha!" moment and achieves a new level of understanding and confidence in his/her abilities. I am a firm believer in the transformative power of education, and I see my role to be that of a facilitator and coach who is there to help the student reach his/her goals through individualized support and rigorous practice. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, practicing my Spanish, and discovering new music. I am also an avid traveler and just got back from a 3 month trip to South America. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!

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Christopher

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +51 Subjects

I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tutor for both Math and Spanish programs in high school and enjoyed the strides I made with students. I am willing to tutor any subject I have a background in, but am strong in mathematics, the sciences, Spanish, history, writing, and ACT prep. I enjoy teaching mathematics most due to the joy I can see in children once they master a topic and can answer even pointed questions meant to stump them, and maybe even put their knowledge to real world use. As a tutor, I like to give a strong foundation to orient my student, and then gradually grant them more freedom and independence until they can feel themselves grasp the concept, pointing out pitfalls or common errors along the way; teachers who used these methods on me always left the most lasting impressions. Outside of my studies, I really enjoy listening to music, both old favorites and new interests, reading classics, and gaming/playing basketball with my friends. Hobbies: writing, art, books, reading, gardening, music

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Michelle

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +28 Subjects

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.

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Charles

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +25 Subjects

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 describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals! Hobbies: art, books, running, reading, music, writing

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Solange

Calculus Tutor • +31 Subjects

I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing. Hobbies: books, hiking, reading, music, writing, art

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Justin

AP Calculus BC Tutor • +48 Subjects

I am an aspiring applied mathematician, with particular interest in image processing and climate science. I graduated in May 2017 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's in physics and mathematics, and am beginning a PhD program in September 2017 at the University of Chicago in Computational and Applied Mathematics. I've tutored introductory physics students for three years and enjoyed it thoroughly, as a chance to help other students while revisiting fundamental concepts to enhance my own knowledge. I'm eager to continue reaching out and helping students of math and physics to succeed and, furthermore, to appreciate the beauty and power of these subjects.

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Ingrid

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +51 Subjects

I am exploring my creativity by pursuing a double major in Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus in Korean, studying abroad in South Korea as a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholar, leading workshops that teach 3D printing and CAD for undergraduate students as the president of 3D4E, advocating for the first-generation and low-income student community as the Outreach Chair of the Quest+ Scholars Network, and getting involved with the Society of Women Engineers' outreach committee. I currently hold a work-study position as an administrative clerical aide in the Institute of Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern and was an undergraduate researcher in the John Rogers Lab. As I look forward with aspirations of applying to graduate school, areas of research in biomedical engineering and biotechnology that I am particularly interested in include biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, and drug delivery systems. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy learning on my own and sharing my experience and knowledge with my peers and other students. I hope to make use of my experiences with academics and learning in high school and so far in my undergraduate career in order to effectively tutor students who may be experiencing the same struggles in learning that I also experienced.

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Elena

Calculus Tutor • +32 Subjects

I am a graduate of McGill University (BA First Class Honors) and the University of Edinburgh (MSc First Class Honors with Distinction) with over eight years of tutoring experience. I am currently a curriculum developer for a company which creates relatable and culturally-literate courses for middle and high-schools, and am particularly adept at communicating and explaining concepts in a quirky, engaging, and intelligent manner. I was named Scotland International Young Thinker of the Year 2014 for exactly that sort of work. Much of my tutoring background is in test-prep and essay coaching, which I enjoy because it allows the tutor and student to think strategically together, and work as a team to achieve concrete results. I have worked with students ranging in age from 6-32, and believe that, in an educational context, a few jokes never hurt anybody. I love reading and learning, and my educational approach is centered around making the material just as engaging to students as it is to me. I think J.K. Rowlings, the writer of Harry Potter, is just as brilliant as Stephen Hawking, and in my free time, I manage my (terrible) fantasy baseball team, write songs for my comedy band, and crack jokes about terrible science-fiction movies with my friends.

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Sabira

Middle School Math Tutor • +35 Subjects

I am currently attending Johns Hopkins University, pursuing a dual degree in Computer Science and Applied Math and Statistics. I love helping students and I love the feeling I get knowing that I was able to use my knowledge to make someone else happier. My favorite subject to teach is math because there are so many ways to learn it and if one way does not help I can use another. I used to teach taekwondo and interacted with all kinds of students, and I'm excited to help out more! Hobbies: books, reading, music, writing, art

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Isabella

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +27 Subjects

I am a graduate of MIT. I received my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with minors in Management Science and Ancient and Medieval Studies. Since graduation, I have started my PhD at Georgia Tech in Operations Research. Throughout my career I have TA'd several math and computer science courses at the college level. I have also taught at summer programs for gifted middle school and high school students. I am passionate about tutoring kids in math and science because I think that a strong foundation in STEM at an early age can set the tone for their future. In my spare time I like to engage in athletics, and was a Division 1 rower in college. Hobbies: reading, swimming, writing, books, music, running, art

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Frequently Asked Questions

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you apply feedback. Students who work with a tutor typically see meaningful gains by identifying and targeting their specific weak areas—whether that's biology concepts, chemistry problem-solving, or physics reasoning. Most students benefit from focusing on the sections where they're leaving the most points on the table, rather than trying to improve everything at once.

The key is deliberate practice combined with strategic feedback. A tutor can help you understand not just what you got wrong, but why you got it wrong and how to avoid similar mistakes on test day.

The Survey of Natural Sciences section has a strict time limit and requires you to balance speed with accuracy. Many students struggle with pacing because they either rush through questions and make careless errors, or spend too long on difficult questions and run out of time.

A tutor can help you develop a pacing strategy by analyzing your performance on practice tests—identifying which question types slow you down and where you tend to make mistakes under pressure. They'll also help you learn to recognize when a question is worth spending extra time on versus when you should make an educated guess and move forward.

Students typically struggle with three main areas: (1) balancing breadth and depth—the Survey covers a lot of ground across biology, chemistry, physics, and biochemistry, making it hard to know what to prioritize; (2) applying concepts to unfamiliar scenarios rather than just recalling facts; and (3) managing time while solving multi-step problems accurately.

Many students also underestimate how much the OAT expects you to reason through problems rather than simply know definitions. A tutor can help you move beyond memorization to truly understanding how concepts connect and apply.

Practice tests are most valuable when you treat them like the real exam—taking them in one sitting under timed conditions—and then spending significant time analyzing your mistakes. Don't just look at which questions you got wrong; dig into why you missed them. Was it a knowledge gap, a timing issue, a careless error, or misunderstanding the question?

A tutor can help you develop a practice test strategy by reviewing your performance patterns, identifying which concepts or question types give you the most trouble, and creating a focused study plan around those areas. They can also help you learn from mistakes rather than repeating them.

Look for someone who understands not just the science content, but also test-taking strategy and the specific challenges of the OAT format. The best tutors can explain complex concepts clearly, identify the gaps in your knowledge quickly, and help you develop efficient problem-solving approaches rather than just drilling facts.

They should also be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses accurately, help you manage test anxiety, and teach you how to approach unfamiliar question types with confidence. Experience specifically with the OAT Survey of Natural Sciences matters because this test has its own logic and priorities.

Most students benefit from 4-8 weeks of focused preparation, though your timeline depends on your baseline knowledge and target score. If you're strong in the sciences but need to sharpen test-taking skills and timing, you might need less time. If you're reviewing foundational concepts or haven't taken these subjects in years, plan for longer.

Rather than focusing on total hours, focus on quality study sessions with a clear plan. A tutor can help you create a realistic timeline based on practice test results and help you stay on track with consistent, targeted practice.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about what to expect. The best antidote is building genuine confidence through repeated practice under timed conditions, so the test format becomes familiar and less intimidating. Knowing your weak areas and having a strategy to handle them also reduces anxiety significantly.

A tutor can help you build this confidence by working through challenging questions together, teaching you problem-solving approaches that feel natural, and helping you develop a pre-test routine that gets you in the right mental state. They can also help you reframe difficult questions as learning opportunities rather than threats.

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