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Award-Winning Writing Tutors

Sherry

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Sherry

Bachelor's degree in psychology and linguistics
Sherry's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math

Sherry's dual background in linguistics and psychology — both from the University of Chicago — gives her an unusual lens on writing: she understands how sentences work structurally and how readers process them cognitively. She teaches students to sharpen thesis statements, tighten paragraph transiti...

Education

University of Chicago

Bachelor's degree in psychology and linguistics

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1600
Brittney

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Brittney

Master of Arts, English
Brittney's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills
SAT Reading and Writing

The hardest part of writing isn't grammar — it's figuring out what you're actually trying to say and then organizing evidence around that claim. Brittney tackles this by teaching students to outline arguments before drafting, develop thesis statements that do real analytical work, and revise with pu...

Education

Grand Valley State University

Master of Arts, English

Princeton University

B.A. in Comparative Literature

Test Scores
SAT
1440

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Brian

PHD, Technology & Information Mgmt (Indef. deferred)
Brian's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
Statistics Graduate Level
Pre-Algebra
Finite Mathematics

Brian treats writing as an engineering problem: identify the core argument, design the structure to support it, then refine sentence by sentence. His dual background in economics and computer science at Caltech means he's written everything from research papers to technical documentation, giving him...

Education

University of California-Santa Cruz

PHD, Technology & Information Mgmt (Indef. deferred)

California Institute of Technology

Bachelors in Economics and Computer Science

Test Scores
SAT
1580

Certified Tutor

Jacob

Master of Arts, German
Jacob's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SAT Subject Test in Literature
SAT Subject Test in German with Listening

Trained in comparative literature at Columbia, Jacob treats writing as a craft with movable parts — thesis construction, evidence integration, paragraph architecture, and revision strategy each get dedicated attention. He's particularly sharp at teaching students how to move from a rough idea to a p...

Education

University of California-Berkeley

Master of Arts, German

Columbia University

B.A. in Comparative Literature

Columbia University in the City of New York

Bachelor in Arts, Comparative Literature

Test Scores
SAT
1550

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Keith

Juris Doctor, Prelaw Studies
Keith's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math
PSAT Writing Skills

Strong writing starts with a clear claim and a deliberate structure, not with a blank page and good intentions. Keith's coursework at Williams spanned analytical essays in political science, close-reading papers in English, and research-driven arguments in history — so he adapts his coaching to what...

Education

Williams College

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government

Cornell University

Juris Doctor, Prelaw Studies

Test Scores
SAT
1560

Certified Tutor

Christopher

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

Christopher treats writing as engineering on the page: every paragraph needs a clear purpose, every transition should carry the reader forward, and the whole piece has to hold together under scrutiny. Whether a student is working on a personal narrative or a research paper, he digs into thesis devel...

Education

Harvard College

Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Test Scores
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Rachel

Masters
Rachel's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math
AP Environmental Science

Between her Johns Hopkins master's work and her aspirations as a freelance writer, Rachel has logged thousands of hours producing research papers, personal narratives, and professional communications. She breaks the writing process into concrete, repeatable steps — brainstorming, outlining, drafting...

Education

Johns Hopkins University

Masters

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Masters, Environmental Health Sciences

Johns Hopkins University

Bachelors

Test Scores
SAT
1430

Certified Tutor

Meghan

Masters, Journalism
Meghan's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills
SAT Reading and Writing

Strong writing is really rewriting — and Meghan learned that through two journalism degrees at Northwestern and daily practice at a New York magazine. She teaches students to draft with a clear argument, revise for structure and evidence, and edit for voice, moving a piece from rough idea to polishe...

Education

Northwestern University

Masters, Journalism

Northwestern University

Bachelors, Journalism

Northwestern University

Undergraduate degree in journalism (major) with a Spanish minor

Test Scores
SAT
1520

Certified Tutor

Emily

Juris Doctor, Public Interest Law Certificate
Emily's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Public Speaking
College Essays

Clear writing is really clear thinking made visible, and Emily's entire career — philosophy at Northwestern, then law — has been built on that principle. She teaches students to outline an argument before drafting, choose precise language over impressive-sounding filler, and revise by asking what ea...

Education

Northwestern University

Bachelor in Arts, Philosophy

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Juris Doctor, Public Interest Law Certificate

Northwestern University

BA in Philosophy

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Ingrid

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering
Ingrid's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Finite Mathematics
Trigonometry
Statistics

From research abstracts in a biomedical engineering lab to personal narratives for scholarship applications, Ingrid has written across genres that demand very different voices — and she teaches students to adapt their tone, structure, and evidence to whatever the assignment requires. She's especiall...

Education

Northwestern University

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering

Test Scores
SAT
1540
ACT
33

Certified Tutor

Elena

Masters, Biblical Studies
Elena's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SSAT- Upper Level
SSAT- Middle Level

Most writing instruction tells students what good writing looks like without explaining how to actually produce it. Elena breaks the process into concrete, repeatable steps — building an argument from a single claim, structuring paragraphs around evidence, and revising for voice and clarity. Named S...

Education

University of Edinburgh

Masters, Biblical Studies

Mcgill University

Bachelor in Arts, Religious Studies

Certified Tutor

Tom

PHD, American Studies
Tom's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Geometry
Calculus

Tom's PhD work produced hundreds of pages of academic writing, from seminar papers to a full dissertation, so he knows firsthand how to move from a messy first draft to a polished argument. He teaches students to outline before they write, build paragraphs around single claims, and revise with an ey...

Education

Boston University

PHD, American Studies

Harvard University

Bachelors

Test Scores
SAT
1520

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Mimi

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

Strong writing starts with having something specific to say — and Mimi's inquiry-based approach means she spends real time on the thinking stage before a student ever drafts. From thesis development to paragraph architecture to revision strategy, she walks through each phase of the writing process s...

Education

Harvard University

Masters in Education, Education

Dartmouth College

B.A.

Test Scores
SAT
1560

Certified Tutor

Liz

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

Getting words on the page is one problem; organizing them into a clear, purposeful piece is another. Liz breaks the writing process into concrete stages — claim development, outlining with topic sentences, drafting body paragraphs around evidence — so students stop staring at a blank screen and star...

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

Valerie

Bachelor in Arts, Classics, Theatre
Valerie's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Arithmetic
Trigonometry

Most writing instruction tells students what good writing looks like without showing them how to get there. Valerie reverses that — she starts with a student's messy first draft and teaches concrete moves: how to build an argument with evidence, vary sentence rhythm, and revise with purpose. Her twe...

Education

University of Chicago

Bachelor in Arts, Classics, Theatre

Test Scores
SAT
1540

Meet Varsity Tutors Experts

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

Elena

Calculus Tutor • +31 Subjects

Most writing instruction tells students what good writing looks like without explaining how to actually produce it. Elena breaks the process into concrete, repeatable steps — building an argument from a single claim, structuring paragraphs around evidence, and revising for voice and clarity. Named Scotland's International Young Thinker of the Year for her ability to communicate complex ideas accessibly, she brings that same skill to teaching students how to get their thinking onto the page.

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Tom

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +40 Subjects

Tom's PhD work produced hundreds of pages of academic writing, from seminar papers to a full dissertation, so he knows firsthand how to move from a messy first draft to a polished argument. He teaches students to outline before they write, build paragraphs around single claims, and revise with an eye toward clarity rather than word count. His 4.9 rating speaks to how well that process clicks with students.

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Mimi

Middle School Math Tutor • +31 Subjects

Strong writing starts with having something specific to say — and Mimi's inquiry-based approach means she spends real time on the thinking stage before a student ever drafts. From thesis development to paragraph architecture to revision strategy, she walks through each phase of the writing process so students internalize it for the next assignment, not just the current one.

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Liz

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +40 Subjects

Getting words on the page is one problem; organizing them into a clear, purposeful piece is another. Liz breaks the writing process into concrete stages — claim development, outlining with topic sentences, drafting body paragraphs around evidence — so students stop staring at a blank screen and start building arguments. Her experience teaching and directing tutors at a Boston charter school means she's refined these methods across hundreds of student writers at different skill levels.

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Valerie

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +37 Subjects

Most writing instruction tells students what good writing looks like without showing them how to get there. Valerie reverses that — she starts with a student's messy first draft and teaches concrete moves: how to build an argument with evidence, vary sentence rhythm, and revise with purpose. Her twenty pre-college writing prizes came from exactly that process of drafting and reworking.

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Reid

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +35 Subjects

The gap between having an idea and expressing it clearly on the page is where most students get stuck. Reid tackles that gap by teaching concrete techniques — thesis construction, paragraph transitions, evidence integration — rather than vague advice like "be more specific." His sociology and education background means he's equally comfortable coaching a persuasive essay or a research paper.

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Solange

Calculus Tutor • +31 Subjects

Every writing problem is really a thinking problem — a muddled thesis usually means the idea isn't clear yet. Solange walks students through the full arc from brainstorming to polished draft, teaching them to outline arguments, vary sentence structure, and revise with purpose. Her sociology training at Harvard made her especially sharp at building evidence-based written arguments.

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Sabira

Middle School Math Tutor • +35 Subjects

Turning a vague idea into a structured, compelling piece of writing is a skill most students never get explicitly taught — they're just told to "write a five-paragraph essay" and figure it out. Sabira breaks the process into concrete steps: narrowing a topic, building an outline with real claims, drafting body paragraphs around evidence, and revising for clarity. Her 5.0 rating speaks to how well that structured approach works.

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Henry

Calculus Tutor • +41 Subjects

Henry's senior thesis at Harvard on John Dewey's philosophy of education required building a sustained, evidence-based argument across dozens of pages — a process that sharpened his instinct for what makes writing persuasive versus merely correct. He teaches students to outline with a clear claim in mind, develop paragraphs around specific evidence, and revise with an ear for voice and rhythm.

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Asta

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +73 Subjects

At the University of Chicago, every assignment was essentially a writing assignment — seminar papers, policy analyses, research proposals — which gave Asta deep practice in adapting voice and structure to different audiences. She teaches students how to outline before they draft, build paragraphs around single claims, and revise with purpose rather than just fixing commas.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A writing tutor provides personalized feedback on the elements that matter most—thesis development, argument structure, evidence integration, and revision strategies. Rather than just correcting grammar, tutors help you understand why certain choices strengthen your writing and guide you through the process of developing your own voice and style. With one-on-one instruction, you get targeted feedback on your specific weaknesses, whether that's organization, clarity, or supporting your claims effectively.

Grammar is the foundation—correct punctuation, sentence structure, and word choice ensure your ideas are clear and professional. Style, on the other hand, is about how you express those ideas: your tone, sentence variety, word selection, and overall voice. A strong writer masters both. Tutoring addresses both elements, starting with grammar fundamentals if needed, then helping you develop a distinctive, compelling writing style that engages readers and communicates your unique perspective.

Writer's block usually stems from one of a few issues: unclear thinking about your topic, perfectionism, or not knowing how to start. Tutors help by breaking the writing process into manageable steps—brainstorming ideas, creating outlines, drafting without judgment, and then revising. They also teach strategies like freewriting, asking guiding questions to clarify your thinking, and building momentum by focusing on one section at a time rather than the whole essay at once.

Absolutely. Many students find citation formats confusing, but they're learnable with clear guidance. Tutors can explain how MLA and APA differ, show you how to format in-text citations and works cited pages correctly, and teach you the reasoning behind these formats. More importantly, they help you understand why proper attribution matters—not just as a rule to follow, but as a way to acknowledge sources and build credibility in your writing.

Literary analysis requires you to move beyond summarizing a text to interpreting what it means and why the author made specific choices. Tutors guide you in developing strong analytical claims, finding textual evidence that actually supports those claims, and explaining the significance of that evidence. They teach you how to read closely for literary devices, themes, and character development, then help you organize those observations into a coherent, persuasive essay that demonstrates genuine understanding.

The best writing tutors combine subject expertise with strong teaching skills. Look for someone who understands essay structure, argumentation, and grammar thoroughly, but also listens carefully to your specific challenges and adjusts their approach accordingly. They should ask questions that help you think deeper about your own writing, provide clear feedback with specific examples, and encourage you to take ownership of your revision process rather than simply fixing errors for you.

Improvement depends on how frequently you work with a tutor and how actively you apply feedback. Many students notice better organization and clearer thesis statements within 2-3 sessions. Developing a more sophisticated writing style and consistently strong essays typically takes longer—usually several weeks of regular practice and feedback. The key is consistent practice between sessions, applying what you've learned to new assignments, and building confidence in your ability to revise your own work effectively.

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