Award-Winning NES Biology Exam Tutors

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Award-Winning NES Biology Exam Tutors

Anthony

Certified Tutor

Anthony

Bachelor of Science, Economics
Anthony's other Tutor Subjects
Algebra
Basic Computer Literacy
Business
College Application Essays

Hello, my name's Anthony. I'm currently an economics and mathematical sciences double major at DePaul University. I love math and like to make it simple and sweet! I also strive to make the best use of clients' time in ensuring effective teaching tactics and yielding positive test and or grade resul...

Education

DePaul University

Bachelor of Science, Economics

Samantha

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Samantha

Master of Arts Teaching, High School Teaching
Samantha's other Tutor Subjects
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic
ACT Math
Algebra
Algebra 2

I got my bachelors in mathematics form Columbus State University and am currently getting my Masters of Arts in Teaching from Mercer University. I have been a private tutor for the past six years, and I worked as a tutor for my university for 4 and a half years. While I was there, I was part of star...

Education

Mercer University

Master of Arts Teaching, High School Teaching

Columbus State University

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics

Claire

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Claire

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
Claire's other Tutor Subjects
Algebra
Algebra 2
CLEP Prep
CLEP College Algebra

I am a rising sophomore at the University of Notre Dame majoring in Political Science and minoring in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since graduating high school with high honors, I have been involved with volunteering, student government, and I am a proud member of Notre Dame's mock trial team! I...

Education

University of Notre Dame

Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government

Test Scores
SAT
1430
Raechel

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Raechel

Bachelor of Science, Human Biology
Raechel's other Tutor Subjects
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Writing
English
Essay Editing

I'm a 21 year old college student, reader, writer, bit of a gym rat, and dog mom.While my major is currently pre-med to pursue a nursing degree, I'm extremely passionate about reading and writing. I've been a bit of a book nerd my whole life, and I love all the things you can do with written languag...

Education

Belmont Abbey College

Bachelor of Science, Human Biology

Jamie

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Jamie

Doctor of Philosophy, Organic Chemistry
Jamie's other Tutor Subjects
Chemistry
College Chemistry
High School Chemistry
Organic Chemistry

I was really lucky all the way through college that I really had good teachers at all levels. When I got to graduate school, I had my first experience with teachers who weren't very passionate about teaching and it was the first time I struggled with the material. It helped me see how important qual...

Education

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bachelor in Arts, Chemistry

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Doctor of Philosophy, Organic Chemistry

Lillie

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Lillie

Masters in Education, Education
Lillie's other Tutor Subjects
Executive Functioning
Geometry
High School Level American History
Learning Differences

My name is Lillie and I am currently a high school teacher. I teach high school, in the area of mathematics and social studies. I specialize in Special Education. I love music, media and broadcasting.

Education

Liberty University

Masters in Education, Education

Virginia State University

Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice

Bill

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Bill

Masters, English Literature
Bill's other Tutor Subjects
ACT English
ACT Reading
ACT Writing
College English

I am a PhD candidate in the field of English Literature, so I am a lifelong student, scholar, and writer. I have taught and tutored all age students, at a variety of preparedness levels. My role as a teacher is to provide the information each individual student needs, at the right time, to succeed.I...

Education

SUNY New Paltz

Masters, English Literature

Carleton College

Bachelors, Philosophy

Caroline

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Caroline

Bachelor in Arts, Humanities, Literature
Caroline's other Tutor Subjects
4th-12th Grade Reading
4th-12th Grade Writing
ACT English
Adult Literacy

I'm a great tutor because I am warm, engaging, funny and I genuinely love to learn. I am good at breaking down larger concepts into more understandable narratives to impart to my students, and I am very astute when it comes to sensing what style of and approach to tutoring is most suited to the stud...

Education

New York University

Bachelor in Arts, Humanities, Literature

Lismaris

Certified Tutor

3+ years

Lismaris

Master's/Graduate, Education and Curriculum State Certified Teacher
Lismaris's other Tutor Subjects
Conversational Spanish
Conversational Spanish for Adults
English
ESL/ELL

I am very passionate about helping students, because I like when I am able to break down lessons and topics, and help them to learn new things that will help them in life. I have been a Teacher since 2010. I have experience teaching Spanish as a first language, and as a second language. I have taugh...

Education

Interamerican University of Puerto Rico

Master's/Graduate, Education and Curriculum State Certified Teacher

Melissa

Certified Tutor

3+ years

Melissa

Masters in Business Administration, Business Administration and Management
Melissa's other Tutor Subjects
Business
Business Analytics
Business Ethics
Business Writing

I'm excited about tutoring because I have a love of learning. This opportunity to help others learn new ideas and new perspectives truly brings me joy. My MBA is in Management and Leadership. In addition to management courses, the curriculum covered business writing, ethics, and public speaking. I p...

Education

Dowling College

Masters in Business Administration, Business Administration and Management

Briarcliffe College

Bachelor of Science, Business Administration and Management

Meet Our Expert Tutors

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

Jessica

10th Grade Writing Tutor • +39 Subjects

A good teacher can make an enormous impact on the life of a student. I have seen this firsthand throughout my life. As a student, I learned how to read and write critically because I had teachers who cared, and who invested themselves in my education. Because of these teachers, I have dedicated myself to the education of others. As a tutor, there is nothing more gratifying than having a student report back that a paper got an A, or that a much-feared test was actually a breeze.My goal as your tutor is to remove the fear and anxiety that may surround a subject, and to place there instead something positive--the love of a book, an appreciation for a well-written paragraph, and the confidence to attack any test or assignment with assurance.I hold my Master's Degree in English Curriculum and Instruction for grades 5-12, and I am well-versed in different teaching methods to ensure that a student who works with me has every chance of success. I think that students learn best when they are interested in a topic; my job as a tutor is to stimulate that interest in any way possible. I will motivate and inspire you to be the best student you can be!

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Melody

Algebra Tutor • +3 Subjects

Being a math teacher for 16 years is makes me wanna do more challenging job. Changing the lives of my students from having math anxiety to math excitement is my secret ingredient to challenge and help them excel. I love to face my computer and make strategic plan to improve my teaching. I love to travel to see the world and share something to my students. I treat my students like my own kids and that keep me positive everyday.

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Ava

Algebra Tutor • +11 Subjects

I am currently a junior at the University of Georgia majoring in risk management and insurance. Since high school, I have tutored a wide variety of subjects, ranging from English to science to math to elementary and middle school students. The thrill watching students figure out something that seemed impossible to them at first is exhilarating; it makes me proud. I try to make learning as fun and easy as possible for students since I know some of the material can be challenging and I like to accommodate to each student. I hope to spread my knowledge inside and outside of the classroom. I like to hang out with friends, go shopping, dance and play piano in my free time.

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Priyanka

Algebra Tutor • +18 Subjects

Hi, I'm Priyanka Prasad! I'm a senior Mathematics and Economics major at Butler University. I have minors in Management Information Systems, Business Administration, and French. I've been a Math and Economics tutor throughout my time in college. These are subjects in which many students struggle during high school and college, and I find helping students to feel more confident in them to be so rewarding!In my spare time, I love to travel, learn new languages, cook, dance, and work with young people. I've done this as a freelance tutor for the past 4 years and also through mentorship opportunities through College Mentors for Kids and working as a tutor for refugees for a local school system.Over the course of the past 4 years, I have tutored over 20 high school students for an extended period of time. Many of these tutoring experiences have been specifically for test preparation. During this time, I've greatly enjoyed helping students meet their own academic goals. Of all the types of tutoring I've done over the years, I've found test preparation tutoring to be the most rewarding. Here's why: standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are often high stakes: performance on one test can have quite a large impact on a student's life. Despite this, test taking is a skill many students struggle with. Fortunately, I've found that test taking skills can be taught, and that learning them can improve student's standardized test performance dramatically. It's enjoyable to watch students develop into confident, effective test takers. It's even better to see what doors doing well on essential tests can open for them.I've also tutored 10-15 students as a supplement to in-class instruction for a specific course. Normally, I enjoy working with student on Math, Economics, Reading, and Writing. Most of the students I've tutored have seen an improvement of 2+ letter grades during the time we've worked together.When I first meet a student, I make it a point to learn about the student's interests and goals, both academic and extracurricular. Then, when the student and I are discussing the subject I am teaching them, I help the student make connections between the subject I'm teaching them to something they have a personal interest in. For example, I was recently working with an Economics student who was doing poorly in the course because she believed it was irrelevant to her life aspirations and therefore didn't apply herself to it much. Soon, I learned that my student wanted desperately to become a corporate lawyer. Once I helped her see how economic principles serve as the basis for legal systems (on both a macro and micro level), she was far more interested in Economics. This interest enabled her to exceed her expectations for her course grade by over two letter grades.As someone who has overcome my own personal struggles with lack of organization and timeliness, I have experienced firsthand what it feels like to work hard but still struggle to reach one's academic goals. Since I'm a far more organized and efficient student now than I was as a child (as evidenced by my solid college academic record), I've implemented changes in my study habits and lifestyle which truly worked. When I work with my students, I often share tips with them which worked for me to set them on the right path to academic success: This does two things: admitting that I'm not perfect either to a student takes me off a pedestal and allows me to connect with the student as their equal. Also, it provides the student motivation that they too, like me, can overcome their academic challenges.

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Joe

Algebra Tutor • +35 Subjects

I have a Masters of Science in Applied Physics and a Bachelors of Science in Physics from Northern Illinois University and The Ohio State University, respectively. I have been tutoring for 12 years in a range of mathematics and science courses from algebra to AP Calculus and physics to astronomy, respectively. I tutored math at a private tutoring center where I became very adept at helping students of varying ages, approximately 5 to 18.While earning my masters degree I taught introductory physics laboratories for two years. I have also been a math instructor at a second private learning center where I learned techniques in helping students not only academically but boost their confidence, enhance their strengths and recognize as well as work on their weaknesses. When tutoring, I teach students how ask the appropriate questions to help them solve their problems. I start by asking leading questions and get the student to reason through the problem rather than simply showing them or having them memorize procedures. This method gets them to be an active participate and not merely an "audience of one." I believe that each student is unique and I tailor my methods of teaching to fit their needs. Many problems can be explained in multiple ways, different ways benefiting different students. For example, some students work better visually and some through auditory means.I enjoy helping students learn because I like sharing the knowledge I spent considerable time acquiring with others and helping make it theirs, too. I particularly enjoy tutoring mathematics and science to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. My favorite subjects to teach are physics and astronomy. Outside of academia, amateur astronomy, along with grilling and watching and reading science fiction are my hobbies.

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Alexander

English Tutor • +19 Subjects

As both a student and an educator, I recognize that education is largely a collaborative and contextual exercise. We each bring with us our own strengths, challenges, hopes, and ambitions and it is important that we are open about these, so as to recognize how they might help and impede our learning! My experience in the contextual exercise of education is primarily in the high school setting, where I have taught history and literature. However, I have also worked with younger students and those with learning differences in a variety of different subjects. I am both a teacher and a continuing scholar. Thus, I recognize the need to apply some of my own pedagogical ideas to my ongoing studies! I am inspired by students that are able to discover something of themselves within the subjects they are working on.I hold an MTS degree from Villanova University, where I specialized in Christianity in late antiquity. I present on a variety of topics regarding history and Christianity in antiquity at conferences, and will begin doctoral work next year in Syriac studies. I look forward to learning alongside you!

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Ash

Adult ESL/ELL Tutor • +12 Subjects

I consider myself a hard-working individual that has a wide variety of skill sets and talents. I am a fast learner, and thanks to my upbringing, I have developed an exceptional work ethic. Every position and job I've held in the past shaped the type of worker I am today and will be tomorrow. I bring not only a smile and a great attitude to the classroom, but also strong leadership, friendly companionship, and a disposition for excellence. I live to teach and I love to help people learn.

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Elena

College English Tutor • +28 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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Adeeb

ACT Math Tutor • +10 Subjects

I am a rising junior at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, majoring in Economics. I love teaching high school mathematics, so please feel free to reach out to me if you need any help with high school math!

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Shawna

Adult Literacy Tutor • +10 Subjects

My biography would be incomplete if I didn't begin with my life before teaching. I am a 60 year old widow who did not begin my teaching career until I was 41 years old. Before that, I was married and in Atlanta as a professional stage actor with big plans for an even larger career. I was perfectly content living with my husband and acting, when he got a job with Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow.This was life-changing for both of us. My husband was a valued employee at the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change for the five years before his death. The experience of getting to know Mrs. King and her family, particularly Yolanda King, as well as many of the great Civil Rights leaders of the 1950s and 60s greatly influenced my worldview. I read many of King's books and sermons, finding myself inspired by his words; inspired to see how we can and should use our lives to improve the world.After my husband's death in an accident, I was disoriented and confused about what I wanted to do with my life for a long time. Theater and acting didn't consume me like they did before. The idea of finding more meaning and making the world a better place kept pushing me to think differently. After a few years of working with Georgia and Mississippi's artist-in-residence programs as a drama instructor, director and writer, I realized that I wanted to teach full-time.This meant I had to go back to college and take all of the math and science courses I avoided the first time around. I spent a year at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque working on finishing my bachelor's degree. Then, when my father became ill with terminal cancer, I returned to Georgia and enrolled in The University of Georgia in Athens.It wasn't particularly easy being a 33 year old student in college with 18 and 19 year olds. It was often lonely, but I can honestly say that I felt my late husband with me, guiding me through this new territory. I learned so much from him, I'll always be grateful.When my father died from cancer, I went back to acting for a short time and also worked for a while as a Pre-K teacher. Then I returned to UGA and finished my degree at the age of 40. I then started my teaching career in Fayette County, Georgia at Sandy Creek High School. I taught Drama and Speech and Communications the first two years. Then I became certified to teach English because they cut my teaching position in Drama. I taught English for two years, but I soon had to leave because my mother had a stroke.I had to move in with her and help her recuperate. While I was home, I taught a year at South Hall Middle School in Gainesville, GA. I didn't return after that year because I wanted to return to high school teaching.This year would have been my 14th year at Hart County High School, in N. E. Georgia, if it hadn't been for the Coronavirus. My 90 year old mother lives with me. Her health is frail; there is no way I could continue to teach in a school where students weren't required to wear masks and then come home to her. It was just too dangerous, so I left.I am thrilled that I will be able to continue to teach here with Varsity Tutors. It means the world to me to continue to try to better my little corner of the world.

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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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