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Award-Winning HSPT Reading Tutors

Julie

Certified Tutor

Julie

Masters, Urban Education
Julie's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SAT Subject Test in Literature
SAT Reading

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!

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Masters, Urban Education

Fordham University

Bachelor in Arts, Sociology

Justin

Certified Tutor

Justin

Current Grad Student, Philosophy
Justin's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Quantitative Reasoning
SSAT- Upper Level

I am a graduate of the University of Chicago where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Currently, I am in the master's program at the University of New Mexico where I am continuing my education in philosophy. Ultimately, I hope to go on to earn a PhD in Philosophy so that I can continue en...

Education

University of Chicago

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Current Grad Student, Philosophy

Test Scores
ACT
34
Margot

Certified Tutor

Margot

Bachelors
Margot's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills

I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, where I attended Menlo School, one of the top private high schools in California. Given my educational background, I am no stranger to the pressures facing today's students--from schoolwork to extracurriculars to college applications and test prep, it...

Education

Dartmouth College

Bachelors

Test Scores
SAT
1470
Michael

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Michael

Bachelor of Engineering Science in Chemical Engineering
Michael's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Competition Math

I am a graduate of Yale University. I received my Bachelor of Engineering Science in Chemical Engineering. Since graduation, I earned a certification to teach English as a Second Language, and traveled to Beijing, China, where I taught at both primary and high school levels (including several math a...

Education

Yale University

Bachelor of Engineering Science in Chemical Engineering

Bridget

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Bridget

Bachelor of Science, Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
Bridget's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills
SAT Reading

I am a graduate of Texas Christian University. I received my degree in Secondary Education with a Social Studies Emphasis and Mathematics Minor. I am currently pursuing my Masters of Education through the University of Notre Dame while teaching high school math and social studies. I have experience ...

Education

Texas Christian University

Bachelor of Science, Teacher Education, Multiple Levels

Test Scores
SAT
1460
Moriah

Certified Tutor

Moriah

Bachelor of Arts in Music
Moriah's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Arithmetic

I am a graduate of Cornell University and received a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Currently, I am working as an Assistant Director at a preparatory school managing and teaching students simultaneously. In the recent years at the school, I have been focusing more on the Reading portions of standardized...

Education

Cornell University

Bachelor of Arts in Music

Test Scores
SAT
1550
Francesca

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Francesca

Bachelor of Economics, Political Science and Government
Francesca's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Pre-Calculus
Middle School Math
Geometry

I am a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, where I majored in political science. I am currently a law student at Chicago-Kent College of Law, and aspire one day to practice corporate law with a focus on financial compliance.

Education

Loyola University-Chicago

Bachelor of Economics, Political Science and Government

Test Scores
ACT
33
Elena

Certified Tutor

Elena

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

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 ...

Education

University of Edinburgh

Masters, Biblical Studies

Mcgill University

Bachelor in Arts, Religious Studies

Helen

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Helen

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering
Helen's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus

I'm especially passionate about math and science and work in a research lab at Oregon Health and Sciences University. I love helping students do well on tests such as the ACT, SAT, SSAT and the HSPT especially. I am attending Johns Hopkins University and majoring in Biomedical Engineering.

Education

Johns Hopkins University

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering

Sheena

Certified Tutor

Sheena

Bachelors, Economics, Chinese
Sheena's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Calculus

I am pursuing an accelerated Master's Degree in Economics, and a Bachelor's in Chinese language at the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College. I have been pursuing my passion for teaching and tutoring for over four years. I have taught both privately and in group settings on subjects such as Calc...

Education

Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College

Bachelors, Economics, Chinese

Test Scores
SAT
1570

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Reshad

Calculus Tutor • +35 Subjects

I am a senior at Queens College majoring in Urban Studies. I am writing a thesis on South Asians living in New York City. I have spent the last two semesters mentoring kids from a local shelter every Saturday during the school year. My specialties are SAT prep, SHSAT Prep, English and Social Studies. As a tutor, I am persistent and creative in my teaching techniques. I will explore every option to teach students the material.

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Shana

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +34 Subjects

I am looking forward to working with students eager to achieve.

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Kaitlyn

6th Grade math Tutor • +173 Subjects

I am a medical student committed to helping your student succeed. I have been a tutor for 5+ years, and have experience teaching Math, Science, Spanish and Test Prep to students of all ages and ability. I believe every child has the potential to learn with positive one on one attention and I am committing to helping you student learn how they study best, and become a more independent learner. I look forward to meeting you, and helping you achieve your goals! Hobbies: writing, reading, music, art, books

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Varun

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +112 Subjects

I am enthusiastic about helping others reach their educational goals. Whatever the task, no matter how long it takes, I will make sure you get the most out of your sessions and will tailor my personal approach to whatever you need.

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Nicole

Calculus Tutor • +74 Subjects

I am currently a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling master's program at Nova Southeastern University, and I received my B.A. in English with a minor in Spanish from the University of Miami in 2016. I am a native speaker of English and Russian. Throughout the course of my education, I have helped my fellow students improve their analytical and writing skills through collaboration. I am able to tutor a broad range of subjects, including standardized test preparation, English literature up to the college level, essay and academic writing and grammar, Russian and Spanish language skills. Having scored in the top percentiles on the verbal and essay writing sections of standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE, I also possess the perspective and expertise to help others excel on these and similar exams. I am passionate about empowering students to achieve their full potential through education, and I strongly believe tutoring can be a valuable tool for any student's academic growth. In my free time, I enjoy reading, crafting, and journaling.

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Taylor

Calculus Tutor • +33 Subjects

I am a recent graduate of the University of Rochester in upstate New York, with degrees in English Literature and French. I have experience tutoring students of all ages, from those who have just finished kindergarten all the way up to college students. I tutor in English (including reading for both younger and older students, essay prep including college essays, and editing), French of all levels, and test prep including SAT, PSAT, and AP tests in English and French. I believe that individualized teaching is most effective, and work to find methods that work best for each individual student. Some of my most rewarding teaching experiences have been young students learning to read, but also love to see a student who goes from struggling to success on their standardized tests. I believe that an education is one of the most influential things a person can possess, and am passionate about helping students succeed academically and helping them overcome frustration they may feel to begin to enjoy their education, too. Beyond academics, I passionately love to read, cook, and do yoga, which takes up much of my free time.

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Amy

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +43 Subjects

I am an incredibly dedicated tutor with years of experience and education to help students reach their academic goals. Beginning in high school, I tutored elementary through high school students in mathematics and the sciences. In college, I taught a weekly class to local high school students interested in learning about neuroscience. Since college, I have continued tutoring students on a weekly basis in a wide variety of subjects.

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Nikhil

Calculus Tutor • +22 Subjects

I am a patient, intellectual, and calm college student at the University of Michigan passionate about tutoring others to improve their proficiency in a wide variety of subjects. I teach students by creating individualized plans that cater to the strengths and weaknesses of the student. I work hard and as long as it takes to ensure that the student derives maximum benefit. I love teaching a wide variety of subjects, and have a speciality in standardized tests. Hobbies: reading, music, swimming, writing, art, sports, books, dancing, photography

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Arun

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +24 Subjects

I am well aware of that, and as a tutor, I consider it my job to give my students the confidence to apply the knowledge they have gained. That confidence will serve them well not only now but in future endeavors as well.

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Naomi

9th Grade math Tutor • +141 Subjects

I am happy to tutor for Varsity Tutors. I study English literature and philosophy, so reading and writing are my strongest suits, but I am glad to help in any of my listed subjects. Please send me a message to let me know how I can be of assistance!

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Frequently Asked Questions

The HSPT Reading section gives you about 1.5 minutes per passage, which is tight. A tutor can help you develop a strategic approach: skimming for main ideas first rather than reading every word, identifying question types before diving into answers, and learning which questions to tackle first based on difficulty. Many students waste time re-reading passages when they could use context clues and question stems to find answers efficiently. Practice with timed drills helps you internalize this pacing without sacrificing accuracy.

HSPT Reading tests both skills, but inference questions often trip up students because they require reading between the lines—finding what's implied but not directly stated. A tutor can teach you to distinguish between these question types by their wording ("directly states" vs. "suggests," "implies," or "infers") and show you how to use textual evidence to support inferences without going too far beyond what the passage supports. Many students either pick answers that are too literal or make wild inferences that aren't grounded in the text.

Taking full-length practice tests and reviewing every wrong answer—not just the ones you got right—is essential. A tutor can help you spot patterns: Are you missing vocabulary-in-context questions? Struggling with main idea questions? Losing points on detail questions because you're rushing? Analyzing your errors by question type and passage topic reveals whether you need work on comprehension, vocabulary, inference skills, or test-taking strategy. This targeted approach is much more effective than generic review.

Vocabulary matters, but not the way many students think. You don't need to memorize thousands of words—instead, HSPT Reading tests your ability to infer word meanings from context clues. A tutor can teach you to look for synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and examples within the passage itself. Understanding common prefixes and suffixes also helps. Many students who struggle with vocabulary questions actually understand the passage fine; they just need strategies for extracting meaning from surrounding sentences rather than knowing every word's definition.

This is one of the most common HSPT Reading mistakes. Main idea questions ask what the passage is primarily about or what it's trying to prove, while detail questions ask for specific facts mentioned in the text. A tutor can help you recognize that detail answers are often too narrow (they're true but miss the big picture), while wrong main idea answers are usually just supporting details. Learning to ask yourself "Is this the point of the whole passage, or just one part of it?" helps you distinguish between them quickly.

Test anxiety on HSPT Reading often stems from time pressure and fear of "running out of time." A tutor can help you build confidence through repeated practice with timed passages, so the format feels familiar and less threatening. Developing a consistent strategy—knowing exactly what you'll do with each passage—also reduces anxiety because you're following a plan rather than panicking. Additionally, learning to skip difficult passages and come back to them (if time allows) gives you a sense of control and prevents you from getting stuck and losing points on easier questions.

Consistent, focused practice beats cramming. Most students see meaningful improvement with 3-4 weeks of regular work: 2-3 timed passages per week combined with thorough review of errors. A tutor can create a customized study plan based on your baseline score and target score, spacing out practice to build skills progressively. Quality matters more than quantity—reviewing why you missed one question teaches you more than rushing through 10 passages without reflection. Your tutor will adjust the pace and difficulty based on your progress.

An effective HSPT Reading tutor understands the test's specific format and question types, not just general reading comprehension. They should be able to diagnose whether your struggles are rooted in vocabulary, comprehension, inference, pacing, or test strategy—and address each differently. Look for someone who uses actual HSPT practice materials, teaches you to identify question patterns, and helps you develop a personalized approach rather than a one-size-fits-all method. They should also track your progress on timed drills to ensure you're building both accuracy and speed.

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