Award-Winning Developmental Algebra Tutors

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Award-Winning Developmental Algebra Tutors

Li

Certified Tutor

Li

Bachelor of Science, Speech and Hearing
Li's other Tutor Subjects
1st-9th Grade Math
3rd-8th Grade Science
Pre-Algebra
Arithmetic

Having studied both speech and hearing science and medicine, Li understands how people process and internalize new information — a skill that translates directly to teaching fraction operations, variable manipulation, and equation basics to students who need a fresh start. She breaks each concept in...

Education

Northwestern University

Bachelor of Science, Speech and Hearing

NYITCOM

Non Degree Doctorals, medicine

Test Scores
SAT
1480
Neil

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Neil

Bachelor's in Economics
Neil's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Geometry

Five years analyzing investments at a wealth management firm meant Neil lived in spreadsheets full of equations, percentages, and variable-dependent models — the same core skills developmental algebra is designed to lock in. He's especially good at showing students how solving for an unknown or simp...

Education

Princeton University

Bachelor's in Economics

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Arianna

Bachelor of Science
Arianna's other Tutor Subjects
8th-12th Grade Math
9th-12th Grade Writing
Pre-Algebra
Calculus

A Dartmouth neuroscience graduate, Arianna understands how the brain builds (and loses) mathematical connections — which makes her especially effective at diagnosing why a concept like simplifying expressions or working with signed numbers didn't stick the first time around. She retracks each skill ...

Education

Dartmouth College

Bachelor of Science

Certified Tutor

Tarif

Bachelors, BS/MD
Tarif's other Tutor Subjects
1st-12th Grade Math
3rd-8th Grade Science
7th-11th Grade Writing
7th-11th Grade Reading

As a medical student who's spent years tutoring grades 7–12, Tarif knows that most developmental algebra struggles trace back to one or two specific breakdowns — maybe it's distributing negatives, maybe it's setting up an equation from a word problem. He uses constant questioning and visual diagrams...

Education

CUNY Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Science

Bachelors, BS/MD

CUNY Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Science

Bachelors, Biomedical Science/ Medical Degree

Test Scores
SAT
1520

Certified Tutor

Tim

Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering Honors
Tim's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Linear Algebra

Starting over with math fundamentals takes a tutor who won't rush past the gaps. Tim breaks down core concepts like integer operations, order of operations, and basic equation-solving into small, concrete steps, building each idea from something the student already understands. His 5.0 rating speaks...

Education

The University of Texas at Austin

Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering Honors

Test Scores
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

Chase

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Chase's other Tutor Subjects
Applied Mathematics
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB

I am listening to and learning about him or her as an individual. I can also discover what motivates the student during this conversation and plan for how to frame future tutoring sessions in terms of what the student already knows and enjoys.

Education

Western Governor's University

Bachelor of Science, Mathematics

Test Scores
SAT
1520

Certified Tutor

Felice

Bachelor of Science, Finance
Felice's other Tutor Subjects
1st-8th Grade Math
1st-8th Grade Writing
1st-8th Grade Reading
Pre-Algebra

Nine years in financial services gave Felice a practical fluency with the exact skills developmental algebra covers — manipulating variables, working with fractions, and setting up equations to model real situations like budgets and loan calculations. She pairs that real-world grounding with an Engl...

Education

Rutgers University (New Brunswick)

Bachelor of Science, Finance

Certified Tutor

Hannah

Bachelor in Arts, Media, Culture and the Arts
Hannah's other Tutor Subjects
1st-12th Grade Reading
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra

Before tackling calculus and college algebra, Hannah spent years as an ESL tutor — an experience that taught her how to explain ideas multiple ways until one clicks, which is exactly what developmental algebra demands when a student is stuck on signed numbers or basic equation setup. Her arts degree...

Education

The King's College

Bachelor in Arts, Media, Culture and the Arts

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

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

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

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

Meet Varsity Tutors Experts

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

Nina

Statistics Graduate Level Tutor • +23 Subjects

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 at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.

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Reid

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +35 Subjects

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 towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.

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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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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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Liz

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +40 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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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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Michelle

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +27 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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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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Andrew

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +26 Subjects

I am comfortable tutoring math subjects up to multivariable calculus and differential equations, as well as college physics. Hobbies: books, music, art, reading, writing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Students often find multi-step equations challenging because they require tracking variables and operations across several stages—one missed step throws off the entire solution. Fractions and rational expressions also trip up many students, especially when simplifying or finding common denominators. Word problems are another major pain point because they require translating real-world scenarios into algebraic expressions, which demands both language comprehension and mathematical reasoning. Additionally, graphing linear equations and understanding the connection between equations and their visual representations often feels abstract without guided practice and conceptual explanation.

Showing work reveals your thinking process and helps identify exactly where errors occur—a tutor can spot whether you're struggling with order of operations, distribution, or combining like terms. Many students rush through steps or skip reasoning, which masks gaps in understanding. A tutor teaches you to write out each step methodically, making patterns visible and building the habit of organized problem-solving that's essential for success in higher math courses.

Developmental Algebra tutoring focuses on building conceptual bridges—for example, understanding that solving an equation is about keeping both sides balanced, not just following a memorized rule. A tutor can use visual tools, real-world examples, and guided discovery to help you see why you subtract the same number from both sides, or why distributing works the way it does. When you understand the 'why' behind procedures, you're better equipped to solve unfamiliar problems and retain skills long-term, rather than forgetting formulas after a test.

A tutor breaks down word problems into smaller, manageable steps: identifying what you're solving for, defining variables clearly, extracting numerical information, and building the equation piece by piece. They teach you to read actively, highlight key phrases, and practice common problem types (distance-rate-time, percent increase, mixture problems) so patterns become familiar. With repeated guided practice and feedback on your reasoning, word problems shift from feeling impossible to feeling like a solvable puzzle.

Math anxiety often stems from past negative experiences or feeling lost in a classroom setting. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction removes that pressure—you can ask questions without embarrassment, work at your own pace, and celebrate small wins. A tutor creates a low-stakes environment where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, not failures. Over time, as you experience success solving problems you once thought were impossible, confidence naturally builds and anxiety decreases.

A tutor guides you to notice that solving linear equations, graphing lines, and working with systems all rely on the same underlying concepts—balance, slope, and relationships between variables. By working through multiple related problems and reflecting on similarities, you begin to see algebra as a connected system rather than isolated rules. This pattern recognition helps you transfer skills to new problem types and prepares you for more advanced algebra, where these connections become even more critical.

A strong Developmental Algebra tutor can explain concepts in multiple ways—visually, algebraically, and with real-world context—because different students understand differently. They should be patient with foundational gaps, ask probing questions to uncover misconceptions, and know how to scaffold problems from simple to complex. Look for someone who emphasizes reasoning and problem-solving strategies over memorization, and who can diagnose whether you're struggling with arithmetic, algebraic thinking, or something else entirely.

A tutor assesses where you actually are—whether you're strong on basic operations but weak on variables, or vice versa—and builds from there. For students just starting out, tutoring focuses on building number sense and introducing variables gradually. For students further along, tutoring targets specific weak spots like fractions or graphing while pushing deeper conceptual understanding. This personalized approach means you're never bored by review or overwhelmed by jumping ahead too fast.

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