Award-Winning PSAT Mathematics Tutors

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Award-Winning PSAT Mathematics Tutors

John

Certified Tutor

16+ years

John

Bachelor of Fine Arts, English/Drama
John's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
College Algebra
Middle School Math
Geometry

PSAT math covers the same algebra, problem-solving, and data-analysis framework as the SAT, which makes it the perfect low-stakes opportunity to build real test strategy before junior year. John walks through each question type — linear equations, ratios, percentages, quadratic behavior — and teache...

Education

University of St Thomas

Bachelor of Fine Arts, English/Drama

American Academy of Dramatic Arts

Associates, Acting

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1420
ACT
36
Nina

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

8+ years

Anna

Bachelor in Arts, Anthropology
Anna's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
Middle School Science
PSAT Writing Skills

I'm Anna! I'm currently a student in the MD/MBA program between Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and the Kellogg School of Management, and graduated from Northwestern University as part of the Honors Program in Medical Education. I attended the Bergen County Academies in New Jer...

Education

Northwestern University

Bachelor in Arts, Anthropology

Northwestern University

Graduated (Honors Program in Medical Education)

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1590
ACT
36

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

9+ years

Elliot

Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience
Elliot's other Tutor Subjects
Statistics Graduate Level
Pre-Algebra
Statistics
Middle School Math

PSAT Math trips up many students not because the concepts are hard but because the phrasing is unfamiliar — a straightforward ratio problem can look alien when buried in a word problem about survey data. Elliot, who scored a 36 ACT and 1540 SAT, teaches students to translate each question into the u...

Education

Hampshire College

Bachelor in Arts, Cognitive Science

Vanderbilt University

Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1540
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Chelain

PHD, PhD: Molecular Pharmacology and Structural Biology; MD: Medicine. Currently a Resident in Radiation Oncology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. C
Chelain's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
College Essays
Literature

I am currently a resident physician at Northwestern Hospital.

Education

Thomas Jefferson University

PHD, PhD: Molecular Pharmacology and Structural Biology; MD: Medicine. Currently a Resident in Radiation Oncology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. C

Swarthmore College

Bachelors, Biology, Psychology

Test Scores
SAT
1550
ACT
33

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Alex

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering
Alex's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Algebra

Scoring a 1590 on the SAT means Alex knows exactly which algebra, data analysis, and problem-solving concepts the PSAT recycles in slightly different packaging. He breaks down Passport to Advanced Math questions — manipulating quadratics, interpreting nonlinear graphs — so students build the speed a...

Education

Washington and Lee University

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1590
ACT
36

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

Elena

Juris Doctor, Law
Elena's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SAT Mathematics
SAT Reading and Writing

I am a second year law student at the University of Chicago who hails from the San Francisco Bay Area! I tutor the SAT, ESL, and Spanish. I was an AVID tutor in high school, and after college I taught an ESL class and tutored a high school student in Spanish. In law school, I am involved with the La...

Education

Cornell University

Bachelor in Arts

University of Chicago Law School

Juris Doctor, Law

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1600

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

I am a graduate of the University of Chicago, with a bachelor's degree in psychology and linguistics. Currently, I am pursuing a master's degree in speech-language pathology at Teachers College, Columbia University. In the past, I have worked as a teacher's aide in a public school classroom, a mento...

Education

University of Chicago

Bachelor's degree in psychology and linguistics

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1600

Certified Tutor

Kiersten

Bachelor's
Kiersten's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
SAT Mathematics
SAT Reading and Writing

I am a junior studying Writing for Screen and Television at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. For the past two spring semesters I worked as a CollegeSpring Mentor, tutoring Green Dot Charter high school juniors for the SAT and teaching them predatory skills for colleg...

Education

University

Bachelor's

Test Scores
SAT
1550

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Peter

Bachelor in Arts, Mathematics
Peter's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra

I am a graduate from Georgetown University, where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics with a minor in Music. I'm currently pursuing a Master's of Science in Business Analytics at Carnegie Mellon University. I've been tutoring since I started high school, focusing on mathematics and w...

Education

Georgetown University

Bachelor in Arts, Mathematics

Test Scores
SAT
1580

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Phillip

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering
Phillip's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Geometry
Calculus

I'm a rising junior at Brown University studying biomedical engineering. I have lots of experience in middle school through college level instruction in STEM and SAT/ACT prep. My goal is to provide a fun and productive learning environment by only teaching subjects that I am passionate about.

Education

Brown University

Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Engineering

Test Scores
SAT
1560

Certified Tutor

Edward

Bachelor's
Edward's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus AB
College Algebra
Multivariable Calculus
Trigonometry

I am currently studying chemical engineering at the University of Michigan. I have always helped out my fellow students with schoolwork, and I have tutored in the National Honor Society for three years. My tutoring strengths include my abilities to stay calm, be patient, and offer different perspect...

Education

University

Bachelor's

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1520
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

Dennis

Bachelor of Science, Finance and Statistics
Dennis's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Statistics

I am currently attending New York University where I am pursuing a degree in Finance and Statistics. I have previous experience tutoring individuals in math, a subject I have always excelled at academically. My knowledge and interest in mathematics, makes it easy for me to frame and deconstruct seem...

Education

New York University

Bachelor of Science, Finance and Statistics

Test Scores
SAT
1550

Meet Varsity Tutors Experts

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

Kiersten

Calculus Tutor • +15 Subjects

I am a junior studying Writing for Screen and Television at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. For the past two spring semesters I worked as a CollegeSpring Mentor, tutoring Green Dot Charter high school juniors for the SAT and teaching them predatory skills for college. In addition to my experience tutoring for the SAT, as a screenwriting major I most enjoy teaching my favorite subject, English. I love showing students the power language endows upon them to communicate their ideas and beliefs with others. I believe every student deserves the chance to succeed and to try to capitalize on their strengths while encouraging them to improve in areas they may traditionally find challenging. Endowing a student with confidence in themselves through patience and support is the best way not only to improve academic performance, but also transform them into lifelong learners. I try to share not only my passion for knowledge with students, but also my love of sports (football, baseball, and softball), action films, and global affairs. Seeing students not only improve academically but also show improved confidence and happiness is the most rewarding part of my job.

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Peter

AP Calculus BC Tutor • +29 Subjects

I am a graduate from Georgetown University, where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics with a minor in Music. I'm currently pursuing a Master's of Science in Business Analytics at Carnegie Mellon University. I've been tutoring since I started high school, focusing on mathematics and writing. Throughout my college career I was employed both privately and by Georgetown University to tutor peers and high school students in the Washington, D.C. area. I worked with students taking classes in all levels of mathematics falling under Algebra, Calculus, Combinatorics, and Problem Solving. Hobbies: art, books, reading, music, writing

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Phillip

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +38 Subjects

I'm a rising junior at Brown University studying biomedical engineering. I have lots of experience in middle school through college level instruction in STEM and SAT/ACT prep. My goal is to provide a fun and productive learning environment by only teaching subjects that I am passionate about.

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Edward

AP Calculus AB Tutor • +31 Subjects

I am currently studying chemical engineering at the University of Michigan. I have always helped out my fellow students with schoolwork, and I have tutored in the National Honor Society for three years. My tutoring strengths include my abilities to stay calm, be patient, and offer different perspectives on the learning process. I do not just help my students learn the material, but I also teach them how to learn it. I tutor math and test prep courses. Outside of school and tutoring, I play the piano. I have played classical piano for 13 years and jazz piano for 7. Hobbies: reading, music, art, books, writing

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Dennis

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +21 Subjects

I am currently attending New York University where I am pursuing a degree in Finance and Statistics. I have previous experience tutoring individuals in math, a subject I have always excelled at academically. My knowledge and interest in mathematics, makes it easy for me to frame and deconstruct seemingly complicated concepts and theories in ways students will be able to understand and remember. Outside of academia I enjoy playing tennis, going to movies, and spending time with friends and family.

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Austin

Elementary Math Tutor • +34 Subjects

Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books, traveling, travel, outdoors

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Nishad

Calculus Tutor • +24 Subjects

I am a first year medical student at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. I have been a private tutor in the past in subjects such as math, biology, chemistry, and the SATs and every single one of my more than twenty students have shown significant improvement. Most importantly, I have a passion for teaching, and your needs and preferences as the learner will always be paramount. I hope to help every one of my students reach every bit of their potential, and along the way, to utterly shatter any self-induced limitations that have been placed upon what they can accomplish.

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Miranda

Calculus Tutor • +33 Subjects

I am a new graduate of Pomona College, in Claremont, CA, where I studied Religion and Philosophy. While there, I wrote many papers of a wide variety, working on strong arguments, organization, and phrasing. I peer edited as well as volunteering with groups that mentored high school students, focusing on college admissions work, continuing and expanding my experiences from high school of tutoring for standardized testing. Additionally, I taught beginning violin to younger children.

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Joey

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +21 Subjects

I am a graduate of Columbia University with a degree in Drama and Theatre Arts. I taught math and essay writing to my peers in high school and college, and have tutored a close friend in her mathematics courses since junior year of high school. I am most comfortable and passionate about tutoring SAT prep, particularly the Math section and subject tests. I believe in supporting and encouraging my students and making material as accessible as possible, breaking down what may be difficult subject matter into terms and concepts that they already understand. I firmly believe in the potential of every student to grasp material that they may think is out of reach, and aim to reduce the stress factor of studying as much as possible. Outside of tutoring, I am a professional actor and playwright, and in my free time (a rare, mystical thing these days) I enjoy playing guitar and mandolin, practicing yoga, and my PS4.

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Emily

Pre-Algebra Tutor • +38 Subjects

I am a Yale graduate with over 8 years experience tutoring students from a variety of backgrounds. I recently graduated from the Yale School of Public Health with a MPH concentrating in Epidemiology and Global Health. I also received my B.S. from Yale with a double major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and French. I have experience both leading group classes and working with students one on one. I will respond to a student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning style in order to help them succeed and make the most of our time together. I earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT, 2280 on the SAT, and qualified as a National Merit Scholar on the PSAT. I look forward to working with you! Hobbies: writing, art, books, music, dancing, baking, reading

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Frequently Asked Questions

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you work with a tutor. Students typically see meaningful gains—often 50-100+ points—when they focus on identifying and addressing specific weak areas, whether that's algebra fundamentals, geometry concepts, or problem-solving strategies. The key is targeted practice: rather than reviewing everything, a tutor helps you pinpoint exactly which question types trip you up and builds confidence through repeated practice with similar problems.

Most students benefit from 4-8 weeks of consistent tutoring before the test, with sessions focused on both skill gaps and test-taking strategies that improve accuracy and pacing.

The biggest hurdles typically fall into three categories: pacing and time management (running out of time on harder problems), careless errors (mistakes on problems students actually know how to solve), and conceptual gaps (struggling with certain algebra, geometry, or word problem types). Many students also underestimate the importance of understanding why an answer is correct, not just getting it right once.

A strong tutor helps you slow down on tricky problems, develops a system for checking your work, and fills in foundational gaps so you approach each question type with confidence rather than guessing.

Effective strategies include: working backwards from answer choices on some problems, using process of elimination strategically, and knowing when to skip a question and come back to it. Many students waste time on one difficult problem when they could earn points on easier ones. A tutor helps you develop a pacing plan—typically 1-1.5 minutes per easier problem, 2-3 minutes for medium difficulty, and deciding whether harder problems are worth your time.

Beyond strategy, understanding how the PSAT formats questions (multiple choice vs. student-produced response) and practicing with real test sections helps you stay calm and focused on test day rather than being surprised by question formats.

Practice tests are most valuable when you treat them like the real thing: take full-length sections in one sitting without interruptions, time yourself strictly, and then analyze your mistakes carefully. Don't just count correct answers—track which types of problems you miss and whether mistakes came from careless errors, conceptual misunderstandings, or time pressure.

A tutor helps you interpret your practice test results and creates a targeted study plan around your actual weak areas rather than reviewing everything. Most students benefit from 3-4 full-section practice tests spaced throughout their preparation, with focused tutoring in between to address specific gaps identified in each test.

Start by categorizing the problems you miss: Which algebra concepts are shaky? Do geometry problems consistently trip you up? Are you struggling with word problems or calculator-free questions specifically? Beyond just marking answers wrong, track whether you didn't know how to solve it, made a careless error, or ran out of time.

A tutor accelerates this process by reviewing your practice tests and sometimes giving diagnostic assessments to pinpoint exactly where conceptual gaps exist—whether it's systems of equations, exponent rules, or data interpretation. Once you know your specific weak areas, tutoring becomes focused and efficient rather than general review.

Timing issues usually stem from two problems: spending too long on difficult problems early in the section, or not having a clear strategy for which problems to prioritize. A strong approach is to scan the entire section first, mark the easier problems you can solve quickly, tackle those first to build confidence and rack up points, then return to harder problems with remaining time.

Your tutor can help you develop a personal pacing plan based on how fast you naturally work, teach you to recognize when a problem is worth your time versus when to skip and come back, and give you tools to stay calm if you fall behind during practice tests.

Beyond strong math knowledge, excellent PSAT tutors understand the test's structure, know which concepts appear most frequently, and recognize the specific tricks and traps in how questions are worded. They can explain concepts in multiple ways since every student's brain works differently, and they focus on your individual weak spots rather than generic test prep.

Equally important: they help you build confidence and manage test anxiety. They teach you when to slow down and double-check versus when to trust your work, and they make you feel supported rather than stressed. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who combine deep PSAT expertise with the ability to adapt their teaching to how you learn best.

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