Accelerated lessons
With our one-on-one tutoring approach and customized lesson plans tailored toward a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses, customers can enjoy improved practice test scores in as little as two weeks.
John's SAT tutoring has been invaluable for Michelle. He's not only friendly and professional but also adapts sessions to her unique needs with tailored support, making test prep a breeze.
Learner’s network maintains a specially-trained group of dedicated SAT tutors. Here are some of the many Learner tutors your student could be working with:
Tutoring since 2015
Award-winning tutor
Tutoring since 2013
Tutoring since 2013
Tutoring since 2016
Bilingual Math Expert
Tutoring since 2008
Experienced educator
Tutoring since 2008
Sylvan Learning Center
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Tutoring since 2010
Tutoring since 2010
Tutoring since 2010
Interactive math tutor
5,000 + Hours of Tutoring
Versatile educator
Tutoring since 2015
UCLA Honors Graduate
Tutoring since 2016
Award-winning tutor
A student's score on the Scholastic Assessment Test, better known as the SAT, plays a major role in determining what colleges will approve their application. Because of the high importance of SAT scores, preparation often puts significant stress and pressure on students. Despite its reputation as a difficult test, Learner’s specially-trained tutors will help your student walk into their test with confidence.
While the SAT is designed to cover concepts typically taught in the first two years of high school, the test is different from most school exams. Time limits, complex math concepts, and pressure-related anxiety all set this exam apart from others of its type.
Overcoming the SAT’s challenges involves studying difficult concepts through the use of practice questions. A private SAT tutor uses these questions and customized lesson plans to familiarize students with the test, preparing them to tackle problem areas with a mixture of composure and expertise.
At Learner, we believe that anyone can improve their algebra skills. Learner teaches all age groups and grade levels, whether you or your child are in elementary, high school, or in college.
It's becoming harder for students to find qualified private online math tutors who live in their area. Learner's primary goal is to solve this problem by connecting students with online algebra tutors who are a good fit for them. This way, students can work with qualified teachers worldwide without ever needing to leave their homes. Here are a handful of the locations with the highest demand for online tutoring.
Learner’s tutors provide countless advantages to their students, but here are some of the top benefits you can expect to enjoy:
At Learner, we believe that private tutoring leads to the best results because, unlike group SAT lessons, students receive the undivided attention of their tutor. This allows tutors to teach at their student's pace, answer as many questions as necessary, and focus on the areas most in need of assistance.
Depending on a student’s strengths and weaknesses, they may need more help with certain areas covered by the SAT, such as math world problems or passage analysis. Fortunately, one of the most significant advantages of Learner’s online tutoring program is that each student receives a personalized lesson plan. This means that tutors can fine-tune their lessons to address each student’s individual needs and maximize time spent on areas in need of improvement.
Because Learner’s tutoring sessions are conducted 100% online, students can access help and expertise no matter where they’re located. And, because we collaborate with only the best tutors from across the country, students can rest assured that they’re hiring the most qualified, experienced professionals to help with their SAT prep.
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Your child’s education and future are invaluable, so finding a trustworthy, qualified tutor is one of the most important things you can do to prepare them for success. As you research tutoring services, start by reviewing a tutor’s credentials. Review a potential tutor’s background, education, teaching experience, and any relevant certifications they possess.
Additionally, look for an SAT instructor whose methods, philosophy, and teaching style align with your child's needs. For instance, some students may learn better with strict structure, while others may need a more gentle and nurturing approach. Lastly, finding a tutor whose prices match your budget ensures you’ll be able to afford their services for as long as is necessary to ensure your child’s success.
Chelsea from Learner helped me to get a full ride to Duke University.
“Chelsea from Learner was the perfect match for me. She customized the training so that it would push me hard - but not too hard where I would get frustrated. I worked with Chelsea for years because she took a genuine interest in me and my future.”
"Stephanie taught me how to be more organized. I was getting Bs and Cs before I started working with her. I used to get overwhelmed before studying for a test. Stephanie taught me how to create “study guides” so I’d have all the big ideas in one place. I am now getting As and Bs and my parents are much happier."
"When I first started working with Alan, I told him I would never be good at math. I barely passed my first two years of high school math and I needed one more hard math class to graduate. Alan believed in me and worked with me on the basics. Little by little, he built up my confidence to the point where I realized I am good at math and I did well in the class."
Answer questions about your child's background and unique needs.
Schedule a call with our Academic Advisor to identify learning goals and objectives.
We will custom match the right tutor for your child. Your initial session is commitment-free.
Learner’s expert tutors excel in helping students with SAT preparation. Here are some of the many ways your children can benefit from Learner’s services:
Independent SAT tutoring is important, but it’s not always efficient. Our private tutors assess each student to gauge what parts of the exam they need the most help with. By tackling these problem areas first, students see improvement in practice test scores in just a few weeks.
Our online tutoring sessions are not your average video call. With online classrooms equipped with virtual whiteboards for tutors and students to collaborate on SAT questions, sessions use cutting-edge technology to maximize results. Also, all tutoring sessions are recorded, so students can use them as study tools and parents can review individual sessions for quality.
SAT tutoring is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and we understand that. Our specially-trained team of matching specialists considers each student’s personality, strengths, weaknesses, learning style, schedule, and interests to pair them with the most compatible tutor in the Learner network.
All of our highly-qualified tutors possess advanced degrees and established track records in SAT test prep. To ensure quality and customer satisfaction, we thoroughly vet each tutor on their background and expertise. This way, customers can rest assured that every student will receive top-notch one-on-one instruction–regardless of which tutor they’re matched with.
With our one-on-one tutoring approach and customized lesson plans tailored toward a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses, customers can enjoy improved practice test scores in as little as two weeks.
Our virtual classrooms utilize interactive whiteboards, video and audio equipment, and file-sharing features to recreate the experience of an in-person learning environment.
Preparing for the SAT can be a grueling and excruciating process for some students, but it doesn’t have to be. Our private tutors match a student’s pace, encourage them to seek excellence, and answer as many questions as necessary.
Our tutors utilize practice questions from previous exams to best prepare students for the real SAT. This way, students can take their exams with confidence and expertise built on genuine experience.
When searching for the best SAT tutors online, it’s essential to consider what kind of tutor will best serve your child’s needs. In pursuit of this, look for tutors with personalities and experience compatible with your priorities. Once you select a handful of tutoring candidates with impressive backgrounds, respectable degrees, and sufficient teaching experience (ideally teaching SAT prep), you can focus on finding an expert among them who aligns with your child’s best interests.
Sometimes, an SAT tutor might have an impressive track record, but their tutoring approach doesn’t cater to your student’s unique learning needs or goals. Even so, it’s often difficult to gather this information from a tutoring profile or resume, so don’t be afraid to ask candidates to hop on a short phone call with you. When you do, consider asking candidates to walk you through one of their typical SAT prep sessions. That way, you can gauge whether their style fits with your child’s needs. If your child has a specific learning style or any learning disabilities, ask your tutoring candidates how they will consider these factors in their lesson plans.
Finally, the right tutor needs to provide rates that fit within your budget. As you research potential candidates, consider how much you can afford to spend on a tutor each month and how long your child will need SAT tutoring. Remember that more expensive, higher-quality tutoring can be more affordable in the long run if the student requires fewer total hours to achieve results.
Confidence is one of the key components of academic performance. Studies show that the more confident students are, the more likely they are to search for new solutions on exams and persevere through difficult test questions. Unlike independent study, private tutoring gives students the positive reinforcement they need to develop confidence in their abilities.
Developing a strong grasp of SAT content, such as math, vocabulary, and grammar, is essential. Even so, learning how to perform under time constraints is equally important. Private tutors work with students to learn some of these key tactics, such as eliminating answer choices, guessing strategically, and pacing themselves appropriately.
Unlike in group courses, private SAT tutors tailor their test prep lessons to their student’s needs. If a student has questions or needs a concept refresher, their tutor can pause the lesson as often as needed to clarify a concept. Conversely, students won’t waste time sitting through explanations of concepts that they have already mastered.
Preparing for the SAT involves considerable independent work and self-study. Because of this, studying for a test like the SAT intimidates many students, causing them to procrastinate and leaving them unprepared for test day. An SAT tutor holds students accountable for their study schedules and gives them manageable assignments to tackle on a weekly basis.
Traditionally, students rely on textbooks and study materials to help them prepare for the SAT. One of the benefits of working with a private tutor, however, is their access to additional materials, including practice tests, that students can take advantage of during and after their lessons at no additional cost.
Every student learns at their own pace, and some students may need more time to grasp certain concepts than others. Whether a student is struggling to decipher a reading passage or solve a math problem, it’s important for tutors to never show signs of annoyance and frustration, as this will only further discourage and demotivate the student.
There will be moments when students “hit a wall” when studying for the SAT. Maybe it’s when they repeatedly fail to finish a certain section in time, or their practice test scores are still low after extensive effort. In these cases, students need a tutor capable of pushing and motivating them to work through temporary challenges. The more invested a tutor is in a student’s success, the more motivated the student will feel.
Helping students prepare for the SAT is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Every student will have varying levels of familiarity with each section and different challenges that they face when taking the test. A private tutor must be able to tailor their SAT curriculum to a particular student’s needs by factoring in their learning style, strengths, weaknesses, and personality.
Let’s face it, “SAT prep” doesn’t excite students. For many students, studying for the SAT is a stressful and grueling experience, so it falls upon private tutors to help make this experience more enjoyable for their students. The more fun an SAT tutor makes each lesson, the more engaged students will be. The more engaged students are, the more likely they are to understand and retain critical information for the test.
Studying for the SAT has its ups and downs, and students will experience moments of triumph and frustrating setbacks along the way. One of the primary responsibilities of tutors is to frequently communicate with students (and their parents) about progress and expectations. Knowing the areas in which they need to improve means students are always working toward small goals. Meanwhile, being updated about their child’s progress allows parents to intervene or contribute when necessary.
For many students, studying for the SAT can be mentally and emotionally challenging. And, even when sufficiently prepared, the test can be stressful and anxiety-inducing, causing self-doubt and low self-esteem in students. Because there may be times when a student’s emotional barriers impede their progress, tutors must be able to meet their students where they are and help them work through any issues related to self-confidence.
Struggling with the SAT sometimes embarrasses students, especially if it feels like they are alone in that challenge. Humility in a tutor helps create a safe learning environment for students to admit when they need help and ask as many questions as needed.
Confidence goes a long way toward helping students excel on the SAT. The more ambitious a tutor is in supporting their student’s goals, the more likely a student is to dream big. The best tutors will push students outside of their comfort zones so they can reach their full potential.
Unlike in-person tutoring, online tutoring takes place in a virtual classroom. Online classrooms utilize video and audio, interactive whiteboards, and file-sharing features that replicate the feeling of in-person education.
Learner thoroughly screens all of our private SAT tutors. Each tutor has, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college and several years of SAT prep experience. Among all tutors who apply to our platform, only 5% are accepted.
Our matching specialists do the heavy lifting of matching you with the most compatible tutor in Learner’s network. Your assigned expert considers factors such as schedule, personality, strengths, weaknesses, and learning style when making this decision. That said, parents or students will also always have a say in the final decision.
Our private tutors create a customized SAT curriculum for students based on their strengths, learning style, and the areas most in need of improvement. Whether a student needs help solving difficult math problems or deciphering complex reading passages, our SAT tutors have you covered.
Even with our in-depth consultation and specially-trained matching specialists, sometimes a pairing doesn’t work out–and that’s okay! The first session with each tutor is for students to gauge whether they can see themselves working with a tutor long-term. If they feel as though their learning style or personality doesn’t align with the tutor's, Learner will match them with a new tutor for free.
When getting started with Learner, the first step is to match with a tutor. Once our matching specialist pairs a student with a tutor (which will occur in approximately 72 hours), the student can schedule their first lesson at their convenience.
Online SAT tutoring takes place in a virtual classroom. Each classroom contains video and audio, a virtual interactive whiteboard, and a file-sharing feature, and our platform allows students and tutors to collaborate on practice questions as if they were in the same room. Each session is recorded for students or parents to watch later.
Yes! Tutoring from an SAT prep expert has been proven to boost students’ SAT practice test scores. Private tutoring is particularly beneficial, as tutors create customized lesson plans to target the areas most in need of assistance.
Our tutoring rates depend on the tutor’s background and experience and the package students sign up for, but most rates range between $90 and $120 an hour. If you are working within a particular budget, our team can help you find a package that works best for you. Remember that a higher rate with fewer required hours can often be more affordable than less effective tutoring over a longer period.
Depending on what online service you are working for, you must take various steps to become an online tutor. Specifically, most services have certain qualifications that applicants must meet. At Learner, for instance, tutors must already possess a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university and several years of teaching SAT prep.
Generally speaking, SAT tutoring is considered a personal expense and is, therefore, not tax deductible. If your child has a learning disability, however, then SAT tutoring may be considered a medical expense.
At Learner, customer satisfaction is our top priority. If a student is unsatisfied with their first lesson, then our team will match the student with a new tutor for free. The student will also be refunded for the first lesson.
Scholarship Award: $500
The Learner SAT Tutoring Scholarship is an annual $500 scholarship that’s open to all high school who are serious about taking the SAT. The next deadline to apply is July 20, and winners will be announced on August 20.
Imagine your learning and career possibilities if you didn't have to worry about things like how much an SAT tutor costs and how to study for the SATs. The Learner SAT Tutoring Scholarship takes care of the hard parts and sets you up for success. If you have the desire to achieve, compete with the best of them, and see a future in your dream university then we can help you with the rest. We believe in your unlimited potential and we’re here as a resource.
Isabella Smith
Awarded: $500
On: July 2024
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Justice Jones
Awarded: $500
On: August 2023
Siya Patel
Awarded: $500
On: August 2022
Amount: $500
Application deadline: July 20
High school students
Current U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident
You can apply for this scholarship on the Bold.org scholarship platform. Simply set up a free account and submit your application for the Learner SAT Tutoring Scholarship, along with a short essay answering the following prompts:
• How are you preparing yourself for the SAT test?
• What’s your goal with the SAT test?
DOWNLOADABLE WORKSHEET
Prepare your students for SAT success with our curated set of 51 challenging practice questions. We've reviewed past SAT exams to provide your students with targeted practice in the exam's three main sections: Math, Reading, and Writing & Language.
Here's a sample of 5 questions - download the worksheet and answer sheet below for the full practice test.
A) -13
B) -11
C) 13
D) 11
A) 40π/3
B) 80π
C) 200π/3
D) 320π
Passage I
"The government has proposed implementing stricter regulations on the use of single-use plastics. Proponents argue that this move is necessary to reduce environmental pollution and protect wildlife. Current statistics show that plastic debris causes the deaths of over a million animals and birds annually, resulting in approximately $100 billion in pollution damages. However, opponents claim that the proposed regulations would have negative economic consequences, particularly for small businesses that rely on the production and sale of single-use plastic products."
A) “Current statistics show that plastic debris causes the deaths of over a million animals and birds annually, resulting in approximately $100 billion in pollution damages.”
B) "Proponents argue that this move is necessary to reduce environmental pollution and protect wildlife."
C) "However, opponents claim that the proposed regulations would have negative economic consequences."
D) "The government has proposed implementing stricter regulations on the use of single-use plastics."
A) Environmental pollution and wildlife protection.
B) The negative impact on small businesses.
C) The necessity of reducing plastic waste.
D) The government's proposed implementation.
Sentences:
The research study was comprehensive. It provided valuable insights into the topic.
A) The research study, which was comprehensive, provided valuable insights into the topic.
B) The comprehensive research study provided valuable insights into the topic.
C) The research study was both comprehensive and provided valuable insights into the topic.
D) The research study, providing valuable insights into the topic, was comprehensive.
Members of the academic community who join Learner today and sign up with their .edu email address can enjoy a 15% discount on the cost of their tutoring sessions. Whether you're a dedicated student , an accomplished alumni seeking to sharpen your skills, a dedicated staff member looking to expand your knowledge, or a faculty member aiming to excel, incorporate Learner's tutoring into your plan, and set yourself on the path to success!
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Learner looked at news reports and press releases to track the efforts of colleges across the U.S. to reinstate standardized testing for admissions.
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In April, Harvard University announced that it would again require prospective undergraduates to submit either SAT or ACT scores as part of their applications for fall 2025, a significant policy reversal for the Ivy League school.
Harvard was one of many colleges and universities that dropped its standardized testing requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted by the widespread closure of testing centers amid unprecedented circumstances. It was the latest development in the ongoing evolution of standardized testing, the purpose and value of which have been hotly debated for decades.
Schools that dropped standardized test scores as requirements for admissions decisions during the pandemic were far from the first to do so. The test-optional movement, which gained traction well before 2020, had already raised questions and concerns about the tests' legitimacy, prompting some 200 four-year colleges and universities to adopt "test-optional" or "test-blind" policies over the two decades prior.
Cultural and racial barriers inherent in standardized tests are well-documented. White and Asian students typically fall at the higher end of scoring distributions, while Black and Hispanic/Latino students are at the lower end, according to data from the Brookings Institution. Scores also tend to correlate with income, further perpetuating inequalities in scoring due to the racial wealth gap.
However, test scores alone don't reveal the full picture behind these scoring tendencies. Recent data suggests that standardized tests aren't actually biased but rather reflect and perpetuate existing inequalities. "Standardized tests are better proxies for how many opportunities a student has been afforded than they are predictors for students' potential," wrote Andre M. Perry, a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro.
Now, Harvard is among other elite institutions in the United States—including Yale, Dartmouth, the California Institute of Technology, and the University of Texas at Austin—that have re-embraced standardized tests. This development adds a new layer of complexity to the already fraught college admissions process.
Learner analyzed news reports and academic research to see why colleges are taking up standardized tests again and what it means for the future of college admissions.
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When the University of Texas at Austin announced that it would once again require undergraduate applicants to submit standardized test scores after four years of test-optional admissions, the school released data showing that students who declined to send in their SAT and ACT scores were seriously underperforming.
In 2023, around 90% of applicants to UT Austin submitted standardized test scores. Those who did had a median SAT score of 1420 out of 1600, while those who declined had a substantially lower median SAT score of 1160. Students who submitted SAT scores performed better in their classes, earning a 0.86 higher grade point average than their peers who did not. Overall, UT Austin estimates that students who chose to send in their SAT scores were 55% less likely to have a first-semester college GPA of below 2.0, or approximately a C average.
Colleges have also cited grade inflation as a reason for bringing back the SAT. The share of incoming four-year college freshmen with A or A+ high school GPA rose from 13.4% in 1985 to 30.9% in 2019, according to surveys published by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. A further 28.4% of freshmen reported having A- grade averages in high school. Because of this increase in high grades, a 4.0 GPA is no longer the mark of distinction it once was in college admissions.
Bringing back standardized tests, some research shows, would better distinguish students who have the potential to thrive academically. A 2024 study in the Journal of Opportunity Insights found that standardized test scores were far more predictive of college success than high school grades. They estimate that a typical student who received 1200 on their SATs can be expected to earn roughly a 3.2 GPA in college. By contrast, their peers who scored 1600 on their SATs can be expected to earn GPAs of around 3.65, a correlation held true across students from both affluent and less affluent high schools. In contrast, high school grades showed little correlation with college performance.
Data is mixed, however, on just how predictive standardized test scores are of academic performance. A 2019 study from the American Educational Research Association found that high school grades are more predictive of college success than standardized tests, suggesting that the SAT and ACT measure only a small skill set compared to the wide range of knowledge and information reflected by grades.
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With conflicting data on standardized tests, holistic admissions have gained favor in recent years, an approach that promises to paint a fuller picture of each candidate. Yet some studies show that these holistic views can be even more skewed in favor of higher-income students.
Research by Harvard and Brown University economists analyzed admissions data from elite colleges and found that after controlling for test scores, more than 35% of applicants whose parents were in the top 0.1% of the income distribution had high "non-academic" ratings, compared to around 25% for applicants from a household with typical income.
Applicants whose parents were in the top 1% of income distribution paled in comparison to the children of the top 0.1% when it came to essays and extracurriculars. Similarly, students from the richest households also received better ratings from their teachers and counselors.
Given the bias in favor of higher-income students, some suggest that standardized test scores may actually be the best indicator of success among lower-income students and students of color. In other words, cutting out tests altogether might end up taking talented, lower-income students of color out of the running, leaving admissions officers to choose qualified but more privileged candidates whose families had the means to hire a professional tutor for test prep, invest in extracurricular activities like fencing or lacrosse, or even had the benefit of legacy admissions.
Since the College Board Entrance Exams broke ground in 1901, standardized testing has been a flashpoint in conversations about culture, education, and meritocracy in America. Current trends may only prove one thing: College admissions are increasingly fraught, and admissions officers must deal with the tension between maintaining high academic standards and ensuring that all students are given a fair shot at higher education—and a good start on their future.
Story editing by Alizah Salario. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
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