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Top-rated reading tutoring classes and tutors

5x week learn to read in 100 days of classes - homeschool, pre-k, k5, 1st, 2nd.

Let Me Help-Tutoring for Reading, Writing, English, or Math 1:1 (Certified Kg-6)

Targeted Reading Intervention Private Sessions (Twice Weekly Sessions)

Reading Tutoring: Foundation Skills, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension!

Reading Comprehension Skills Course Private Tutoring

3X Week Learn to Read in 100 Days of Classes - Part 1

English Assessment for ESL Students

Middle School Language Arts Boot Camp: English Grammar, Writing, and Reading

Waldorf Private Reading Course

Private English Tutoring: Reading and Writing

Individual Reading Tutor Ages 8-18

1:1 Tutoring Class- Math, Reading, Writing, Phonics Help for Pre-K to 4th Grade

Reading & Comprehension Tutoring (40 minutes)- K5, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th Grade!

2024 Digital SAT Test Prep: Mastering Reading, Writing, & Math Self Paced Class

1 on 1 Private Tutor: Phonics, Fluency, Reading, Dyslexia, Special Education

Individualized 1:1 Tutoring English Grammar Reading Spelling Phonics Math K-6

Private 1:1 English Tutoring All Levels - Reading, Grammar, Writing and More!

Beyond Sound It Out: Advanced Phonics Self-Paced (Dyslexia-Friendly)

Fun and Engaging Private Reading Tutoring (Ongoing)

Master Phonics Skills and Read a Book

Reviews for top Reading Tutoring classes

Pre-K & Kindergarten

Master reading reading tutoring with reading specialist teacher chadwick.

1-on-1 Reading Comprehension Strategies With Reading Specialist

Read to the Teacher!

Elementary school

Read with me | reading & comprehension | certified science of reading specialist.

Middle school

Reading adventures: 1 on 1 help with reading.

Find more classes

Popular searches, high school, writing tutoring, beginning creative writing: write with the teacher, writing a paragraph: more daily writing practice.

1:1 Private Writing Tutoring | Writing Success With Special Ed Teacher

Cultivate a Love for Reading with Personalized Support

Outschool's reading tutoring is not just about improving fluency and comprehension—it's about unlocking the magic within every page. Our tutors specialize in creating a supportive, engaging environment where young readers can explore various genres, discuss their insights, and develop critical thinking skills alongside their reading abilities. From phonics for beginners to advanced literary analysis, we offer personalized support tailored to each learner's needs and goals.

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The Best Reading Tutoring Online

Find the best reading tutor.

SAT Reading Expert

I have over 10 years of experience helping students raise their SAT scores by hundreds of points! I can't wait to help you achieve a higher score! See Anna's full profile

My son started working with Anna in advance of the April ACT. They met twice a week, sometimes once a week, and she assigned weekly homework for him to do. I could tell that they hit it off because he never complained about the ... read the full review - Bojan , 10 lessons with Anna

Elementary Tutor and Test Prep - Reading , Writing, and Math!

I am a certified elementary school teacher with 14 years of experience. I have a degree in general education and literacy for elementary students. I love teaching! There is no better way for your child to succeed than one-on-one tutoring. I will... See Kelly's full profile

Kelly has been working with my two girls (8 and 5 years old). It has been difficult getting them to go on zoom during regular school but they never have any complaints when they have to meet with Kelly. They like the time they g... read the full review - Nancy , 68 lessons with Kelly

Patient, Knowledgeable Preschool/Pre-K Tutor

We work on English speaking, grammar, vocabulary, reading , reading comprehension, spelling, writing and phonics. I have worked with several students who had very limited English skills and have helped them to be able to converse,... See Gabrielle's full profile

We have hired Gabrielle to tutor our preschool twins. They are learning so much in just a short time! Gabrielle is patient, kind, and comes with a wealth of knowledge about how preschoolers can learn. We are learning a lot too,... read the full review - Kirsten , 25 lessons with Gabrielle

Credentialed multiple subject teacher

Current reading tutor for elementary ESL and non-ESL students. Previous kindergarten teacher. See Erika's full profile

Helping Teenagers Read Better and Faster

It’s like watching windshield wipers slowly descending. I didn’t read that way, not in high school or college. Rather than slowly advancing down a page, my eyes advanced and then retreated. I’d read seven words, say, and then... See Robert's full profile

Bob helped me unearth and organize details from my life to create two powerful essays. I told him that it couldn’t be done, that my life was pretty ordinary, even privileged. But with his questioning and prodding, I wound up remem... read the full review - Eric , 10 lessons with Robert

English Expert! Earn 700-800 on SAT/34-36 ACT or 4s/5s on AP English!

Bachelors of Science in English AP English - Language & Composition Teacher Reading /Writing Teacher See Frank's full profile

My son was very happy to achieve 700s in reading/writing yesterday. He jumped around 100 points from previous test after getting lessons from Frank. Highly recommend! ... read the full review - Aaryan , 14 lessons with Frank

Reading Strategies for all levels

Reading is the running of school. In all sports, you need to run. If you cannot read easily, all school work suffers. It's the one skill that all students need to raise their grades across the board. With over 20 years of... See Robert's full profile

Robert is by far one of the best tutors I have had the pleasure of working with. He is ALWAYS competent and willing to help me no matter the time line. He's work is phenomenal and it still amazes me efficient he works. An assignme... read the full review - Maredith , 6 lessons with Robert

Reasoning Through the ISEE

However, we can see that each option is close to 1/2. Therefore: A. 3/7 < 1/2 B. 4/9 < 1/2 C. 5/10 = 1/2 This is the largest. D. 6/13 < 1/2 The reading comprehension is where we apply... See Mike's full profile

My son has been tutoring with Mike since may of 2021 and the improvement that my son has done is amazing. My son couldnt nearly even read. Now he is reading and spelling words. His confidence has gone up as well. He has been tryi... read the full review - Leidy , 335 lessons with Mike

Literacy Tutor at Prestigious Learning Center

I was a professional literacy and comprehension tutor for Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes for a couple of years. Lindamood-Bell has pioneered programs to develop the sensory-cognitive processes that underlie reading and comprehension. See Abby's full profile

After each session my daughter has thanked me for finding Abby. She is well prepared and extremely professional. My daughter’s confidence has grown exponentially after two sessions.... read the full review - Lisa , 3 lessons with Abby

Old-Fashioned Expertly Trained Reading Teacher

My students benefit from my specialized phonics and critical thinking reading types instruction as I've taught reading in a clinical setting, federally funded test out programs, and mainstreaming ESL and special ed student... See Sherry's full profile

Sherry is a wonderful writing tutor. My daughter has had three sessions with her and seems to feel comfortable with her teaching/tutoring style. Sherry comes very prepared to the tutoring lessons. She was quickly able to identify ... read the full review - Babitha , 31 lessons with Sherry

Patient Elementary Teacher Tutoring for K-8 Math, Reading , and Writing

I have been a teacher for ten years with experience as a reading intervention specialist. See Kelly's full profile

She’s amazing, attentive, patient, caring and supportive. My daughter has excelled in math so much thanks to Mrs. Kelly and feels a lot more confident in math. We love Mrs. Kelly. Five stars all around. ... read the full review - Veronica , 43 lessons with Kelly

PhD-level tutor focused on writing mastery, essays & reading

...writing skills—and academic performance—of high school and college students. My expertise includes essay mastery, analytical reading , and personalized writing strategies to foster clear expression. My 15 years of teaching in Chicago and extensive tutoring... See Alrick's full profile

I recently had the pleasure of workig with Alrick on a paper for my English 101 class. He is extremely nice, patient and very informative. He even followed up with me and offered to help some more. I looked forward to working with... read the full review - Zaira , 7 lessons with Alrick

Your Reading Comprehension Guru!

5+ Years of helping students nationwide improve their reading comprehension skills. See Sarah's full profile

Amazing tutor with professional level tutoring sessions. Remarkable knowledge of the SAT and her curriculum is very effective and to the point. She is the sure thing if your children require immediate assistance on improving te... read the full review - John , 13 lessons with Sarah

ESOL, English, Speaking, Reading , and Writing, for Adults

I am a former volunteer with the Washington Literacy Council where I tutored low-literacy adults and trained other tutors on using the 'Wilson' method of reading . The Wilson method provides a structured way to using sounds to... See Moire's full profile

Professor Moire is a very versed, smart, and authentic tutor. Her class is amazing! It is a fun and interesting class to be enjoyed, without loosing the focus on the subject. Professor Moire genuinely motivates me, which encourage... read the full review - Cristiane , 17 lessons with Moire

6+ years experience in varied writing forms and English subjects

I have several years experience in persuasive, expository, and technical writing. Additionally, I have experience with reading , writing, and grammar in Spanish as well as English. I have hundreds of 5 star ratings as well as dozens of... See Jacob's full profile

Jacob was very calm and understanding. Not confrontational and was willing to work with you on learning the subject. Even if you have no understanding of it he is willing to start from the beginning and explain why things are they... read the full review - Jesse , 2 lessons with Jacob

TEFL-Certified ESL Tutor and Experienced Editor

Since 2003 I have been TEFL-certified through Bridge Education Group as an ESL instructor. From 2003-2007 I taught English to Secondary and post-Secondary school students in Malaysia, developed a curriculum and a program syllabus, and led field... See Adam's full profile

Adam knows what he is doing when it comes to proofreading, grammar, and writing. He did such a great job on my paper, I passed. I definitely recommend him. He’s one of the best. Thank you, Adam. ... read the full review - Chia , 2 lessons with Adam

UBE Bar Exam, French, ESL, Job Interview Preparation, LSAT, and SAT

I am a licensed attorney who attended law school at the Sorbonne University, Paris, and practiced in Belgium before moving to North Carolina, where I have been practicing since 2003. I am also licensed to practice in the United Kingdom. I have... See Judy's full profile

The first half of my bar prep journey was extremely stressful. On top of studying during a global pandemic, my commercial bar prep course gave me no guidance on what to focus on and failed to provide me with a productive schedule.... read the full review - Nick , 59 lessons with Judy

College / Graduate School Application Essay Coach

Stressing over college application essays? Now is a great time to get started! Over the past several years, I’ve helped hundreds of students write the personal statements and school-specific supplementals that got them into the colleges of... See Nathan's full profile

Nathan is wonderful! He helped my son tremendously with his college application essays. From the Common App personal statement to the supplemental essays for the Ivies to the safety schools, Nathan provided expert guidance with br... read the full review - Kathryn , 10 lessons with Nathan

Reading Tutor with Experience in Both Key Parts of Reading

Reading requires both word recognition and language comprehension. Most of my training and my experience is in the word recognition part of reading : decoding, phonological awareness and sight recognition. I have some experience in... See Elizabeth's full profile

My son’s Kindergarten teacher expressed concern over his reading progress but I couldn’t afford the standard NYC tutor prices. I stumbled on Wyzant online and discovered Elizabeth P. from California and before you know it we were... read the full review - Christie , 28 lessons with Elizabeth

Experienced, certified reading , writing, vocabulary, and grammar tutor

I have extensive reading , writing, and grammar experience with students of all ages. See Linda's full profile

Linda is amazing! My daughter has shown incredible improvements in English because of Linda. My daughter’s Middle School English grade has improved three whole letter grades. I also credit Linda with changing my daughter’s perspec... read the full review - Erik , 45 lessons with Linda

Don L-- English, Literature, SAT prep, Grammar, and Writing Teacher

My teaching experience required constant attention to reading , comprehending, and discussing many different reading selections.While vocabulary and grammar help a reader to understand what he is studying, reading different... See Donald's full profile

Don was Great! I needed help with a "Fiction Analysis" paper for English 102. Don was able to help me understand exactly what my professor was looking for in this assignment and then helped me with different ways that I can approa... read the full review - Christie

Patient, Practiced Tutor for English/ESL/ Reading /Writing

Most of our students were native Spanish speakers and it was a joy to see their ability to communicate grow along with their world of opportunity. In addition, I enjoy helping students proof read and edit assignments. I am willing to... See Randa's full profile

PhD Student, Dedicated Tutor, and Debate/Forensics Coach

I am a recent graduate of Patrick Henry College in Virginia, where I majored in English/Literature and minored in Philosophy. Starting this August, I will be working on my PhD in Philosophy at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. I'm passionate about... See Hannah's full profile

Great tutor and patient with the necessary skills to teach any kid. I Definitely recommend it ! Our daughter started English with her and she’s very pleased and everything at a great price ... read the full review - Constantin , 7 lessons with Hannah

3+ yrs experience helping students find/get into their dream schools

This is especially relevant for college applications, because admissions offices look for essays that are irreplaceable and hard to forget. Each year, they read scores of essays from impressive applicants with impressive achievements. And... See Henrik's full profile

My son was struggling with trying to organize and write his paper for his Brit. Lit. English class. We feel so fortunate to have found Henrik through the Wyzant app. Henrik was always very responsive when communicating with me thr... read the full review - Allison , 2 lessons with Henrik

Reading Specialist and Literacy Coordinator

My background in the teaching of reading spans several years. I have been the executive director of a reading clinic for many years. As a result of administering a diagnostic reading test, we catered to the literacy needs of... See Patrice's full profile

My son has only had a couple sessions with Patrice, and I am impressed with her patience. I also feel she has done a good job meeting him where he is at and selecting work accordingly, which makes the sessions less stressful for h... read the full review - Chelsea , 19 lessons with Patrice

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Since 2005, Wyzant has provided a way for people to learn any subject in a way that works for them.

68 Reading lessons

Geraldine C.

10 Reading lessons

Shaneika W.

64 Reading lessons

Reading Tutors Cost $30 - 50 per hour on average

What’s a fair price for a private Reading tutor? Reading tutors using Wyzant are professional subject experts who set their own price based on their demand and skill.

Compare tutor costs. With a range of price options, there’s a tutor for every budget.

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Trust an expert answer

Expert tutors, how would you define reading in your own words.

Reading is a process where a student uses not just eyes to understand the text but their life experience to interpret the writer's idea. I believe it ... read more

Theresa Riley S. Answered •

Reading includes such a variety of skills. Many will say that reading includes phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency and comprehension. We read for me ... read more

Lisa K. Answered •

Reading is the act of making meaning. There are at least three different processes involved in reading: 1) decoding, 2) comprehension and 3) critical ... read more

Jillian M. Answered •

Reading is the process of converting written symbols (letters and groups of letters) to spoken sounds, so that meaning can be comprehended. Research h ... read more

Karen V. Answered •

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Get 1-to-1 learning help through online lessons. If you are looking to learn a subject similar to Reading, tap into the nation’s largest community of private tutors. Wyzant helps more students find face to face lessons, in more places than anyone else. Plus, if you're not happy with any new tutor, we'll gladly refund the cost of your first hour. In addition to Reading tutors, Wyzant can also help you find:

Online SAT Reading tutors | Online 3rd Grade Reading tutors | Online PSAT (Reading) tutors | Online ISEE (Reading Comprehension) tutors | Online Reading And Writing tutors | Online 1st Grade Reading tutors | Online 5th Grade Reading tutors | Online 4th Grade Reading tutors | Online PCAT Reading Comprehension tutors | Online Test Preparation tutors | Online SAT Writing tutors | Online Language Arts tutors | Online Orton Gillingham tutors | Online 2nd Grade Reading tutors | Online Sight Singing lessons | Online ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension tutors | Online OAT Reading Comprehension tutors | Online Workshop Instruction tutors | Online 1st Grade Writing tutors

Find a Private Reading Tutor in any city.

The Wyzant community of private tutors spans nationwide, making it easy to find an instructor nearby who can teach 1:1 Reading lessons online or in person. Pass the class, ace the test, or learn a new job skill. Compare tutor costs and qualifications and find your Reading tutor today.

Houston Reading tutors | Chicago Reading tutors | Los Angeles Reading tutors | Brooklyn Reading tutors | Miami Reading tutors | Queens Reading tutors | San Antonio Reading tutors | Philadelphia Reading tutors | New York Reading tutors | Manhattan Reading tutors | Las Vegas Reading tutors | Phoenix Reading tutors | Bronx Reading tutors | Denver Reading tutors | San Diego Reading tutors | Dallas Reading tutors | Cleveland Reading tutors | Baltimore Reading tutors | Minneapolis Reading tutors | Fort Worth Reading tutors | Austin Reading tutors | San Jose Reading tutors | Jacksonville Reading tutors | Atlanta Reading tutors | Saint Louis Reading tutors

Get the Reading help you need, right when you need it with the convenience of online lessons.

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Best Online Writing Tutoring Services

Chegg is our pick for best online writing tutoring service

Everyone needs a little writing boost from time to time, whether they're working on a term paper, preparing for the essay portion of a standardized test, or developing niche writing skills.

Online writing tutors are a great solution to any writing issues you or your child might have, with plenty of instructors specializing in every niche imaginable, right at your fingertips. And, thanks to the pandemic and the growing need for flexible learning options, online tutoring options continue to expand.

If you're looking for professional help or a way to boost your creative writing skills, we've reviewed some of the best online writing tutoring services out there.

The 7 Best Online Writing Tutoring Services of 2024

• Best Overall: Chegg
• Best for High School Students: Princeton Review
• Best for Transparent Pricing: Skooli
• Best National: Kaplan
• Best for Creative Writing: Wyzant
• Best for Professional Writing: Business Writing Center
• Our Top Picks

Princeton Review

Business Writing Center

• See More (3)

Final Verdict

Comparing online writing tutoring services, frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : chegg.

• Price: Starting at about $15.95 per month
• Grade Level: High school-age and older
• Frequency: As needed

Chegg makes it easy to find tutors with expertise in your struggle areas. Plus, you’ll be able to submit a paper and receive feedback within 48 hours.

24/7 support

Submit papers for feedback

Plagiarism checker

Different tutor for each use

No real curriculum or lessons

Chegg covers pretty much any subject you might need writing help in, which is a comfort for students. The site has thousands of writing experts, all with their own individual expertise and specialties. Whether students need help with literary analysis, lab reports, or a history research paper, someone can assist.

Chegg’s system allows learners to submit a paper they need help with and have it checked by a suitable expert who can provide feedback within 48 hours, whether it's an answer to a specific question or a general scan of your paper and writing style.

The platform offers a subscription plan for Chegg Writing, which includes a plagiarism detector, free citation creation, and proofreading and grammar scans for an unlimited number of papers.

The writing subscription is $9.95 per month, however there is a free trial. Prices for Chegg study and tutor start at around $15.95 per month.

Best for High School Students : Princeton Review

Use promo code INVESTO15 for 15% off MSRP.

• Price: Starts at $40 an hour up to roughly $350 to $1,450 for six-month flex plans
• Grade Level: K-12 and higher education
• Frequency: One to 10 hours per month, or 10 hours to 50 hours in six months

High school students will benefit from the help of expert tutors that can cater to individuals’ one-on-one needs and specific learning goals. The tutors are available 24/7 for those late-night cramming sessions.

One-on-one tutors plus premade content for academic help

Tutors available 24/7

Heavily vetted tutors include professors, teachers, PhDs and other experts

Can be expensive

No one-off sessions

Princeton Review just might be the perfect fit for high school students looking for help with their writing skills.

Whether they're looking for help on a book report, a research paper, an admissions essay, or something else, they can call on these tutors 24/7 to polish writing skills. Even better: Princeton Review's instructors are categorized by topic, so students can specifically search for tutors with expertise in whatever subject help is needed.

Rather than negotiating rates with individual tutors, Princeton Review offers several different pricing plans, including monthly subscriptions with a set number of hours per month or a more flexible plan allowing access anytime.

Monthly packages range from about $40 for one hour to roughly $340 for 10 hours per month, while six-month flex plans run from approximately $350 for 10 hours ($35 per hour) to around $1,450 for 50 hours ($29 per hour).

These flex plans allow students to log on at any time during the six months, and a session can be as short or as long as they want.

Best for Transparent Pricing : Skooli

• Price: Starts at $0.82 a minute with pay-as-you-go; as low as $0.65 a minute if you prepay 32 hours
• Grade Level: Elementary school through college

There’s no commitment needed with Skooli. You can use the platform as needed, and you’ll only have to pay roughly $1 per minute. 

Get help instantly 

No commitment needed

Pay per minute makes rates reasonable

15 minute minimum

No student-tutor relationship, since you’ll book as needed

Since Skooli offers tutoring in plenty of different subjects, you’re likely to be able to find writing tutors who can help tailor your essays to the specific needs of your subject. Writing a history research paper is very different from writing a literary analysis, and you can browse Skooli’s wide range of tutors to find one with the background and expertise to help with your specific project.

You can use Skooli as a long-term tutoring option—either with one specific instructor or different ones each time students log on—but it’s also designed for in-the-moment queries. The pricing structure reflects that: Skooli charges around $1 per minute rather than monthly or even hourly rates, so all time is accounted for while learning.

For the most part, tutors on Skooli are well-vetted and experienced and hold degrees and teaching certifications, so students can be sure that every minute spent will further their knowledge.

Best National : Kaplan

• Price: Courses start at $549 (ACT prep) and $1,100 (LSAT prep)
• Grade Level: From high school admissions through career advancement
• Frequency: Varies by course

Kaplan is widely known and trusted for online tutoring, and offers test prep tutoring from high school admissions tests through college admissions tests and beyond. 

Robust offering

Help for specific tests

Widely known and trusted brand

Not much offered beyond test prep courses

Not for basic writing tutoring

Kaplan's name and its test prep formulas are top of the line. For students looking for private or group tutoring to prepare for a standardized test or entrance exam, Kaplan’s tutoring program is one of the most comprehensive.

Students can sign up for small-group remote classes with experienced teachers or enroll in private, one-on-one tutoring. Tutoring sessions are highly structured, including multiple full-length practice tests and in-depth explanations for scores. It’s as close as it gets to taking the test before you actually take it.

While a good portion of the tutoring focuses on the multiple-choice sections of these tests, Kaplan tutors also work with students to improve their writing skills and help them learn what the test review boards are looking for in each individual exam. The platform is for serious, long-term tutoring with highly experienced tutors and exclusive materials, not one-time sessions, and the prices reflect that.

Prices vary depending on which test you’re preparing for. If you're prepping for the ACT, you can enroll in an online class with top ACT teachers for $549. If you want one-on-one tutoring, options start at $749. If you're prepping for the LSAT, they offer a live online course for $1,100 and one-on-one tutoring plus a live online course starting at $1,999.

Best for Creative Writing : Wyzant

• Price: Starts at $25 an hour
• Grade Level: All, plus adults

Wyzant allows you to search for tutors in your subject matter of interest, including both gen-eds and more creative classes. 

Ability to search for the type of tutor you want

Search within your price range

24/7 access to tutors

Experience is specific to the tutor you choose

Site does not have tutors adhere to a specific methodology

No tutor/student relationship, as sessions are one-off and as-needed

While the majority of tutoring sites focus more on straightforward academics, Wyzant also includes creative writing tutors. Whether you’re a student working on an English class assignment, a creative writing major looking for a little extra guidance, or just someone wanting to dig into creative writing on your own time, there’s likely an instructor for you.

The site filters tutors by broad subject area and then by narrower expertise. Prospective students can view a tutor’s profile, rating, and hourly rate before reaching out. Many of the site’s creative writing tutors have advanced degrees or professional experience, so you can be sure you’re getting genuine expert help.

Wyzant gives students and tutors a lot of leeway to negotiate their own relationships, both in the classroom and in terms of rates. Tutors set their own fees (the average is between about $25 and $65 per hour, although there are plenty of tutors above and below that range), and the platform offers a one-hour guarantee: the first hour lesson with a new tutor is guaranteed to be a success, or it’s free. It’s a great way to dip your toe in and get help honing your craft.

Best for Professional Writing : Business Writing Center

• Price: $69 up to $595
• Grade Level: Adult
• Frequency: Self-paced for four months

Business Writing Center caters specifically to professionals by teaching business writing for reports, proposals, and other important work writing. 

Specifically for business professionals

Classes for non-native speakers available

Self-paced classes may not be for everyone

Greater fee for individualized courses

Business Writing Center (BWC) isn’t your typical tutoring service.

Rather than aiming its services at secondary school-aged students, the site is geared toward business professionals looking to brush up their writing skills. While some of the offerings are more suitable for business people whose first language isn’t English, there are options for one-on-one tutoring and feedback on professional reports, proposals, and other important work documents.

Rather than hourly tutoring, BWC offers its tutoring services through “coaching” courses. The company has a few different specialties, including document writing, coaching for executive writing, and a more general individual training option.

Self-paced courses start at $69, go up to $595, and can last up to four months. They allow students to work on real-world writing projects and get personalized feedback from an experienced teacher.

An online writing tutor can help students and professionals alike brush up on their writing skills so that their finished writing projects are more successful. Since you can access these tutors from anywhere, they can accommodate most schedules and learning rhythms. We chose Chegg Study as the best overall online tutoring service because it's affordable, convenient, and offers a range of writing tutoring options.

What Is an Online Writing Tutoring Service?

An online writing tutoring service is a website or platform that connects students with writing tutors, completely online and remote. These companies may be geared toward a specific grade level or type of writing, or they may be a more general platform to connect students and tutors.

A research study found that students who sought the help of tutors in writing the second draft of essays progressed more and scored higher on their second drafts than those who did not seek help. The same study found that students who used online tutoring services in addition to in-person tutoring in their school’s writing center scored even higher than those who did not take advantage of online tutoring services.

How Much Do Online Writing Tutoring Services Cost?

Online writing tutoring services cover a wide range of prices. In general, there are two basic models: pay-per-session or subscription. For the former, students pay for access each time they use the service for tutoring help. For the latter, students pre-pay for a package that spans a certain amount of time, number of sessions, or even a mini-course that also includes one-on-one tutoring time. Many tutoring services charge $1 per minute or $35 to $60 per hour. Monthly packages can range from about $69 to thousands of dollars.

What Can You Learn From a Professional Writing Tutoring Session?

Adult professionals can expect to gain practical skills they can apply directly to the writing they do in their chosen profession. Some of those skills may include document writing, executive writing, using basic grammar and sentence structure, and writing for non-native speakers of English.

Online writing tutors may also look over previously written documents and provide edits and/or suggestions to help you polish them.

What Features Do Online Writing Tutoring Services Have?

Every tutoring service structures its offerings a little differently, and each tutor may have their own particular style of teaching. That being said, these platforms are usually based around chat functions, either video/audio or text-based (or some combination of both), and many services have some type of screen-sharing and document-sharing capabilities.

Most online writing tutors will focus on helping students apply their knowledge in a practical sense. While some might have pre-planned assignments to develop particular skills (more common in specialized subjects like creative writing or test prep), other instructors prefer to have students come prepared with an assignment they need help with and give feedback to strengthen it.

Online writing tutoring doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and we’ve tried to make selecting an instructor as easy as possible. Because “writing” is such a broad skill applied to so many different settings, we’ve sorted out some of the categories that we think will be the most useful to the largest number of students. The platforms here range from specialized expertise in niches like business writing and test prep to more general essay-writing assistance.

Students seeking a writing tutor may want a long-term preparatory course or help with an individual essay. With this in mind, we’ve included a wide range of specialties and, more importantly, price points, from pay-per-minute instant feedback to formal, highly researched, long-term prep classes that cost significantly more over the course of several months.

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Al Chibani W. The effectiveness of online and on-to-one tutoring in the writing center on the students’ achievement: a multiple case study . Int Lett Soc Humanist Sci . 2014;41:192-197. doi:10.18052/www.scipress.com/ILSHS.41.192

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Top Writing Tutors

...in Northfield as an evening supervisor in the library I love it! My plan is to eventually go on to get my Ph.D. in Sociology. Helping others learn brings me great joy, and Ive had the privilege of teaching people from a variety of ages and backgrounds. I was a supplemental instructor for the Statistical Analysis course at Augsburg College and also served as a tutor through the Academic Skills Office there. I have tutored... Read more

Can also tutor: College Essays , ESL/ELL , English Grammar and Syntax and 122 more subjects.

• Augsburg College - Bachelors, Sociology w/minor in Spanish

Test Scores

• ACT Composite: 34
• ACT English: 36
• ACT Reading: 33

...first-year students with college-level essays. I have also captained an award-winning collegiate mock trial team for several years, which involves mentoring younger students in oral and written communication skills. In addition to my experience, standardized testing has always been a forte of mine. I am enthusiastic about sharing the skills and strategies that I have picked up along my way. If you are seeking a patient, energetic, and articulate tutor for your student, please reach... Read more

Can also tutor: English Grammar and Syntax , College Essays , Reading and 36 more subjects.

• Pomona College - Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
• ACT Composite: 36
• ACT Math: 36

...I feel that it is easy for students to miss certain tidbits or whole subjects in the classroom, and it can quickly feel like it is too late to catch up. My goal is to work together to pick up the pieces that were lost or are close, but not quite there: learning the way you want to learn and the way you learn best rather than having topics taught at you. For standardized testing:... Read more

Can also tutor: Public Speaking , College English , English Grammar and Syntax and 50 more subjects.

• George Washington University - Bachelor in Arts, Psychology
• Roosevelt University - PHD, Clinical Psychology
• ACT English: 35
• ACT Math: 33

...test prep and college readiness, with a focus on test-taking strategies that build self-esteem and improve performance. I began tutoring for a private company while I was a student at Columbia University in New York. While there, I had the opportunity to teach students of all backgrounds and levels of ability. My unique approach to SAT and ACT test-prep focuses just as much on "learning the test" as it does learning the material, which gives... Read more

Can also tutor: Public Speaking , Adult Literacy , Vocabulary and 54 more subjects.

• Columbia University in the City of New York - Bachelors, Visual Arts
• SAT Writing: 750

...working to complete a Master's in Professional Behavior Analysis. I have been working with children with developmental disabilities at an ABA agency in the Washington, DC area for the past few years. My job includes creating measurable milestones to help learners achieve their goals, and determining what teaching methods will be most effective for each individual client. I believe that active student responding, personalized programs, and a focus on measurable goals are all important components... Read more

Can also tutor: English Grammar and Syntax , Phonics , High School English and 27 more subjects.

• Northwestern University - Bachelors, Human Development and Psychological Services
• Florida Institute of Technology - Current Grad Student, Professional Behavior Analysis
• ACT Composite: 33
• ACT Math: 31

...working as an educational assistant at various locations and an intern for web input whilst I prepare for the credential program. I have also been involved in various extracurricular pursuits: honing my jewelry-making skills, Creative Writing, photographing the beautiful National Parks of Western America, and playing on co-ed volleyball and basketball teams. I have a strong interest in working with teens and young adults, having spent six years as an educational assistant, or what most... Read more

Can also tutor: Reading , Literature , High School English and 67 more subjects.

• CSUS - Bachelor in Arts, English

I'm a recent grad from Northwestern (B.A. in Theatre and Economics) who loves teaching and learning. I love helping other people achieve their goals and helping students find ways to be their best selves. Excited to meet and work with Chicagoland's students!... First sessions always start with discussion of a subject's foundations. If we nail these, the rest of the learning becomes ten times easier.... I'm big on listening. It's my job to hear what a... Read more

Can also tutor: Phonics , Public Speaking , College English and 67 more subjects.

• Northwestern University - Bachelors, Economics/Theatre
• ACT Composite: 35
• ACT Math: 35

...other fields, including architecture, art, history, literature, environmentalism, etc. I have many varied interests, and philosop[hy informs each of them in interesting and important ways. It has also informed my teaching style, as I tend away from rote memorization and toward real-life integration. Most of my teaching experience is in ESL, but I have tutored students and fellow students in writing, English, history, philosophy, and occasionally other areas. My favorite subjects to tutor are ESL... Read more

Can also tutor: Literature , College English , High School English and 17 more subjects.

• Greenville College - Bachelors, Philosophy, English, & History
• Stony Brook University - Masters, Philosophy
• ACT Composite: 31
• ACT Reading: 34

...at the Middle School/Secondary Level. Some of my strengths are getting to know my students, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and leveraging their interests in order to motivate them and build confidence. I hold very high expectations, but I always take the time to figure out what kinds of strategies and supports students need to be successful. I strongly believe in helping students develop a growth mindset, which they can take into any educational experience.... Read more

Can also tutor: College Essays , English Grammar and Syntax , Public Speaking and 63 more subjects.

• Trinity College, Hartford CT - Bachelor in Arts, International Studies, Spanish
• Harvard Graduate School of Eduction - Unknown, Urban Education, Social Studies
• SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1450
• SAT Math: 740
• SAT Verbal: 710

...year from calumet college, St. Joseph. My undergraduate degree is in Economics from the University of Chicago, and I did a lot of statistics, too! I like having kids how to read, write, and do math. Because I loved doing those in school, and I'll be teaching that this up coming school year. To have a struggling reader all of a sudden love reading and attack hard words never before tried is the best feeling... Read more

Can also tutor: College English , Public Speaking , College Essays and 56 more subjects.

• The University of Chicago - Bachelor in Arts, Economics
• SAT Verbal: 740
• SAT Writing: 710

...math at an inner-city school in Los Angeles, English to students in Hyderabad, India, and reading to rehabilitated refugee children in Arizona. After graduating, I instructed reading programs for the Institute of Reading Development, where I saw that, as my students' reading skills improved, their overall confidence skyrocketed. They became better students because they stopped feeling incapable and inept. This experience is the foundation of my tutoring philosophy. I believe education increases one's own sense... Read more

Can also tutor: Literature , College English , AP English Language and Composition and 31 more subjects.

• Occidental College - Bachelor in Arts, English
• SAT Verbal: 760
• SAT Writing: 720
• GRE Verbal: 163

...minor in Mathematics. I have worked with kids of all ages, ranging from elementary school to college students through various subjects. I have also worked extensively with special needs children, doing everything from teaching special education to one-on-one in-home mentoring. Through my experiences, I have continued to carry my passion for working with children and have developed my skills in making successful and individualized learning fun. Math, science and test prep are the subjects I'm... Read more

Can also tutor: English Grammar and Syntax , Spelling, Grammar, and Writing Skills Class , ESL/ELL and 217 more subjects.

• University of Richmond - Current Undergrad, Business Administration and Management
• ACT Science: 34
• SAT Math: 770

...Biological Sciences Honor Society and as a mentor for graduating high school students through the Dream Project. As a tutor, my main duty is to work with a student as an individual and to adjust my own tutoring to fit the way they learn best. I believe that all students have what it takes to succeed in school, its just a matter of finding the style of learning that is most effective for them. What... Read more

Can also tutor: Reading , College English , High School English and 89 more subjects.

• University of Washington-Seattle Campus - Bachelors, General Biology
• SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1550
• SAT Math: 780
• SAT Verbal: 790

...she earned Distinction in All Subjects, she earned a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science at Montclair State University before going on to study her Master's of Business &amp; Science in Analytics at Rutgers University. As a lifelong student, she loves tutoring to help others feel passionate about their own educational paths. Kelsey still attributes her academic successes to the study tactics she developed during her formative elementary and high school years,... Read more

Can also tutor: College Essays , College English , English Grammar and Syntax and 79 more subjects.

• Cornell University - Bachelor in Arts, Psychology

...and to trust that they do not need to look to anyone else for answers. I tutor a range of subjects, but I especially enjoy teaching middle school math and SAT prep. I have a strong grasp of the approaches necessary to succeed in those areas. It is fun to share those approaches with students and watch the AHA! moments unfold. Why do I teach? Successful learning requires awareness of HOW you think: how you... Read more

Can also tutor: Literature , Phonics , College English and 27 more subjects.

• Oberlin College - Bachelor in Arts, Creative Writing and Dance
• SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1520
• SAT Math: 720
• SAT Verbal: 800

...to find success on their own in future units of study. In each lesson, I use a variety of methods - stories, games, worksheets, writing, manipulative activities, etc. - to ensure (1) a deep understanding of academic content and (2) an engaging, fun, authentic interaction with each subject area. Likewise, as a Teacher and Tutor, I focus on problem solving; developing real, concrete skills and strategies that students can put into their mental &quot;toolboxes&quot; for... Read more

Can also tutor: College English , Literature , English Grammar and Syntax and 111 more subjects.

• Columbia University in the City of New York - Bachelor in Arts, History
• Northwestern University - Masters, Elementary Education
• SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1480
• SAT Math: 700
• SAT Verbal: 780

...in my academic life, as well as professionally; as a stage manager, it is often my job to take in complicated and conflicting pieces of information (the blocking, a quick change in costumes, changes in a script) and quickly organize that information so that I can convey it to someone else. I enjoy and excel at condensing and re-communicating facts or tasks, so that they become comprehensible to someone who may not understand them the... Read more

Can also tutor: Reading , English Grammar and Syntax , High School English and 50 more subjects.

• University of Chicago - Current Undergrad, Theater & Performance Studies
• SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1590
• SAT Math: 800

...importance of good teachers and mentors. Education is a field that I hope to pursue as a career and there is nothing more crucial to the project of education than fostering positive relationships with students. Tutoring is a great way to begin to do that. I also have a real passion for the subjects I tutor, History, English, and French. The best part about tutoring is helping students to feel the same way about history... Read more

Can also tutor: Literature , College Essays , Reading and 43 more subjects.

• Swarthmore College - Bachelor in Arts, History

I am a middle school French teacher in Parker but have taught either Language Arts or ESL for the past seven years. I have a lot of experience working with students of various backgrounds and have had a proven record of success with my classes. I have worked one on one before with students, helping both their grades and skills greatly improve. I'm looking forward to meeting and working with you!... I would spend time getting... Read more

Can also tutor: College Essays , Phonics , English Grammar and Syntax and 48 more subjects.

• University of Colorado Denver - Bachelor in Arts, English Literature and French

...Before joining Varsity Tutors, I tutored the LSAT for a private company, both as a classroom teacher and in one-on-one tutorials. Building off that experience, I will be working for Varsity Tutors, helping people prepare for the LSAT as well as the SAT and the ACT. I have really enjoyed my experience assisting students in test preparation. In my experience, students first approach tests in an ad hoc fashion, and often with a fair bit... Read more

Can also tutor: College Essays , Reading , College English and 26 more subjects.

• Duke University - Bachelor in Arts, Philosophy
• SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1530
• SAT Math: 730

Private Writing Tutoring

Our interview process, stringent qualifications, and background screening ensure that only the best Writing tutors work with Varsity Tutors. To assure a successful experience, you're paired with one of these qualified tutors by an expert director - and we stand behind that match with our money-back guarantee.

Receive personally tailored Writing lessons from exceptional tutors in a one-on-one setting. We help you connect with the best tutor for your particular needs while offering flexible scheduling to fit your busy life.

Let Varsity Tutors link you to an expert writing tutor so that you can get the assistance you need on a test or subject. Working with writing tutors makes it easier for you to focus on your studies because they take place in one-on-one settings. Have you spent hours searching the words "writing tutors near me" on the web because you're eager to get extra help with writing assignments? You don't have to worry about spending any more time looking up the phrase "writing tutoring near me" because we can help you get started with the signup process today. Read more about how a private instructor can assist you with reaching for your educational goals.

What is Writing?

Writing is a way for people to communicate or express their thoughts with printed words. This type of communication dates all the way back to ancient Egyptian times. Writing comes in fiction and non-fiction forms including poetry, essay, and prose. Regardless of what genre writing covers, it's essential for one to use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. There's a test called the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which has a Writing section. Its first computer-based assessment was given to eighth- and 12th-grade students in 2011. Here are the results of the assessment below:

2011 NAEP Writing Assessment Results

A writing tutor can assist you with building skills for anything that requires excellent writing acumen, like term papers and essay questions. If you're just dealing with writing long-form papers for the first time in your academic life, then your writing tutoring lessons may be the solution to prepare you for any upcoming exam or to help you do well on a homework assignment. What makes writing tutoring so wonderful is that it allows you to work with a writing tutor in order to create a customized lesson plan.

Learning Writing Skills

Writing tutoring works for pupils at all grade levels, whether they're in K-12 or college. The instruction of writing begins when a student is around preschool or kindergarten, such as learning the ABC's and writing their name. As a student gets older, they learn more complicated concepts like parts of speech, critical thinking, and research. A pupil usually begins writing an essay when they're in mid/late elementary school. Below are the Common Core Writing Standards for those in the fourth grade:

Common Core Writing Standards - Grade 4

• Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information
• Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly
• Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences
• Produce clear and coherent writing with organization and development appropriate to purpose, audience, and task
• With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing
• With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others
• Sufficient keyboarding skills to type a page in one sitting
• Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic
• Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research
• Write routinely over various time frames for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences

If you're the parent or guardian of a fourth grader, a writing tutor is able to assist them with comprehending the writing standards listed above. Their writing tutoring lessons only feature them and the tutor, which eliminate distractions from other people. This setup enables a writing tutor to conduct a lesson in a way that helps your student learn best. For example, if your student needs assistance with researching a topic, a writing tutor can work with them to brainstorm ideas. Sometimes, a student learns better if they receive after-school help with an instructor who offers a flexible schedule. While a classroom teacher can assist with an essay topic, they have limited time to help out due to time constraints and other responsibilities. The beauty of writing tutoring is that it provides homework help at any time that works for your pupil.

Writing and Testing

Most tests require students to use their writing skills at some point. There are writing sections included in most standardized exams, and your writing instructor can help you prepare for them. Part of that prep may include a comprehensive review of the content that will be covered by the test.

Additionally, your writing tutor can help you become familiar with the exam as a whole, including its sections, each section's time limit, the rules of what you can and cannot bring on test day, the schedule on the day of the test, and the format of questions that will be asked. Tutors frequently use practice questions that may have been used on past exams or that simulate the exam's question format. Special focus can be geared towards reading the questions carefully, as standardized exams are somewhat notorious for using wording that can confuse you.

Your tutor can help you work on time management if timed practice sections indicate that's an area where you could improve. There are many strategies that can be used to increase your pace, though they may be different from test to test. That's why you'll be glad you're working with a writing tutor who knows the test you'll be taking. More importantly, they know you and your strengths, and can help you find a pacing method that matches your style. There are many ways your private writing instructor can help you prepare for tests, whether classroom or standardized, and these are just a few.

Some of the standardized exams that include Writing sections are:

• ACT – The ACT is one of the most widely used college admissions exams. The Writing section can be optional, but some colleges may require it as part of your application. You're given one prompt about a complex issue and must analyze the three different perspectives represented in the passage.
• GMAT – Students applying for graduate degrees in business take the GMAT to demonstrate their likelihood of succeeding in graduate-level business courses. The Analytical Writing Assessment gives you the opportunity to analyze the reasoning behind a written argument and evaluate its effectiveness.
• LSAT – This exam is taken by students applying to law school. It includes a 35-minute Writing section where you respond to a decision problem. You must choose between two courses of action or positions on the issue, and defend your choice. You're evaluated on your reasoning, clarity, language use, organization, and writing mechanics.

The Significance of Writing Skills

Learning how to write well isn't just for scholastic purposes. Honing your writing skills is beneficial for a job and other aspects of your life. Read the writing statistics and employment information below:

Writing Statistics and Employment

• 26% of college students are deficient in writing according to employers
• 50% of college seniors report increasing their writing skills during college
• 82% of businesses consider writing skills very important
• Writing skills are among the most requested soft skills regardless of job and occupation

As the data above shows, possessing excellent writing skills benefit you greatly in the real world. For one, you can use them to pursue careers like freelance writing, journalism, playwriting, or even being an author of your own book series. And, your career prospects don't have to be limited to writing careers. Maybe you can use the knowledge you gained from your writing tutor to pass on to any future students you may have if you want to teach writing at a school. Or, you may want to start keeping a journal of your private thoughts and feelings. Whatever your goals are, it's crucial to get the assistance necessary to do your best.

Because writing is such a vital skill to possess, it's essential for you to be prepared for any assignments and tests you'll face. This is a major reason why the terms "writing tutor near me" is so popular. Pupils who search the phrase "writing tutor near me" are eager to seek out someone who knows writing like the back of their hands to help them with pursuing their objectives.

Why Study with a Tutor?

When signing up for a tutoring session, you can get assistance with adopting effective study skills. For example, a tutor can help you break the habit of procrastination. If you have a tendency to put off work until the last minute, a tutor can try to assist you with staying on track by advising you to distance yourself from distractions. A private instructor can also help you prepare for a test by utilizing creative methods. One method you can use for preparing for a writing test is by asking your tutor to make a practice exam. Practice exams help you know what to expect on test day, plus you can see if you can finish within a certain time limit. You can also use flashcards or drills to make studying more engaging. If you get nervous about the approaching test date, a tutor can try to assist you by quelling your fears with relaxation techniques. These methods aren't just useful for your current test; you can also use them for any writing exams you may come across in the future. One of the greatest benefits to getting private instruction is that you can use the time to discuss what's on your mind. Perhaps you dream of becoming a famous author or you're unsure of your career path. A tutor can serve as a wonderful sounding board for your dreams or concerns. Who knows? Maybe you might become a tutor yourself.

Putting it All Together

Writing is an amazing and essential form of communication that's been in existence for centuries. It's not just limited to schoolwork; it's also used for many types of jobs. That's the reason why it's important for students to improve their spelling, punctuation, and grammar. In addition, pupils need to learn how to use critical thinking and reasoning in order to convey ideas about specific topics or opinions, which come in handy when completing an essay test. You can ameliorate these skills and receive tips from a skilled tutor.

Best of all, each tutoring session takes place online. That way, you can communicate with a tutor from your favorite mobile device from the comfort of home or anywhere else that provides internet access.

Now you know why getting a private tutor may be an asset to your current and future education. Do you feel that you would benefit from studying with a writing tutor? Then, please waste no more time searching on the internet for instructors and contact a Varsity Tutors representative today. We are excited to help you take the first steps towards pursuing your goals. Educational consultants are standing by waiting for your email or phone call.

Your Personalized Tutoring Program and Instructor

Identify Needs

Our knowledgeable directors help you choose your tutor with your learning profile and personality in mind.

Customize Learning

Your tutor can customize your lessons and present concepts in engaging easy-to-understand-ways.

Increased Results

You can learn more efficiently and effectively because the teaching style is tailored to you.

Online Convenience

With the flexibility of online tutoring, your tutor can be arranged to meet at a time that suits you.

Recent Writing Tutoring Session Notes

Varsity Tutors can help you or your student get more out of your writing education by connecting you with experienced writing tutors. Working with a writing tutor gives you the opportunity to focus on the specific writing skills that you'd like to make progress in since your instructor will teach you in a one-on-one setting. Getting better in writing can help you in numerous other classes as well as in your professional life. If you think that you would benefit from working with writing tutors, then the best way to get started with the process of finding one is by reaching out to us today. You can also keep reading below to find out more about writing as an academic subject and how we can help you get better at it.

Writing is a fairly self-explanatory thing. However, you may not know much about its history and how it has grown over the years. In the most basic sense, writing can be thought of as a means of communicating with other people through the printed word. It dates back all the way to ancient Egyptian times when individuals began communicating their thoughts with hieroglyphics. Today, writing comes in a variety of forms. There's technical writing, creative writing, essays, and more. Writing is a skill that's used in almost every single profession that you could eventually work in. You'll need to be able to communicate effectively with the written word whether you're in marketing, medicine, or anything in between.

Whatever form of writing you find yourself doing, it's important to have a baseline set of skills that will allow you to do it effectively. This is a group of things that includes punctuation, grammar, spelling, and organization. Writing tutoring is one means of developing these skills. You can always get better at writing since it's such a flexible skill that's so widely used. A writing tutor can help you develop foundational skills in the subject or can work with you as you write things assigned to you in your classes like term papers or essays.

How is writing taught today? It begins early on in a student's academic journey. For example, kindergarten students will begin the process of learning how to write effectively by learning about the ABC's and writing basic things like their name and small words. As the student advances in their grade level, so too will the scope of their writing. Students begin to learn about things like the various parts of speech, how to think critically, and how to express their thoughts through writing. Students generally start to get assigned essays and other comprehensive papers when they're in the middle to late years of their elementary school learning journey.

For example, the Common Core Writing Standards for 4th-grade students give some insight into what students should know about writing by the time they reach this scholastic milestone. Broadly speakings, these standards say that students should be able to conduct research in the writing process, understand different types of texts and their purposes, be able to produce and distribute different types of writing, and write about a wide range of topics.

If you have a student who is around the 4th-grade level, then signing them up to work with writing tutors is a great way to help them meet these Common Core Standards. Your student's instructor can work with them in a one-on-one setting that is free from distractions. During these learning sessions, your student's instructor can help them to brainstorm ideas, conduct research, or work on their foundational writing skills, among other things. Writing tutoring is a completely personalized learning experience that can help your student with whatever they're currently struggling the most with in regards to writing.

Because writing is such an important academic skill, it makes sense that it's tested in a variety of ways. Students will be tasked with using their writing abilities in classes like English, history, science, and more. In fact, most teachers will ask their students to demonstrate their writing abilities in some way during the school year. Whether it's responding to an essay question or writing a term paper, the classroom educational process consistently demands quality writing.

Students are also tasked with writing while taking important standardized tests at numerous grade levels. For example, if you're currently a high school student, then you may also be planning on taking either the SAT or the ACT soon. These are both college admissions tests that are critical parts of the college admissions process. If you score well on either the ACT or the SAT, then you may be able to get into more competitive universities and could earn additional scholarship offers. Both of these tests have optional Writing sections that you can complete to show the schools you apply to how proficient you are as a writer.

For example, consider the ACT Writing Test. This part of the exam has a 40-minute time limit. While taking it, you'll be presented with a prompt and three perspectives on that prompt. Your job will be to pick one or more of these perspectives and then explain how they relate to your own. You'll need to read through the prompt, think critically about it, organize your thoughts in an essay form, and create a quality, thoughtful piece of writing.

This is a process that can be challenging to do without any guidance. However, your writing tutor can help you with it. They can show you things like how to organize your writing in the most effective way. They can also work with you on your critical thinking skills so that you can feel prepared to create a solid argument about your chosen perspective. If you need help with grammar, punctuation, or spelling, your writing tutor can help you with that too.

The skills that you gain from working with a private instructor while getting ready for something like the ACT Writing section can help you as you progress throughout your academic career as well. For example, your instructor can show you how to craft a compelling piece of writing within a short time window. They can also teach you how to deal with things like test anxiety that may make it harder to stay focused on the work you need to be doing during your exam. The choice of what you'll focus on is truly yours when you sign up to work with a private writing instructor.

How Does Tutoring Work?

If you think that you would benefit from this type of academic assistance, then the best way to get started with it is by reaching out to us today. We'll begin the process by learning a little bit about your writing goals, current skill level, and your scheduling requirements. Then, we'll make every effort to find and connect you with instructors who are capable of meeting both your academic and scheduling needs. This means that you can easily sign up for writing tutoring even if you already have a fairly busy schedule.

Once you get connected with your instructor, you'll quickly be able to start working with them in a one-on-one environment. This intimate academic setting ensures that your needs always remain the top priority. Your instructor can create a customized lesson plan for you that is designed with your growth in mind. You'll then be able to work through each lesson at your own pace and can stop to ask for extra help whenever you encounter a challenging topic.

For example, your instructor can give you practice assignments that you can work through to get additional help with each phase of the writing process. Your instructor can even set you up with flashcards that you can use to practice whatever writing topics you're struggling with the most. The type of personalized assistance that you get during this academic opportunity is hard to replicate through other avenues. For example, classroom education is a great way to develop your writing skills. However, it can be hard to get personalized attention from your teacher when they're tasked with helping a large group of students improve their writing skills at the same time. This is where tutors come in. They can fill the gap between the writing instruction that you're getting in your class and the instruction that you need to get more out of your writing potential.

How Can You Get Started?

Writing is an extremely important academic skill that has applications in just about every part of life. That's why it's important to spend your time in the classroom working on your writing abilities. One great way to get help with your writing education is by signing up to work with a private instructor. Are you interested in working with writing tutors? If you are, then consider getting in touch with Varsity Tutors today. We'd love to help you increase your skill set and can connect you with a private instructor who can start working with you quickly. We hope to hear from you soon and look forward to working with you.

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16 Best Online Tutoring Services — Reviewed & Ranked by an Ivy-League Expert

Research conducted by  Emily Kierkegaard , PhD,   and expert-reviewed by Kevin Wong, PrepMaven   Co-founder

Online tutoring has existed for decades, but it has expanded rapidly since 2020 with the huge boom in online learning overall.

With online learning, students can work with the very best tutors in the nation , wherever they may be.

That said, not all online tutoring is equally effective . Some companies have taken advantage of the situation to rake in the profits with lackluster tutoring by untrained instructors.

Our Ivy-League educators have scoured the country and investigated the many online tutoring services that exist in 2024. 

We’ve carefully evaluated and ranked each tutoring service based on instructor background and training, pricing, and other features. 

Keep reading to learn about the top 16 online tutoring services in 202 4!

Sign up for online tutoring now

What is the Best Online Tutoring Service?

• PrepMaven – best online tutoring overall
• StudyPoint – best large tutoring company
• Skooli – best super-quick tutoring
• Wyzant – alternative tutoring for families on a budget
• Learn To Be – best free tutoring (for qualifying families)
• Schoolhouse – best free peer math tutoring

The best of the rest:

Schedule a free educational consultation

Best Online Tutoring in 2024

#1 – prepmaven.

Our Verdict — Best Online Tutoring Overall Price: $79–349/hour PrepMaven offers high-quality one-on-one tutoring at an incredibly reasonable price, given the impressive qualifications of its instructors. Nearly all of PrepMaven’s tutors are Ivy-League grads (with a few tutors from other top-30 universities), and many have prestigious masters or doctoral degrees. Tutors are also carefully vetted and evaluated on their ability to communicate and connect with students. PrepMaven’s individualized touch means that students are paired with tutors who match their personality traits and often share interests, allowing for a stronger level of connection that studies have shown leads to better learning outcomes. PrepMaven’s experienced tutors can customize learning sessions to meet the needs of each individual student. Depending on the student’s goals, tutors can help students work through homework assignments, review material from class, or provide additional enrichment and challenge material. PrepMaven’s attentive tutors can find any gaps in a student’s knowledge and fill in those gaps to lay strong educational foundations. PrepMaven’s elite tutors are also top-1% scorers on key college admissions tests like the SAT and ACT and can help students prepare for those exams. Students aiming at a private high school can also prepare for the SSAT or ISEE with their tutor. PrepMaven’s tutors have a higher level of education than other tutors at most competitors, and can easily help students with advanced subjects like AP US History, AP Calculus, AP Macroeconomics, AP Physics, and other challenging classes. Founded by brothers and Princeton grads Greg and Kevin, PrepMaven focuses on delivering consistently high-quality tutoring to students. All tutors undergo a thorough training program and can use proprietary teaching materials to help students reach their goals. To make high-quality tutoring accessible to more families, PrepMaven offers tutoring at several different price points. At the most affordable rate, students can work with current Ivy-League undergraduates with subject-area expertise. At higher rates, students can work with experienced coaches who hold advanced graduate degrees.

Sign up for PrepMaven’s Ivy-League tutoring now

PrepMaven’s one-on-one tutoring is the best option for any student wanting high-quality tutoring.

At a glance:

• Cost: $79–349/hour, depending on tutor qualifications; minimum $450 package
• Tutor qualifications: Ivy-League tutors, all experienced and highly trained, some with master’s or doctoral degrees

What we like:

• Ivy League experience — most of their tutors are Princeton grads or current students, with some from Harvard and other Ivies
• Different pricing options to meet different families’ circumstances
• Smaller, boutique company offers more individualized approach customized for each student
• Able to cover advanced subjects , since tutors have Ivy-League backgrounds and have aced AP tests themselves

What we don’t like:

• Because they take the time to pair each student with the tutor that will be the best fit, sessions are not instantaneous and usually it takes 1–3 days to schedule with an Ivy-League tutor

Sign up for PrepMaven’s one-on-one tutoring now

#2 – StudyPoint

Our Verdict — Best Big Tutoring Company Price: $60-120/hour StudyPoint is a large test-prep company that keeps its rates lower than Princeton Review or Kaplan. While they do require basic qualifications for their tutors (2 years of experience and a college degree), it’s hard to know much about the tutor you’ll be matched with. You’ll also need to pay more for a more experienced tutor, so StudyPoint’s top rate of $120/hr runs on the more expensive side. While we like StudyPoint’s platform and their tutor qualifications, there’s likely to be a wide variance in tutro quality, since not all their tutors are from top schools. We’d suggest that families consider working with a Standard Tutor at PrepMaven , where fees start at $79/hour for Ivy-League tutors.

• StudyPoint is a good option for families who want to work with a large, established company at decent rates.
• Cost: $60-120/hr
• Tutor qualifications: 2 years of tutoring experience and a Bachelor’s degree
• Higher educational experience — their tutors have some experience and a college degree
• Responsive – from our experience, it’s easy to get in touch with someone at StudyPoint
• Tutors aren’t necessarily from top schools , and it’s not possible to see any information about their tutors
• Rates may be high for standard academic tutoring

How can effective learning now pave the way for future success? Jump below .

#3 – Skooli

Our Verdict — Best Super-Quick Tutoring Price: $39–49/hour Skooli is a newer online tutoring platform and the only one we’ve found that offers tutoring charged by the minute. Families can purchase packs for 8, 16, or 32 hours, or purchase individual hours. Students can then use these hours in as little as 15-minute increments. This might be handy for students who want to ask a tutor quick questions, and who don’t care about developing a relationship with a consistent tutor. Tutors for Skooli have college degrees, but haven’t necessarily graduated from a top-tier school. It’s not possible to see more details about individual tutors until after giving credit card details. Their online interface is slick and modern, although according to our inside sources it crashes frequently.

• Students who want to work with a tutor to answer quick questions (sessions as short as 15 minutes).
• Cost: $1248 for 32 hours ($39/hr), $672 for 16 hours ($42/hr), $352 per 8 hours ($44/hr), or $49/hour for individual hours, billed by the minute ($0.82/minute, minimum 15 minutes)
• Tutor qualifications: college graduates
• Tutoring available in very short increments , with a minimum session length of just 15 minutes
• Instant tutoring — on-demand tutoring is available 24/7, and just enter your credit card information to start immediately
• Reasonable pricing
• Students can’t work with the same tutor consistently , which is less effective for learning
• Online tutoring platform has some technological problems and crashes frequently

#4 – Wyzant

Our Verdict — Alternative for Families on a Budget Price: $20–600/hour There are plenty of large platforms with large stables of part-time tutors and coaches available to work with students. Wyzant is one of the largest such platforms, with more than 65,000 tutors providing services through their website. Students and families can pick individual tutors to work with from their roster and arrange tutoring services directly. One benefit of this model is that tutors can set their own rates, which vary hugely. Families on a budget can find online writing tutors as low as $20 per hour. However, these tutors might not have any teaching experience or training, and they may not have graduated from a top school. Some tutors on Wyzant with more qualifications may have much higher rates — as high as $600 per hour!

• Families on a budget who are willing to work with a freelance tutor directly.
• Cost: $20–600/hour
• Tutor qualifications: varies
• Marketplace platform means that some tutors list low rates for tutoring, which can make tutoring more affordable
• Families can choose their own tutor directly out of over 65,900 tutors listed
• No training for tutors — which leads to uneven quality of instruction
• Families are hiring individual tutors, which means tutor qualifications vary enormously , and there are no guarantees
• Choosing the right tutor out of 65,000+ is one more task for busy families

What can students learn with online tutoring? Read more below .

#6 – Learn to Be

Our Verdict — Best Free Tutoring (for qualifying families) Price: free (or voluntary contribution of $9–30 per month) Learn to Be is a fantastic non-profit organization improving education for underserved youth in the US. Students work with the same tutor consistently, which allows them to build a strong relationship and allows for mentoring as well as learning. Students working with Learn to Be have seen an average increase in test scores of 15.8% and an average GPA increase of 1.6 — nearly two full letter grades (for example from a C to an A-)! Tutors are volunteers who are passionate about educational equity, and range from current high school and college students to professionals or retirees. The program works primarily with foster youth, homeless youth, and other lower-income families. Possible qualifications for free tutoring with Learn to Be include: student attends a Title 1 school, receives free or reduced lunch at school, comes from a single-parent home, is a foster child, is homeless, or qualifies for food stamps. It’s possible to work with a Spanish-speaking tutor through Learn to Be.

• Students who qualify for free tutoring (foster youth or low-income families).
• Non-profit helping underserved youth
• Completely free tutoring for qualifying families
• Students work with the same tutor consistently, which builds trust and leads to a better individualized educational experience
• Tutor qualifications vary — some tutors are high school students as young as 14 years old, and all tutors are volunteers
• Only for qualifying youth in the US (low income or foster youth)

#7 – Schoolhouse

Our Verdict — Best Free Peer Math Tutoring Price: free While Learn to Be provides free or low-cost tutoring to only qualifying families, Schoolhouse is free and available to any student age 13+. Created by Sal Khan, who is also the founder of well-known educational non-profit Khan Academy , Schoolhouse is an innovative platform for peer tutoring. Students who are strong in math can take a short test to check their knowledge. Qualified students can then volunteer to host small-group tutoring sessions online to help their peers who might be struggling. Schoolhouse’s peer tutoring is designed to reinforce and practice what students are learning in school. There’s no adult or experienced instructor leading the tutoring sessions, and all sessions are in groups open to any student worldwide to join, so we wouldn’t recommend it for students who need targeted help learning specific math concepts. However, it can be a fun way for students to practice math alongside their peers.

• Students age 13+ who want to practice math problems in a group with their peers.
• Tutor qualifications: current students age 13+ — students take a quiz to prove their knowledge but no other required qualifications
• Completely free and open to any student worldwide age 13+
• Students can work with their student peers , which some might find more approachable
• Tutors are other young students and have no experience or qualifications
• Small-group setting doesn’t provide individual attention to students
• Not a substitute for learning guided by an experienced instructor
• Only math , and not other subjects

Read below : how strong grades & test scores are essential for college admissions

Best of the Rest for Online Tutoring

#7 – princeton review / tutor.com.

Our Verdict — Disappointing Quality from Test-Prep Giant Price : lower-quality instant tutoring at $29–35/hour, minimum package $350; monthly subscription instant tutoring at $36–40/hour Back in 2014, Tutor.com acquired the well-known test-prep company The Princeton Review. (Note that the Princeton Review has no connection to Princeton University.) They now offer subject-area tutoring in over 80 different academic areas, including math. The range of tutoring options is a little confusing, but it basically breaks down to two different models: families can choose one-off tutoring packages of 10–50 “instant tutoring” hours that can be used over a six-month period, or a monthly subscription for 1–5 instant tutoring hours each month. Tutors are available 24/7 for instant sessions. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the quality of this offering from The Princeton Review. In contrast to their operations for standardized test prep (like SAT and ACT prep ), their platform for subject-area tutoring does not provide instructors with training, so there’s very little consistency. Tutors are also capped at 2 or 3 sessions per day, so they’re by design part-time instructors who are teaching a little on the side. While The Princeton Review / Tutor.com claims to count Ivy grads and experts with advanced degrees among their tutors, we found this to be misleading. Most of their tutors have only a BA, and most have graduated from local schools that are not even in the top 200 universities. Pay for tutors is minimum wage, so it’s difficult for them to attract good teaching talent. Surprisingly for The Princeton Review, their subject-area tutoring is a tutoring marketplace platform (similar to Wyzant ). Families select individual tutors to work with based on their bios and arrange the tutoring sessions individually. For us, this obviates the point of working with a large company like Princeton Review, where in theory the advantage is quality control and a standard curriculum, even if it comes with a more corporate feel. With this marketplace model, tutor quality and qualifications vary considerably, especially given that tutors do not receive any training or teaching materials.

• Cost: Homework Help packages that can be used over a period of 6 months: $350 for 10 hours ($35/hr), $950 for 30 hours ($32/hr), or $1499.99 for 50 hours ($29/hr); Homework Help tutoring subscriptions: $40 for 1 hour each month, $115 for 3 hours each month ($38/hr), or $180 for 5 hours each month ($36/hr)
• Reasonable pricing for tutoring and a range of payment models
• Tutors are available 24/7 for instant Homework Help packages
• Tutor qualifications vary — most are from local or state schools, not competitive colleges
• Online platform is buggy and crashes frequently
• Challenging for them to attract good teaching talent as pay is minimum wage
• Low quality of teaching , surprising for a big-name player in test prep

#8 – ArborBridge

Our Verdict: Pricey Service with Mystery Tutors Price: $165+/hour, minimum package $2400 for 15 hours Featuring crisp, minimalist visuals and a younger team, ArborBridge calls itself “the next generation of test prep.” They’ve always been remote and online, so they haven’t suffered the growing pains with the shift to online learning that many competitors with outdated platforms (like Pearson and Princeton Review ) have experienced. That said, their tutoring is quite expensive! Their rate is always at least $160 per hour, and the minimum package is a hefty $2400 for 15 hours of tutoring. They also advertise a “concierge” tutoring service with a more customized experience — price upon request. Is it worth the price? We’re not so sure. ArborBridge claims to have hired the “best” tutors but they do not list any specific qualifications for their tutors or provide any bios for their tutor roster. On their (slightly-defunct) Instagram page they have provided some fun facts about a few of their tutors, but they don’t list any educational background, years of experience, or relevant professional credentials, just favorite foods and television shows. There’s no indication that their tutors have graduated from top colleges, have teaching experience, or any other relevant qualifications — unlike services like PrepMaven or Tutoring Service of New York that only hire Ivy-League tutors. In fact, our sources have mentioned that their tutors don’t receive much training prior to teaching. They also, unlike the Princeton Review, don’t offer any guarantees for raising grades or scores. In the end, we’re not sure why ArborBridge has such high prices without offering particularly high-quality tutoring in return. Their website looks nice, though!

• Cost: $160/hour, minimum package is $2400 for 15 hours (+ 1 bonus hour); $4800 for 30 hours (+ 3 bonus hours); $7200 for 45 hours (+ 6 bonus hours) — or “concierge tutoring” with “highest level of hands-on care,” price upon request
• Tutor qualifications: unknown
• Known for good customer service
• Younger, more modern tutoring service that’s built with technology from the get-go
• Expensive , with a minimum cost of $2400 for 15 hours of tutoring
• No information about tutor qualifications provided
• No guarantees for grade or score raises
• Seems more design than substance

#9 – Learner

Our Verdict — Tutoring that Includes ESL Learners Price: $55–80/hour, minimum $400 package Learner is another newer online tutoring platform. Unlike many of the other services on this list, Learner also provides tutoring services to adults, especially for non-native English speakers. While they advertise that their tutors have degrees from “top universities,” it seems that the only necessary qualification for tutors at Learner is a college degree (not just from top schools). We found their sign-up sequence to be frustrating. New clients start by answering a series of questions about their students. While it repeatedly seems like they’ll show a selection of tutors that may be a match, this is a bait-and-switch tactic, and they never display any actual tutor profiles. Instead, new clients must first make a payment before they can view any tutor details. Learner has a “satisfaction guarantee,” which simply means that they’ll allow families to request a switch to another tutor if it’s not a good fit. Their rates are on the pricier side for “average” tutors who do not have teaching experience or degrees from elite universities.

• Cost: $400 for 5 hours ($80/hour), $700 for 10 hours ($70/hour), $1200 for 20 hours ($60/hour), or $1650 for 30 hours ($55/hour)
• Explicitly offers tutoring for ESL learners
• No specific tutor qualifications beyond a college degree
• Prices are high given quality of service

#10 – Revolution Prep

Our Verdict — High Rates Price: $132/hour, minimum $1578 for 12 hours Revolution Prep is a larger platform providing online tutoring with a focus on interactive learning. Revolution Prep is a larger platform providing online tutoring with a focus on interactive learning. While they used to offer more affordable small-group classes, they no longer do so for math tutoring.. Their individual tutoring rate of $132/hour is quite high, especially given the backgrounds of their instructors. While we like that all of their tutors are full-time staff, versus tutoring part-time alongside another career, their tutors do not have any other specific qualifications. These rates are comparable or higher than other services that provide more customized learning with Ivy-League tutors, like PrepMaven or select tutors on Wyzant..

• Cost: individual tutoring $132/hour, minimum $1578 for 12 hours
• Tutor qualifications: none specified
• All tutors are full-time staff
• Small-group tutoring provides lower prices
• No specific qualifications for tutors
• Tutoring rates are high for the type of service

#11 – Tutoring Service of New York

Our Verdict — New Service with Higher Minimum Package Price: $112–160/hour ($1200 5-session minimum) Founded by a former tutor with the now-defunct Ivy Global tutoring service, the new Tutoring Service of New York offers subject-area tutoring online. Most of their tutors are current graduate students, many at Columbia University and NYU. The higher prices of the Tutoring Service of New York reflect the more elite educational background of the tutors. However, their minimum of $1200 for at least 5 sessions is high, especially since many other services have smaller minimum packages (compare $510 minimum at PrepMaven or $450 minimum at The Princeton Review ), or else allow families to purchase one-off tutoring sessions ( Pearson , Skooli , and others).

• Cost: $1200 for five 90-minute sessions; $2000 for 10 sessions; $2700 for 16 sessions
• Tutor qualifications:  college graduates, mostly current graduate students at Columbia or NYU
• Qualified tutors with mostly Ivy-League backgrounds
• New service , so client reviews are still limited
• Higher minimum tutoring packages

#12 – Mathnasium

Our Verdict — Tutoring Franchise to Help with Math Homework Price: varies (franchise), typically $200–425/month Math is one of the most important core subjects, and so it’s not surprising that there are learning programs devoted specifically to math. Mathnasium is a franchise with locations throughout the US and even internationally. As their name might suggest, they’re focused on fostering math skills only. Pricing varies by franchise location and by grade level, but most Mathnasium centers offer a flat monthly fee that allows students to attend math tutoring sessions regularly (whether online or in person), usually two or three times per week. While other programs might focus on drills and exercises, Mathnasium typically focuses on helping students with their math homework and other math assignments. Mathnasium does not assign homework or create customized curricula for students. One significant downside of Mathnasium’s approach is that students do not necessarily get to work with the same tutor each time. This disrupts continuity and makes it harder for students to learn, since a good tutor will track students’ progress over time and create assignments that target the needs of each individual student. There are also no specific qualifications for math tutors, so there’s no guarantee that the tutors are great teachers or have a high level of expertise in math. Since each of the Mathnasium centers is locally owned and operated, the customer service experience can vary significantly.

• Cost: varies (franchise), typically $200–425/month (costs are higher for high school levels)
• Math tutor qualifications: none specified
• Focus on math , and can help students understand their math homework and other school assignments
• Tutoring isn’t necessarily one-on-one
• Not the same tutor every time , which is not ideal for learning
• Covers only math , while some other tutoring services can provide tutoring for other subjects as well
• Tutors do not have any specific qualifications

#13 – Kumon

Our Verdict — Tutoring Franchise Drilling Math and Reading Basics Price: varies (franchise), typically $100–200/month Kumon is an international tutoring franchise that focuses on reaching math and reading through rote memorization. Founded by Toru Kumon in Japan in 1958, Kumon centers all follow the same learning approach based on worksheets that very gradually increase in difficulty. Students enrolled in Kumon’s program begin with a diagnostic assessment for math and reading comprehension skills. They are then usually placed in a level lower than where they scored , so that they can reinforce existing skills with additional practice. However, this also means that students have to spend time on material that they have already learned. Students at Kumon are not able to bring in homework or material from their current classes for additional help. Instead, all Kumon sessions focus on the rigid Kumon material. The goal of the Kumon Method  is “to teach students to learn independently,” and so instructors observe students as they complete worksheets and provide guidance. Students are also assigned homework from Kumon, in order to continue practicing at home. Students typically receive about 30 minutes of homework per day. Since each of the Kumon centers is locally owned and operated, the customer service experience can vary significantly. Pricing also varies by location, but runs typically about $100–200 per month. Students are encouraged to attend Kumon sessions twice per week.

• Cost: varies (franchise), typically $100–200/month (costs are higher for high school levels)
• Tutor qualifications: high school graduates
• Repetition of core skills can lead to a thorough understanding of the basics
• Rigid curriculum is not personalized for the learning styles and speeds of each student
• Rote repetition and endless worksheets may be boring or frustrating for students
• Students can’t bring in outside homework for help with their current classes
• Assigns a lot of extra work for students (typically 30 minutes of homework daily)

#14 – Varsity Tutors

Our Verdict — Uneven Quality Without Budget Pricing Price: $70-100/hour Varsity Tutors is an enormous tutoring platform offering online instruction in all academic subjects and test prep, including writing. These days their marketing has been ubiquitous! However, Varsity Tutors’ size has many downsides — most notably, very uneven quality of teaching. Tutors at Varsity need only a high school degree, and there is no requirement for tutors to have a college degree or teaching experience, let alone a top-tier educational background or professional writing credentials. Tutors can join the Varsity team very quickly and are paid lower rates than nearly any other tutoring company (just $12–15 for sessions that cost families up to $95), so it’s difficult for Varsity to attract and retain good talent. Lucky families might get assigned a good tutor, but that’s not at all assured. Varsity Tutors also does not provide any tutor materials, curriculum, or training, so it’s up to individual tutors to create everything from scratch, contributing further to the unevenness of quality. With rates higher than the competition with similar types of tutors (no specific qualifications beyond a college degree), Varsity is significantly overpriced. We’d recommend that families either consider a more budget-friendly option that would offer the same quality as Varsity in the $30–40/hour price range, or else consider a service like PrepMaven (starting at $79/hour) or Tutoring Service of New York (starting at $112/hour) that pairs students with highly-qualified tutors with advanced degrees and Ivy-League backgrounds.

• Cost: $ 70-100/hour
• Large number of tutors , so certain to find a tutor to fit your schedule
• No education or training requirements for tutors , along with low pay rates for instructors, means tutors are less-qualified than alternative tutoring services
• Uneven teaching quality due to lack of resources for instruction
• Overpriced given the lack of required qualifications for tutors

#15 – Preply

Our Verdict — Lower-Cost Tutoring Marketplace Platform Price: $5–40/hour Preply is a lower-cost marketplace platform. It’s significantly smaller than Wyzant . Among those tutors listed, most don’t have high educational backgrounds. Preply is a more international platform, and some of the tutors are from other countries or located outside the US. One benefit of Preply’s platform is that rates are very low, ranging from $5/hour to $40/hour. These rates are actually comparable or higher than the pay rates for most of the larger platforms on our list (like Pearson , The Princeton Review , Varsity Tutors , and TutaPoint ), so don’t necessarily take these numbers on their own as indications of lower quality — just that tutors are earning a larger share. That said, the tutoring available through Preply does appear to be lower-quality than other options.

• Cost: $5–40/hour, depending on rates set by individual tutors
• Tutor qualifications:  varies
• F amilies can choose individual tutors on their marketplace platform
• No specific qualifications for tutors and no quality control
• Task of choosing the right tutor can be stressful

#16 – Chegg

Our Verdict — Message Board Help with Math Questions and Essays Price: $20 per month Chegg is one of the biggest tutoring platforms, so families may be familiar with their name already. We should note that they’ve pivoted several times in the past few years, so their service may have changed from what families have read. Whereas previously (first as InstaEDU, then as Chegg Tutors) Chegg offered live tutoring instruction online, Chegg no longer offers one-on-one tutoring . Instead, they now offer two subscription levels that allow students to view instructional videos, access answer keys for common textbooks, and receive asynchronous written feedback to homework questions. These questions are primarily answered by “subject matter experts” located in India. Their “Chegg Study Pack” includes the option to submit papers for limited written feedback with a 48-hour turnaround time. Students can submit up to 15 short papers per month, up to 3000 words each (about 6 pages double-spaced). That said, this is not the same as active writing tutoring with live discussion and exercises directly with a tutor. The written feedback provided by Chegg’s essay review service is limited. Moreover, the essay reviews are done by different tutors every time, so there’s no opportunity to grow through working with one tutor consistently. This service might work for students who want merely a quick check of their grammar or other small details on school assignments and don’t care about long-term improvements as a writer. Read more about the best online writing tutoring services here . With their Chegg Study Pack subscription, students can also post up to 20 math questions per month and receive a written step-by-step solution to the problem within 24 hours. This is not the same as active tutoring with live discussion and exercises directly with a tutor. The written math help provided by Chegg’s essay review service is very limited. Moreover, the math problem answers are written by different tutors every time, so there’s no opportunity to grow through working with one tutor consistently. Honestly, this service is little better than posting a math question to a helpful community forum, and it’s hard to see how it’s worth the monthly subscription fee.

• Cost: $15 per month for Chegg Study subscription, which provides homework resources only; $20 per month for Chegg Study Pack subscription which provides essay reviews (up to 15 short papers per month, up to 3000 words each) and math question help in addition to the homework resources
• Students can get help with specific math questions within a 24-hour turnaround time
• Large number of written essay reviews per month , up to 15 short essays
• Limited to 20 math questions per month
• Asynchronous, written feedback is not an effective way to learn
• No education or training requirements for tutors , and no information about who the essay or math question reviewers are

Top 75 Online Tutoring Services Considered

• Pearson’s Smarthinking
• Learn To Be
• Tutor.com/The Princeton Review
• Club Z! Tutoring
• Sylvan Learning
• Varsity Tutors
• Tutor Doctor
• Schoolhouse
• Revolution Prep
• Lehman Tutoring Center
• UPchieve – free tutoring for underserved youth in the US
• SpecialEdTutoring.com
• Outschool 
• Suprex Learning
• UniversityTutor.com
• Huntington Learning Center
• Cluey Learning
• Galaxy Grades
• Clever Fox Education
• Nurturing Wisdom
• Themba Tutors
• Tutoring Service of New York
• Kaplan Tutoring Services ( not Kaplan)
• ArborBridge
• INC Education – focus on BIPOC kids
• Central Park Tutors
• Special Education Resource
• Remind Tutoring
• eTutorWorld
• Growing Stars
• Revision Centre
• Tutor House
• Fleet House
• First Tutors
• Bigfoot Tutors
• Keystone Tutors
• Mentor Education
• Kings Tutors
• Think Academy

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What can students learn with online tutoring?

Students can find online tutoring for any subject, from fundamentals in reading, writing , and math to advanced high school APs or college-level subjects.

Of course, many tutoring services offer SAT and ACT test prep or coaching through the college essay writing process . 

Online tutoring has also allowed students to connect with tutors for more niche subjects like creative writing , Italian language, statistical analysis, coding, gender studies, molecular biology, the sociology of fan fiction… with the internet, it’s possible to find a specialized instructor for just about anything!

Some marketplace platforms like Wyzant or Preply allow families to search for and select individual tutors by subject-area expertise.

Other more boutique educational services like PrepMaven or the Tutoring Service of New York might be able to find and pair students with an elite Ivy-League tutor in that particular subject.

An experienced tutor can also create enrichment projects for students to supplement their school curriculum and provide positive challenges and growth opportunities that can allow students to distinguish themselves in prestigious competitions and on college applications .

As class sizes continue to increase each year, even well-meaning teachers are unable to provide individualized attention to their students, and more advanced or gifted students are often left feeling bored and unchallenged in their classes. A great tutor can meet a student at their level and help them reach new heights.

Building Skills for College Admissions Tests (PSAT, SAT, and ACT)

Many students are focused on college admissions, which can have a significant impact on their opportunities for the rest of their lives.

The SAT and ACT standardized tests remain an important part of college applications in the US. Even with some schools creating temporary test-optional admissions policies during the Covid-19 pandemic, high test scores are still the norm at top schools throughout the US, and (apart from at a small handful of test-blind schools) a good SAT or ACT score will always improve a student’s chances of admission.

And, according to US News , more and more elite schools are once again requiring submission of SAT or ACT scores as part of the application process. If you’re thinking about applying to schools like MIT or Dartmouth later on, you’ll need to have impressive SAT or ACT scores to stand a shot.

Both the SAT and ACT measure “college readiness” and test students on their abilities in math, reading, and writing. The ACT also includes a section on science, which focuses on students’ abilities to evaluate experiments and interpret data.

SAT section range from 200 to 800. To give an idea of what kind of SAT scores students might need, the average SAT score at the Ivy League is between 1450 and 1570 , and the average SAT score at the top 50 public universities is between 1320 and 1500 .

Meanwhile, ACT scores range from 2 to 36, and the average ACT score at the Ivy League is between 33 and 35 .

While a great SAT or ACT score alone won’t get you into the Ivy League or another top-tier university, it’s very hard to get into a top-tier school without strong scores on the SAT or ACT .

Furthermore, high test scores can win students big scholarships through programs like the National Merit competition .

With scholarships worth $300,000 on the line, there’s a lot of incentive for students to strengthen their core math, reading, and writing skills!

Schedule a free short test prep consultation

Why work with a private tutor?

You may want to consider a working with a private tutor if:

• You want to improve your grades in your classes at school
• You want to build confidence in your abilities to learn
• You want to get into a private school and need a good score on the SSAT or ISEE
• Your current teacher isn’t meeting your learning needs and you want to work with an instructor who is hand-picked to match your learning style
• You want to improve your performance on AP tests to earn college credit while in high school (and impress college admissions officers)
• You want to improve your performance on important college admissions tests like the SAT and ACT
• You’re tired of conflict between students and parents about homework and you want someone else to take charge of tracking assignments and progress
• You’re aiming at a competitive college (not just the Ivy League!) and know that you need high test scores
• You want to learn foundational skills in math and writing now so you can succeed in your later career
• You know that if you develop strong math skills now, you’ll do better on every STEM-related class, assignment, and exam for the rest of your life!
• You know that if you develop strong writing skills now, you’ll find written exams a breeze from now on
• You need to write college application essays but you’re not sure where to start or how best to highlight your accomplishments for a competitive advantage
• You want to pursue a specific interest or passion that isn’t covered by your school 
• You want to earn scholarships and awards

Any of these are good reasons to consider working one-on-one with a private tutor.

What makes a good online tutor?

A good tutor should be an amazing teacher with experience, a strong educational background, and the ability to plan customized exercises that target an individual student’s weak spots .

Look for experienced tutors with strong educational backgrounds (i.e. who attended top universities) who have specific training in teaching that subject .

Studies have shown that students will learn better when they can establish a relationship with their tutor . Look for a tutoring service where students can continue with the same tutor and build a sense of rapport.

A good tutor can help students to succeed on any homework and assignments they may have for school . They can teach students how to work through their homework and study for important tests.

Great tutors will track student progress and help students to build confidence and motivation. We’ve found that many of our students start to enjoy school much more after working with our elite tutors !

Sign up for PrepMaven’s one-on-one tutoring

Best overall: The one-on-one tutoring from PrepMaven is the best out there both in terms of tutor quality and price. While PrepMaven’s tutors can certainly help with school assignments, they can also create targeted practice to fill any gaps in a student’s current knowledge. Starting at just $79/hour, students can work with current undergraduates at Princeton, Harvard, and other Ivy-League universities to improve their skills. Families can also work with experienced, professional educators and Ivy-League graduates at $149/hour. As a boutique tutoring service, PrepMaven offers careful attention to each student and boasts amazing customer reviews.

Best of the big companies: StudyPoint offers a solid balance of cost to tutor qualifications. We like their responsiveness and their flexibility. While we’re not huge fans of the fact that their tutors might not be subject-area experts and may not come from elite colleges, we’d recommend StudyPoint over other tutoring giants like Kaplan or Princeton Review.

Best super-quick tutoring: If students want short-term tutoring available instantly, they might consider Skooli . Skooli is the only tutoring service we reviewed that offers tutoring by the minute. Tutors aren’t necessarily from top schools, and students can’t work with the same tutor consistently, so the quality of tutoring is lower, but on-demand tutoring can start as soon as you enter your credit card details.

Alternative for families on a budget: For families on a tighter budget, we’d suggest looking for an independent tutor on Wyzant . It’s a tutoring marketplace platform, so the quality varies hugely and there’s no oversight or qualification requirements, but you might find a decent tutor under $40/hour. However, in our experience a good tutor can accomplish more with a student in one hour than an average tutor can do in five hours . With that in mind, it might be more effective to choose fewer hours of reliably high-quality tutoring.

Ready to improve skills with one of our experienced tutors? Schedule a free tutoring consultation with Jessica (Director of Tutoring) or one of our founders to see what would be the best fit for your family.

Regardless of your current abilities and planned career path, building a strong educational foundation will pay dividends throughout your life.

Remember that high test scores can be used to earn scholarships as well as college admission, so a few months of tutoring now can pay off with up to $300,000 in tuition saved later.

To start working with an Ivy-League tutor today, set up a quick free consultation with our team.

Sign up for PrepMaven’s Ivy-League tutoring

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What Kind of Math is On the SAT? Hardest SAT Math Problems 16 Best Online Tutoring Services — Reviewed & Ranked by an Ivy-League Educator 15 Best Online SAT Tutoring Services This Year (75 Tutoring Services Reviewed) 15 Best PSAT Tutoring Services This Year (75 Tutoring Services Reviewed) Rating All of Kaplan’s ACT Prep Options Varsity Tutors Review: Is It Worth the Cost? 12 Best SAT Prep Courses This Year (32 Courses Reviewed) 15 Best ACT Tutoring Services This Year (75 Tutoring Services Reviewed) Wyzant vs. Varsity Tutors: Which Tutoring Service is Better? 14 Best College Essay Services for 2024 (40 Services Reviewed) 500 Extracurricular Activities What College Admissions Officers Look For Average SAT Scores: The Latest Data 15 Best Online Writing Tutoring Services This Year (50 Services Reviewed) Princeton Review vs. Kaplan: Which SAT Prep Service is Better? …and more on our blog !

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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Here are the 5 best online tutoring services for K-12 students in 2022:

The best online tutoring service overall, the best online tutoring service for bipoc students, the best affordable online tutoring service, the best special education online tutoring service, the best online tutoring service for reluctant learners, other online tutoring services we considered, how we selected the best online tutoring services, the 5 best online tutoring services for k-12 students, including special education options.

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Whether students need extra help with their math homework or a boost in reading comprehension, one-on-one tutoring is a time-honored way to help kids succeed in school.

While parents can find great options within their local school districts, the one-on-one online tutoring services in this guide provide K-12 tutors across all states and subjects. We also avoided traditional in-person franchises in favor of services with an online focus. 

Insider Reviews spoke with Teresa Lubovich, spokesperson for the National Tutoring Association and owner of Poulsbo Tutoring in Washington, and Mel Jackman, a managing director of the East Harlem Tutorial Program , to gather selection criteria for the best online tutoring services (read more about our criteria at the end of this guide). Neither expert is affiliated with any of our picks.

We also reached out to K-12 online tutoring programs across the country to see if they fit our criteria and considered whether they stand out in any one category. Here are our top five picks, as well as some wonderful programs that didn't necessarily fit into a category.

Best online tutoring service overall: ArborBridge, from $145 ArborBridge matches highly trained K-12 academic tutors with students to facilitate learning across all subjects.

Best online tutoring service for BIPOC children: INC Education, from $65 INC is an award-winning tutoring program that gives BIPOC students agency in their personalized learning experience.

Best affordable online tutoring service: Varsity Tutors, from $269 Varsity Tutors is a vast, popular program featuring over 3,000 subjects, from basics to Mandarin to computer science.

Best online tutoring service for special education: Special Education Resource, from $275 Special Education Resource is deeply committed to serving students with a wide range of disabilities from nonverbal autism to ADHD.

Best online tutoring service for reluctant learners: Central Park Tutors, from $110 Central Park Tutors offers highly specialized services for kids who have a wide range of learning styles and needs.

ArborBridge matches highly trained K-12 academic tutors with students to facilitate learning across all subjects.

Pros : Distinguished tutors, highly personalized interactive experience, covers many subjects

Cons : Expensive, website can be difficult to navigate

Cost: $160 an hour

ArborBridge has offered national online tutoring for 10 years and is widely known for its test-prep services and top-of-the-line academic tutoring in every K-12 subject. Its instructors are specially trained to engage students through video chat platforms.

Forging deep connections over video chat is a critical skill, according to Lubovich. "The students need to feel connected to the tutor as if they were in person," she said. "How the tutor does that through the screen to reach in and draw them out, that's a skill — and it's really important."

Tutors at ArborBridge have a full online toolbox to draw from — from whiteboards to shared screens to interactive capabilities — and are constantly adjusting the tools and techniques they use to meet the unique needs of each student.

Every ArborBridge tutor graduated from a top-rated liberal arts or research university and has significant teaching experience. Beyond these requirements, tutors go through a rigorous interview process to evaluate their competence.

It also features a comprehensive student-tutor matching program for elementary, middle, and high school students. 

INC is an award-winning tutoring program that gives BIPOC students agency in their personalized learning experience.

Pros: Racially inclusive, affordable, stringent process for student/tutor match

Cons: Some subjects are not available

Cost: The average cost is $65 an hour, but each family receives a unique price package depending on their needs.

INC Education is the largest online tutoring program for BIPOC students. Since 2013, Dallas-based INC Education, which stands for "It's Not Complicated," has expanded its program from a one-man show — founder Jay Veal — to 100 tutors in many subjects (including dance!) and 10,000 students across the United States.

Veal started as a math teacher who was frustrated by the lack of diversity in the educational field. According to studies , students have more academic success when they are taught by same-race and same-gendered teachers, yet most school teachers are white women .

"The role model effect is real," said Jackman. "There's so much evidence that having one teacher of the same race is enough to give the student ambition and drive. You don't know what you can be if you don't see it."

The national program features a staff of more than 90 BIPOC tutors, many with master's degrees. Veal, who delivered a TED Talk, has won several awards for the program, including the 2019 United Nations Global Leadership Award Honoree for SDG 4 Goal of Quality Education.

Before beginning instruction, INC assesses every student and treats them like "little brothers and sisters," according to Veal. The service also incorporates each student's parents into the process and, if needed, their school teachers. Students can choose the ethnicity and gender of their tutor, and every program is individually tailored.

Varsity Tutors is a vast, popular program featuring over 3,000 subjects, from basics to Mandarin to computer science.

Pros : Affordable, vast options, has a placement algorithm

Cons : Commission rates for tutors vary widely

Cost: $269/year or $299 for 6 months

Varsity Tutors has over 40,000 tutors across the country and is a popular choice for parents seeking quality tutoring at an affordable price.

The service started in 2007 and has been mostly online for five years. Despite being one of the larger online tutoring programs, Varsity rigorously vets its applicants through simulations, background checks, and interviews, and has turned down tutors with perfect SAT scores if they can't convey information in a comprehensible way.

"One of the biggest things I tell my parents is to look for someone who makes a good connection with your student," said Lubovich. "Because it doesn't matter if they know the math. If they don't connect, they don't do well."

Varsity Tutors uses a placement algorithm to match students with tutors based on things like schedule, educational needs, proficiency, learning style, interests, and goals.

Special Education Resource is deeply committed to serving students with a wide range of disabilities from nonverbal autism to ADHD.

Pros: Personalized attention, comprehensive approach, neurodiversity welcome, singular focus

Cons: Can be expensive

Cost: The average cost for a tailored program is $275 per month, but rates can vary widely from $35 to $2,000 per month.

Special Education Resource provides comprehensive online tutoring for kids with IEPs (individualized education plans). It is deeply committed to that goal, from assessment to evaluation — while many other tutoring services provide qualified special education academic tutoring, Special Education Resource has always been singularly focused on it.

Uniquely, the tutors are all part of the staff and are not independent contractors. This is a deliberate rule meant to create a family, according to co-founder Luke Dalien. All instructors have a four-year degree in special education as well as classroom experience.

"Not everyone is equipped for special education instruction," Lubovich said. "If a family has an IEP, they need to look for people who have been specifically trained."

Special Education Resource creates a very individually tailored experience for each child. In fact, Dalien said he personally meets with every parent individually, multiple times.

Students undergo a thorough assessment to be matched with the right instructor and also receive a specialized learning plan. Because of this, the rates vary widely depending on the needs of the student.

Central Park Tutors offers highly specialized services for kids who have a wide range of learning styles and needs.

Pros: Run by teachers, values neurodiversity

Cons : Does not offer every subject

Cost: $110 an hour

Central Park Tutors offers K-12 homework help and academic coaching in many basic subjects like physics and history. While it serves all children, the service also offers specific methods like the Orton-Gillingham and Wilson multisensory reading systems designed for kids with dyslexia.

Many tutoring programs were launched by entrepreneurs, but Central Park Tutors was founded in 2005 by two teachers and scholars: husband and wife Mike Wallach and Susana Kraglievich. The service now has about 90 tutors on its roster, each with a master's degree or higher.

The program's tutors thrive on making information fun and digestible for students who have lost interest in school, or who may have depression or learning disabilities. They abide by the principles of education authors like Alfie Kohn and John Holt, who value unconditional support and respect for students.

"You want a program that will humanize the learning experience and recognize the magnificence of the children's brains and how powerful they are," said Jackman. 

Central Park Tutors' intake system is very thorough, with each student receiving a custom plan and well-matched tutor. Despite its name, the service has worked with students from New York to Shanghai. However, most of the tutors are trained and based in New York. 

We looked at many options while choosing the best online tutoring services. Over time, we refined our criteria and had to leave off certain programs, including the following:

• BrainStorm Tutoring & Arts : BrainStorm is an award-winning tutoring program that uses a hands-on approach. It didn't make it to the top because it is primarily based in New York, New Jersey, and Branson, Missouri, and has only just started to gain national traction. BrainStorm is a great option for kids who need help with basic subjects, as well as ancillary skills like time management, intellectual stamina, and self-confidence.
• K12.com , Skooli.com , Tutor.com , and Wyzant : We did not include these four popular programs because they ask parents to independently choose tutors from a list of profiles. This format may be preferable for some families, but we only selected programs that utilize a deliberate matchmaking system. These services may be good options for parents and students who want complete control over the tutor selection process.

Not all online tutoring services are created equal, and not all of them will suit your child's specific needs. There is an almost infinite number of programs online, and there is no one set of guidelines. Parents do have plenty of criteria to work with, though. Here's how we evaluated the tutoring programs featured in this guide:

Are the tutors qualified?

It's important to look for qualified tutors who generally have a degree in their field and a background in education. Tutors might opt for certification under the National Tutoring Association or the Association for the Tutoring and Coaching Profession , but there are no laws that regulate tutors or require these certifications.

Does the program offer shorter tutoring sessions?

Lubovich said that two-hour sessions are rare — as they should be — because they're pushing the absolute limit. Sessions should also include some breaks for physical movement, especially when it comes to young children.

Is there a contract?

Companies should give parents a contract complete with expectations, and they should comply with all children's online privacy laws .

Is the approach holistic and transparent?

A good tutoring program looks at the whole student rather than simply their grades or test scores. Look for services that assess children in advance and deliberately match them with tutors based on expertise and personality.

Tutoring should also take into account everything that is going on in a kid's life, such as trauma at home, not just scores. Frequent, transparent check-ins between tutors and parents are essential.

"You should be able to ask questions," Jackman said. "What is the staff like, is the learning process transparent, can I come take a peek or see a recorded video? Parents should feel empowered."

The holistic approach is particularly crucial for marginalized students. At a baseline, children with disabilities should be matched with specialized, qualified tutors. However, Jackman argued that tutoring companies should go beyond that by embracing diversity in every form, whether that means having a diverse staff, requiring anti-bias training among tutors, or offering discounts or equipment to lower-income students.

"It's not just about giving kids information, but celebrating who they are," Jackman said.

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“As a homeschool mom for 11 years of 4 children with learning challenges, I have used other   O-G programs.  Barton is BY FAR the best and most complete program.”

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Barton is awesome! It is simple to use,  and changed my entire way of looking at reading. My son loves it & I saw progress right away !

Susan is awesome too and so very helpful. 🙂

It’s worth every penny. I have tutored my son for a year.

Barton was a life changer for my now 11 year old! We started 2 years ago and stuck with it to the end. I can’t say enough good things about it! PM me if you want to talk details!!! Happy to share!

Love what the Barton program has done for my child. Her reading has improved and so has her spelling. We are about to start level five and can’t wait to see what this level teaches her.

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Deep Roots Learning Solutions, Inc.

Where Strong Learning Grows from Deep Roots

Welcome to Deep Roots Learning Solutions, Inc.

If your child is struggling with reading or writing, or avoiding and procrastinating are looking for online reading tutoring, you are in the right place! We help students struggling with reading and spelling to become capable and confident readers, spellers, and writers through personalized online instruction.

Get started with:

Tutoring Services – we offer writing and reading tutoring, as well as support with executive functioning and study skills

Self-Paced courses

Resources – read about literacy development and dyslexia, and find resources and recommendations to support your children

Contact us for a consultation

Certified Orton-Gillingham Tutors

Certified OG tutors have completed a supervised practicum of at least 100 lessons. That means they have had lots of practice, encountered and solved many challenges, and known many different kinds of students. “OG trained” and “OG certified” tutors might have similar-looking lessons, and they may even use the same materials. But a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor is worth finding because of the flexibility and depth of experience that comes with the practice and supervision required to be certified in Orton-Gillingham.

When your child works with a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor, the tutor develops customized lesson plans for their specific needs, so they can make progress fast! 

Systematic instruction in spelling

For some students, even those with dyslexia, reading is not the problem! These are often students with excellent vocabularies and great reasoning ability who are able to reason their way through tricky word challenges.

But then you try to read their writing and find that the “good enough” knowledge of phonics that makes them adequate readers really does support their spelling. Orton-Gillingham can still be the right answer for these students. By explicitly teaching English spelling patterns, one at a time or in small groups, OG tutors can help students master the tricky spellings that seem so unpredictable.

Writing Instruction

Students with dyslexia may struggle with writing as well as writing, for several reasons.

1. Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that impacts writing and spelling. It often co-occurs in people with dyslexia.

2. Dyslexia directly impacts spelling. When they can’t spell well, students may avoid writing, choose shorter words, or write very slowly as they spell out each word. Dyslexic students often get less practice writing than their peers.

3. Compared to their classmates, students with dyslexia often need more intensive instruction over a longer period of time to become good readers. That often means less time spent on other parts of literacy, like reading and discussing stories or writing. So they might have missed out on some writing instruction their classmates got.

Explicit morphology instruction

You know how people say “English doesn’t make sense?” Usually, what’s missing is knowledge about history and morphology. English is a language built from (often stolen) bits of other languages.

By learning about morphemes (the meaningful parts of words – prefixes, root words and suffixes) students learn to decode, comprehend and spell polysyllabic words. This skill goes from important to absolutely essential for middle and high school reading comprehension.

Evidence-based strategies for comprehension

Students learn strategies for understanding text like asking and answering questions and predicting what will happen next. These strategies enrich overall reading comprehension, but they are also vital skills for school work! Teachers frequently ask students to write or discuss their reading, and to provide evidence from the text.

Online reading tutoring means our students come from all over the U.S. and Canada

You might consider online reading tutoring if your family travels frequently or if your child has a busy schedule outside of school. You can schedule with an online tutor when it is convenient for you, and there’s no driving your child to lessons!

There are lots of considerations when choosing a literacy tutor for your child. If you’re still deciding, check out this blog post for some questions to ask when comparing options for reading and writing tutoring.

Schedule a phone call today to see if writing and reading tutoring online is a good fit for your child. We offer Orton-Gillingham certified tutors who have experience with students at a wide range of ages and with diverse learning needs.

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Reading, Writing, and Math Tutoring

We bring reading, writing, and math to life for all learners.

Our dedicated and caring teachers love working one on one with students to make learning easier—to open up the doors to real, motivated learning that changes lives. We tailor instruction to each learner’s needs and use a strengths-based approach that builds confidence.

In addition to developing reading, writing, and math skills, we teach students how to get organized, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks. The result? Success in the classroom and beyond and a lifelong love of learning.

Reading Instruction That Really Works

Learning how to read is challenging for millions of kids, with 68% of our nation’s fourth graders reading at or below the basic level. To become skilled readers, struggling students require clear instruction and deliberate practice. Our reading instructors use proven strategies, including the Orton-Gillingham Approach, to teach and expand foundational reading skills. They tailor lessons to each learner’s needs and build a place of trust where students can work on difficult things without fear of making mistakes.

Reading Instruction

Using a carefully planned, step-by-step approach—full of multisensory experiences—we help struggling readers develop fundamental reading skills, including phonological awareness, phonics, spelling, and reading comprehension.

Reading Comprehension

We help students grow the underlying skills that lead to deep comprehension, such as vocabulary, sentence structure, background knowledge, problem solving, and critical thinking.

Reading Interventions

Our teachers are skilled reading instructors with years of extensive training and Orton-Gillingham certification. They provide intensive support for students with dyslexia and other learning differences.

Writing Instruction

Writing is necessary in so many parts of life. Plus, writing, like reading, is a tool for learning. Students who struggle with writing lose an all-too-important vehicle for thinking deeply about what they learn. We help students become better writers by teaching foundational writing skills, expanding writing knowledge, and sparking joy in writing.

Students will learn fundamental writing skills, including handwriting, spelling, sentence structure, brainstorming, and grammar, so they can effectively communicate their ideas.

Expanding Writing

We help students expand their writing knowledge and hone essential writing skills, such as understanding their audience, planning and organizing, revising and rewriting, and publishing.

Writing Interventions

Our specialists use evidence-based techniques to help students with dysgraphia, written expression disorders, and other learning differences.

Math Tutoring

Our instructors work closely with students of all ages to improve their math skills, helping them understand math concepts more easily and become more math-minded. We use research-backed approaches that are rich in sensory experiences: students can see, hear, and feel math come alive, making it easier to understand what numbers and symbols represent. Our math specialists make math less stressful overall and tailor their lessons to each student’s needs.

Math Instruction

Our specialists use proven multisensory approaches to teach math concepts and skills, such as numeracy, addition, multiplication, fractions, subtraction, and early algebraic thinking.

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We help students master math concepts and use them to solve problems, increasing their confidence, developing their mathematical thinking, and building their skills in algebra, geometry, measurement, and more.

Math Interventions

Dyscalculia, a disability that makes it hard to understand numbers, is more common than you might think. Through specialized instruction and intervention, we help struggling students develop essential math skills.

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Our dedicated and caring teachers are skilled specialists with advanced credentials and years of extensive training.

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We use evidence-based, multisensory approaches that give students that, “Wow, I get this!” feeling in every lesson.

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Since 1983, we have been helping students reach their goals through life-changing learning.

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The Orton-Gillingham instruction our daughter has received from the Stern Center has been AMAZING, improving not only her reading abilities but also her confidence.

From elementary school through to life as a young adult, I could not ask for a better resource than the Stern Center to help my son continue to grow and learn how to be his best self. The Stern Center truly understands him as a unique person and can explain challenges in a way he can understand with strategies within his reach to implement.

Our daughter is more confident, feels better about herself as a learner, and is much more successful in school. These are the kinds of outcomes Stern Center delivers. It’s an investment in your child’s future.

The most knowledgeable, professional, empathetic, motivating, compassionate, helpful, and understanding, staff and social service agency I have come across.

The teacher is amazing! She is a gifted teacher: intelligent, organized, and motivated to build rapport with our child. She wrote a series of decodable texts to match our son’s interests and sent home decodable stories, word lists, and games, so we, as parents, could practice and support our child at home. The teacher was always an email away and showed unwavering support and kindness all year.

This has been the most valuable experience for our family to help us understand our child’s learning profile and instructional needs. The evaluators were incredibly professional, approachable, and, most importantly, able to provide our son’s school team with a clear plan of how to meet his instructional needs.

I would not have had the courage to go to law school, the confidence and success I had in high school or undergrad, if it hadn’t been for the foundational principles the Stern Center taught me.

Our daughter’s tutoring sessions have been a truly wonderful experience and a real gift. This year has been a time of growth, expansion, and learning. Our daughter is now an avid reader and prolific writer, always with her nose in a book or writing and drawing in her notebook and dreaming up another new story to tell. It’s an indescribable feeling to witness and participate in her learning process as she spreads her winds and is now flying high!

To see the improvement in our son’s literary skills has been life-changing for our family. The Stern Center staff are professional and knowledgeable and easy to communicate with.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have found the Stern Center for my 10-year-old son who has dyslexia. He has come a long way over these past two years. He has had instruction in-person as well as online and has had success with both platforms. The educators at Stern Center are top-notch and professional! I will be forever grateful for this amazing center!

We have been very impressed with the Stern Center, for both tutoring services and learning evaluations for our daughter. Before we found Stern, she struggled with math and executive functioning—but working weekly with her tutor, her skills improved and her confidence skyrocketed, and she is now thriving.

I like my whole tutoring session because the teacher makes learning really fun!

The Stern Center saved our daughter’s life. I love that she can access tutoring remotely. The tutor is a great match for our daughter.

Our child’s instructor is a wonderfully engaging and kind person and it has been amazing for our child to develop this long-term educational skill-building relationship. We love being able to access the Stern Center resources through remote instruction even though we live far away!

Thank you for providing me with the support to get the tutoring I needed at the Stern Center. You made it possible for me to learn and develop the skills I needed to pursue my dream of becoming a writer and illustrator. Reading and writing used to be very hard for me, but now I am reading and writing easily and a lot. My tutor taught me so much, and I really loved my sessions with her!

Our child adores the instructor and really enjoys working with her every week. I think the biggest takeaway, though, has been the newfound confidence in herself as a reader since starting at the Stern Center!

The Stern Center has given my daughter a whole new outlook on herself as a learner. She has the tools to problem-solve and figure things out, and all her teachers have noticed a huge improvement in her work since she started instruction….All around, the Stern Center has been a huge blessing for her!

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Teachers Served This Year

When a teacher takes one of our courses, the positive impact ripples beyond one life, spreading through an entire classroom, school, and community.

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We offer one-on-one teaching that transforms lives, lifts up voices, and inspires learners to bring forth their unique gifts to a world that awaits them.

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We celebrate the dedication of our school partners and share their commitment to a brighter future for all learners.

States and Counting

We’re a national leader in language and literacy. Our impact currently extends across 38 states and several countries through the thousands of educators we reach and students we serve.

Meet Our Team

Michelle Szabo, M.S.Ed.

Director of Instruction

Carol Wieland

Assistant Director of Instruction

Emily Aswad, M.A. Ed.

Theresa White, MAT, A/OGA

Deb Gay, MA

Kristen Lee, M.S.Ed.

Registration Coordinator for Instruction

Laurie Andrews, M.Ed.

Kristen Bierer, MA

Sarah Grunwell, M.Ed, A/OGA

Sandy Boyer, M.Ed.

Cecilia Bucca

Nancy Daniels, M.Ed.

Gina Kells, M.Ed., A/OGA

Janice McGuire, M.Ed.

Kathryn McLane, J.D.

Kim Nau, M.S., F/OGA

Colleen Schuster, M.Ed.

Frequently asked questions.

• Tutoring FAQs

How do I set up a payment plan?

We’ll provide you with a contract and invoice which can be paid in full by our deadline or managed through a payment plan that spreads the cost of services over several months.

Are there other sources of financial assistance?

There are other sources that may assist with the financing of Stern Center Services. These include your school or school district, employer,  Hireability Vermont ,  VSAC , the  Annie E. Casey Foundation , health insurance provider, and others. Please note, we are not an insurance provider and do not bill insurance.

Do you accept insurance?

While we are not an insurance provider and do not bill insurance, we encourage you to contact your insurance provider to see if your plan covers specific services, such as psychoeducational evaluations, speech and language assessments, and speech therapy provided by a non-network, non-insurance billing provider. Please note that learning services like instruction aren’t typically covered by insurance. If you learn from your insurer that coverage is an option, we will provide you with appropriate documentation for you to submit to your insurance carrier .

How do I apply for financial assistance?

Contact us to register for services and let us know you are interested in applying for financial assistance. We’ll ask you to complete a short application, which our team will review to determine the amount of financial assistance we can offer. After reviewing your application, we’ll notify you of our decision within a few days and apply your award directly as a scholarship discount.

Does the Stern Center offer financial assistance?

Yes. Through the generosity of individuals, organizations, and foundations, we can award need-based scholarships and provide additional assistance. Awards are based on income and the number of people in your family. Depending on family eligibility, costs may be reduced by 20–70%. Please review our   Financial Assistance  page and let us know if you want to apply for financial assistance when you register for services.

Do I (or my child) need an evaluation to start instruction?

You don’t need an evaluation to start instruction sessions. Our team will examine your strengths and challenges and tailor treatment to meet your needs. To learn more about evaluations and testing at the Stern Center, visit our  Evaluations  page, email [email protected], or call 802-276-8681.

What is your cancellation policy for instructional services?

The Stern Center has committed significant resources to meet the needs of students by guaranteeing instructional times and individualized instructional programs. For this reason, full or partial withdrawal during the semester will result in a pro-rated decrease of the fee paid, less a $100 administrative charge. No refund will be made for the first semester after November 1 or the second semester after March 28th. Exceptions to this withdrawal policy may be arranged on a case-by-case basis.

How much does instruction cost?

Fees range in scale based on the service we’re offering. Our highly trained experts provide individualized, research-based instruction for each student. Through the generous support of our donors, we can offer need-based scholarships to those who qualify for financial assistance. These awards are based on income and the number of people in your family. Depending on family eligibility, costs may be reduced by 20–70%. Please review our Financial Assistance page for more information and contact us about our range of services.

Do you offer instruction off-site?

Yes, Stern Center instructors may be able to provide instruction at schools and work sites. We also offer lessons online.

Do you offer summer instruction?

Yes, we offer six weeks of intensive instruction in reading, writing, math, and organizational skills over the summer, either in person or online. For more information about these sessions, please visit our Summer Learning page .

Does the instructor collaborate with my child’s teacher(s)?

Yes, with a parent or guardian’s permission, the instructor will collaborate with a student’s school teacher(s) and team.

How do you teach reading?

We teach what the National Reading Panel calls the BIG FIVE: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. We do it through a structured literacy approach, which means that the teaching is explicit, systematic, and sequential.

When can I begin instruction?

You may begin instruction at any time during the school year and continue into the summer. You may also participate in our six-week long summer program.

What is the frequency and length of your instruction sessions?

The number and length of sessions are based on individual needs, schedules, and program requirements. Most students come for one or two hours of instruction per week during the school year in their area of academic need.

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We help people understand how they learn so they can overcome challenges and move forward academically, professionally, and socially.

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Through direct teaching, coaching, and practice, our social learning experts help individuals learn the fundamental building blocks of social success.

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For parents curious about their child’s early reading skills, we offer a helpful check-up and expert advice for raising strong readers.

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Academic Calendar

View the Stern Center’s academic calendar, with openings and closings at a glance, including holidays and make-up days.

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Supercharge your child’s learning this summer. Get expert help with reading, writing, math, and more.

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Keep learning and stay in the know with news and resources from our Stern Center experts.

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This website is made possible thanks to the generous support of Deborah Schapiro & Louis Polish and Margie L. & Peter Stern

Because all great minds don’t think alike.

Stern Center for Language and Learning

183 Talcott Rd #101 Williston, VT 05495 Phone: 802-878-2332

Parents are having to make 'tough' sacrifices to send their kids to extracurricular classes. But some say it's worth it

Geetika Sharma and her husband are paying $5,000 for a nine-week private tutoring course for their year 12 daughter in Parramatta, Sydney. 

"We are prioritising our child's education over everything else," Ms Sharma told the ABC. 

The Sharmas are hoping their daughter will get into a science degree at university after she graduates, but said "the public school education was not working".

"My daughter has always been very good in academics but recently her grades were dropping and her mental wellbeing was being affected."

So the family turned to tutoring outside of school hours.

But amid the rising cost of living, difficult choices have to be made.

"It's been hard for my partner and I, even while working full-time," she said.

"We have cut down on so many other expenses in our lives. Buying new clothing and taking vacations aren't options anymore."

Ms Sharma said her family had also become "much more careful" with what they spend on groceries.

"We cook meals with a lot of simple ingredients like lentils and rice — anything to reduce the cost," she said.

And eating out is something they only do for special occasions now, rather than once a weekend.

Like Ms Sharma, parents across Australia are being forced to weigh up what's worth spending on. 

'Tough choices' as education costs spiral  

The financial burden of tutoring and extracurricular activities comes on top of the escalating costs of everyday education.

A 2023 study found some families were forking out up to $2,000 on back-to-school expenses, with 60 per cent of respondents paying more than $200 on "voluntary" school contributions.

The study by the Australian Council of State School Organisations also found one in five parents were using pay-later services to cover education expenses and one in four could not afford to send their kids on excursions or school camps. 

Council president Damien Ellwood said while most parents wanted the best for their children, some were being forced to make "tough choices". 

"Parents and carers are finding it increasing difficult to afford basic necessities and cover additional expense related to their children's education," he said. 

Mr Ellwood said extracurricular activities provided students with "new ways to learn" and "significant benefits for personal growth, social development, health and wellbeing". 

But even though some state governments provide vouchers to subside the cost, some families are reluctant to use them "due to pride or trust".

"Providing some subsidies and scholarships for extracurricular activities can ensure all students have equal opportunities to participate regardless of their family’s financial situation," Mr Ellwood said. 

Sports clubs feeling the pinch

The cost-of-living crunch is also being felt at local sports clubs.

Some are experiencing a drop in junior players and a rise in parents requesting financial assistance for fees.

Lyton Martin has been part of the Keon Park Football Club in Melbourne's northern suburbs for more than a decade and is "very conscious" of the pressures on families. 

"Definitely, there's a cost-of-living crisis and that’s impacting kids being out and playing sport," he said.

"Junior sport can get costly very quickly."

The latest data from the annual AusPlay sports participation survey found it cost $845 on average per child to play sport, and cost was one of the top five reasons why children did not get involved. 

On top of membership fees and equipment expenses, families have to contend with the cost of driving to and from sporting venues every weekend. 

Mr Martin said his club tried to reduce the burden on families by keeping fees as low as possible and operating a second-hand boot swap.

"We don't want kids to miss out on playing because families can't afford it," he said.

"[Team sport] is not just about winning and losing. It's about making new friends, learning through challenges, problem solving skills and beginning to learn social skills as well."

Education 'an investment', not a cost

On the other side of the coin, enrolments for activities like tutoring have increased for some companies.

Kumon, a national maths and reading program, says enquiries to it were up 16 per cent in the first quarter of 2024.

"We attribute this to a shift in attitude of seeing education as an investment rather than a cost," James Wells, spokesperson at Kumon Australia and New Zealand, told the ABC. 

"This is especially true during this period of increased cost-of-living, as parents want their children to have as many options as possible later in life."

Mr Wells said an "increased demand for students' learning to be tailored towards individual needs" was another factor.

"Some students can revise content if needed until they are confident in a particular topic, while others of advanced ability can be extended."

Ms Sharma echoes this, saying enrolling her daughter in private tuition helped greatly.

"Her grades improved and she said concepts were becoming a lot clearer." 

She said her daughter's private tuition allowed her to "get ahead of her public school's curriculum", while learning at a pace that better suited her.

Music participation dropping, but not everywhere

When it comes to creative activities, national data from 2023 revealed children's participation declined between 2017 and 2022.

Specifically, the number of kids singing or playing an instrument fell from 23 per cent to 19 per cent , according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The ABS did not ask survey respondents why, although it said it was safe to assume the outbreak of COVID-19 and lockdowns played a part.

The Australian Society for Music Education says cost is also clearly a factor.

President Jason Goopy told the ABC music education had become "simply unaffordable and a luxury item" in the current economic environment. 

"Families are having to choose between putting food on the table and paying rent and choosing a music education for your children," he said.

But not all music schools are seeing declines.

Gillian Erskine, co-founder of Forte School of Music, said their schools had experienced "extremely strong growth … over 2022 and 2023".

"Whilst growth is often dependent on each school owner's goals, what we have noticed is 2024 has had student enrolments similar to last year or slightly higher," Ms Erskine told the ABC.

Ms Erskine said she sympathised with parents who were feeling the pinch. 

"Some Forte schools offer family discounts … to make it more affordable and to support families who are supporting our schools," she said.

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'free' public school education projected to cost parents more than $92,000 from prep to year 12.

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The challenge of being a creative person once you’ve created a person

A very tired parent’s tips for writing a book while also doing all the other things.

Eight or nine years ago, an old friend called seeking advice. She was trying to write a novel, but she was also a new mom with a full-time job, and she was exhausted. I, who had breezily published a couple of books by then, offered my best wisdom. You have to push through, I told her sternly. You have to take your own writing seriously, or nobody else will. Set aside two hours every night. Put on the coffee and push through the exhaustion. You can and will do it.

Years passed. Then I, too, had a baby. Then I, too, set out to write a book while also being a mother with a full-time job. And somewhere in the middle of this endeavor, I called my friend and asked whether my advice had been as bad as I was beginning to sense it had been. No, she told me cheerfully, it had actually been much worse. The callousness of it had shocked her, she said, until she decided that I simply hadn’t known any better and that, when I did, I would apologize.

God, I’m so sorry.

My first post-baby book came out today, and I have been thinking, almost nonstop, about the relationship between creativity and motherhood. I used to love reading articles with titles such as “The daily routines of 10 famous artists,” until I realized that Leo Tolstoy may have finished his masterpieces by locking his study doors to ensure uninterrupted productivity, but, like, what were his 13 children doing while he was in there? Did anyone check in on Mrs. Tolstoy? For the women I know, there is no setting aside a few hours at the end of the workday. The end of the workday is the beginning of the parent day. The end of the parent day is never, because 2-year-olds wake cheerfully at 5 a.m., and strep throat comes for us all.

Where, in this schedule, was the life of the mind? TikTok would not stop showing me videos of mothers showing off their “realistic beauty routines,” but what I really wanted were realistic creativity routines: the mothers who didn’t give a crap about heatless curlers, but had somehow composed a cello sonata while working five days a week as a dental hygienist.

In my bleariest days of early parenthood, I met a woman at the playground who had just finished doing something extraordinary (Triathlon? Solo art exhibit?), and when the rest of us asked her how she’d found the time, she shrugged and said, modestly, “Oh, you know.” But the point was that we didn’t know, and we were desperate for her to tell us. (Live-in grandparents? Adderall?)

The bigger point is that we weren’t really trying to figure out how to compete in triathlons. We were trying to figure out how to be people.

When you have a baby or a toddler, reminding yourself that you are a full person with your own dreams and needs can feel both completely vital and completely impossible. But being a full person is a sacred legacy to give to a child. My own mother is a folk artist. When I was growing up, she made Ukrainian eggs in the frigid concrete sunroom, a space heater at her feet, and her works were shown and sold at galleries around the Midwest. I knew then, and I know now, that my mother would die and kill for me. But I also knew that she loved other things, too. She had loved those things before she ever knew me. She had secrets and wisdom to pass on.

Her work had nothing to do with me, yet it was a gift. It paid for my brother and me to go to summer camp. It went on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, and we visited it, as well as the Seurats and the Hoppers, and ate granola bars. When my mother dies, I will carefully unwrap the tissue paper surrounding the astonishing works of art she gave to me over the years, and I will sob.

I want that for my own daughter. I want her to know that motherhood doesn’t have to atrophy personhood; it can expand it.

And in wanting that, desperately, I came up with a routine that allowed me to maintain a grip on the parts of me that were me before I was a mother. A realistic creativity routine, if you will.

I write between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight, unless it turns out that I write between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4. I write 300 to 400 words every time I am on the Metro; I write 30 to 40 words each time I pick my daughter up from day care, in the three-minute gap between when I ring the outer bell and when a teacher’s aide comes to let me inside. I write badly. I write very, very badly, vaguely remembering a quote I’d once heard attributed to author Jodi Picoult, about how you can always edit a bad page, but you can never edit a blank page.

Does it look like the routines of Tolstoy, or Virginia Woolf, or anyone else I may have once read about in an article about the routines of famous artists? It does not. But the bad pages get edited, and then they get good.

Pursuing creativity as a working mom means, in other words, letting go of any romantic notions of what creativity means or looks like.

It means not waiting for inspiration to strike, but instead striking inspiration, bludgeoning it upside the head and wrestling it to the ground. Inspiration is a luxury, and once you realize that, you can also understand that the ability to create something through sheer force of will — without inspiration, without routine, without time — is a far more creative act than relying on a muse.

If my old friend called me now, I think that is what I would say to her. That, and:

You will not be Mark Twain, summoned by a horn when it’s time to eat the dinner someone else has prepared. You will not be going on Tchaikovsky’s vigorous two-hour walks through the countryside or spending the morning shopping for inspiring objects like Andy Warhol.

But you will create something. Not by pushing through the exhaustion so much as living alongside it, and then peering beyond it, and then stopping, and then starting, and then having superhuman discipline, and then eating a whole package of Oreos, and then finishing something beautiful at 2 a.m. and sneaking into your child’s room to see another beautiful thing, and then thinking about how the things that make us the most tired are the things that give us reason to create at all.

Stuart Skinner has created a full-fledged goaltending crisis for the Oilers

EDMONTON — Shielded by the Edmonton Oilers organization postgame, Stuart Skinner ’s goaltending performance in Game 3 and the series at large was left to be addressed solely by his coach.

Kris Knoblauch said the only thing that could really be said considering he had backup Calvin Pickard lead the team onto the ice to start the third period: “We need more saves.”

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Skinner, who allowed four goals on 15 shots through 40 minutes in a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks , wasn’t made available by the Oilers despite being requested.

He played 11 seconds after Evan Bouchard pulled the Oilers within one thanks to a six-on-five goal 18:44 into the third — a time-stalling tactic so Knoblauch could buy his stars a little more rest. Knoblauch confirmed Skinner isn’t suffering from an injury, so there was nothing preventing him from speaking after the loss.

The way things are trending, there might not be a reason to speak to Skinner postgame for much longer. Knoblauch said he’ll wait until at least Monday before deciding if Skinner will start in Game 4.

For good reason, too. The Oilers have a full-fledged goaltending crisis on their hands.

“Tonight’s one that he’d like to have back,” Knoblauch said. “He’ll see what he’s got in the future, whether that’s Game 4 or Game 5 or whatever it is.”

Look, it’s not like Skinner let in soft goal after soft goal on Sunday. There wasn’t a downright stinker in the bunch.

Elias Lindholm scored twice on the power play, the first of which he tipped in. And then the first of two from Oilers nemesis Brock Boeser came after a terrible turnover by Warren Foegele .

“I should know better,” Foegele said. “Unfortunately, I did that and put our team in a bad spot.”

How the Canucks, Brock Boeser contained Connor McDavid to win Game 3: 5 takeaways

Still, Skinner simply needed to prove his mettle as the starting goalie — at least for now — on a team that fancies itself a Stanley Cup contender. Just make one or two more saves, as Knoblauch desired.

That’s what separates an excellent keeper who helps his team win it all from one who’s below average and gets his team booted from the second round of the playoffs — again.

By the time Knoblauch gave him the hook, Skinner had given up 12 goals on 58 shots in the series — an awful .793 save percentage. That’s simply not going to cut it. What the Oilers would give for that .875 clip he had against Vegas in Round 2 last year.

“Defence, along with goaltending, is very important to winning hockey games — especially in the long term,” Knoblauch said. “It’s got to be better.”

Skinner has been outplayed by the third goaltender on the Canucks’ depth chart in Arturs Silovs . There’s no getting around that, even if the Oilers feel they can do more to make life miserable for Silovs.

“We can certainly do a better job of bearing down and capitalizing on our looks,” Oilers centre-turned-winger Leon Draisaitl said.

That leads us to another thing: It isn’t just Skinner’s puck-stopping — or lack thereof — that has the Oilers in a tizzy.

They failed to score a five-on-five goal in Game 3, even though all lines had their chances. Evander Kane , Derek Ryan and Connor Brown were three of the four players who beat Silovs but not a goalpost. The other was Draisaitl.

What’s most concerning is it appears their coach has little faith beyond the members of the first power-play unit and Mattias Ekholm . Over the last two games, the Oilers have become a six-man team for all intents and purposes.

Bouchard played 31:24 of a 60-minute game after skating for 29:59 in Game 2. Draisaitl got to 29:04 after playing 27:05 on Friday. Connor McDavid came 18 seconds shy of playing half the contest following a 28:12 effort in the overtime win.

“We can’t play them 30 minutes every night,” Knoblauch said, specifically of Nos. 97 and 29. “We can’t be pushing them that much.”

He might have to.

The Oilers are now down 2-1 in the series, and McDavid, Draisaitl and Zach Hyman have easily been their best line.

They dominated in Game 2. The Oilers outscored the Canucks 2-0, outshot them 13-1 and out-attempted them 31-7 in 18:31 at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick .

Though Boeser scored the only goal when the McDavid trio was on the ice at five-on-five in Game 3, the Oilers continued to carry the play. Shots were 10-5 and attempts were 20-9.

They were clearly the only grouping Knoblauch believed could score.

He hinted after the morning skate that Draisaitl, who missed some time with an injury in the series opener, could get some shifts at centre. That didn’t happen.

“A lot of it had to do with (the fact) we were chasing. We needed a goal,” Knoblauch said. “That line together has been creating so much offence.”

Despite praising the other lines for their offensive attempts, his usage spoke volumes. Kane had the most ice time among forwards not named McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at 14:12. No one else made it to 12 minutes and five players up front didn’t hit double digits.

“Everyone has a role, and you’ve got to do the best (with) your role — (regardless of) how many minutes that is,” said Foegele, who played 8:45. “It’s about winning. The coach can put out who he thinks gives him the best chance to win. Everyone here understands their role. Everyone’s got to execute.”

There are a lot of Oilers players who could — and maybe should — play better. In fairness, most of those in question could use some more opportunity to prove their worth.

That’s certainly not the case for Skinner.

He was the only Oilers goaltender to appear in these playoffs until Pickard skated out to start the third period on Sunday.

Feel free to defend Skinner all you want. Blame some bad bounces. Criticize the work of his teammates in front of him. Suggest he hasn’t surrendered any terrible goals — perhaps notwithstanding Nikita Zadorov ’s sharp-angle marker in Game 2.

But any way you slice it, he hasn’t been good enough. Nowhere close.

The Oilers have little chance of beating the Canucks — let alone claiming the Cup — with this type of netminding. The coach pretty much said it without actually saying it after the game. Skinner didn’t have to.

(Photo of Brock Boeser scoring on Stuart Skinner: Curtis Comeau / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Daniel Nugent-Bowman is a staff writer who covers the Edmonton Oilers for The Athletic. Daniel has written about hockey for Sportsnet, The Hockey News, Yahoo Canada Sports and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Follow Daniel on Twitter @ DNBsports

• Python »
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• csv — CSV File Reading and Writing
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csv — CSV File Reading and Writing ¶

Source code: Lib/csv.py

The so-called CSV (Comma Separated Values) format is the most common import and export format for spreadsheets and databases. CSV format was used for many years prior to attempts to describe the format in a standardized way in RFC 4180 . The lack of a well-defined standard means that subtle differences often exist in the data produced and consumed by different applications. These differences can make it annoying to process CSV files from multiple sources. Still, while the delimiters and quoting characters vary, the overall format is similar enough that it is possible to write a single module which can efficiently manipulate such data, hiding the details of reading and writing the data from the programmer.

The csv module implements classes to read and write tabular data in CSV format. It allows programmers to say, “write this data in the format preferred by Excel,” or “read data from this file which was generated by Excel,” without knowing the precise details of the CSV format used by Excel. Programmers can also describe the CSV formats understood by other applications or define their own special-purpose CSV formats.

The csv module’s reader and writer objects read and write sequences. Programmers can also read and write data in dictionary form using the DictReader and DictWriter classes.

The Python Enhancement Proposal which proposed this addition to Python.

Module Contents ¶

The csv module defines the following functions:

Return a reader object that will process lines from the given csvfile . A csvfile must be an iterable of strings, each in the reader’s defined csv format. A csvfile is most commonly a file-like object or list. If csvfile is a file object, it should be opened with newline='' . [ 1 ] An optional dialect parameter can be given which is used to define a set of parameters specific to a particular CSV dialect. It may be an instance of a subclass of the Dialect class or one of the strings returned by the list_dialects() function. The other optional fmtparams keyword arguments can be given to override individual formatting parameters in the current dialect. For full details about the dialect and formatting parameters, see section Dialects and Formatting Parameters .

Each row read from the csv file is returned as a list of strings. No automatic data type conversion is performed unless the QUOTE_NONNUMERIC format option is specified (in which case unquoted fields are transformed into floats).

A short usage example:

Return a writer object responsible for converting the user’s data into delimited strings on the given file-like object. csvfile can be any object with a write() method. If csvfile is a file object, it should be opened with newline='' [ 1 ] . An optional dialect parameter can be given which is used to define a set of parameters specific to a particular CSV dialect. It may be an instance of a subclass of the Dialect class or one of the strings returned by the list_dialects() function. The other optional fmtparams keyword arguments can be given to override individual formatting parameters in the current dialect. For full details about dialects and formatting parameters, see the Dialects and Formatting Parameters section. To make it as easy as possible to interface with modules which implement the DB API, the value None is written as the empty string. While this isn’t a reversible transformation, it makes it easier to dump SQL NULL data values to CSV files without preprocessing the data returned from a cursor.fetch* call. All other non-string data are stringified with str() before being written.

Associate dialect with name . name must be a string. The dialect can be specified either by passing a sub-class of Dialect , or by fmtparams keyword arguments, or both, with keyword arguments overriding parameters of the dialect. For full details about dialects and formatting parameters, see section Dialects and Formatting Parameters .

Delete the dialect associated with name from the dialect registry. An Error is raised if name is not a registered dialect name.

Return the dialect associated with name . An Error is raised if name is not a registered dialect name. This function returns an immutable Dialect .

Return the names of all registered dialects.

Returns the current maximum field size allowed by the parser. If new_limit is given, this becomes the new limit.

The csv module defines the following classes:

Create an object that operates like a regular reader but maps the information in each row to a dict whose keys are given by the optional fieldnames parameter.

The fieldnames parameter is a sequence . If fieldnames is omitted, the values in the first row of file f will be used as the fieldnames and will be omitted from the results. If fieldnames is provided, they will be used and the first row will be included in the results. Regardless of how the fieldnames are determined, the dictionary preserves their original ordering.

If a row has more fields than fieldnames, the remaining data is put in a list and stored with the fieldname specified by restkey (which defaults to None ). If a non-blank row has fewer fields than fieldnames, the missing values are filled-in with the value of restval (which defaults to None ).

All other optional or keyword arguments are passed to the underlying reader instance.

If the argument passed to fieldnames is an iterator, it will be coerced to a list .

Changed in version 3.6: Returned rows are now of type OrderedDict .

Changed in version 3.8: Returned rows are now of type dict .

Create an object which operates like a regular writer but maps dictionaries onto output rows. The fieldnames parameter is a sequence of keys that identify the order in which values in the dictionary passed to the writerow() method are written to file f . The optional restval parameter specifies the value to be written if the dictionary is missing a key in fieldnames . If the dictionary passed to the writerow() method contains a key not found in fieldnames , the optional extrasaction parameter indicates what action to take. If it is set to 'raise' , the default value, a ValueError is raised. If it is set to 'ignore' , extra values in the dictionary are ignored. Any other optional or keyword arguments are passed to the underlying writer instance.

Note that unlike the DictReader class, the fieldnames parameter of the DictWriter class is not optional.

The Dialect class is a container class whose attributes contain information for how to handle doublequotes, whitespace, delimiters, etc. Due to the lack of a strict CSV specification, different applications produce subtly different CSV data. Dialect instances define how reader and writer instances behave.

All available Dialect names are returned by list_dialects() , and they can be registered with specific reader and writer classes through their initializer ( __init__ ) functions like this:

The excel class defines the usual properties of an Excel-generated CSV file. It is registered with the dialect name 'excel' .

The excel_tab class defines the usual properties of an Excel-generated TAB-delimited file. It is registered with the dialect name 'excel-tab' .

The unix_dialect class defines the usual properties of a CSV file generated on UNIX systems, i.e. using '\n' as line terminator and quoting all fields. It is registered with the dialect name 'unix' .

Added in version 3.2.

The Sniffer class is used to deduce the format of a CSV file.

The Sniffer class provides two methods:

Analyze the given sample and return a Dialect subclass reflecting the parameters found. If the optional delimiters parameter is given, it is interpreted as a string containing possible valid delimiter characters.

Analyze the sample text (presumed to be in CSV format) and return True if the first row appears to be a series of column headers. Inspecting each column, one of two key criteria will be considered to estimate if the sample contains a header:

the second through n-th rows contain numeric values

the second through n-th rows contain strings where at least one value’s length differs from that of the putative header of that column.

Twenty rows after the first row are sampled; if more than half of columns + rows meet the criteria, True is returned.

This method is a rough heuristic and may produce both false positives and negatives.

An example for Sniffer use:

The csv module defines the following constants:

Instructs writer objects to quote all fields.

Instructs writer objects to only quote those fields which contain special characters such as delimiter , quotechar or any of the characters in lineterminator .

Instructs writer objects to quote all non-numeric fields.

Instructs reader objects to convert all non-quoted fields to type float .

Instructs writer objects to never quote fields. When the current delimiter occurs in output data it is preceded by the current escapechar character. If escapechar is not set, the writer will raise Error if any characters that require escaping are encountered.

Instructs reader objects to perform no special processing of quote characters.

Instructs writer objects to quote all fields which are not None . This is similar to QUOTE_ALL , except that if a field value is None an empty (unquoted) string is written.

Instructs reader objects to interpret an empty (unquoted) field as None and to otherwise behave as QUOTE_ALL .

Added in version 3.12.

Instructs writer objects to always place quotes around fields which are strings. This is similar to QUOTE_NONNUMERIC , except that if a field value is None an empty (unquoted) string is written.

Instructs reader objects to interpret an empty (unquoted) string as None and to otherwise behave as QUOTE_NONNUMERIC .

The csv module defines the following exception:

Raised by any of the functions when an error is detected.

Dialects and Formatting Parameters ¶

To make it easier to specify the format of input and output records, specific formatting parameters are grouped together into dialects. A dialect is a subclass of the Dialect class containing various attributes describing the format of the CSV file. When creating reader or writer objects, the programmer can specify a string or a subclass of the Dialect class as the dialect parameter. In addition to, or instead of, the dialect parameter, the programmer can also specify individual formatting parameters, which have the same names as the attributes defined below for the Dialect class.

Dialects support the following attributes:

A one-character string used to separate fields. It defaults to ',' .

Controls how instances of quotechar appearing inside a field should themselves be quoted. When True , the character is doubled. When False , the escapechar is used as a prefix to the quotechar . It defaults to True .

On output, if doublequote is False and no escapechar is set, Error is raised if a quotechar is found in a field.

A one-character string used by the writer to escape the delimiter if quoting is set to QUOTE_NONE and the quotechar if doublequote is False . On reading, the escapechar removes any special meaning from the following character. It defaults to None , which disables escaping.

Changed in version 3.11: An empty escapechar is not allowed.

The string used to terminate lines produced by the writer . It defaults to '\r\n' .

The reader is hard-coded to recognise either '\r' or '\n' as end-of-line, and ignores lineterminator . This behavior may change in the future.

A one-character string used to quote fields containing special characters, such as the delimiter or quotechar , or which contain new-line characters. It defaults to '"' .

Changed in version 3.11: An empty quotechar is not allowed.

Controls when quotes should be generated by the writer and recognised by the reader. It can take on any of the QUOTE_* constants and defaults to QUOTE_MINIMAL .

When True , spaces immediately following the delimiter are ignored. The default is False .

When True , raise exception Error on bad CSV input. The default is False .

Reader Objects ¶

Reader objects ( DictReader instances and objects returned by the reader() function) have the following public methods:

Return the next row of the reader’s iterable object as a list (if the object was returned from reader() ) or a dict (if it is a DictReader instance), parsed according to the current Dialect . Usually you should call this as next(reader) .

Reader objects have the following public attributes:

A read-only description of the dialect in use by the parser.

The number of lines read from the source iterator. This is not the same as the number of records returned, as records can span multiple lines.

DictReader objects have the following public attribute:

If not passed as a parameter when creating the object, this attribute is initialized upon first access or when the first record is read from the file.

Writer Objects ¶

writer objects ( DictWriter instances and objects returned by the writer() function) have the following public methods. A row must be an iterable of strings or numbers for writer objects and a dictionary mapping fieldnames to strings or numbers (by passing them through str() first) for DictWriter objects. Note that complex numbers are written out surrounded by parens. This may cause some problems for other programs which read CSV files (assuming they support complex numbers at all).

Write the row parameter to the writer’s file object, formatted according to the current Dialect . Return the return value of the call to the write method of the underlying file object.

Changed in version 3.5: Added support of arbitrary iterables.

Write all elements in rows (an iterable of row objects as described above) to the writer’s file object, formatted according to the current dialect.

Writer objects have the following public attribute:

A read-only description of the dialect in use by the writer.

DictWriter objects have the following public method:

Write a row with the field names (as specified in the constructor) to the writer’s file object, formatted according to the current dialect. Return the return value of the csvwriter.writerow() call used internally.

Changed in version 3.8: writeheader() now also returns the value returned by the csvwriter.writerow() method it uses internally.

The simplest example of reading a CSV file:

Reading a file with an alternate format:

The corresponding simplest possible writing example is:

Since open() is used to open a CSV file for reading, the file will by default be decoded into unicode using the system default encoding (see locale.getencoding() ). To decode a file using a different encoding, use the encoding argument of open:

The same applies to writing in something other than the system default encoding: specify the encoding argument when opening the output file.

Registering a new dialect:

A slightly more advanced use of the reader — catching and reporting errors:

And while the module doesn’t directly support parsing strings, it can easily be done:

Table of Contents

• Module Contents
• Dialects and Formatting Parameters
• Reader Objects
• Writer Objects

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