The best tutors in Boston, MA

Massachusetts students take MCAS tests in English language arts and math in grades 3–8 and 10, with science tested in grades 5, 8 and high school. Since a 2024 ballot measure, passing the 10th-grade MCAS is no longer a statewide graduation requirement, but the tests are still given and reported. Centers and tutors that follow grade-level math, reading and writing standards cover the same skills; ask how a provider lines sessions up with your child's school curriculum.

Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy and the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science admit students through a process set by Boston Public Schools, and BPS has changed its exam school admissions policy several times in recent years. Check the current BPS exam schools admissions information for this year's criteria and deadlines before planning any prep, and ask a tutor how their program matches the current process rather than an older one.

Many independent day and boarding schools around Boston ask applicants for ISEE or SSAT scores, although some are test-optional, so check each school's requirements. Several test-prep firms and tutoring companies listed here, especially in Newton, Wellesley, Lexington and Framingham, offer one-to-one ISEE/SSAT preparation; ask whether they work on the specific test and level your child will take.

One-to-one SAT/ACT tutoring is offered by local test-prep firms with offices in Newton Centre, Wellesley, Lexington, Concord and Framingham, and by franchise centers such as Sylvan in Woburn and Huntington in Acton. Many also tutor online or at home, which helps families in Boston neighborhoods where few dedicated test-prep offices are listed.

Yes. Nonprofits such as 826 Boston (writing and tutoring, Roxbury), Tutoring Plus of Cambridge (grades 3–12) and Mystic Learning Center in Somerville run free youth programs, and adult learners can find free ESOL and basic education through the JPCC Adult Learning Program in Jamaica Plain and English At Large. Eligibility and waitlists vary, so contact each program directly.