Score improvement depends on your starting point and consistency with preparation. Students typically see meaningful gains—often 50-100+ points—when they work with a tutor to identify weak areas, learn test-specific strategies, and practice with real exam formats. The key is targeted practice: understanding why you miss questions, not just getting the right answer, leads to lasting improvement. Most students benefit from 8-12 weeks of focused preparation, though your tutor will create a timeline based on your goals and current performance.

Your first session focuses on assessment and planning. Your tutor will likely have you take a practice test or review your recent work to identify your strengths and specific challenges—whether that's reading comprehension speed, algebra concepts, or managing test anxiety. From there, they'll create a personalized study plan that targets your weaknesses and builds confidence in areas where you're already strong. This diagnostic approach means you're not wasting time on skills you've mastered.

That depends entirely on where you stand. Some students struggle with reading comprehension and pacing through passages, while others find the math reasoning questions more challenging. Your tutor will use practice tests to pinpoint your specific weak areas—maybe you're strong in algebra but struggle with geometry, or you read quickly but miss inference questions. A personalized approach means you spend the most time on what actually needs improvement, rather than equally dividing your prep time.

Most students benefit from taking a full practice test every 2-3 weeks during active preparation, with your tutor reviewing results to track progress and adjust focus areas. Early on, you might take shorter section tests to build familiarity with question types without the full time pressure. As test day approaches, full-length timed tests become more important so you can practice pacing and stamina. Your tutor will recommend a schedule that balances practice with time to learn new strategies.

Pacing is one of the most common challenges students face on the SHSAT. Your tutor can teach you strategic approaches like identifying which questions to tackle first, knowing when to skip a difficult problem and come back to it, and recognizing time-consuming question types. Practice tests help you develop an internal clock for how long different sections should take. Many students also benefit from learning to spot common wrong answer patterns, which helps them move through questions more confidently.

Test anxiety is common, and your tutor can help you build confidence through repeated practice with real test formats. Familiarity reduces anxiety—when you've seen dozens of similar questions and know your strategies work, test day feels less overwhelming. Your tutor might also teach you practical techniques like deep breathing or positive self-talk, and they can help you reframe mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. The more prepared you feel, the calmer you'll be when it counts.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in SHSAT prep and understand the specific skills this test measures. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss their experience with the SHSAT, their approach to test prep, and how they've helped other students improve. The right tutor will be someone who can explain concepts clearly, give honest feedback about your progress, and adapt their teaching to your learning style.