Pacing is one of the biggest challenges students face on the SSAT. The test gives you limited time per section, so you need a strategy before test day. A tutor helps you develop a realistic pace for each section—whether that means spending more time on harder questions or moving quickly through easier ones—and practice that pace repeatedly with timed drills.

Many students struggle with the balance between speed and accuracy. A tutor can help you identify which questions you should attempt first, when to skip and come back, and how to avoid careless mistakes under pressure. These strategies become automatic with practice, making a huge difference on test day.

Every student has different strengths, and the SSAT tests three distinct skills. Reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, and quantitative (math) sections each require different approaches. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who can focus intensively on your child's weaker areas while maintaining strength in others.

For example, if your child struggles with reading comprehension, a tutor helps with active reading strategies, question analysis, and managing longer passages. Math challenges might involve building foundational concepts or mastering specific problem types. Rather than generic test prep, personalized instruction targets exactly what your child needs.

Practice tests are essential—they're your most accurate preview of test day conditions and help identify knowledge gaps. Full-length, timed practice tests show you where you lose points and how well you manage the pacing and pressure. Most students benefit from taking 4-6 official or quality practice tests throughout their prep timeline.

A tutor uses practice test results to guide instruction, showing exactly which question types or concepts need work. This data-driven approach is much more effective than studying random topics. Between tutoring sessions, practice tests also help you apply strategies you've learned and build confidence before the actual SSAT.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty—not knowing what to expect, feeling unprepared, or lacking a clear strategy. Personalized tutoring reduces anxiety by making the test familiar and building genuine confidence through preparation. When your child understands the question formats, has practiced with real examples, and knows exactly what to expect, test day feels less intimidating.

Tutors also teach specific stress-management techniques: breathing strategies during the test, positive self-talk, and mindset shifts that help students stay calm. Many students find that having a trusted expert guide their prep—and knowing they've done the work—is the biggest confidence boost of all.

Denver has 307 schools across 9 school districts, including several highly selective independent schools that require strong SSAT scores. These schools use the SSAT to assess academic readiness and identify students who'll thrive in advanced coursework. A competitive score—typically in the 70th percentile or higher for selective admissions—demonstrates your child's ability to keep pace with rigorous curriculum.

Expert tutors understand what selective schools look for and help your child perform at their best on test day. Beyond just raising scores, tutoring builds the critical thinking and test-taking skills that these schools value. Personalized instruction ensures your child isn't just memorizing answers, but actually developing stronger verbal reasoning, reading comprehension, and problem-solving abilities.

Most students benefit from starting prep 2-3 months before their test date, meeting with a tutor 1-2 times per week, and dedicating 5-7 hours per week to independent study and practice tests. This timeline allows time for skill-building, practice, review, and confidence-building without burning out. Younger elementary students may benefit from shorter, more frequent sessions rather than intensive prep.

Your tutor helps create a personalized schedule based on your child's baseline skills, goals, and timeline. If your child has longer until test day, you can spread prep out and focus on deeper understanding. If the test is coming up soon, an expert tutor can prioritize the highest-impact strategies to maximize improvement quickly.