Score improvement depends on your starting point and effort, but most students see meaningful gains with focused, personalized instruction. Many students improve 5-10 points or more when they work with a tutor to identify weak areas, master question types, and develop strategic approaches. The key is consistent practice combined with targeted feedback—that's where personalized tutoring makes the biggest difference.

The biggest hurdles are pacing under time pressure, understanding the unique question formats (especially quantitative comparisons), and recognizing which mathematical concepts are actually being tested. Many students also struggle with data interpretation questions that require careful reading alongside math skills. A tutor can help you develop strategies to manage time, decode question language, and practice the specific problem types that give you trouble.

Your first session typically involves a diagnostic assessment to understand your current skills, identify weak areas, and learn about your goals and timeline. The tutor will review your results, discuss the GRE Quantitative format and question types, and create a personalized study plan tailored to your needs. This foundation helps ensure every future session builds directly toward your score goal.

Practice tests are essential—they help you get comfortable with the test format, identify time management issues, and measure real progress. Most students benefit from taking full-length practice tests every 1-2 weeks once they've built foundational skills, then reviewing results with a tutor to spot patterns in mistakes. This combination of practice testing and targeted review is one of the most effective ways to improve your score.

Pacing is critical—you have about 1.5 minutes per question on average. A tutor can teach you to quickly recognize question types, know which problems to tackle first versus skip strategically, and avoid getting stuck on difficult questions. Learning when to guess and move on (rather than spending 4 minutes on one problem) often makes the biggest difference in both accuracy and score.

Look for tutors with strong math backgrounds, direct GRE test prep experience, and a track record of helping students improve their scores. Ideally, they understand the specific reasoning skills the GRE tests (not just math procedures) and can explain concepts clearly under time pressure. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in GRE preparation and can tailor instruction to your learning style.

Most students benefit from 4-12 weeks of focused preparation, depending on their starting level and target score. If you're starting from a lower baseline, you may need more time to build foundational skills; if you're already strong in math, you might focus on strategy and test-specific techniques. A tutor can assess your needs and create a realistic timeline that fits your graduate school application deadlines.