Your first session focuses on understanding where you stand and where you want to go. A tutor will typically review your goals, discuss any practice test scores you have, and identify which sections (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, or Analytical Writing) need the most attention. This diagnostic conversation helps create a personalized study plan tailored to your timeline and target score.

Pacing is one of the biggest challenges on the GRE, and tutors help by teaching you to recognize question types quickly and decide when to move on versus spend more time. You'll practice with actual GRE questions under timed conditions, learn which sections typically consume the most time for you, and develop strategies like elimination techniques and educated guessing. Regular practice tests with feedback help you internalize better pacing habits before test day.

Absolutely—tutors specialize in addressing uneven section performance. If you're strong in Verbal but struggle with Quantitative (or vice versa), a tutor can focus your sessions on the weaker area while maintaining your strength in the other. This targeted approach is more efficient than generic test prep, especially if you're aiming for a competitive score where both sections matter.

Practice tests are essential—they're the best way to identify weak areas, get comfortable with the test format, and build stamina for the 3+ hour exam. Most students benefit from taking full-length practice tests every 1-2 weeks during their prep period, then reviewing them with a tutor to understand mistakes and refine strategies. The GRE offers official practice tests that closely mirror the real exam, which tutors use to guide your preparation.

Yes—confidence built through preparation is one of the best antidotes to test anxiety. When you work with a tutor, you practice under timed conditions repeatedly, become familiar with question formats, and develop strategies that make the test feel less overwhelming. Tutors also help you recognize which anxiety is productive (motivating you to prepare) versus unproductive, and can discuss mindset and breathing techniques that help on test day.

Most students benefit from 8-12 weeks of focused preparation, though this varies based on your starting score and target. If you're aiming for a top-tier program or have significant gaps in math or reading, you might need 3-4 months. A tutor can assess your baseline and help you create a realistic timeline that balances thorough preparation with test-day readiness.

The Analytical Writing section requires you to analyze arguments and construct essays under time pressure—skills that differ from the multiple-choice sections. Tutors help by teaching you to quickly identify logical fallacies, structure clear arguments, and write concisely under timed conditions. With practice and feedback on your writing, you'll develop the clarity and precision that earns higher scores on this section.