Your first session focuses on understanding your baseline and goals. Your tutor will likely review your practice test results (or administer one if you haven't taken the GMAT yet), identify your strongest and weakest sections, and discuss your target score and timeline. This assessment helps create a personalized study plan that prioritizes the areas where you'll see the biggest score gains.

Pacing is one of the biggest challenges on the GMAT, and expert tutors teach specific strategies for each section. You'll learn how to recognize question types quickly, when to guess strategically, and how to allocate time based on your strengths. Through timed practice drills and full-length tests, your tutor helps you build speed and accuracy simultaneously, so you're not sacrificing one for the other.

Students often find different sections challenging—some struggle with Quantitative reasoning (data sufficiency and problem-solving), while others find Verbal (reading comprehension and grammar) more difficult. A personalized tutor diagnoses your specific weak areas through diagnostic tests and focuses instruction there, rather than spending time on concepts you've already mastered. This targeted approach maximizes your score improvement.

Practice tests are essential—they're the best indicator of your actual GMAT performance and help you identify patterns in your mistakes. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who use official GMAT practice materials and teach you how to analyze your results meaningfully. Rather than just retaking tests, your tutor helps you understand why you missed questions and how to apply those lessons to new problems.

Most students benefit from 3-4 months of preparation, with 8-10 hours per week of study time. Personalized tutoring typically involves 1-2 sessions per week, where your tutor teaches concepts, reviews practice problems, and assigns targeted homework. Between sessions, you'll practice independently on problem sets your tutor recommends, making your study time more efficient and focused.

Yes—confidence comes from preparation and familiarity with the test format. Expert tutors help reduce anxiety by teaching you exactly what to expect, building your problem-solving skills through repetition, and coaching you through test-day strategies like pacing and staying calm under pressure. Many students find that understanding the question formats and having a clear strategy significantly reduces stress on test day.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in GMAT prep and understand the test's unique format and challenges. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss your goals, timeline, and learning style to ensure it's a good fit. Most tutors offer flexibility in scheduling and can work with your availability, whether you're preparing while working or studying full-time.