Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment to understand your current strengths, weaknesses, and target score. A tutor will review your background, discuss your business school goals, and create a personalized study plan that fits your timeline. This foundation helps ensure every session after that is focused on the areas where you'll see the biggest score improvements.

Pacing is one of the most common challenges GMAT test-takers face, and personalized tutoring addresses this directly. Tutors teach you to recognize question types quickly, know when to guess strategically, and manage the adaptive nature of the test. Through practice tests and timed drills, you'll develop the rhythm needed to answer questions accurately while staying within the time limits for each section.

Absolutely. Many students are stronger in one area—like verbal reasoning—and need more support with quantitative or data insights. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can tailor sessions to your specific needs, whether that's mastering geometry and algebra, improving reading comprehension, or strengthening your analytical writing. This targeted approach is much more efficient than generic test prep.

Practice tests are essential—they're the closest thing to the actual test experience and reveal exactly where you need to focus. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions helps you build stamina, identify patterns in your mistakes, and get comfortable with the adaptive format. A tutor can review your practice test results with you to pinpoint specific question types or content areas that need more work.

Most students benefit from 2-4 months of consistent preparation, though this varies based on your starting score and target. Working with a tutor helps you study more efficiently—rather than spending months on unfocused prep, you can concentrate on high-impact strategies and weak areas. Your tutor can help you create a realistic timeline based on your goals and current performance.

Test anxiety often stems from unfamiliarity with the format or lack of confidence in your abilities. Regular tutoring builds both knowledge and confidence through repeated practice with different question types and test conditions. A tutor can also teach you stress-management techniques and help you develop a mindset that treats the test as a problem-solving challenge rather than a high-stakes threat.

Look for tutors with strong GMAT scores themselves, experience teaching test prep, and familiarity with business school admissions. Ideally, they understand the nuances of each section and can explain concepts clearly while adapting to your learning style. Varsity Tutors connects you with experienced tutors who have a proven track record of helping students improve their scores and get into their target schools.