Score improvement depends on your student's starting point and how consistently they engage with practice. Most students see meaningful gains—often 50-100 points—when they work with a tutor to identify weak areas, learn test-specific strategies, and complete targeted practice. The key is addressing gaps early: students who start tutoring 3-4 months before the test typically see stronger results than those who cram closer to test day.

The Verbal section challenges many students because it requires both reading comprehension and logical reasoning—you need to understand what's written and infer what's implied. The Math section trips up students who rush through problems or misread what's being asked, especially in multi-step word problems. Pacing is critical on both sections: students often run out of time on harder questions, so learning which problems to tackle first makes a real difference.

Most students benefit from 3-4 months of consistent preparation, with 2-3 tutoring sessions per week plus independent practice. If your student is starting further out, that's even better—it allows time to build foundational skills and take multiple practice tests without rushing. The ideal timeline gives you room to identify weak areas, address them thoroughly, and build test-taking confidence before test day.

Practice tests do two critical things: they show you exactly where your student struggles (specific question types, timing issues, content gaps) and they build familiarity with the test format so it feels less intimidating on exam day. Taking full-length, timed practice tests every 3-4 weeks helps you track progress and adjust your study plan. A tutor can review practice test results to pinpoint whether mistakes come from careless errors, misunderstanding concepts, or running out of time.

A lot of test anxiety comes from feeling unprepared or unsure about what to expect. Working with a tutor builds confidence through repeated exposure to test-like questions and formats, plus teaching concrete strategies for staying calm under pressure—like how to manage your time, which problems to skip, and how to check your work efficiently. When students feel genuinely prepared, anxiety naturally decreases.

Your first session is about understanding where your student stands. A tutor will likely have your student take a diagnostic test or work through some sample problems to identify strengths and gaps—both in content knowledge and test-taking strategy. From there, you'll get a clear picture of what to focus on and a realistic timeline for improvement.

Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have deep expertise in the SHSAT and understand the specific challenges students face on this test. When you reach out, you can discuss your student's current level, timeline, and goals—and get matched with someone who has a proven track record helping students improve their scores and build confidence.