Your first session typically starts with a diagnostic assessment to understand your current skill level, test-taking habits, and specific challenges. The tutor will review your goals, timeline for the exam, and any previous practice test scores, then work with you to create a personalized study plan. This foundation helps ensure every session after that targets your unique needs rather than generic test prep.

Absolutely. Many students excel in one section but struggle with another—for example, strong verbal skills but weaker quantitative reasoning, or vice versa. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can customize your sessions to focus on whichever section needs the most attention, whether that's the quantitative section, verbal reasoning, integrated reasoning, or analytical writing assessment.

Pacing is one of the most common GMAT challenges, and tutors address this by teaching you strategic approaches to different question types. You'll learn which questions to prioritize, when to make educated guesses, and how to avoid getting stuck on difficult problems. Through practice tests and timed drills, your tutor helps you develop the rhythm and confidence to manage the full 3.5-hour exam without rushing or running out of time.

Practice tests are essential—they're the best way to identify weak areas, get comfortable with the exam format, and build test-day stamina. Most experts recommend taking several full-length practice tests under timed conditions before test day. Your tutor can review your practice test results with you, pinpoint patterns in your mistakes, and adjust your study plan based on what the data shows.

Yes. Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about question formats or feeling unprepared for specific sections. Working with a tutor builds genuine confidence through targeted skill-building and repeated exposure to challenging material in a low-pressure environment. Your tutor can also teach you practical test-day strategies—like how to manage difficult questions and stay focused—that help reduce anxiety when you sit for the real exam.

Most students benefit from 8-12 weeks of preparation, though this depends on your starting score, target score, and how much time you can dedicate each week. Some students need less time if they're already strong test-takers; others benefit from a longer timeline to build foundational skills. Your tutor will help you set a realistic timeline based on your goals and current abilities, then structure your sessions to keep you on track.

Look for tutors with strong GMAT scores themselves, experience teaching test prep, and familiarity with the specific sections you need help with. It's also valuable to work with someone who understands business school admissions and can help you contextualize your score goals. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have proven track records helping students improve their scores and reach their target schools.