Many students struggle with pacing—the reading section requires both speed and accuracy, which is hard to balance alone. Others find the vocabulary in dense passages overwhelming, or they misinterpret what questions are actually asking. Tutors can help you develop efficient reading strategies, build contextual vocabulary skills, and practice the specific question formats until they feel natural rather than tricky.

Your first session focuses on understanding where you stand. A tutor will review your practice test scores, identify patterns in the questions you're missing, and discuss your goals and timeline. This diagnostic approach helps create a personalized study plan rather than generic test prep, so your tutoring time targets exactly what will move your score.

Most students benefit from 8-16 weeks of preparation, depending on their starting score and target. If you're aiming for significant improvement, starting 3-4 months before test day gives you time to learn strategies, practice consistently, and take multiple full-length tests. With personalized tutoring, you can often compress this timeline because you're focusing on your actual weak areas instead of reviewing concepts you already know.

Practice tests do two critical things: they help you identify which question types trip you up, and they train your brain for the mental stamina the real test demands. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions also reveals your pacing issues—whether you're rushing through easy questions or getting stuck on hard ones. Tutors use your practice test results to pinpoint exactly what to work on next, making your study time much more efficient.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty—not knowing what to expect or doubting your ability to handle the questions. As you work with a tutor and see yourself consistently answer questions correctly, your confidence builds naturally. Tutors also teach you concrete strategies for managing time pressure and staying calm when you encounter a tough question, which makes the actual test day feel less overwhelming.

Both matter, but most students benefit from prioritizing based on their diagnostic scores. If reading comprehension is your weakness, you'll focus on active reading strategies and question interpretation. If grammar and vocabulary are dragging you down, you'll build those skills systematically. A tutor can assess which section will give you the biggest score boost and sequence your prep accordingly, rather than spending equal time on both.

Look for tutors who have strong SAT scores themselves, understand the current test format thoroughly, and can explain *why* answers are correct—not just what the right answer is. Experience working with students at your score level matters too, since strategies for moving from 500 to 600 differ from strategies for moving from 650 to 700. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have proven track records helping students improve their verbal scores.