Score improvement depends on your starting point and how much you practice between sessions. Students who are consistent with daily practice and actively apply strategies typically see meaningful gains—often 20-50 points or more—though some improvement takes longer to solidify. The 5-week format works best if you're already familiar with basic math and reading concepts; if you need foundational review, you may benefit from starting earlier. Expert tutors can assess your baseline and give you a realistic improvement target after your first session.

Many test-takers struggle most with Verbal Reasoning—especially reading comprehension and vocabulary in context—and with the Quantitative section's advanced geometry and algebra. The Analytical Writing section challenges people who aren't used to writing under time pressure. A 5-week prep class tackles these by teaching specific strategies for each section: skimming techniques for reading, formula shortcuts for quant, and structured essay templates for writing. Your tutor will focus extra time on whichever section is your biggest challenge.

Most 5-week prep programs recommend taking at least 3-4 full-length practice tests during the course—ideally one every 1-2 weeks—so you can track progress and get comfortable with the test's pacing and format. Between full tests, you'll do targeted practice on individual sections and question types. Taking practice tests under real timed conditions is crucial because pacing and stamina are major challenges on test day. Your tutor will review your practice test results to identify patterns in your mistakes and adjust your study plan accordingly.

Timing is one of the biggest obstacles on the GRE—you have roughly 1.5 minutes per question in Verbal and Quant, which feels tight if you're not practiced. Expert tutors teach strategic skipping: knowing when to move on from a hard question, how to spot easier questions to build confidence, and how to allocate your time based on question difficulty. During 5-week prep, you'll practice these techniques repeatedly so they become automatic. The key is building speed without sacrificing accuracy, which is why timed practice sessions are built into every week.

Test anxiety often stems from unfamiliarity with the format and time pressure—both of which improve dramatically with repeated practice. A 5-week prep class reduces anxiety by exposing you to hundreds of real GRE questions, teaching you what to expect, and building your confidence through measurable score improvements. Your tutor can also teach breathing and mental strategies to stay calm on test day. Taking full-length practice tests in a quiet, timed environment during prep helps simulate test day conditions so the actual exam feels familiar, not scary.

For a 5-week program to be effective, plan to spend 5-10 hours per week on independent study outside of class time—that's roughly 1-2 hours daily. This includes reviewing lesson materials, completing practice problems, taking timed quizzes, and analyzing your mistakes. The class itself teaches strategy and clarifies concepts, but your improvement comes from practicing those strategies repeatedly. Your tutor will give you a customized study schedule based on your starting level and target score, so you know exactly what to focus on each day.

Look for tutors who have scored highly on the GRE themselves (typically 160+), have formal test prep training, and have experience helping multiple students improve their scores. They should know the test inside and out—including recent format changes, common trap answers, and which strategies work best for different question types. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors in Tucson who specialize in GRE prep and can tailor their teaching to your learning style. During your first session, a good tutor will assess your baseline, explain their approach, and set realistic improvement goals with you.