Score improvement depends on your child's starting point, effort level, and how much time you dedicate to preparation. Many students see meaningful gains—typically 10-20% improvement—when they work with a tutor to identify weak areas, practice test-specific strategies, and build confidence with the question formats. The key is consistent practice over several months rather than cramming close to test day.

During the first session, a tutor will assess your child's current skills across the three main sections: verbal reasoning, math, and reading comprehension. They'll identify specific strengths and areas for growth, understand your child's learning style and test anxiety level if present, and create a personalized study plan tailored to your timeline and goals. This diagnostic approach ensures every session builds on what your child actually needs to work on.

Timing is one of the biggest challenges for elementary-level test-takers. Tutors teach specific strategies like skimming techniques for reading passages, recognizing when to skip difficult problems and come back later, and practicing with actual test timing constraints. Through repeated practice tests and timed drills, students build the stamina and automaticity needed to pace themselves without rushing or running out of time.

Students typically struggle most with reading comprehension (managing longer passages and inference questions), verbal reasoning (understanding word relationships and analogies), and pacing across all sections. Many students also experience test anxiety when facing unfamiliar question formats. A tutor can target these specific pain points, build confidence through practice, and teach strategies that work for your child's learning style.

Practice tests are essential—they help students become familiar with the test format, identify weak areas, and build test-taking stamina. Varsity Tutors connects students with tutors who use official practice materials and full-length practice tests to simulate real test conditions. Regular practice testing also helps track progress and allows tutors to adjust the study plan based on what's actually working for your child.

Most students benefit from 2-4 months of preparation, meeting with a tutor 1-2 times per week plus independent practice. The exact timeline depends on your child's starting point, the schools you're applying to, and how much additional practice they do between sessions. A tutor can recommend a specific study schedule during your first session based on your child's needs and your target test date.

Test anxiety often stems from unfamiliarity with the test format and uncertainty about performance. Tutors reduce anxiety by demystifying the test through repeated exposure, teaching calming strategies and positive self-talk, and building genuine confidence through measurable progress. When students understand what to expect and practice under realistic conditions, they approach test day with much greater composure and readiness.