Your first session typically focuses on assessment and strategy. You'll take a diagnostic practice test or review your previous scores to identify which sections need the most work—whether that's Reading and Writing, Math, or test-taking pacing. Your tutor will discuss your target score, timeline, and any specific challenges like test anxiety or time management. This foundation helps create a personalized study plan for the remaining weeks that targets your biggest opportunities for improvement.

While every student is different, the Reading and Writing section often challenges students who haven't built strong vocabulary or haven't practiced close reading strategies under timed conditions. Math typically trips up students on word problems and geometry questions that require multi-step reasoning. The good news: both sections respond well to targeted practice and strategy instruction. A tutor can pinpoint whether you're missing concepts, making careless errors, or running out of time—then address the actual problem rather than just drilling more questions.

Most students benefit from taking 3-4 full practice tests over four weeks—roughly one per week—with focused drilling on specific question types in between. This schedule gives you enough data to track improvement and identify patterns in your mistakes without overwhelming your study schedule. Each practice test should be followed by thorough review: understanding why you missed questions, learning the concepts involved, and adjusting your strategy for next time. Quality review matters far more than quantity of tests.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about timing. During prep, practice tests under real conditions—same time of day, same timing constraints, same environment—so test day feels familiar rather than scary. Learning specific pacing strategies (like which questions to tackle first) gives you concrete control. Many students also benefit from breathing techniques and positive self-talk practiced during study sessions. A tutor can help you build confidence by repeatedly proving to yourself that you can handle the material and timing.

Tutors analyze your practice test results and errors systematically—not just looking at what you got wrong, but why. Did you misunderstand the question? Miss a grammar rule? Run out of time? Each error type requires a different fix. Once weak areas are identified, tutors focus your study time there rather than having you review material you've already mastered. This targeted approach is especially valuable in a 4-week window where every study hour counts.

Pacing depends on your strengths and target score. Some students benefit from working through questions in order; others do better by scanning all questions first and tackling easier ones to build confidence and points. For Reading and Writing, many students find success reading the passage first, then answering questions. Math often requires deciding whether to solve or use elimination strategies. Your tutor will help you experiment with different approaches during practice tests to find what works best for your brain and timeline, then drill that strategy until it's automatic.

Score improvement depends heavily on your starting point and effort level. A student starting around 1000 (national average) might realistically gain 50-150 points with focused, consistent prep. Students starting higher (1300+) typically see smaller gains because there's less room to improve. The most important factor is identifying exactly what's holding you back—whether it's content gaps, strategy mistakes, or pacing—and fixing it. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who specialize in SAT prep and can give you a realistic projection based on your specific situation.