Your first session focuses on understanding your current strengths and weaknesses through a diagnostic assessment or review of your practice test results. The tutor will discuss your target score, timeline, and which sections need the most work—whether that's the quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, integrated reasoning, or analytical writing assessment. This helps create a personalized study plan tailored to your specific challenges and goals.

Pacing is one of the biggest challenges on the GMAT, and tutors help by teaching you to recognize question types quickly, identify when to guess strategically, and manage the 3.5-hour test format effectively. Through practice problems and timed drills, you'll develop intuition for how long each question should take and learn techniques to avoid getting stuck on difficult problems. Many students find that working through pacing strategies with a tutor builds confidence and prevents the panic that comes from running out of time.

Absolutely. Many students connect with tutors to focus intensively on their weakest section—whether that's conquering data sufficiency and problem-solving in quant, mastering reading comprehension and sentence correction in verbal, or strengthening analytical writing. Targeted tutoring on one section can be especially effective if you're already performing well in other areas and want to maximize your overall score.

Practice tests are essential—they help you understand the test format, build stamina for the full 3.5-hour exam, and identify which question types and content areas need more work. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who use official GMAC practice tests and other high-quality materials to track your progress and adjust your study plan accordingly. Taking practice tests under timed conditions also helps reduce test anxiety by making the real exam feel familiar.

Most students benefit from 8-12 weeks of consistent preparation, though your timeline depends on your starting score, target score, and how much time you can dedicate each week. With personalized tutoring, you can work more efficiently by focusing on your specific weak areas rather than studying everything. Your tutor can help you create a realistic timeline and study schedule that fits your business school application deadlines.

Test anxiety often stems from unfamiliarity with the format and uncertainty about your abilities—both things tutoring directly addresses. By working through practice problems, taking full-length practice tests, and developing proven test-taking strategies, you'll build genuine confidence in your skills. Tutors also help you develop mental strategies for staying calm during the actual exam and managing the pressure that comes with high-stakes testing.

Look for tutors with strong GMAT scores themselves, proven experience helping students improve their scores, and deep knowledge of test content and strategy. Ideally, your tutor should be familiar with the latest GMAT format, understand common student mistakes, and be able to explain complex concepts clearly. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have the background and teaching skills to help you reach your target score.