Your first session is about understanding where you stand and what you need. A tutor will review your diagnostic test results (or give you one if you haven't tested yet), discuss your target score and medical school timeline, and identify which sections—Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Biochemistry, Psychological Concepts, or Critical Analysis—need the most work. From there, you'll build a personalized study plan that fits your schedule and learning style.

Timing is one of the biggest challenges on the MCAT, and tutors help you develop section-specific strategies to manage it. For the science sections, this means learning how to quickly identify what a passage is asking and which equations or concepts apply. For CARS (Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills), it's about reading efficiently without sacrificing comprehension. Tutors use timed practice passages and full-length exams to build your speed while maintaining accuracy.

That's completely normal—most students have uneven strengths across the four sections. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can focus intensively on your weak areas while maintaining your strengths. For example, if you're solid in Biology but struggling with Physics, your tutor can dedicate more sessions to physics concepts, problem-solving strategies, and timed practice in that section specifically.

Practice tests are essential—they're how you build stamina for the 7.5-hour exam and identify patterns in what you're missing. Most students benefit from taking 4-6 full-length tests spaced throughout their prep, with tutoring sessions dedicated to reviewing what went wrong. Your tutor will help you analyze your practice test results to spot whether mistakes come from content gaps, timing issues, or test anxiety, then target those specific problems.

Most students spend 3-4 months in active MCAT prep, though this varies based on your baseline knowledge and target score. Tutoring typically works best as a complement to independent study—perhaps 1-2 sessions per week where you focus on your toughest concepts, review practice test mistakes, and refine strategies. Your tutor helps you study smarter, not just longer, by targeting high-impact areas and preventing wasted time on material you already know.

Yes—a big part of test anxiety comes from feeling unprepared or unsure about the question format and timing. Working with a tutor builds confidence through mastery: as you understand concepts better and practice under timed conditions repeatedly, the test becomes less intimidating. Tutors can also teach you specific strategies like how to manage your time during the exam, when to skip and return to hard questions, and how to stay calm when you encounter unfamiliar material.

Look for tutors with strong MCAT scores themselves (typically 510+), medical school experience or acceptance, and a track record of helping students improve. Ideally, they should know the current MCAT format inside and out, understand common student mistakes, and be able to explain complex concepts clearly. Varsity Tutors connects you with experienced tutors who meet these standards and can teach the specific sections you need help with most.