Score improvement depends on your starting point, study consistency, and how you apply feedback—students typically see 100-200 point gains on the SAT (out of 1600) or 2-5 point improvements on the ACT (out of 36) with focused preparation. The key is identifying your specific weak areas early through diagnostic testing, then targeting those sections with targeted practice. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who create personalized study plans based on your baseline scores and goals.

Timing strategies differ between the ACT and SAT—the SAT allows more time per question while the ACT moves faster—so an all-in-one approach teaches you to adapt your pacing to each test's demands. Expert tutors focus on building speed through repeated practice with real test formats, teaching you to skip difficult questions strategically and return to them later, and helping you recognize which question types consume the most time for you personally. Practicing full-length timed tests regularly is essential to building automaticity and confidence under pressure.

While Reading and Math require different skills, expert tutors approach both strategically by teaching you to decode question types, avoid common traps, and apply test-specific reasoning rather than just content knowledge. For Reading, the focus is on active annotation, identifying what the question actually asks, and eliminating wrong answers efficiently. For Math, it's about recognizing problem patterns, choosing the fastest solution method, and catching careless errors—skills that transfer across both tests.

Most students benefit from taking 4-6 full-length practice tests spaced throughout their preparation, with the final 1-2 tests taken under strict test-day conditions (timed, no breaks except official ones). Each practice test should be followed by a detailed review where you analyze every wrong answer—not just to learn the content, but to identify patterns in your mistakes (timing issues, concept gaps, careless errors). Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who guide you through this review process and adjust your study plan based on what the tests reveal.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about what to expect or feeling unprepared, so building confidence comes from familiarizing yourself with every aspect of the test through repeated practice and developing a pre-test routine that grounds you mentally. Expert tutors help by teaching breathing techniques, breaking the test into manageable chunks mentally, and ensuring you've practiced under realistic conditions so test day feels familiar rather than scary. Starting preparation early also reduces last-minute panic and gives you time to address weak areas before they become sources of anxiety.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment—either a full practice test or targeted questions across different sections—to identify your current strengths, weaknesses, and score baseline. The tutor will review your results with you, discuss your target schools and score goals, and create a personalized study plan that prioritizes the areas where you'll gain the most points. This foundation ensures all future sessions focus on what matters most for your specific situation.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in standardized test preparation and understand the specific challenges students face—whether it's managing two different test formats, timing pressure, or test anxiety. When you reach out, share your target score, test date, and any specific sections where you struggle, and you'll be matched with a tutor whose expertise aligns with your needs. The personalized matching process ensures you work with someone who can adapt their teaching style to how you learn best.