You have 154 minutes total for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section, which includes both the reading and writing portions. Pacing is critical—many students struggle with time management rather than content knowledge. A tutor can help you develop strategies to work through passages efficiently without sacrificing accuracy, and identify which question types take you longer so you can practice those specifically.

Students often struggle with vocabulary in context, managing reading speed while maintaining comprehension, and understanding the nuances of grammar rules. Many also find it difficult to identify what a question is actually asking—especially with inference and main idea questions where the correct answer isn't explicitly stated. Working with a tutor helps you recognize these patterns, build targeted vocabulary, and develop strategies to tackle each question type with confidence.

Score improvement depends on your starting point, consistency with practice, and how much time you invest. Students who work with a tutor typically see improvements of 50-150 points over 8-12 weeks, though some see gains sooner. The key is identifying your specific weak areas—whether that's vocabulary, reading comprehension, or grammar—and focusing your practice there. Personalized instruction helps you avoid wasting time on skills you've already mastered.

Practice tests help you get comfortable with the test format, build stamina for the full section, and identify which question types and passage topics give you the most trouble. They also let you practice pacing under real time constraints. A tutor can review your practice test results with you, pinpoint patterns in your mistakes, and create a targeted study plan based on what you actually need to work on—rather than generic prep.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in SAT Verbal prep and understand the test format, timing strategies, and question patterns. When you work with Varsity Tutors, you'll get matched with a tutor whose teaching style and availability fit your needs. You can start with a single session to see if the fit is right, and adjust as needed based on your progress and timeline.

Your first session is typically a diagnostic—your tutor will assess your current skills, understand your goals, and identify where you're losing points. They might have you work through a practice passage or two to see how you approach reading comprehension and grammar questions. From there, they'll create a personalized study plan that focuses on your specific weak areas and builds a timeline for improvement based on your test date.

A lot of test anxiety comes from feeling unprepared or unsure about what to expect. Working through practice tests and learning proven test-taking strategies builds confidence and reduces that "what if" feeling. Tutors can also teach you pacing techniques and time-management strategies that help you feel more in control during the actual test. When you know exactly what to expect and have practiced extensively, the test feels much less intimidating.