The three biggest hurdles are pacing (finishing all passages and questions in 65 minutes), understanding what questions are really asking (especially inference and paired passage questions), and managing vocabulary in context. Many students also struggle with the dual focus required—you need to read actively for comprehension while simultaneously tracking answer choices. Tutors can help you develop strategies for each of these, like annotation techniques, question-type frameworks, and timed practice that builds stamina.

Your first session focuses on assessment and strategy. A tutor will review your practice test results (or administer a diagnostic) to identify patterns—Are you missing vocabulary questions? Struggling with line reference questions? Running out of time? Once they understand your specific challenges, they'll introduce foundational strategies tailored to your needs and create a personalized study plan. This might include which question types to tackle first, how to approach paired passages, or timing benchmarks to hit.

Practice tests are essential—they're the closest thing to the real exam and help you build stamina, identify weak areas, and refine your strategy under timed conditions. Most students benefit from taking full practice tests every 1-2 weeks, then reviewing them with a tutor to understand why they missed questions. This cycle of testing, analysis, and targeted practice is far more effective than studying content in isolation, especially for Reading where question type and passage difficulty matter as much as vocabulary.

Pacing isn't about reading faster—it's about reading smarter. Effective strategies include tackling questions before re-reading entire passages, starting with question types you're strongest in, and skipping extremely difficult questions to return to later. Tutors can help you find your optimal approach, whether that's reading the passage first, reading questions first, or a hybrid method. With practice, you'll develop a rhythm that lets you complete all questions with time to review.

Not in the traditional sense—the SAT doesn't have a dedicated vocabulary section anymore. However, strong vocabulary helps with reading comprehension and understanding answer choices. Rather than memorizing lists, focus on learning words in context (how they're used in passages) and understanding word relationships. Tutors often recommend building vocabulary through reading challenging texts and learning common SAT word patterns, which is more effective and less tedious than flashcards.

Paired passages are designed to test your ability to compare two texts, which requires a slightly different approach than single passages. A strong strategy is to read the first passage and answer its questions, then read the second passage and answer its questions, then tackle the comparison questions. This prevents you from getting confused between the two texts. Tutors can teach you how to annotate for comparison points (similarities, differences, tone, perspective) and how to quickly locate evidence when answering paired questions.

Look for tutors with strong SAT scores themselves, experience teaching test-taking strategy (not just content), and the ability to explain why answer choices are right or wrong. It's also valuable if they've worked with students in Provo and understand the local school curriculum and testing environment. Most importantly, find someone who focuses on your specific challenges rather than generic test prep—the best tutors diagnose your weaknesses and build targeted strategies around them.