Students often struggle with reading comprehension pacing—the section requires careful time management to read passages thoroughly while answering questions accurately. Another frequent challenge is vocabulary in context, where test-takers need to understand how word meanings shift depending on the passage. Grammar questions can also trip up students who haven't drilled the specific rules the SAT tests. A tutor can help you identify which of these areas needs the most work and build strategies to tackle them.

Most students benefit from 2-3 months of consistent preparation, though this depends on your current score and target score. If you're aiming for a significant improvement, starting 4-5 months out gives you time to build foundational skills and practice extensively. Working with a tutor helps you use that time efficiently—they can prioritize the areas that will give you the biggest score boost rather than spending weeks on concepts you already understand.

Your first session will typically include a diagnostic assessment—either a practice test or targeted questions—to pinpoint your specific strengths and weaknesses. The tutor will discuss your target score, timeline, and any particular areas causing frustration (like time management or specific question types). From there, they'll create a personalized study plan focused on the skills that will have the biggest impact on your score.

Reading comprehension success comes down to two things: understanding the passage and answering questions strategically. Many students try to read every word carefully, which eats up time; a tutor can teach you how to skim for main ideas and locate specific details quickly. Practice with timed passages and learning to eliminate wrong answers (which is often faster than finding the right one) also makes a significant difference.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about what to expect or how to handle tough questions. When you work with a tutor, you practice the actual question formats repeatedly until they feel familiar, which builds confidence. You'll also learn concrete strategies for managing time pressure and staying calm when you encounter a challenging passage—knowing you have a plan reduces the panic that can hurt your performance.

Practice tests are essential—they help you get comfortable with the test's timing and format while revealing exactly which question types or passages give you trouble. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions is especially valuable because it simulates test day pressure. A tutor can review your practice test results with you, identify patterns in your mistakes, and adjust your study plan to target those specific weaknesses.

Look for tutors with strong SAT scores themselves and proven experience helping students improve their verbal scores. They should understand the test's structure deeply and be able to explain not just what the right answer is, but why the other choices are wrong. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have demonstrated expertise in SAT preparation and can adapt their teaching style to match how you learn best.