Score improvement depends on your starting point and study intensity, but most students see meaningful gains with focused preparation. If you're struggling with fundamentals, you might gain 50-100+ points; if you're already scoring in the mid-range, improvements of 20-50 points are typical with targeted tutoring. The key is identifying your specific weak areas—whether that's data sufficiency logic, geometry concepts, or time management—and addressing them systematically through practice and strategy refinement.

The most common struggles are Data Sufficiency logic (a format unfamiliar to most test-takers), managing time pressure while maintaining accuracy, and recognizing when to use shortcuts versus traditional problem-solving. Many students also underestimate geometry and overlook that the GMAT tests reasoning and strategy more than pure computational skill. Pacing is critical—rushing through early questions often leads to careless errors on problems you actually know how to solve.

Personalized 1-on-1 instruction lets a tutor identify exactly which concepts, question types, or strategies are holding you back—something generic prep courses can't do. You'll work through practice problems in real time, learn test-specific shortcuts, build confidence in weak areas, and develop a pacing strategy that works for your brain. Tutors can also help you understand why you're making mistakes (careless errors vs. knowledge gaps) so you can fix the root cause, not just the symptom.

Most students benefit from 4-12 weeks of focused preparation, depending on their starting level and target score. If you're aiming for a top business school, plan for longer, more intensive study. A typical approach includes 2-3 weeks to diagnose weak areas and build fundamentals, followed by 4-8 weeks of strategic practice and timed drills. Working with a tutor can compress this timeline by making your study time more efficient and targeted.

Practice tests reveal not just what you know, but how you perform under timed, test-like conditions—which is very different from doing problems at your own pace. They help you identify patterns in your mistakes, test your pacing strategy, and build stamina for the full exam. The GMAT also offers official practice tests that use actual test algorithms, making them invaluable for understanding your true score range and what to expect on test day.

Data Sufficiency requires a different mindset than traditional problem-solving—you're not solving for an answer, but determining whether you have enough information. The key is learning the five answer choices cold so you can quickly evaluate each statement without doing unnecessary calculations. Many students benefit from learning a systematic approach: test with concrete numbers, understand what makes a statement sufficient or insufficient, and practice recognizing common traps. A tutor can walk you through this logic repeatedly until it becomes automatic.

Your first session will focus on understanding your current level, goals, and specific challenges. You'll likely take a diagnostic assessment or work through a few practice problems so the tutor can see where you struggle and what strategies you're already using. From there, you'll develop a personalized study plan that targets your weak areas, sets realistic milestones, and builds a timeline to test day. This foundation ensures every future session is focused and productive.