Every student learns at their own pace, and some students may need more time to grasp certain concepts than others. Whether a student is struggling to decipher a reading passage or solve a math problem, it’s important for tutors to never show signs of annoyance and frustration, as this will only further discourage and demotivate the student.

There will be moments when students “hit a wall” when studying for the SAT. Maybe it’s when they repeatedly fail to finish a certain section in time, or their practice test scores are still low after extensive effort. In these cases, students need a tutor capable of pushing and motivating them to work through temporary challenges. The more invested a tutor is in a student’s success, the more motivated the student will feel.

Helping students prepare for the SAT is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Every student will have varying levels of familiarity with each section and different challenges that they face when taking the test. A private tutor must be able to tailor their SAT curriculum to a particular student’s needs by factoring in their learning style, strengths, weaknesses, and personality.

Let’s face it, “SAT prep” doesn’t excite students. For many students, studying for the SAT is a stressful and grueling experience, so it falls upon private tutors to help make this experience more enjoyable for their students. The more fun an SAT tutor makes each lesson, the more engaged students will be. The more engaged students are, the more likely they are to understand and retain critical information for the test.

Studying for the SAT has its ups and downs, and students will experience moments of triumph and frustrating setbacks along the way. One of the primary responsibilities of tutors is to frequently communicate with students (and their parents) about progress and expectations. Knowing the areas in which they need to improve means students are always working toward small goals. Meanwhile, being updated about their child’s progress allows parents to intervene or contribute when necessary.

For many students, studying for the SAT can be mentally and emotionally challenging. And, even when sufficiently prepared, the test can be stressful and anxiety-inducing, causing self-doubt and low self-esteem in students. Because there may be times when a student’s emotional barriers impede their progress, tutors must be able to meet their students where they are and help them work through any issues related to self-confidence.

Struggling with the SAT sometimes embarrasses students, especially if it feels like they are alone in that challenge. Humility in a tutor helps create a safe learning environment for students to admit when they need help and ask as many questions as needed.

Confidence goes a long way toward helping students excel on the SAT. The more ambitious a tutor is in supporting their student’s goals, the more likely a student is to dream big. The best tutors will push students outside of their comfort zones so they can reach their full potential.