Find a professional SAT tutor near you

When you book an SAT tutor via Airtasker, you can expect several sessions that will cover assessing a student’s current level (strengths and weaknesses), improving the student’s knowledge and test-taking abilities, and emotionally preparing a student for the exam. Whether you prefer to have private tutoring at home or need a virtual set-up, you can expect your Tasker to do the following: 

SAT practice exams

First, the SAT tutor learns about the student, their test dates, thoughts on the test, how they feel about the test and their skills, and their own goals. It is vital that the student and tutor build rapport and that they are on the same page from the very start of their sessions. While a parent might have done the tutor’s hiring, it is the student that the Tasker will primarily be working with.  

The tutor may also give a diagnostic test or simply ask for diagnostic test scores. This serves as the starting point for the student’s target score, and your hired tutor will fill in the gap via the next step: goal-setting and planning. 

SAT Tutoring: Goal-setting and study plans

Ideally, the SAT tutor sets up a study plan to guide the rest of the sessions. This can be built around a target test score or target university. This will vary from student to student, and a good tutor should recognise that. They should also help set feasible expectations. 

Next, the tutor helps a student plan their study schedule. This may be built around their current classes and extracurriculars and how many weeks are left until the test date. This should not be a cookie-cutter type of study plan; it should be made based on the student’s needs and goals.

Assessment of test-taking skills 

The tutor then helps the student identify and address their weak points based on their diagnostic exam, practice tests, or their assessment of their skills. They get to know the student’s thinking process and explain challenging material in an easily-digestible manner. They should not merely go through the answers or solutions - the student must understand the process behind getting the correct answer. 

Also, a tutor may give suggestions for approaching various problems and will go through them, one step at a time. If the student plans to take the written essay portion of the SAT, the tutor must also include this in the study plan. This includes writing well under a time-limit, reading comprehension, and analysing written material.

Tutoring: Practical strategies for exam-takers

Some students perform well outside of tests, but the time pressure can wreck their focus. The tutor’s job is to help them get comfortable with the activity. This can include learning testing strategies, learning how to manage their time, using only the allowed materials and official, and taking the practice tests early in the morning (the same time SATs are usually scheduled).

Tutoring mentorship and support

An excellent SAT tutor should also have an eye and heart for students who are struggling under pressure. They should encourage their students and let them know that they support them, no matter their final score.

Once your child is off to college, they may need help moving their things to their new dorm. Or, you might even decide to move your family to a neighbourhood closer to their school! You can easily find movers or real estate experts on Airtasker to help you out once you reach this new phase of your family life.