Score improvement depends on your starting point and dedication to practice, but most students see meaningful gains with focused preparation. Typical improvements range from 20-100 points or more, especially when you work on identifying your specific weak areas—whether that's vocabulary, passage comprehension, or question-type strategies. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who create personalized study plans to target your individual challenges and build confidence.

Pacing is one of the biggest challenges students face on Critical Reading. The key is practicing with timed passages to develop a rhythm that works for you—typically spending 2-3 minutes per passage and 30-45 seconds per question. Expert tutors can teach you strategic skimming techniques, help you prioritize questions by difficulty, and show you how to avoid getting stuck on difficult passages so you maximize your time on easier questions.

While the PSAT tests vocabulary through context clues rather than standalone definitions, building a strong vocabulary foundation helps you understand passages more quickly and confidently. The most effective approach combines learning common test words with mastering context-clue strategies so you can figure out unfamiliar words from surrounding text. Tutors can help you focus on high-frequency test vocabulary and teach you how to use sentence structure to decode meaning.

Most students benefit from taking 1-2 full-length practice tests per week during active preparation, with at least one section-focused practice session in between. This schedule gives you enough repetition to identify patterns in your mistakes while allowing time to review and learn from errors. Expert tutors can help you analyze your practice test results to pinpoint whether your struggles are with specific question types, passage genres, or time management.

The best way to identify weak areas is to take a full practice test under timed conditions, then carefully review every question you missed or guessed on. Look for patterns: Do you struggle with certain passage types (fiction vs. history)? Do you miss inference questions more than detail questions? Are you running out of time? Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who excel at diagnostic assessment and can create targeted practice plans based on exactly where you need improvement.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about what to expect or lack of confidence in your strategies. Working with a tutor builds confidence through repeated practice with real test formats, teaching you proven techniques, and creating a supportive learning environment where you can ask questions without pressure. When you understand the question types, have a solid strategy, and've practiced under timed conditions, anxiety naturally decreases because you feel prepared.

Your first session typically focuses on assessment and goal-setting. The tutor will review your current performance, understand your target score, and identify your biggest challenges—whether that's vocabulary, passage comprehension, or timing. From there, they'll create a personalized study plan tailored to your needs and learning style, and you'll likely work through some sample questions to establish a baseline for progress tracking.