Effective pacing starts with understanding your personal reading speed and question-answering patterns. Expert tutors work with you to identify whether you're spending too much time on initial reading, getting stuck on difficult questions, or rereading passages unnecessarily. They teach strategic approaches like active annotation, identifying question types before diving into answers, and knowing when to skip and return to a question. With targeted practice and feedback, most students can develop a sustainable pace that allows them to complete all four passages.

Score improvement depends on your starting point and consistency with practice, but students typically see 3-5 point increases on the LSAT (which ranges from 120-180) after focused tutoring on Reading Comprehension. Some students improve more quickly if they identify specific weak areas—like comparative reading or inference questions—and address them directly. The key is combining expert instruction with regular practice tests; tutors help you understand not just what you got wrong, but why, so you don't repeat the same mistakes.

The LSAT Reading Comprehension section tests several question types: main point/primary purpose, specific detail, inference, author's tone/attitude, function of a passage element, and comparative reading questions (comparing two related passages). Each type requires a slightly different strategy—for example, main point questions reward big-picture understanding, while detail questions require careful passage reference. Tutors teach you to recognize question types instantly and apply the right approach, which saves time and increases accuracy across the board.

Your first session focuses on assessment and strategy. A tutor will likely have you complete a timed Reading Comprehension section or sample questions to identify your baseline, then review your answers to pinpoint patterns—whether you're missing inferences, struggling with comparative passages, or running out of time. From there, they'll create a personalized study plan targeting your specific weaknesses and goals. This diagnostic approach ensures your tutoring time is spent on what actually matters for your score.

Practice tests are essential—they're the closest thing to real LSAT conditions and help you build stamina, test your strategies under time pressure, and identify patterns in your mistakes. Most tutors recommend taking full practice tests regularly (ideally one per week as you prepare) and reviewing them thoroughly with your tutor to understand why you missed questions. The review is where real learning happens; tutors help you distinguish between careless errors and conceptual gaps, so you can focus your study time effectively.

Look for tutors with strong LSAT scores themselves (typically 170+), experience teaching Reading Comprehension specifically, and familiarity with current LSAT formats and question types. Ideally, they should be able to explain their own test-taking strategies and adapt them to your learning style. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have proven track records helping students improve their Reading Comprehension scores and understand the reasoning behind each question type.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about your approach—tutoring directly addresses both by building confidence through mastery and strategy. As you practice with expert guidance and see your accuracy improve, anxiety naturally decreases. Tutors also teach you techniques to manage time pressure and stay focused when you encounter a difficult passage, so you develop the resilience needed for test day. Knowing you have a solid strategy and have practiced extensively under realistic conditions is one of the best antidotes to anxiety.