Effective pacing starts with understanding your current reading speed and comprehension accuracy—typically 8-9 minutes per passage is the target. Tutors help you develop a sustainable reading strategy (active annotation, identifying thesis statements early) rather than rushing through text. Practice tests are essential; reviewing timed sections shows exactly where you lose time—whether it's re-reading passages, overthinking answer choices, or getting stuck on difficult questions. With focused practice and strategic approaches, most students can shave 2-3 minutes off their time within weeks.

Score improvement depends on your starting point and consistency. Students who are scoring in the 140-150 range typically see 3-5 point improvements with focused tutoring and regular practice, while those starting lower often see larger gains. The key is identifying your specific weak areas—whether that's inference questions, comparative reading passages, or time management—and drilling those systematically. Most students need 4-8 weeks of consistent work to see meaningful improvement, combined with regular full-length practice tests to track progress.

Your first session typically starts with a diagnostic: you'll take a timed Reading Comprehension section (or review a recent one) so your tutor can see your actual performance, not just your perception of it. Together you'll analyze which question types trip you up, where timing breaks down, and whether comprehension or strategy is the bottleneck. From there, your tutor creates a personalized study plan—which passage types to focus on, which question formats need drilling, and how to integrate practice tests into your preparation. This foundation ensures every future session builds toward your specific goals.

High-scoring strategies typically include: active reading with purposeful annotation (marking thesis, counterarguments, structure), identifying the author's main point before diving into questions, and learning to distinguish between what the passage says and what you can infer. Many students benefit from tackling easier passages first to build confidence and secure points, then allocating more time to harder passages. Question-type mastery is also critical—knowing whether a question asks for main idea, inference, or specific detail changes how you approach the answer choices. Tutors teach you which strategies match your strengths and help you practice them under timed conditions.

Most LSAT prep experts recommend taking 15-20 full-length practice tests leading up to exam day, with the final 5-10 done under strict test conditions (no interruptions, proper timing, same time of day as your actual test). Early practice tests help identify weak areas; middle tests focus on strategy refinement; final tests build test-day stamina and confidence. Rather than quantity alone, quality matters—reviewing every question you miss (right or wrong) is where real learning happens. Your tutor can help you space out practice tests strategically and extract maximum learning from each one.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or unfamiliar with question formats—both things tutoring directly addresses. Building confidence through repeated, successful practice under timed conditions desensitizes you to pressure. Tutors also teach concrete strategies: if you freeze on a passage, you can skip it and return later; if you're running out of time, you can make educated guesses rather than panic. Knowing you have a solid study plan and have practiced extensively shifts anxiety from "I might fail" to "I've prepared for this."

Varsity Tutors connects Hartford students with expert tutors who specialize in LSAT prep and Reading Comprehension specifically. When you get matched with a tutor, you'll discuss your target score, timeline, and learning style so the tutor can tailor sessions to your needs. Look for tutors with strong LSAT credentials (high scores themselves, proven track record of student improvements) and experience teaching the specific strategies that work for your learning style. Most tutors offer flexibility with scheduling and can adjust their approach based on your progress.