Most students struggle to complete all passages and questions within the time limit while maintaining accuracy. The Critical Reading section requires you to read carefully and answer questions quickly—often a difficult balance. A tutor can help you develop a strategic approach: which questions to tackle first, how long to spend on each passage, and which questions to skip if needed. Practice with timed sections is essential, and working through this with expert guidance helps you find a rhythm that works for your reading speed and comprehension style.

Vocabulary plays a significant role—you'll encounter challenging words both in passages and in answer choices. However, it's not just about memorizing word lists. The most effective approach combines targeted vocabulary building with understanding context clues, which tutors emphasize heavily. For students in Washington, DC's competitive school environment, focusing on high-frequency PSAT vocabulary while building your ability to infer word meaning from surrounding text typically yields the best results. A tutor can help you distinguish between vocabulary you need to memorize versus vocabulary you can deduce from context.

Most students benefit from taking 4-6 full or section-specific practice tests spaced throughout their prep timeline. The first practice test helps identify your baseline and weaknesses; subsequent tests let you track improvement and refine your strategy. Rather than just taking tests and checking answers, working with a tutor to review your wrong answers is where real learning happens—understanding why you missed a question matters far more than the score itself. For students in Washington with access to quality instruction, spacing practice tests 2-3 weeks apart allows time for targeted skill-building between attempts.

Students typically struggle most with inference and application questions—where you need to understand what's implied rather than directly stated. Vocabulary-in-context questions also challenge many students, as do questions requiring you to synthesize information across a passage. Paired passages add another layer of complexity. The specific weakness varies by student, which is why personalized 1-on-1 instruction is so valuable. A tutor can administer a diagnostic assessment early on to pinpoint whether your challenges are reading speed, comprehension, vocabulary, question interpretation, or test anxiety—then create a focused plan addressing those specific areas.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about your approach. The best antidote is building genuine confidence through targeted preparation and repeated exposure to test-like conditions. Working with a tutor helps you develop a clear strategy before test day, so you're not making decisions under pressure. Techniques like starting with easier passages, taking deep breaths between sections, and having a predetermined approach to difficult questions all help. Many tutors also coach students on mindset—focusing on what you can control (pacing, strategy) rather than worrying about the outcome, which significantly reduces anxiety on test day.

Ideally, start tutoring 8-12 weeks before your test date, though even 4-6 weeks of focused work can make a meaningful difference. If you're taking the PSAT in October, summer is an excellent time to build foundational skills. If you discover weak areas mid-year, starting immediately is better than waiting. The earlier you begin, the more time you have for spaced practice and skill reinforcement—both proven methods for retention. Varsity Tutors can connect you with expert tutors who understand the PSAT curriculum and timeline requirements for students in your Washington schools, so you can start at whatever point makes sense for your situation.