Many students struggle to finish all passages within the time limit while maintaining accuracy. The Critical Reading section requires you to read carefully enough to answer questions correctly, but quickly enough to complete the entire section—and these goals can feel at odds. Tutors help you develop efficient reading strategies, learn which questions to prioritize, and practice pacing drills so you can manage your time without sacrificing comprehension.

Vocabulary is important, but it's just one piece of the puzzle—strong reading comprehension and question analysis skills matter even more. While knowing challenging words helps, you can often figure out word meanings from context clues in the passage. A tutor can help you build vocabulary strategically while also teaching you how to tackle questions even when you encounter unfamiliar words.

Most students benefit from taking 4-6 full practice tests over their preparation period, spaced out over several weeks or months. The goal isn't just to take tests, but to review them thoroughly afterward—identifying patterns in the questions you miss and understanding why you got them wrong. A tutor can guide you on which practice tests to use, how to space them out effectively, and how to extract maximum learning from each one.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment to understand your current strengths and weaknesses—whether you're strong on vocabulary but weak on inference questions, or vice versa. You'll discuss your goals, timeline before the PSAT, and what you want to focus on. From there, a tutor can create a personalized study plan that targets your specific needs rather than generic test prep.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about what to expect or doubt in your abilities—both things that targeted practice can address. As you work with a tutor and complete practice tests with feedback, you build confidence in your skills and become familiar with question formats and timing. Tutors also teach you specific strategies for managing stress during the test itself, like how to pace yourself and which questions to tackle first.

Taking a full practice test is the best way to identify your weak areas—you'll see patterns in which question types you miss most often. Common trouble spots include inference questions (where you need to read between the lines), paired passage comparisons, and vocabulary-in-context questions. A tutor can review your practice test results with you, pinpoint exactly where you're losing points, and build a focused study plan around those specific skills.

Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have deep expertise in PSAT preparation and the specific skills tested in Critical Reading. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss their experience with test prep, their approach to teaching reading comprehension, and how they've helped other students improve. You'll work with someone who understands the Cleveland area and can provide personalized 1-on-1 instruction tailored to your goals and timeline.