Effective pacing starts with understanding your reading speed and adjusting your approach accordingly. Some students benefit from reading the questions first to know what to look for, while others do better with a careful initial read followed by efficient question navigation. Tutors can teach you to identify high-value questions worth spending time on versus those where you can make educated guesses. With practice and feedback on your specific reading habits, you can develop a sustainable pace that balances speed with accuracy.

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you apply strategies. Students who work with tutors typically see meaningful gains within 4-8 weeks of focused practice, though some improvements happen faster once you understand the question types and passage structure. The LSAT Reading Comprehension section rewards pattern recognition and strategic thinking—skills that improve significantly with targeted instruction and practice. Your tutor will help you set realistic goals based on your diagnostic performance and create a study plan to reach them.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment to identify your strengths and weaknesses—whether you struggle with specific passage types, question formats, or pacing. You'll discuss your target law schools, timeline, and current score to establish clear goals. Your tutor will then introduce foundational strategies for approaching passages and questions, often working through one or two examples with you. This foundation allows subsequent sessions to build on what works for your learning style.

Practice tests are essential for building stamina, identifying patterns in your mistakes, and simulating test-day conditions. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions reveals whether your challenges are conceptual (misunderstanding question types) or time-management related. Your tutor will review your practice test performance to spot trends—perhaps you consistently misread comparative passages or struggle with inference questions—and tailor instruction accordingly. Most students benefit from taking 10-15 full practice tests throughout their prep timeline.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about your approach. Building confidence through repeated practice with consistent strategies significantly reduces anxiety—when you know exactly how you'll tackle each passage type, the test feels less overwhelming. Your tutor can teach you mental techniques like strategic breathing, how to move past difficult passages without panic, and how to allocate time wisely so you're not rushed. Many students find that simulating test conditions during tutoring sessions helps them feel calmer on actual test day.

Look for tutors with strong LSAT scores themselves (typically 160+), proven experience teaching Reading Comprehension specifically, and familiarity with the current LSAT format. Ideally, they've helped multiple students improve their scores and can explain their teaching methodology clearly. They should be able to diagnose your specific weaknesses quickly and adapt their approach to your learning style. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who meet these standards and can provide personalized instruction tailored to your goals.

Most students benefit from 2-3 months of focused LSAT prep, with Reading Comprehension as a significant component throughout. If Reading Comprehension is a particular weakness, dedicating extra time to this section—perhaps 30-40% of your overall study hours—can yield substantial improvements. Your timeline depends on your starting score, target score, and how much time you can dedicate weekly. A tutor can create a customized study schedule that accounts for your pace and helps you stay on track toward your law school application deadline.