Score improvement depends on your starting point and how much you practice, but most students see meaningful gains—typically 3-5 points on the LSAT's 120-180 scale—within 4-8 weeks of focused work. Students who struggle with pacing often improve faster once they develop a consistent reading strategy, while those working toward top scores (170+) may need longer to master the most challenging comparative reading questions. A tutor can diagnose your specific weaknesses and create a study plan designed to address them efficiently.

Effective pacing comes down to strategy, not speed. Instead of trying to read faster, successful test-takers learn to read actively—identifying the main point and structure on the first pass—so they can answer questions quickly without rereading. Most students benefit from spending 8-9 minutes per passage and 30-45 seconds per question, but your ideal timing depends on your reading style. Tutors can help you practice different strategies (skimming, annotation techniques, question-first approaches) to find what works best for you and build the confidence to stick with it under test conditions.

The LSAT Reading Comprehension section tests five main question types: Main Point (what's the passage about?), Detail (what specific information is mentioned?), Inference (what logically follows?), Function (why did the author include this?), and Comparative Reading (how do two passages relate?). Each type requires a slightly different approach—for example, Main Point questions reward big-picture thinking, while Detail questions require careful reference back to the text. Understanding how to recognize and tackle each question type quickly is essential for managing your time and maximizing your score.

Your first session typically starts with a diagnostic assessment—either a timed practice section or a conversation about your current approach and pain points. The tutor will identify patterns in your performance: Are you running out of time? Misunderstanding question formats? Struggling with specific passage types? From there, they'll outline a personalized study plan with concrete strategies and a practice schedule tailored to your timeline and target score. Most students leave the first session with at least one new technique to try on their next practice test.

Practice tests are essential—they're the best way to build stamina, identify weak areas, and simulate test conditions. Most LSAT prep experts recommend taking full practice tests regularly (ideally once a week) and reviewing them thoroughly with a tutor or study partner to understand why you missed questions. Beyond full tests, targeted practice on individual passage types and question formats helps you build confidence and speed without the pressure of a timed section. A tutor can help you choose which practice tests to use, when to take them, and how to analyze your results for maximum improvement.

Yes—most students find legal and scientific passages more challenging than humanities passages because they contain unfamiliar terminology and dense argumentation. Comparative reading passages (two shorter passages you must compare) also trip up many test-takers because they require holding two different perspectives in mind simultaneously. The good news is that difficulty is predictable: once you understand the structure and conventions of each passage type, you can approach them strategically rather than panicking. Tutors often spend focused time on a student's toughest passage types to build familiarity and confidence.

Most students benefit from 4-12 weeks of focused LSAT prep, with Reading Comprehension practice woven throughout. If you're starting from a lower baseline score, you may need longer to see significant improvement; if you're already scoring well, targeted tutoring for 4-6 weeks can help you break through a plateau. The key is consistency—regular practice (3-5 hours per week) with thoughtful review beats cramming. A tutor can help you create a realistic timeline based on your current score, target score, and test date, then keep you accountable to your study plan.