Reading and Writing tends to be the most challenging section for many students, particularly questions focused on rhetoric and command of English conventions. Math scores vary more widely depending on algebra and advanced math exposure. The evidence-based reading section trips up students who work too slowly or who struggle with the nuanced vocabulary and context clues the test emphasizes. Personalized tutoring helps by diagnosing whether your issue is conceptual (not understanding the material), strategic (rushing through questions), or confidence-based, then building a study plan that targets your specific gaps.

Test anxiety often stems from unfamiliarity with the test format and time pressure. Personalized tutoring builds confidence by teaching you the exact test-taking strategies that work for your learning style—like how to pace yourself through each section, when to skip challenging questions, and how to manage your time effectively. Practice tests under timed conditions are crucial; they desensitize you to pressure and help you internalize pacing so test day feels less stressful. Additionally, tutors can help you reframe test anxiety as manageable nervousness by preparing you thoroughly and showing you that you can solve these problems.

Most students benefit from 4-8 weeks of preparation, depending on their starting score and goals. If you're taking the PSAT in October for National Merit consideration, starting your preparation in August or early September is ideal. However, quality matters more than quantity—focused, personalized tutoring over 4-6 weeks often outperforms months of unfocused self-study. Your preparation should include learning test-specific strategies, taking full-length practice tests to identify patterns in your mistakes, and doing targeted review on weak topics. Varsity Tutors can help you develop a customized study plan that fits your timeline and learning pace.

PSAT Math rewards strategic thinking, not just accuracy. Key strategies include: working backwards from answer choices when direct solving is tedious, plugging in numbers on problems with variables, recognizing when approximation is good enough, and flagging hard questions to return to later instead of getting stuck. Many students lose points on pacing—rushing through easier questions to have time for harder ones, or spending too long on one difficult problem. Tutors help you build a personalized pacing strategy, teach you to recognize question types quickly, and show you which shortcuts actually save time versus which ones introduce careless errors.

Practice tests do three critical things: they reveal your specific weak areas so you can target studying effectively, they help you develop and refine pacing and time-management strategies, and they build familiarity with the test format so test day feels less overwhelming. Taking a practice test every 1-2 weeks during preparation lets you track progress and adjust your study focus as needed. The most valuable practice comes from analyzing your mistakes—understanding not just the right answer, but why you got it wrong—which is exactly where personalized tutoring makes the biggest difference. Varsity Tutors can help you use practice tests strategically to maximize your preparation.

Reading speed improves with strategy, not just reading faster. The PSAT Reading section asks specific types of questions, and learning to read for what matters—rather than trying to absorb every detail—is much more effective than speed-reading. Techniques like identifying the main idea first, using context clues for vocabulary questions, and recognizing question patterns help you move through passages more efficiently. Many students also overthink complex sentences or get distracted by interesting details that don't relate to the question. A tutor can show you how top scorers approach these passages, help you practice active reading strategies, and build your confidence so you're not second-guessing yourself and re-reading passages multiple times.