Score improvement depends on your starting point and effort level, but most students see meaningful gains—typically 50-100 points—when they work with a tutor on targeted strategies and practice. The key is identifying your specific weak spots (whether that's reading comprehension, algebra, or grammar) and drilling those areas consistently. With focused preparation over 8-12 weeks, you can build real confidence and test-taking skills that carry over to the SAT.

Many students struggle with pacing—the PSAT moves fast, and managing time across three sections is tough without practice. Others find the reading passages dense and difficult to extract key information from, or they make careless mistakes on math problems they actually understand. Test anxiety is also real; when you're nervous, it's hard to think clearly. A tutor can help you build speed through timed practice, teach you strategies for tackling different question types, and develop confidence through repeated exposure to the test format.

Sessions typically start with a diagnostic—either a full practice test or a focus on your weakest section—so your tutor understands exactly where you need help. From there, you'll work through targeted lessons on specific skills (like reading strategies or algebra problem types), practice problems with explanations, and timed drills to build speed and accuracy. Your tutor will also review mistakes to help you understand why you got them wrong, not just what the right answer is.

Ideally, start preparing 8-12 weeks before test day if you're aiming for a meaningful score boost. If you're taking it for the first time as a sophomore, even 6-8 weeks of consistent work can help you get comfortable with the format and build foundational skills. The timeline also depends on your current level—if you're already a strong student, you might need less time than someone starting from a lower baseline. A tutor can assess where you are and create a realistic study plan tailored to your goals.

Practice tests show you exactly how you perform under real test conditions—with time pressure, the full question mix, and the mental stamina required. They reveal patterns in your mistakes (like consistently missing inference questions or rushing through geometry) that you can then target in tutoring sessions. Taking multiple practice tests also reduces test anxiety because the format becomes familiar, and you develop strategies for pacing and managing stress. Most students benefit from taking at least 3-4 full practice tests during their prep period.

Absolutely. Many students excel in one or two sections but struggle with another—for example, strong in math but weak in reading, or vice versa. You can work with a tutor on just the section that needs attention, which is often more efficient than trying to improve everything at once. Focusing your effort on your weakest area typically yields the biggest score gains and keeps your prep targeted and manageable.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in PSAT prep and understand the test inside and out. You can share your goals, current score level (if you've taken a practice test), and preferred tutoring schedule, and you'll be matched with someone who fits your needs. Most students start with an initial session to discuss their strengths and weaknesses, then build a customized study plan from there.