Effective pacing starts with strategic reading—many students waste time by trying to absorb every detail, when the LSAT rewards identifying the passage structure and main argument. Expert tutors teach techniques like active annotation, previewing questions before reading, and practicing timed drills to build speed without sacrificing accuracy. With consistent practice and feedback on your approach, most students can develop a rhythm that lets them complete all passages with time to review challenging questions.

Score improvement depends on your starting point and consistency—students who work with a tutor typically see 3-5 point increases (on the 120-180 scale) within 4-8 weeks of focused practice, though some improve faster. The key is identifying your specific weak spots (certain question types, passage genres, or reasoning patterns) and drilling those systematically. Personalized instruction accelerates this process by eliminating guesswork and giving you targeted feedback on every practice test.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment—working through a timed Reading Comprehension section so your tutor can identify patterns in your mistakes, timing issues, and question-type weaknesses. You'll discuss your target score, timeline, and any anxiety or confidence concerns. From there, your tutor builds a personalized study plan focused on your biggest leverage points, whether that's improving accuracy on inference questions, managing time pressure, or building stamina through longer practice sessions.

Practice tests are essential—they're the only way to experience real timing pressure, identify patterns in your mistakes, and build the mental stamina needed for test day. Most students benefit from taking full-length practice tests every 1-2 weeks, then reviewing each section in detail with a tutor to understand why you missed questions. This cycle of practice, feedback, and targeted drilling is what drives measurable improvement on the actual LSAT.

Look for tutors with strong LSAT scores themselves (typically 170+), proven experience teaching Reading Comprehension specifically, and familiarity with the full range of question types and passage genres the test uses. It's also valuable to work with someone who understands test anxiety and can teach both strategy and confidence-building techniques. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors in Louisville who have demonstrated success helping students improve their Reading Comprehension scores.

Most students preparing for the LSAT benefit from 5-7 hours per week of focused Reading Comprehension work, split between timed practice passages, untimed review, and full-length practice tests. Your tutor can adjust this based on your timeline and current performance—students with lower baseline scores or longer prep windows may need more volume, while those closer to their target can focus on high-leverage drills. Consistency matters more than raw hours; regular, focused practice beats sporadic cramming.

Test anxiety on Reading Comprehension often stems from time pressure or fear of misunderstanding passages, both of which tutoring directly addresses. By building your confidence through repeated success on timed drills, learning reliable strategies you can trust, and practicing under realistic test conditions, you develop the mental resilience needed for test day. Your tutor can also teach stress-management techniques and help you reframe mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures.