Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you practice, but students typically see meaningful gains—often 50-100 points or more—within 8-12 weeks of focused preparation. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction helps identify your specific weak areas, whether that's vocabulary, inference questions, or pacing, so you can target practice where it matters most. The key is combining strategy coaching with consistent practice on real PSAT passages.

Many students struggle with pacing—trying to read every word carefully and running out of time—or misunderstanding what inference and "best evidence" questions are really asking. Vocabulary in context questions trip up students who rely on memorized definitions rather than using surrounding text clues. Working with a tutor helps you develop efficient reading strategies, learn to distinguish between close answer choices, and build the confidence to tackle unfamiliar passages without panic.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment—usually a timed practice section or full-length PSAT—so your tutor can understand your current strengths and identify specific areas to target. You'll discuss your goals, any test anxiety concerns, and your timeline before developing a personalized study plan. This foundation helps ensure every session after that is focused on the strategies and practice that will move your score forward.

Effective strategies include previewing questions before reading the passage, identifying the main idea quickly, and using process of elimination to narrow down answer choices. Many students benefit from learning to distinguish between "best answer" and "correct answer"—PSAT questions often require careful reading of why one choice is better than others. A tutor can teach you which strategies work best for your reading style and help you practice them under timed conditions so they become automatic on test day.

Practice tests are essential—they help you get comfortable with the format, build stamina, and identify patterns in the types of questions you miss. Taking full-length, timed practice tests every 2-3 weeks lets you track progress and see whether your score improvements are holding up. Between full tests, targeted practice on specific question types (inference, vocabulary, main idea) with your tutor helps you master each skill before putting it all together.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or unsure about strategies, so building confidence through practice and clear techniques is the best antidote. Your tutor can teach you grounding techniques to use during the test, help you develop a realistic pacing plan so you don't feel rushed, and normalize the experience by practicing under timed, test-like conditions. Many students find that knowing they have a solid strategy for each question type significantly reduces anxiety on test day.

Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors in Reno who specialize in PSAT Critical Reading and understand the specific challenges students face with this section. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss their experience with test prep, their approach to teaching reading strategies, and how they track progress. Most tutors offer flexible scheduling to fit around your school and extracurricular commitments.