Your first session typically involves a diagnostic assessment to understand your current strengths, weaknesses, and test-taking habits. A tutor will review a practice test or section with you to identify patterns—whether you're struggling with timing, question comprehension, or specific logic game types—and discuss your target score and timeline. This foundation helps create a personalized study plan that focuses your efforts where they'll have the biggest impact.

Logic Games require a different skill set than most standardized tests—they demand visual-spatial reasoning and the ability to quickly map complex relationships. Many students struggle because they haven't learned efficient diagramming techniques or practiced enough to build speed and confidence. Tutors can teach you proven strategies for each game type, help you develop a personal diagramming system that works for your brain, and guide you through timed practice to build the automaticity you need on test day.

Reading Comprehension on the LSAT requires active reading strategies that go beyond typical reading skills—you need to identify the author's main point, understand argument structure, and answer questions about nuanced details. Tutors can teach you how to annotate efficiently, recognize common question patterns, and manage the time pressure that often trips up strong readers. With targeted practice and feedback on your approach, most students develop faster, more accurate comprehension skills.

Most students benefit from taking 15-20 full practice tests under timed conditions to build stamina and identify patterns in their performance. However, quality matters more than quantity—each test should be followed by careful review to understand why you missed questions and refine your strategy. A tutor can help you space out practice tests strategically, prioritize which sections to focus on between tests, and ensure you're learning from each attempt rather than just accumulating test-taking hours.

Effective pacing depends on your strengths and the section—for example, some students do better spending extra time on fewer Logic Games and skipping one entirely, while others benefit from a more even distribution. Tutors can help you experiment with different pacing strategies during practice tests to find what maximizes your score, teach you how to recognize when to move on from a difficult question, and build the confidence to trust your instincts under pressure. The goal is developing a personalized timing strategy, not following a one-size-fits-all approach.

Test anxiety often stems from uncertainty about your preparation or unfamiliarity with the test format—tutoring addresses both by building genuine mastery and creating a test-day experience that feels familiar. Tutors can help you take practice tests under realistic conditions, develop mental strategies for staying calm, and build confidence through targeted skill-building in your weak areas. Many students find that knowing exactly what to expect and having a solid study plan significantly reduces anxiety by test day.

Look for tutors with strong LSAT scores themselves, experience teaching all three sections, and a track record of helping students achieve their target scores. The best LSAT tutors understand not just the content but also common student mistakes, can diagnose why you're missing questions, and adapt their teaching to your learning style. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have proven experience and can provide personalized instruction tailored to your specific goals and timeline.