Determine what curriculum the student is using in his or her current course of study. Try to obtain a copy of the book and review it before your first tutoring session is scheduled. That way you'll have an idea of what the student is learning in their class.
Assess where your student is having trouble. Since each math level of learning is founded on the previous level, start with the basics of algebra, advanced algebra, geometry and trigonometry to see if there are any gaps in learning to help with understanding pre-calculus.
Review basic pre-calculus concepts such as the anatomy of a function if your student grasps all previous concepts. Be sure they understand what the symbols represent and be consistent with the symbols they're using in the curriculum.
Look for additional math help. Websites such as hotmath, and DVDs such as "The Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus Tutor" can be helpful for those students who are visual learners.
Understand what motivates the student's learning. Math is everywhere, so whatever subject they're interested in can be applied to a mathematical problem. For instance, for a basketball fan, the arc at which you would need to throw the ball from half court to make a basket is a pre-calculus problem.