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Award-Winning COMPASS Reading Tutors
Certified Tutor
Molly
Strong COMPASS Reading scores come from knowing how to locate a main idea, interpret tone, and draw inferences under time pressure. Molly's background includes both reading intervention with younger students and a Columbia history degree that required constant critical analysis of dense texts. She t...
Northwestern University
Master of Science in Education
Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor in Arts, History
Certified Tutor
Christopher
The COMPASS Reading section rewards students who can quickly identify a passage's main argument and distinguish it from supporting details. Christopher, an avid reader of classic literature, teaches specific annotation strategies that make inference and tone questions far less ambiguous.
Harvard College
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Certified Tutor
8+ years
Mia
The COMPASS Reading section asks students to draw inferences and identify main ideas across different passage types — narrative, informational, and argumentative. Mia's training in Religious Studies, which requires parsing complex scholarly arguments daily, translates directly into teaching students...
Yale University
Bachelor in Arts, Religious Studies
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Samantha
The COMPASS Reading section asks students to do more than just recall details — it tests whether they can identify an author's purpose, draw inferences, and distinguish main ideas from supporting evidence. Samantha approaches each passage type (narrative, informational, persuasive) with a different ...
Princeton University
Current Undergrad Student, Psychology
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Robin's medical training required absorbing massive volumes of clinical literature under pressure — differentiating a study's conclusions from its methodology, separating evidence from interpretation — which maps directly onto what the COMPASS Reading section demands. She teaches students to treat e...
University of Queensland
Masters, Medicine
Brown University
Bachelors, Biology, General
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Reading comprehension on the COMPASS exam comes down to identifying main ideas, making inferences, and understanding how a passage is organized. John's background in both linguistics and French literature sharpened his ability to analyze text at the structural level — a skill he now applies to teach...
Rice University
Masters, Linguistics
Texas A & M University-College Station
Bachelors, French
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Rithi
Rithi's science-heavy background — neuroscience, biotechnology, and now medical school — means she's spent years extracting key claims from research papers packed with dense supporting data, which is exactly what COMPASS Reading passages demand. She teaches a structured annotation method tailored to...
Johns Hopkins University
Masters, Biotechnology
Duke University
Bachelors
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Arianna
Succeeding on COMPASS Reading means quickly categorizing a passage — is it narrative, informational, or argumentative? — and then knowing exactly what kind of questions to expect. Arianna unpacks each passage type with targeted strategies: identifying the main idea versus supporting details, recogni...
Dartmouth College
Bachelor of Science
Certified Tutor
8+ years
Kaitlyn
Biology and medical school training means Kaitlyn has spent years decoding dense journal articles where the main claim hides behind layers of methodology and hedged conclusions — the same inference skill the COMPASS Reading section rewards. She teaches students to map a passage's argument structure ...
Fairfield University
Bachelor of Science, Biology, General
Certified Tutor
8+ years
Nicole
The COMPASS Reading section rewards students who can quickly identify a passage's main argument and distinguish it from supporting details. Nicole approaches each reading set the way she was trained in her English program at the University of Miami: identify the thesis, map the paragraph structure, ...
University of Miami
Bachelor in Arts, English
Top 20 Test Prep Subjects
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Jennifer
Middle School Math Tutor • +93 Subjects
I am a recent graduate of the University of Alabama, where I got my Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and majored in public relations and English. I recently moved to the Atlanta area to begin an exciting job as a digital media specialist! I have six years of tutoring experience, especially in English, grammar, writing, general study skills, and essay planning.
Emily
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +55 Subjects
I am a graduate student at Columbia University, working towards Masters degrees in Public Health and Social Work. I am a graduate of Brandeis University with Bachelor's degrees in Anthropology and Environmental Science. I have been teaching students ages 9 and up for approximately 8 years, and I would love to help you reach your academic potential! My favorite subjects to tutor are reading comprehension, environmental science, and essay-writing.
Laura
Calculus Tutor • +43 Subjects
I am passionate about helping students because I love to learn and share in ideas. "Teaching" others and gaining their perspective is like "relearning" something and enjoying that "ah ha" moment all over again. I have worked with students of all ages and abilities, sponsored foreign exchange students, and collaborated with other artists and volunteers through community arts organizations.
Naomi
9th Grade math Tutor • +141 Subjects
I am happy to tutor for Varsity Tutors. I study English literature and philosophy, so reading and writing are my strongest suits, but I am glad to help in any of my listed subjects. Please send me a message to let me know how I can be of assistance!
Alexandra
Middle School Math Tutor • +182 Subjects
I am a rising senior at The University of North Texas in Denton. I am working towards my Bachelor of Arts in Spanish as well as English with a concentration in Creative Writing. I was raised in an academically competitive environment in Fort Bend County and my rigorous secondary education prepared me for success in college. I am a fortunate member of the Terry Scholarship Foundation, which has provided me and hundreds of other Texans with a private, four-year, full-ride scholarship. As a Terry Scholar, I am well-versed in all subjects and have taken on the role of mentor to many of the incoming freshmen. I have spent most of my free time in college as a nanny and tutor to families around the DFW area. I have experience with all age groups and there is nothing that intimidates me! While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about English, Literature, History, Spanish, and Government/Social Studies. Through my experiences helping struggling students and peers, I have realized the value of adaptability. Most people reach out to a tutor because the traditional classroom method is not best suited for their learning needs. There is nothing more joyful than when a student finally understands the material in a way that makes sense to them. Many times, students need flexibility and patience in order to grasp a foreign concept. I am a firm believer in the power of education and I hope to share my love of learning with all of my students. After graduation I plan on returning to Houston to obtain my Master of Arts in Teaching from Rice University. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and writing anything from poetry to screenplays. I have also been involved in competitive dance for most of my adolescence, so I understand the balance of academics and extracurriculars. Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books, dancing, yoga
Chloe
Calculus Tutor • +31 Subjects
I am Chloe, and I am passionate about all things English! I have been teaching English at a South Korean kindergarten for the past several months, and I was TEFL certified as of October 2016. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May of 2016 with a BA in English Literature and a certificate in Global Cultures. I'd love to help with any ACT/AP English prep, as well as any other English-related teaching services required. I believe learning works best when the subject becomes relevant for the student, not just as something they "have" to learn, but as something that can help make life worthwhile. Learning should be a joy, not a chore!
Anita
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +18 Subjects
I'm able to tutor the subjects that I do because they're things I enjoy not just in an academic conext, but also on my own spare time, so I'm always reading about that stuff anyway. My dedication is to always be there exactly when and how I'm needed for my students. Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books
Nicole
12th Grade math Tutor • +166 Subjects
I am very thorough in the material and diligently work, while being patient, to make sure each student is understanding the lessons because I know everyone has a unique way he/she processes and learns.
Sam
Calculus Tutor • +61 Subjects
I have earned a B.S. in Molecular Biology from Messiah College and I am working towards a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Drexel University. When I am not lost in the world of academia, I enjoy spending time in nature, reading science-fiction books, and cooking plant-based foods.
Brianna
Pre-Algebra Tutor • +53 Subjects
I am in school at Grand Canyon University and am working on obtaining a degree in Elementary Education. I currently work full-time as a literacy interventionist in a local elementary school. I'm very good at staying organized and enjoy most school subjects.
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
COMPASS Reading includes multiple-choice questions focused on vocabulary in context, main idea identification, supporting detail comprehension, and inference skills. Students most commonly struggle with inference questions—those requiring them to draw conclusions not directly stated in the passage—and vocabulary-in-context items where the correct answer depends on how a word is used rather than its dictionary definition. A tutor can help you recognize the subtle differences between answer choices and develop strategies for eliminating distractors that seem plausible but don't match the passage's actual meaning.
Many COMPASS Reading test-takers rush through passages to finish on time, leading to careless errors on questions they could have answered correctly. The key is strategic skimming: preview the questions before reading the passage so you know what to look for, then read actively for those specific details rather than trying to absorb everything. Tutors can teach you how to identify which passages typically take longer (dense academic or technical passages) versus which move faster (narrative or straightforward informational texts), allowing you to allocate your time more effectively across the test.
The best approach is to take full practice tests under timed conditions, then analyze your mistakes by question type and passage topic rather than just looking at your overall score. You might discover you miss most inference questions, struggle with dense scientific passages, or consistently misunderstand pronoun references. A tutor can help you categorize your errors systematically, pinpoint patterns (like whether you're reading too quickly or overthinking answer choices), and create targeted practice plans that focus on your actual problem areas rather than reviewing concepts you've already mastered.
Vocabulary-in-context questions test how well you understand word meaning based on surrounding text, not memorized definitions. The most effective strategy is to cover the answer choices, read the sentence with the vocabulary word, and predict what kind of word would fit there based on context clues. Then check your prediction against the options—the correct answer will match your prediction or align with how the word is actually used in the passage. Tutors can show you how to spot context clues like synonyms, antonyms, examples, and explanations within the passage that reveal a word's intended meaning.
Inference questions require you to read between the lines—understanding what the passage suggests without stating it outright—which means you can't simply point to a sentence that contains the answer. Students often struggle because they either choose answers that are literally true but not supported by the passage, or they make inferences that go too far beyond what the text actually implies. A tutor can teach you to distinguish between direct statements, reasonable inferences supported by evidence in the passage, and unsupported assumptions, using techniques like highlighting textual evidence and asking "Does the passage actually support this conclusion?" before selecting an answer.
A common mistake is selecting an answer that describes an important detail from the passage rather than its overall main idea—for example, choosing a specific example the author uses instead of the broader point being made. The main idea is the central message of the entire passage, while supporting details are examples, facts, or explanations that develop that central message. When you encounter a main idea question, ask yourself: "If I had to summarize this passage in one sentence, what would it be?" Then look for the answer choice that matches that summary, not just a true statement from the passage. Tutors can help you practice this distinction across different passage types and topics.
Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you practice between sessions. Students who work with a tutor typically see noticeable gains—often 5-10 points or more—within 4-6 weeks of focused practice, particularly when they identify and address specific weak areas like inference or vocabulary strategy. However, reaching your target score requires active engagement: tutoring works best when combined with regular practice tests, reviewing mistakes, and applying new strategies to real passages. A tutor can create a realistic timeline based on your current performance, target score, and available study time.
Test anxiety often manifests as rushing through passages, second-guessing correct answers, or blanking on strategies you've practiced. Tutors can help by building your confidence through repeated exposure to test-like conditions in low-pressure settings, teaching you to recognize when anxiety is pushing you to rush, and giving you concrete techniques to refocus (like taking a deep breath before each passage or talking yourself through difficult questions). As you develop stronger strategies and see improvement on practice tests, your confidence naturally grows, which directly reduces anxiety during the actual exam.
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