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Sarah
Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Sarah
BA Columbia University in the City of New York
4+ Years Tutoring

I am a Neuroscience and Behavior major at Columbia University. Although my major is centered in the STEM field, I am also passionate about human rights work, global engagement, and local outreach. While my future plans are subject to change, I see myself continuing in academia, going to medical school, and becoming a physician.

ACT Scores
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Vivian
Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Vivian
BA Yale University
5+ Years Tutoring

Scoring a 36 ACT composite means Vivian didn't just read the passages — she learned to dismantle them, distinguishing between what the author states explicitly and what's merely implied. Her approach to the Reading section zeroes in on how to handle the dual-passage comparisons and inference questions that trip up even strong readers. Rated 4.9 by students.

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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
William
BA Boston University
14+ Years Tutoring

I'm not tutoring, I love walking through New York for design inspiration and taking carpentry, metalworking, and illustration classes.

ACT Scores
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SAT ScoresPerfect Score
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Justin
BA Washington University in St. Louis • Doctor of Philosophy, Computational Mathematics University of Chicago
9+ Years Tutoring

I am an aspiring applied mathematician, with particular interest in image processing and climate science. I graduated in May 2017 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's in physics and mathematics, and am beginning a PhD program in September 2017 at the University of Chicago in Computational and Applied Mathematics. I've tutored introductory physics students for three years and enjoyed it thoroughly, as a chance to help other students while revisiting fundamental concepts to enhance my own knowledge. I'm eager to continue reaching out and helping students of math and physics to succeed and, furthermore, to appreciate the beauty and power of these subjects.

ACT Scores
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SAT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Richard
BA Harvard University
1+ Years Tutoring

A government major at Harvard, Richard spent his coursework doing exactly what the ACT Reading section rewards: rapidly digesting competing political arguments, identifying an author's central claim, and distinguishing stated evidence from implied conclusions — skills that map directly onto the social science and humanities passages. His perfect 36 ACT composite means he's navigated every passage type under real testing pressure and knows which time-management habits actually hold up when the clock is running.

ACT ScoresPerfect Score
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SAT ScoresPerfect Score
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Dana
BA Brown University
1+ Years Tutoring

Reading four dense passages in 35 minutes requires a method, not just strong reading skills. Dana's policy studies trained her to extract arguments and evidence from complex texts fast — exactly the skill the ACT Reading section rewards, especially on the social science and humanities passages. Her 36 ACT composite came from treating each passage like a briefing document: identify the claim, locate the support, move on.

ACT ScoresPerfect Score
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SAT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Sharan
BA Cornell University
6+ Years Tutoring

Most ACT Reading mistakes come from running out of time, not from a lack of comprehension. Sharan, who earned a 36 composite, teaches a passage-attack strategy that prioritizes locating evidence over re-reading entire paragraphs. She walks through each question type — main idea, inference, vocabulary in context — so students know exactly what the test is asking before they even look at the answer choices.

ACT ScoresPerfect Score
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SAT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Liz
MS Simmons College • BA Washington University in St. Louis
1+ Years Tutoring

The ACT Reading section rewards students who can quickly identify an author's purpose, trace argument structure, and distinguish between what a passage states and what it implies. Liz scored a 34 ACT composite and draws on her history and humanities training at Washington University in St. Louis to teach the kind of close reading that makes 40-minute, four-passage sets manageable. Her background in special education also means she's skilled at adapting pacing and comprehension strategies to fit each student's processing style.

ACT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Nicholas
MS Middlebury College • BA University of Pennsylvania
10+ Years Tutoring

I'm a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania who studied Linguistics and Deaf Studies. I eventually hope to work towards breaking down barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds and encouraging greater focus on reforming Deaf education practices.

ACT Scores
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SAT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Charles
MS University of Cambridge • BA Amherst College
10+ Years Tutoring

I am currently interviewing for medical school for matriculation in August 2017.

ACT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Robert
BA University
1+ Years Tutoring

The ACT Reading section punishes students who read every passage the same way — a natural science passage demands different attention than a humanities or prose fiction excerpt. Robert teaches a passage-triage method that prioritizes where to spend time and how to locate evidence for inference questions without rereading entire paragraphs. Rated 4.8 by students, he turns a section many find unpredictable into one that feels systematic.

ACT ScoresPerfect Score
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SAT Scores
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Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Aaron
BA Columbia University in the City of New York
5+ Years Tutoring

The ACT Reading section punishes students who read every passage the same way; a science excerpt and a humanities narrative require different strategies for locating evidence under time pressure. Aaron, who earned a 36 composite, walks students through passage-mapping techniques that cut re-reading time and sharpen answer elimination on inference questions.

ACT ScoresPerfect Score
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SAT Scores
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Testimonials

Because the right ACT Reading tutor makes all the difference.

4.9

Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings

Worked with an ACT Reading Tutor

Your customer interface is A+, being your agents or your site, The tutor you found for me is perfect, no formulas or canned lectures but easy flowing lecture addressing my needs. Congratulations for a job well done.

JA
Julio Aranovich
Worked with an ACT Reading Tutor

Heejin has been very patient with me. I work a full time job sometimes even on the weekends. It has been a slow process with my Korean classes, but Heejin has been wonderful and patient.

AH
Angela Hussein
Worked with an ACT Reading Tutor

My son has had many quality tutors through this convenient service, and he can hop on at any time of day to get support for a homework assignment or test. It's very convenient and effective.

TR
Tara R
Worked with an ACT Reading Tutor

I've been working with my tutor for a few months now and the progress has been remarkable. The personalized attention and tailored lessons made all the difference compared to in-classroom learning.

MC
Michael Chen
Worked with an ACT Reading Tutor

The flexibility of scheduling combined with the quality of instruction is unmatched. I can get help exactly when I need it, whether that's late at night or early in the morning before a test.

PP
Priya Patel
Worked with an ACT Reading Tutor

My daughter went from dreading her sessions to looking forward to them. The tutor made the material engaging and built her confidence in ways I never thought possible. Highly recommend.

RW
Rebecca Williams

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Frequently Asked Questions

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you work with a tutor, but students typically see meaningful gains within 8-12 weeks of focused preparation. If you're struggling with pacing or question comprehension, targeted instruction on reading strategies can often yield 2-4 point improvements. More significant gains (5+ points) usually require longer engagement and consistent practice between sessions, especially if you're aiming for a composite score above 30.

The ACT Reading section gives you 35 minutes to read 4 passages and answer 40 questions—roughly 8-9 minutes per passage. Many students struggle with the pace, but effective strategies include: reading the questions first to know what to focus on, skimming for main ideas rather than reading every word, and marking key details as you go. Tutors can help you find the reading approach that matches your natural pace and identify which passages to prioritize if time runs short.

ACT Reading questions fall into a few main categories: detail/vocab questions (where specific information appears), inference questions (what the author implies), and big-picture questions (main idea, tone, purpose). Most students find inference questions and questions about author's tone the trickiest because they require deeper comprehension beyond surface-level text. Vocabulary-in-context questions can also trip up test-takers who rely purely on word definitions rather than contextual meaning. A tutor can help you identify your weakest question type and develop targeted strategies to tackle it.

Yes—ACT passages typically include one literary fiction, one social science, one humanities, and one natural science passage. Many students find the natural science passages most challenging because of dense terminology and abstract concepts, while literary fiction can be tricky due to complex tone and character motivation. Your individual difficulty often depends on your background knowledge and reading comfort with different subjects. Working through practice passages in your weaker areas helps you build familiarity and confidence before test day.

Consistent, focused practice works better than cramming. Most students benefit from 2-3 practice sessions per week, with each session including a full timed passage or two. Regular practice builds reading speed and comprehension simultaneously, which is harder to develop in sporadic study sessions. Between tutoring appointments, your tutor can assign targeted practice—whether that's drilling specific question types, timing yourself on passages you find difficult, or reviewing mistakes from practice tests—to reinforce what you're learning.

Test anxiety on Reading often stems from time pressure or fear of "blanking" on comprehension. Practical strategies include: taking full practice tests under timed conditions to build familiarity, developing a consistent pre-test routine to calm your mind, and reminding yourself that you don't need to get every question right to reach your goal score (missing 5-6 questions still nets a solid score). A tutor can help you identify which situations trigger anxiety and build confidence through targeted practice and positive reinforcement, so test day feels less overwhelming.

The best ACT Reading tutors understand both the test format and your specific challenges—whether that's comprehension speed, question strategy, or managing nerves. Look for someone who uses practice tests to identify patterns in your mistakes, can explain *why* an answer is wrong (not just which one is right), and adapts their teaching to your learning style. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who have proven expertise in ACT Reading and can create a personalized study plan that targets your weak areas while building on your strengths.

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