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Winson
Certified ACT Reading Tutor
Winson
Current Undergrad Student, Business Administration and Management Boston University
9+ Years Tutoring

I'm a rising senior at Boston University. I enjoy tutoring students and helping them grow towards their goal and succeed. During my spare time, I enjoy playing volleyball and learning how to cook.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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
Charles
MS University of Cambridge • BA Amherst College
10+ Years Tutoring

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

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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.

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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.

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Testimonials

Because the right ACT Reading tutor makes all the difference.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Rebecca Williams

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Frequently Asked Questions

ACT Reading tests your ability to understand passages quickly and answer questions accurately under time pressure. The biggest challenges students face are managing the 35-minute time limit for 4 passages, distinguishing between similar answer choices, and identifying the author's main point versus supporting details. Many students also struggle with unfamiliar vocabulary in humanities and social science passages. Working with a tutor can help you develop strategies to tackle these specific obstacles.

Effective pacing starts with understanding that you have roughly 8-9 minutes per passage, including both reading and answering questions. Many students benefit from skimming strategically rather than reading every word, then referring back to the text for specific questions. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can teach you proven techniques like identifying question types before reading, marking key sections, and knowing when to skip difficult questions. Practice tests are essential for building speed while maintaining accuracy.

Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you practice. Students typically see 2-4 point improvements with focused tutoring and regular practice, though some improve more significantly. The national average ACT Reading score is around 21 out of 36, and many students in Staten Island work toward scores in the 25-30 range for competitive college admissions. A tutor can identify your specific weak areas—whether that's inference questions, vocabulary, or passage types—and create a targeted study plan to address them.

ACT Reading questions fall into several categories: main idea and purpose questions, detail and inference questions, vocabulary-in-context questions, and function/tone questions. Understanding each question type helps you know exactly what to look for in the passage and avoid trap answers. Tutors can teach you to recognize these patterns quickly, which saves time and improves accuracy. Practicing with real ACT passages is the best way to become comfortable with the variety of question formats.

Consistent practice is more important than volume. Most students benefit from practicing 3-4 times per week, working through one full passage per session plus reviewing mistakes. If you're preparing for a test within 8-12 weeks, you might increase to full practice tests every 1-2 weeks to build stamina and timing skills. A tutor can help you create a personalized study schedule based on your current score, target score, and test date, ensuring you're practicing strategically rather than just going through the motions.

Test anxiety often comes from feeling rushed or uncertain about your approach. Building confidence through consistent practice with real passages helps tremendously—when you know you've seen similar questions before, the test feels less intimidating. Tutors can teach you breathing techniques, time management strategies, and mental approaches that help you stay calm and focused. Starting with untimed practice to build accuracy, then gradually adding time pressure, also helps reduce anxiety on test day.

Look for tutors with strong ACT scores themselves, experience teaching test prep strategies, and familiarity with the specific demands of the Reading section. Ideally, they should be able to explain not just the correct answer, but why other choices are traps and how to eliminate them efficiently. Tutors who use real ACT practice materials and understand the nuances of different passage types—literature, social science, natural science, and humanities—will help you most. Varsity Tutors connects you with experienced tutors who specialize in ACT Reading and understand what colleges in New York are looking for.

Your first session typically includes a diagnostic assessment—either a full practice test or targeted passages—to identify your strengths and specific areas for improvement. The tutor will discuss your target score, test date, and any particular challenges you're facing, like time management or specific question types. From there, they'll create a personalized plan tailored to your needs and learning style. Most students find it helpful to come prepared with any recent practice tests or score reports so the tutor can see exactly where to focus.

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