Award-Winning ACT Reading Tutors serving Queens, NY

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Award-Winning ACT Reading Tutors serving Queens, NY

Sarah

Certified Tutor

4+ years

Sarah

Bachelor in Arts, Neuroscience
Sarah's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Calculus
Algebra
Math 3

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 scho...

Education

Columbia University in the City of New York

Bachelor in Arts, Neuroscience

Test Scores
ACT
35
Sharan

Certified Tutor

6+ years

Sharan

Bachelor of Science, Human Biology
Sharan's other Tutor Subjects
AP Statistics
AP Calculus BC
Calculus
Algebra

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, vocabular...

Education

Cornell University

Bachelor of Science, Human Biology

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1540
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

Richard

Bachelor in Arts, Government
Richard's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Linear Algebra

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 soci...

Education

Harvard University

Bachelor in Arts, Government

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1600
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

9+ years

Justin

Doctor of Philosophy, Computational Mathematics
Justin's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Pre-Algebra
Multivariable Calculus

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 Com...

Education

Washington University in St. Louis

Bachelor's in Physics and Mathematics

University of Chicago

Doctor of Philosophy, Computational Mathematics

Test Scores
SAT
1560
ACT
33

Certified Tutor

14+ years

William

Bachelor in Arts, English
William's other Tutor Subjects
College Algebra
Pre-Calculus
Geometry
Calculus

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

Education

Boston University

Bachelor in Arts, English

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1600
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

Dana

Bachelor in Arts, Public Policy and American Institutions
Dana's other Tutor Subjects
College Algebra
Algebra 3/4
Middle School Math
Geometry

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 ...

Education

Brown University

Bachelor in Arts, Public Policy and American Institutions

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1450
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

Liz

Masters, Special Education: Mild to Moderate Disabilities 5-12
Liz's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra

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 ...

Education

Simmons College

Masters, Special Education: Mild to Moderate Disabilities 5-12

Washington University in St. Louis

Bachelor of Arts in History (minors in Humanities and Anthropology)

Test Scores
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Vivian

Bachelor in Arts
Vivian's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills
SAT Mathematics

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 questio...

Education

Yale University

Bachelor in Arts

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1530
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

Michelle

Bachelor in Arts
Michelle's other Tutor Subjects
Middle School Math
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills

The ACT Reading section gives students just 35 minutes for four dense passages, which means most score gains come from learning how to read strategically rather than thoroughly. Michelle teaches a passage-mapping approach — identifying the author's argument, tone shifts, and key evidence before touc...

Education

Yale University

Bachelor in Arts

Test Scores
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Charles

Masters, Biochemistry
Charles's other Tutor Subjects
Pre-Algebra
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math

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

Education

University of Cambridge

Masters, Biochemistry

Amherst College

Bachelors, Neuroscience

Test Scores
ACT
35

Certified Tutor

5+ years

Aaron

Bachelor in Arts, Biochemistry
Aaron's other Tutor Subjects
AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus AB
Middle School Math
Calculus

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 ...

Education

Columbia University in the City of New York

Bachelor in Arts, Biochemistry

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1570
ACT
36

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Nicholas

Masters, French Linguistics and Pedagogy
Nicholas's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
PSAT Writing Skills
SAT Subject Test in French with Listening

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.

Education

Middlebury College

Masters, French Linguistics and Pedagogy

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelors in Linguistics and Deaf Studies

Test Scores
SAT
1570
ACT
33

Certified Tutor

8+ years

Solange

Bachelor in Arts (Sociology & Women's Studies)
Solange's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
ACT Writing
Public Speaking

I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campu...

Education

Harvard University

Bachelor in Arts (Sociology & Women's Studies)

Test Scores
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

13+ years

Yocheved

Bachelor's
Yocheved's other Tutor Subjects
Calculus
Algebra
ACT English
ACT Math

Most ACT Reading mistakes come from spending too long on one passage or second-guessing answers that felt right. With a 34 composite under her belt, Yocheved walks students through a timing strategy for the four passage types and shows them how to anchor every answer in specific textual evidence rat...

Education

University

Bachelor's

Test Scores
ACT
34

Certified Tutor

Robert

Bachelor's
Robert's other Tutor Subjects
Trigonometry
Calculus
Algebra
Elementary School Math

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 quest...

Education

University

Bachelor's

Test Scores
Perfect Score
SAT
1550
ACT
36

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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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