Award-Winning ACT Reading Tutors
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Award-Winning ACT Reading Tutors serving Queens, NY

Certified Tutor
4+ years
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...
Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor in Arts, Neuroscience

Certified Tutor
6+ years
Sharan
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...
Cornell University
Bachelor of Science, Human Biology
Certified Tutor
Richard
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...
Harvard University
Bachelor in Arts, Government
Certified Tutor
9+ years
Justin
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...
Washington University in St. Louis
Bachelor's in Physics and Mathematics
University of Chicago
Doctor of Philosophy, Computational Mathematics
Certified Tutor
14+ years
William
I'm not tutoring, I love walking through New York for design inspiration and taking carpentry, metalworking, and illustration classes.
Boston University
Bachelor in Arts, English
Certified Tutor
Dana
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 ...
Brown University
Bachelor in Arts, Public Policy and American Institutions
Certified Tutor
Liz
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 ...
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)
Certified Tutor
5+ years
Vivian
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...
Yale University
Bachelor in Arts
Certified Tutor
Michelle
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...
Yale University
Bachelor in Arts
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Charles
I am currently interviewing for medical school for matriculation in August 2017.
University of Cambridge
Masters, Biochemistry
Amherst College
Bachelors, Neuroscience
Certified Tutor
5+ years
Aaron
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 ...
Columbia University in the City of New York
Bachelor in Arts, Biochemistry
Certified Tutor
10+ years
Nicholas
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.
Middlebury College
Masters, French Linguistics and Pedagogy
University of Pennsylvania
Bachelors in Linguistics and Deaf Studies
Certified Tutor
8+ years
Solange
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...
Harvard University
Bachelor in Arts (Sociology & Women's Studies)
Certified Tutor
13+ years
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...
University
Bachelor's
Certified Tutor
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...
University
Bachelor's
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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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