Award-Winning ACT Reading Tutors
serving Memphis, TN
Award-Winning
ACT Reading
Tutors in Memphis
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who needs tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

I am a rising sophomore at Emory University working towards a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology, as well as a minor in global health, culture, and society. I tutored in multiple subject areas in high school as a peer tutor as well as a tutor to younger students in elementary and middle school. I also tutored elementary school students in multiple subject areas during my first year at Emory. I tutor in many subjects, but have always been passionate specifically about tutoring in math. I have been tutored by peers many times throughout high school and college in different subjects, including the ACT. I found unique ways to solve problems and expand my problem solving skills through this, especially because I felt as though my peers were better able to relate to me, and therefore cater to my needs as a student. My approach is catered specifically to each student by first learning how he or she best learns, and then using tactics that will benefit them the most as they learn and grow as a student.

I am a big sports fan so I spend a large portion of my free time playing or watching either basketball, golf or baseball.
I am a graduate of the University of Memphis. I graduated magna cum laude in English with a concentration in Literature. While being a student I was part of the Honors Mentor-ship Program where I helped incoming honors freshmen get acclimated to college life. I held weekly meetings with them and helped them from homework assignments to where they could find good food in or around campus. I will be pursuing a masters degree in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in the summer and hopefully one day become employed as a high school English teacher. I tutor in high school and college level English literature, writing, and grammar. Since my concentration was in literature my favorite area to tutor would be in any literature related assignment. Whether it be for reading comprehension, critical reading, or for research purposes. I believe education is very important and should not be taken for granted. The choices you make in a 4-8 year period greatly influence the rest of your life and getting a strong and well-rounded education helps set-up for future success. My spare time is generally filled with video games and reading (casual or academic) and always striving to learn new things.
I am a graduate of Swarthmore College, where I studied Quantitative Social Science and Education. I currently work in marketing analytics for higher education institutions. My skills range from writing/editing to data analysis. I would love to chat and make a plan to help you reach your goals!
The ACT Reading section gives students just 35 minutes for four dense passages — a pace that rewards strategy as much as comprehension. Kerr teaches a passage-mapping technique that isolates each paragraph's purpose so students can answer detail and inference questions without rereading entire sections. He earned a 36 ACT composite and brings that same efficiency-minded approach to every practice set.
Most ACT Reading mistakes happen not because students misunderstand the passage but because they misread what the question is actually asking — "main idea" vs. "the author suggests" require completely different retrieval strategies. Eileen, a Vanderbilt neuroscience major who scored a 36 composite, walks students through a passage-mapping technique that cuts rereading time dramatically and keeps evidence-based answers distinct from inference questions.
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals!
I am an Undergraduate Student at Vanderbilt University. With years of tutoring experience and a solid academic foundation, I am fully equipped to teach in various subjects at many different levels.
Before arriving at Vanderbilt's engineering program, Nat spent a summer teaching SSAT prep and reading classes to middle schoolers through Higher Achievement in D.C. — experience that built a practical sense for how younger and less confident readers approach timed comprehension tasks. With a 35 ACT composite and dual training in math and computer science, Nat brings a systematic, evidence-first approach to the reading section, teaching students to eliminate answer choices by tracing each one back to a specific line in the passage.
I am a freshman at Vanderbilt University studying biochemistry and involved in analytical chemistry research. Despite my studies being very science oriented, I also enjoy studying English and the humanities. I'd be happy to tutor you in any of these areas!
The ACT Reading section rewards a specific kind of speed — knowing when to skim for structure and when to slow down for inference questions. Michelle scored a 36 composite and teaches students to identify question types quickly so they can allocate their time where it actually matters across the prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science passages.
Speed is the real enemy on ACT Reading — four passages in 35 minutes leaves almost no room for re-reading. Dennis, who scored a 34 ACT composite, teaches a triage approach: how to identify passage structure quickly, distinguish main claims from supporting details, and eliminate answer choices that subtly distort what the text says. His background in both science and humanities means he's equally comfortable coaching students through the natural science and literary narrative passages.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Score improvement depends on your starting point and commitment level, but most students see meaningful gains within 8-12 weeks of focused preparation. Students who work with tutors on targeted strategies—like managing pacing, identifying question types, and practicing retrieval techniques—often improve by 2-4 points on the ACT Reading section. The key is identifying your specific weak areas (whether that's vocabulary, inference questions, or time management) and addressing them systematically rather than generic test prep.
The three most common struggles are pacing (finishing all four passages and 40 questions in 35 minutes), understanding the nuances of inference questions, and managing test anxiety. Many students also struggle with vocabulary in context and identifying the main idea across dense passages. A tutor can help you develop a personalized pacing strategy, teach you how to quickly identify what each question type is asking, and build confidence through targeted practice with real ACT passages.
Your first session focuses on understanding where you stand and what you need. A tutor will review your practice test results (or administer a diagnostic), identify patterns in the questions you're missing, and discuss your timeline and goals. You'll also learn about the ACT Reading format, question types, and get a preview of the strategies you'll use going forward. This foundation helps create a personalized plan tailored to your specific challenges.
Effective strategies include active reading techniques (annotating key ideas rather than passively reading), learning to quickly categorize question types, and using process of elimination strategically. Many tutors teach the "big picture first" approach—understanding the passage's main idea and tone before diving into detail questions. Practice testing with timed conditions is essential; spaced repetition of challenging question types helps build automaticity so you can work faster without sacrificing accuracy.
Most students benefit from 3-4 hours of focused practice per week over 8-12 weeks, combined with 1-2 tutoring sessions weekly. This typically includes full-length practice tests (to build stamina and pacing), section-specific drills (to master question types), and review of mistakes (to identify patterns). Your tutor will help you build an efficient study schedule that fits your timeline and gradually increases difficulty, avoiding burnout while building real progress.
Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about strategies, which tutoring directly addresses. Building confidence through repeated practice with real passages, mastering a consistent approach to each question type, and developing a pre-test routine all reduce anxiety significantly. Your tutor can also teach you mental strategies like breathing techniques and how to manage the pressure of the 35-minute time limit, so you can focus on the content rather than the clock.
Look for tutors with strong ACT Reading scores themselves, proven experience teaching test prep, and familiarity with current ACT formats and question types. They should be able to explain not just the right answers, but why wrong answers are traps—and teach you to recognize those patterns. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who have demonstrated mastery of ACT Reading and the ability to translate that into personalized instruction that matches your learning style.
Varsity Tutors connects students in Memphis with tutors who offer flexible scheduling to fit your needs—whether you need intensive prep before test day or steady progress over several months. With personalized 1-on-1 instruction, you can work around your school schedule, extracurriculars, and other commitments. Your tutor can also adjust pacing and focus based on how you're progressing, so you're not locked into a rigid curriculum.
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