One-on-one ACT tutoring for Reading
The cool thing about ACT reading comprehension is that we can often make a lot of progress in a short amount of time; the section is largely strategy based. With that said, students with poor reading comprehension will need much more work than those who are good at reading literature and adult-level non-fiction.
The missing link to significant improvement is often conversation - though of course there are plenty of videos online about ACT reading strategies, being able to talk through the nuances of a particular question with a veteran ACT tutor can go a long way toward confidence: why is this choice wrong, exactly? Where's the proof that this choice is right? Our ACT tutors Blake Jensen and Matt Sheelen have been doing this for many years and are happy to help!
We also offer ACT English, Math, and Science tutoring - and most of our clients work with us on the entire ACT.
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What’s on the ACT Reading section
ACT Reading is an evidence test.
ACT is basically asking: can you read a passage quickly, keep the structure in your head, and prove your answers using the text?
A few important realities:
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The official ACT structure has the Reading section as 40 minutes with 36 questions (about a minute per question).
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You’ll see multiple passages, and at least one “paired” setup (two shorter passages) where some questions involve both.
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Since 2021, one reading passage may include a graph/table/figure and some questions ask you to integrate that visual info with the text.
What ACT says it’s testing:
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Key ideas & details: main point, purpose, “what is actually happening,” evidence questions.
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Craft & structure: why the author used that word, that sentence, that paragraph order; what a phrase means in context.
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Integration: comparing parts of a passage, comparing two passages, or combining text + a graphic.
How we teach ACT Reading
Most students need better strategy, not better reading ability.
In tutoring, we focus on four things:
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Evidence discipline
If you can’t point to the line(s) that prove an answer, you’re guessing. We train students to stop “vibe picking.” -
Passage mapping
We teach a quick way to track: main point, shifts, and where key details live—so you don’t reread the whole passage for every question. -
Answer-choice triage
A lot of wrong answers are wrong in predictable ways: too extreme, not supported, answers a different question, or smuggles in a new claim. -
Pacing decisions
ACT Reading punishes perfectionism. Part of coaching is learning when to move on, when to return, and how to avoid 3-minute rabbit holes.
Common ACT Reading traps
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“It’s kind of true.” If it isn’t supported, it’s wrong.
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Extreme language. Words like always, never, completely often signal trap answers unless the passage is that extreme too.
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True statement ≠ correct answer. Some choices are true but don’t answer the question being asked.
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Detail hunt without a map. Students waste time because they don’t know where things are in the passage.
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Paired passage confusion. Students answer as if there’s only one author/perspective when there are two.
Meet ACT tutor Blake Jensen
Blake: I’m a native San Diegan, father, and an aficionado of basketball, vintage video games, pitchy karaoke, and lecturing my son on how much better Star Wars was "back in the day." I played college basketball at St. Mary’s College and Whittier College, where I earned my B.A. in Psychology in 2002.
Having been a full-time test prep coach for over 15 years, I have seen just about every type of student and tutoring situation. This allows me to give my students exactly what they need to reach their goals.
My years of experience have also led me to coach my students a little differently than most. A lot of test prep revolves around how to answer a question. While that is a necessary component, identifying what is needed to answer a question is at least as important, especially for timed tests like the SAT and ACT. I show my students how to look at the test the way I do, to the patterns and tendencies of the tests to make them faster and more accurate.
Though I still work with students of all types, these days I tend to specialize in students with ambitious score goals.
SAT / ACT tutoring with Blake is $350 / hour (or $315 / hour for 15 or more hours).
He meets clients in his Carmel Valley office, or online via Zoom.
Meet ACT tutor Matt Sheelen
Matt: I am originally from Hopkinton, Massachusetts - the start of the historic Boston Marathon. I went to college at Northwestern University, where I graduated with a degree in Theatre. After college, I wised up and moved to the warmer coast. I worked in Los Angeles for many years as a full-time SAT / ACT tutor and part-time arts educator.
I have been tutoring for over 10 years and have spent thousands of hours helping students improve their scores. Recently, I moved to San Diego after getting a M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and I currently work as a credentialed classroom teacher.
When I’m not working, I enjoy good books, performing improv comedy, surfing, watching Game of Thrones, and enjoying the charms of San Diego. I live in North Park, where I love to get out and take advantage of all the delicious food in the area. I am also a huge Boston sports fan - the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics are my favorite teams. I usually have something in common with every student - my interests are really diverse!
SAT / ACT tutoring with Matt is $275 an hour ($248 / hour for 10 or more hours). He meets with students online via Zoom. Matt specializes in helping students set and achieve ambitious score goals, as well as helping them build their confidence and test-taking abilities.
HOW WE CAN HELP
- Experience. Working with all different kinds of students over many years has given us a deep database of strategies and tactics.
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Patience and respect. Mastering the ACT is a process, and it's vital that tutors can not only explain the material well but also that they can be kind and encouraging along the way.
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A method your kid can repeat under pressure. Not “tips,” but a process for passage + questions.
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Fast feedback on why an answer is wrong. Reading improves when the student understands the exact mistake.
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Pacing that doesn’t collapse on passage 3. We teach decisions, not just comprehension.
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Homework that’s targeted. We don’t assign random sets—we assign what fixes a pattern.
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Confidence based on evidence. The goal is fewer coin-flip questions and more “I can prove this.”
ACT Reading Tutoring FAQ
Stop guessing. Train evidence. Build a repeatable approach to passage structure + question types. Then do timed sets and review mistakes the right way.
Both. Strategy can produce quick gains, but if a student’s baseline reading comprehension is weak, the improvement curve is slower. Strategy can’t fully replace reading skill—but it can stop a student from throwing away points.
Most students do better reading the passage first (with a light “map”), because it reduces random hunting. If a student is a very slow reader, we may modify the approach.
That’s almost always a pacing decision problem, not an intelligence problem. We work on: when to bail, how to avoid rereading, and how to prevent one question from stealing two minutes.
Yes. The coaching looks different depending on the student, but the goal is the same: reduce cognitive load and make the process predictable.
Yes. ACT Reading improvement happens between sessions. Homework is targeted: short timed sets + a very specific review method.
Yes—most families prep for the full test (English, Math, Reading, and sometimes Science).
We're the most expensive ACT tutors in San Diego. Why? In stark contrast to our competitors who employ a rotating cast of 23-year-olds, Blake and Matt each have 15 years of experience. We pay them really well because we only hire tutors who are extremely good at what they do. We're definitely not trying to serve everyone, but if you're a savvy parent with a smart, motivated kid, you're probably in the right place.
One-on-one tutoring, with us, is completely customized to your learning style, personality, and needs.
Talking through the nuances of ACT practice questions not only allows us to explain, in detail, the strategies that work, but that conversation also allows us to see what a student is thinking, ask the right questions to test understanding, and adjust our instruction minute-by-minute.
- Instruction tailored to your child's learning style, motivation level, and personality
- The opportunity to talk through the nuances of questions with someone with several years of experience with the test
- Homework adjusted to your specific needs
- Accountability and encouragement :)
About 10-12 weeks before a certain official ACT date, but that might depend a little bit on a student's situation. A great time to start ACT prep is the summer before junior year - and often students take the test once in the fall at the beginning of junior year and once in the spring, though some take it as late as the fall of senior year.
Typically, ACT tutoring works well if we meet once a week for 90 minutes, though that can vary. Ideally, the student will also have time to do about 3 hours of homework for us each week to practice more on their own.
We work closely with some great consultants if you'd like help with college admissions. Let us know if you'd like a referral.
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