Identities are constructed throughout people's lives. In this paper, I explored the emerging reading identities of 10 adults who were pursuing GED (General Educational Development) credentials. While part of a much larger study that included many data sources, this paper draws on interview data to examine how one group of adults positioned themselves relative to official and unofficial cultural models of literacy. When referring to official cultural models of literacy, the adult students spoke extensively about the challenges they faced in reading words, remembering what they had read, and increasing their reading levels; they simultaneously described themselves as competent and enthusiastic readers when accessing personal models of reading that reflected their reading and writing practices outside of school. This study revealed tensions between official and unofficial notions of reading competency, and results suggest that teachers and tutors could provide better support for their adult learners by paying attention to the learners' personal reading practices.