Overview
The enhanced ACT keeps the familiar 1–36 scale but is noticeably shorter. ACT reports that the core test is roughly two hours: English (50 questions), Math (45 questions) and Reading (36 questions). Science and Writing can be added, and Science no longer counts toward the Composite; if you take it, you also receive a separate STEM score. National online testing moved to the new format in April 2025, and paper and school-day testing followed, so anyone preparing now is preparing for the enhanced version.
Our tutoring begins with a timed practice test in the current format, then targets what is really costing you points: grammar rules in English, specific Math topics, passage strategy in Reading or simply pacing. Because the ACT still moves faster than the SAT, much of the work is building speed without losing accuracy.
We also help you decide whether to sit Science and Writing. That depends on the colleges you are considering, your strengths and whether extra sections are worth the extra testing time and fee.
Who it’s for and the problems it solves
This is for you if you are…
- High school students taking the ACT on a national test date or through a state or district school-day program
- Students who prepared with pre-2025 ACT materials and need to adjust to the enhanced format
- Students who find the SAT's style frustrating and want to see whether the ACT suits them better
- STEM-minded students weighing whether a Science and STEM score would strengthen their application
Common problems we help with
- You run out of time in Math or Reading even though you know the content
- Your English score is stuck because the same punctuation and concision errors keep appearing
- You studied from older books with 75 English and 60 Math questions and are unsure what still applies
- You do not know whether your colleges require, recommend or ignore the Science section
- You want to superscore but are unsure how colleges treat old and enhanced ACT results
What’s included — and what isn’t
Included
- Diagnostic practice test in the enhanced format, with question-level review
- English coaching on punctuation, sentence structure, agreement, concision, transitions and rhetorical skills questions
- Math coaching across pre-algebra, algebra, functions, geometry, trigonometry, statistics and probability, including calculator strategy
- Reading strategy for prose fiction, social science, humanities and natural science passages, including paired passages
- Optional Science preparation: data representation, research summaries and conflicting viewpoints
- Optional Writing preparation: planning and drafting the argumentative essay under time
- Pacing plans and guessing rules (there is no penalty for wrong answers)
- Guidance on Science and Writing choices and on how your colleges report and superscore ACT results
- SAT-versus-ACT comparison if you have not yet chosen
Not included
- Sitting any ACT or practice test for a student
- Promising a Composite score, superscore or admission result
- Writing essays for a student to memorize or submit; we teach planning and give feedback on the student's own practice essays
- Official advice on a specific college's testing policy — we show you where to confirm it
What you receive
- Enhanced ACT diagnostic
- Scores and a question-by-question breakdown of a timed practice test, showing which skills and which pacing issues are costing points.
- Section decision note
- A short summary of whether Science and Writing make sense for you, based on your college list and practice results.
- Study schedule
- A plan to your chosen test date that balances content review, section drills and full practice tests.
- Tutoring sessions
- One-to-one sessions on your weakest skills, with timed drills and review of every missed question.
- Essay feedback (if taking Writing)
- Written comments on your own practice essays against the ACT's writing domains: ideas and analysis, development and support, organization, and language use.
How it works
Set the target
We confirm your test date, delivery (online or paper, national or school day) and the colleges you are considering.
Diagnose
You take a timed practice test in the enhanced format; we review every section and identify patterns.
Decide on optional sections
Using your college list and practice results, we recommend whether to add Science, Writing or neither.
Train
Sessions combine teaching and timed drills on the skills that matter most for your score.
Check and adjust
Further practice tests show progress; we adjust the plan and finalize your pacing strategy before test day.
Preparation tools and techniques
- Official ACT practice material
- Current official practice tests and question sets are used for diagnostics and progress checks, because older forms no longer match the timing and question counts.
- Grammar rule set
- A compact set of English rules (commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, modifiers, pronouns, verb tense) that accounts for many recurring questions.
- Math topic triage
- Prioritizing high-frequency topics and learning when to skip and return to time-consuming questions.
- Reading passage approach
- Previewing questions or skimming structure first, depending on which works better for you in timed trials.
- Science data reading
- Reading figures and tables before text, and handling conflicting viewpoints passages systematically.
- Error log
- Recording each miss by cause (content, misread, time) to focus effort where it will count.
What changed in the enhanced ACT
The redesign cut the number of questions substantially and increased the time available per question. English passages and Math questions were reduced, Reading kept a similar structure with fewer questions, and Science became an optional add-on alongside Writing. The Composite is now the average of English, Math and Reading only.
Because official figures can be adjusted, we check ACT's current test description before each student's plan. If you have older results, remember that colleges set their own rules about combining or superscoring scores from before and after the change.
- Core test (about 2 hours): English 50 questions, Math 45 questions, Reading 36 questions
- Optional Science: 40 questions; reported separately and combined with Math as a STEM score
- Optional Writing: one argumentative essay; reported separately
- Composite: 1–36, from English, Math and Reading
Should you take ACT Science?
Most colleges do not require the Science section, but a small number require or recommend it, and some STEM programs may find a Science or STEM score helpful context. The section also adds time to your test day. Our advice is to check the testing page of each college on your list, then weigh that against your practice Science results and how you feel at the end of a long test.
If none of your colleges ask for it and your practice Science score is weaker than your other sections, skipping it is often sensible. If you are applying to engineering or science programs that mention it, taking it can be worth the extra effort.
Pacing without panic
Even with more time per question, the ACT rewards steady rhythm. We set checkpoints (for example, where you should be halfway through Math), practice leaving a hard question and coming back, and make sure you always record an answer, since unanswered questions score nothing.
What the work can look like
Illustrative example — fictional data
Sample plan excerpt: deciding on Science
A junior applying mainly to liberal arts colleges and two engineering programs took a practice enhanced ACT. The details are invented for illustration.
Practice results
English 27, Math 30, Reading 25, practice Science 29. Reading misses clustered in the last passage, which the student did not finish.
Science decision
Neither liberal arts college mentioned Science; one engineering program listed it as recommended. With a strong practice Science result, the plan recommended taking it on the first sitting and reviewing the decision after scores arrived.
Next four weeks
Reading timing drills with a two-passage checkpoint; an English rule review focused on commas and concision; one Science set per week to maintain skills; a full practice test in week four.
Illustrative example with invented scores and college policies. Always confirm current requirements on each college's own website; no score outcome is promised.
What you’ll need to provide
- Your test date, format (online or paper) and whether it is a national or school-day sitting
- Previous ACT or PSAT/SAT results, if any
- Your current college list or the type of programs you are considering
- Approved accommodations, if any, so practice uses the same timing
- Your weekly availability for study and practice tests
You don’t need everything ready to ask for a quote — tell us what you have and we’ll say what’s missing.
What affects price and turnaround
Price depends on
- Number of sessions and time available before your test date
- Whether you are preparing for the core test only or adding Science and Writing
- Amount of practice test and essay review outside sessions
- Targeted help on one section versus full-test preparation
Turnaround depends on
- Weeks remaining until your test date and whether it is a national or school-day sitting
- How much independent practice you can fit around school commitments
- Timing of retakes, since score reports take time to arrive
Every project is quoted individually. How we price our work.
Questions people ask before starting
Can I still use older ACT practice tests?
Older questions are still useful for content practice, especially English grammar and Math topics. But timing and question counts differ, so use current official practice tests for full-length timing and score estimates.
Is the online ACT different from paper?
ACT states that content and scoring are the same. The experience differs (on-screen tools versus marking a booklet), so we practice in the format you will use.
Do colleges superscore the enhanced ACT?
Many colleges superscore the ACT, but policies differ, including how they handle Science and pre-2025 scores. Check each college's testing page; we can help you read those policies.
Do I need the Writing section?
Few colleges now require it. It may still help if a specific program asks for it. We will help you check and, if you take it, give feedback on your own practice essays.
How long should I prepare?
It depends on your starting point and target. Many students prepare over six to twelve weeks with regular practice; shorter timelines focus mainly on pacing and the most frequent question types.