Your first session focuses on understanding your current strengths and weaknesses. A tutor will likely review your practice test results, discuss which math concepts feel most challenging, and learn about your timeline and goals. This helps create a personalized study plan that targets your specific needs rather than generic test prep.

Timing is one of the biggest challenges on ACT Math—you have 60 minutes for 60 questions, which means less than a minute per problem. A tutor can teach you which questions to prioritize, how to recognize when to skip and come back later, and strategies for working through problems efficiently without sacrificing accuracy. Practice with timed drills helps you build the speed and confidence needed on test day.

The best way is to take a full practice test under timed conditions and analyze your results by topic—algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and advanced math are the main categories. A tutor can review your practice tests to identify patterns in what you're missing, whether it's conceptual gaps, careless errors, or timing issues. Once you know your weak areas, you can dedicate study time where it matters most.

Yes—a big part of test anxiety comes from feeling unprepared or unsure about problem-solving strategies. Working with a tutor builds confidence through repeated practice with different question types, learning reliable approaches to tackle problems, and getting comfortable with the test format. As you develop stronger skills and see improvement in practice tests, the anxiety typically decreases significantly.

Most students benefit from 1-2 sessions per week over 8-12 weeks leading up to test day, though this depends on your starting score and timeline. Between sessions, you'll want to spend 3-5 hours on independent practice and homework. A tutor can help you create a realistic study schedule that balances depth of learning with consistent practice across all math topics.

Practice tests are essential because they simulate real test conditions and help you identify which concepts need work and where your timing breaks down. Taking full practice tests every 2-3 weeks lets you track progress, get comfortable with the format, and build stamina for the full exam. A tutor can review your practice test results with you to pinpoint exactly what to focus on next.

Look for a tutor with strong math knowledge, proven experience helping students prepare for the ACT, and familiarity with the specific question types and strategies that work. Ideally, they should have a track record of helping students improve their scores and be able to explain concepts clearly in different ways. Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors in Louisville who specialize in ACT Math preparation and understand what it takes to succeed on test day.