Pacing is the most common struggle—students have just 60 minutes to answer 60 questions, which leaves only one minute per question. Beyond speed, many students struggle to identify which concepts a problem is testing, especially when questions are worded in unfamiliar ways. A tutor can help you develop strategic approaches like tackling easier questions first, recognizing question patterns, and knowing when to skip and return to harder problems.

Taking a full-length practice test under timed conditions is the best way to identify your weak areas—you'll see exactly which question types and topics slow you down or trip you up. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who can analyze your practice test results and pinpoint whether your struggles are conceptual (not understanding the math) or strategic (understanding it but running out of time). From there, you can build a targeted study plan instead of reviewing everything.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or unsure about how to approach unfamiliar question formats. Working with a tutor builds confidence through repeated exposure to real ACT-style problems, so test day feels less surprising. Tutors also teach practical strategies like pacing techniques, how to manage time pressure, and mental approaches to staying calm—all of which reduce anxiety by giving you concrete tools to rely on.

Most students benefit from 1-2 sessions per week over 8-12 weeks leading up to test day, though your ideal schedule depends on your starting score and target score. Between tutoring sessions, you'll need to do independent practice—typically 30-45 minutes of problem sets and practice tests several times a week. A tutor can help you create a realistic study plan that fits your schedule and builds momentum toward test day.

Practice tests do two critical things: they help you identify weak areas and build familiarity with the test format and timing pressure. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions is the closest thing to the real test experience, so you can practice pacing strategies and get comfortable with the question types before test day. Most tutors recommend taking at least 3-4 full practice tests during your preparation period and reviewing each one carefully to understand your mistakes.

Look for tutors with strong ACT Math scores themselves and proven experience helping students improve their scores. They should understand the specific format and timing challenges of the ACT, not just general math knowledge, and be able to explain concepts clearly when you're stuck. Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who specialize in test prep and can tailor their approach to your learning style and goals.

Your first session typically starts with a diagnostic assessment—either reviewing a recent practice test or taking one together—to understand your current strengths and weaknesses. From there, your tutor will discuss your target score, timeline, and learning style to create a personalized study plan. You'll likely work through a few problems together to establish how the tutor explains concepts and get a feel for how you'll work together going forward.