For a 4-week program to be effective, plan on 5-7 hours of independent study per week beyond class time. This includes taking full-length practice tests (which take 3 hours each), reviewing mistakes, and drilling specific question types. The combination of instruction and self-directed practice is what drives real score improvement in a compressed timeline.

The Reading section typically requires the most time to improve because it relies on both speed and comprehension—skills that develop gradually. However, the Math and Science sections often show faster gains through targeted strategy work and practice. The English section is usually most responsive to quick improvement since grammar rules can be learned and applied immediately. A 4-week class prioritizes strategies that yield the fastest gains in each section.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about pacing. A 4-week prep class builds confidence through repeated practice tests under timed conditions, which trains your brain to stay calm on test day. You'll also learn breathing techniques and mental strategies specific to high-pressure testing, plus develop a personalized pacing plan so you know exactly how to allocate your time on each section.

Aim to take 3-4 full-length, timed practice tests during your 4-week program—ideally one per week. This gives you real data about your performance, helps you identify patterns in mistakes, and trains your stamina for the actual 3-hour test. Between full tests, focus on drilling individual sections or question types where you're weakest.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors for students in Riverside who specialize in ACT prep and understand the specific challenges of test-taking under pressure. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss your target score, current strengths and weaknesses, and preferred learning style so instruction is tailored to your needs. Many tutors in the Riverside area offer flexible scheduling to fit around your school and extracurricular commitments.

Your realistic target depends on your starting score and college goals. If you're starting around the national average (21 composite), a 4-week intensive program can help you reach 24-26, which opens doors at many four-year universities. If you're already scoring 28+, improvement may be slower but still achievable by targeting specific weak sections. Discuss your goals with a tutor early so they can help set a personalized target and create a focused study plan.

The ACT is designed to test speed and accuracy together—you have roughly 1-2 minutes per question depending on the section. Many students rush through and make careless errors or run out of time on harder questions. A 4-week prep class teaches you to recognize question types quickly, know which ones to tackle first, and when to skip and return to difficult problems. Practicing with timers during each study session trains your brain to work at the right pace automatically.