Award-Winning ACT Tutors
serving Des Moines, IA
Award-Winning
ACT
Tutors in Des Moines
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who will be getting tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

Helping students has always felt deeply personal to me. I know what it's like to struggle with a subject and how much of a difference the right guidance can make. That's what drives me, not just to explain the material, but to meet students where they are, and help them build confidence along the way. My teaching philosophy is centered around a low-pressure, high-engagement environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and exploring ideas. I use real-world examples, visual breakdowns, and active recall to reinforce understanding and make learning stick. I'm currently in my 4th year of medical school, so I have a certain love for Biology and other life sciences. It can be complex, but when taught the right way, it becomes incredibly intuitive and logical. I also thoroughly enjoy teaching SAT/ACT prep, as it also can be tricky for students to see through its complexity, but becomes much easier to find the objective when taught the right way, with the right tools.

An English and drama background might not scream ACT prep, but John's 36 composite — a perfect score — means he's mastered every section of the test, and his theater training makes him unusually good at close reading the rhetorical and narrative passages that stall most students on Reading and English. He also tutors calculus, physics, and chemistry, so the Math and Science sections aren't secondary skills he's faking his way through. Rated 4.9 by students.
Georgia Tech's Industrial and Systems Engineering program sits at the crossroads of math, data analysis, and logical reasoning — which means Ilesh trained daily in exactly the quantitative and analytical thinking the ACT tests across Math, Science, and even the evidence-based Reading questions. He earned a perfect 36 composite and uses that full-score perspective to show students not just what the right answers look like, but why the wrong ones are designed to be tempting. Rated 5.0 by students.
Medical school at the University of Arizona sharpened Alex's science and reading comprehension chops, but it's the chemical engineering degree from Washington and Lee that keeps his ACT Math strategies rigorous — and tutoring since 2010 means he's seen every version of the test's recurring traps across all four sections. His 36 composite isn't just a number; it translates into section-by-section blueprints that show students exactly where their time is leaking and which question types to attack first. Rated 4.8 by students.
Medical school admissions committees at both Rice and Baylor trusted Sugi to evaluate candidates — that same ability to spot exactly where someone's reasoning breaks down is what she brings to ACT prep, section by section. Her 36 composite and dual background in cognitive science and biochemistry mean there's no weak link across Math, Science, English, or Reading; she knows the content cold and teaches the decision-making layer on top of it. Rated 5.0 by students.
Scoring a 33 on the ACT while juggling a dual PhD/MD track gave Chelain a firsthand appreciation for efficient test strategy — knowing when to skip, when to guess, and how to manage the clock across all four sections. As a radiation oncology resident at Northwestern, she brings the same analytical precision to breaking down Science and Math passages that she uses in clinical problem-solving. Rated 5.0 by students.
Elliot's neuroscience PhD means he's spent years designing experiments, interpreting data, and writing precisely — the exact skill set the ACT tests across all four sections, from Science passage analysis to the grammar logic underlying English questions. He earned a perfect 36 composite and uses that full-score perspective to show students where the test rewards careful reading over rushing, especially on the Reading and Science sections where most timing mistakes happen. Rated 5.0 by students.
Northwestern's Honors Program in Medical Education compressed Anna's premed and MD training into a single accelerated track — meaning she learned early how to master large volumes of material under tight time constraints, which is essentially what the ACT demands across all four sections. She scored a perfect 36 composite and uses that experience to teach students how to allocate their attention strategically, particularly on the Reading and Science sections where running out of time costs more points than content gaps. Rated 5.0 by students.
Double-majoring in molecular biology and French at Yale gave Emily something most ACT tutors lack — genuine fluency in both the STEM and humanities sides of the exam, so she's not faking comfort in any section. She earned a perfect 36 composite and uses her epidemiology training to teach the Science section as a data-literacy exercise, then pivots to the grammar and rhetorical questions on English with the same precision. Rated 5.0 by students.
Scoring well on the ACT is less about mastering five separate subjects and more about learning one skill: how to attack timed, multiple-choice questions with a plan. Jiatian builds individualized study schedules that target each student's weakest sections first, setting concrete score milestones along the way. A Rice University graduate currently finishing medical school, she's taken enough high-stakes exams to know exactly what disciplined, strategic prep looks like in practice.
Logan teaches every ACT section with equal fluency — his communication degree sharpens the English and Reading approach, while his calculus and physics background keeps the Math and Science strategies grounded in actual content rather than shortcut gimmicks. That 36 composite means he's seen the ceiling on every section and knows exactly which habits close the gap between a strong score and a perfect one. Rated 5.0 by students.
Neuroscience at Columbia trains a specific kind of thinking — pulling signal from noise in dense, data-heavy material — and that's essentially what the ACT Science and Reading sections demand. Sarah scored a 35 composite and applies that same analytical rigor across all four sections, teaching students to decode unfamiliar passages quickly and avoid the second-guessing that burns time. Rated 5.0 by students.
Testimonials
Because the right ACT tutor makes all the difference.
Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
Practice ACT
Free practice tests, flashcards, and AI tutoring for ACT
Nearby ACT Tutors
Other Des Moines Tutors
Related Test Prep Tutors in Des Moines
Frequently Asked Questions
Iowa State typically admits students with ACT scores around 24-28, though competitive applicants for engineering and honors programs often score 28+. Combined with a strong GPA, a score of 26-27 puts you in a good position for admission to most programs. For automatic scholarship consideration at Iowa State, aim for 28 or higher to maximize financial aid opportunities.
The University of Iowa typically admits students with ACT scores between 25-30, with most admitted students scoring around 27-28. For competitive programs like engineering or business, scores of 28+ are more common. Since Iowa uses ACT/GPA combinations for automatic admission thresholds, a 28+ ACT can significantly boost your chances even with a slightly lower GPA.
The ACT Science section (35 minutes, 40 questions) doesn't require advanced science knowledge—it tests your ability to interpret data, read graphs, and understand scientific reasoning. You'll analyze charts, tables, and experimental designs across biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science topics. Many students find this section challenging because it's uniquely timed and fast-paced; success depends on quick data interpretation rather than memorized science facts.
The ACT is historically more popular in the Midwest and Iowa specifically—many state schools built their admissions processes around ACT scoring. However, most Midwest universities now accept both tests equally, so you should take whichever format plays to your strengths. That said, if you're applying primarily to Iowa schools, the ACT is the more familiar test and you'll have easier score comparisons with other applicants.
Most students benefit from 40-60 hours of focused ACT prep spread over 2-3 months before test day. If you're starting in junior year, you have more flexibility to space out your prep; seniors preparing for fall/winter tests should aim to start by summer. With personalized tutoring, many students see meaningful improvement in 6-8 weeks of consistent work, especially when targeting specific weak sections like Science or Math.
Most students improve 2-4 points on the composite ACT with focused prep, though improvement varies based on your starting score and effort. Students starting around 20-22 often see larger gains (4-6 points) because there's more room to improve fundamentals, while students already scoring 28+ typically see 1-2 point improvements. Personalized tutoring helps you target your specific weak sections—whether that's the Science section's pacing or Math's trigonometry—which often yields faster progress than generic prep.
The ACT Science section is notoriously tight on time (35 minutes for 40 questions), so strategy matters more than science knowledge. Effective approaches include: spending 30 seconds skimming the passage, 20-30 seconds per question, and skipping complex questions to return to later. Many students improve their Science pacing by practicing with actual ACT tests under timed conditions and learning which question types they can answer quickly versus which ones need more time.
Most colleges no longer require the ACT Writing section, and many don't even accept it anymore—check your target schools' requirements before deciding. If you're applying to selective universities or specific programs that require it, take the Writing section; otherwise, skip it to save time and money. Most Des Moines students applying to Iowa State, University of Iowa, and other Midwest schools don't need it, so focus your energy on the four main sections instead.
Let’s find your perfect tutor
Answer a few quick questions. We’ll recommend the right plan and match you with a top 5% tutor.