Score improvement depends on your starting point and how consistently you practice. Many students see 2-4 point improvements (on the 2-12 scale) within 4-8 weeks of focused work on argument development, essay structure, and timed writing practice. The key is identifying whether your challenges are with understanding the prompt, organizing ideas quickly, or refining your writing under time pressure—and then targeting those specific areas.

A solid time strategy typically breaks down as: 2-3 minutes reading and planning, 30-32 minutes writing, and 5-8 minutes reviewing and editing. Many students rush into writing without a clear outline, which leads to disorganized essays and lower scores. Tutors can help you develop a planning template that works for you and practice executing it under timed conditions so it becomes automatic on test day.

The biggest pitfalls are: taking a weak or unclear position, failing to develop reasoning with specific examples, writing off-topic or repetitive content, and making careless grammar errors that distract from your argument. Students also often spend too much time on their introduction and don't leave enough space for substantive body paragraphs. Working with a tutor on essay structure, argument development, and strategic editing can address all of these issues.

Aim for at least 2-3 full practice essays per week, ideally under timed conditions. This frequency gives you enough repetition to internalize the format and develop speed, while spacing out practice sessions allows time to apply feedback and build confidence. Between timed essays, you can also do focused drills on outlining, argument development, or editing—tutors can help you design a practice schedule that fits your timeline and target score.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in ACT Writing and know the test format inside and out. When you get matched with a tutor, you can discuss your current score, target score, and schedule to create a personalized study plan. Tutors can provide strategy coaching, review your practice essays with detailed feedback, and help you build the confidence and skills you need for test day.

Your first session is typically a diagnostic and planning meeting. Your tutor will likely ask about your current ACT score (or have you write a practice essay), discuss your target score and timeline, and identify your specific strengths and weaknesses—whether that's understanding the prompt, organizing ideas quickly, or polishing your writing. From there, you'll work together to create a focused study plan and start tackling your biggest challenge first.

ACT Writing is different rather than inherently harder—it requires persuasive writing skills and argument development rather than just selecting answers. Many students find it more challenging because it demands both speed and quality writing, and there's no single "right answer" to compare against. The good news is that these skills are highly learnable through targeted practice and feedback, and tutors can help you develop a writing process that works under pressure.