The biggest hurdles are pacing (60 questions in 60 minutes leaves little room for error), recognizing which concepts underlie unfamiliar question formats, and managing test anxiety under time pressure. Many students also struggle with the transition from algebra to geometry and trigonometry topics, or lose points on careless mistakes when rushing. A tutor can help you build speed strategically while maintaining accuracy on the concepts you know best.

Effective pacing starts with knowing your strengths—spend minimal time on questions you can solve quickly, and save harder problems for last rather than getting stuck. Practice tests are essential; they help you calibrate how long to spend per question and identify which topic areas slow you down. A tutor can teach you strategic skipping techniques and help you practice under real time constraints so pacing becomes automatic on test day.

The best way is to take a full practice test under timed conditions, then review every question you missed or guessed on—not just to find the right answer, but to understand why you struggled. Look for patterns: Are you missing algebra problems? Geometry? Word problems? Once you pinpoint these areas, targeted practice and tutoring can focus on those specific topics rather than wasting time on concepts you already know. Many students are surprised to find their weak areas aren't what they expected.

Your first session typically starts with a diagnostic—either a practice test or a review of your past ACT attempts—to understand your current level, scoring patterns, and specific gaps. The tutor will ask about your target score, timeline, and which topics feel most confusing, then create a personalized study plan. You'll likely work through a few problems together to establish your learning style and get a sense of how the tutoring will work going forward.

Most students benefit from taking a full practice test every 2-3 weeks to track progress and get comfortable with the test format and timing. Between full tests, focus on targeted practice on your weak areas—this is where tutoring is most effective. Your tutor can help you interpret practice test results to identify which concepts need more work and adjust your study plan accordingly, so each test becomes a tool for improvement rather than just a score check.

Test anxiety often stems from feeling unprepared or uncertain about how to approach unfamiliar questions. By working through practice problems and test-taking strategies with a tutor, you build genuine confidence in your ability to handle the material and manage time pressure. Tutors can also teach you specific techniques—like how to break down complex word problems or when to make an educated guess—that reduce the panic of encountering a tough question.

Look for tutors who have strong math backgrounds and specific experience preparing students for the ACT—they should understand the test's unique format, question types, and time constraints. It's also valuable if they've taken the ACT themselves or have a track record of helping students improve scores. Most importantly, find someone who can explain concepts clearly, adapt to your learning style, and help you build both knowledge and test-taking confidence.