Eight weeks is enough time for most students to raise their ACT score meaningfully, if they practise five or six hours a week. Here is a simple plan.
Before you start
Take a full, timed official practice test. Write down your score for each section: English, Math, Reading and Science. The plan below puts the most time on your two weakest sections.
Weeks 1–2: fundamentals
- English: punctuation rules (commas, semicolons, apostrophes), subject–verb agreement, concise wording.
- Math: algebra, linear equations, ratios and percentages – most points come from here.
- Reading and Science: do one passage a day without a timer and check every answer.
Weeks 3–4: section practice
- Do two timed sections a week.
- Review every wrong answer and write down why you missed it (content, careless error or timing).
- Math: add geometry, trigonometry basics and functions. Our geometry formulas cheat sheet covers the shapes you need.
Week 5: full practice test
Take a full timed test on a Saturday morning, like the real thing. Compare your section scores with your first test and adjust the plan.
Weeks 6–7: timing
The ACT gives you less time per question than the SAT.
- Reading: aim for about 8–9 minutes per passage.
- Science: go straight to the questions and look back at graphs only as needed.
- Math: skip hard questions and come back; every question is worth the same.
Week 8: final week
Take one last practice test early in the week, then review your mistakes list. Rest the day before the test.
Should you get a tutor?
A tutor helps most when your score has stopped improving or one section stays low. Online ACT tutors charge around $90–$225 an hour (median $150); see what SAT and ACT tutoring costs or compare ACT tutors.
