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Best ACT Tutors Online
Our expert guide covers the best ACT tutoring options available online
If your goal is to score high on the ACT and get accepted into a top-tier university, there is likely no better way to prepare than with a 1-on-1 private tutoring package. But with thousands of tutors in the marketplace all claiming to be great, how do you choose? Our team has reviewed all of the popular ACT tutoring companies and what their packages have to offer, including cost, quality of the tutoring, and whether other study materials come bundled with the package.
To quickly navigate through this ACT tutoring guide, use the jump-to links above to read more on each company.
Video: Best Online ACT Tutoring Programs
In the video above, John from the Test Prep Insight team reveals the best ACT tutoring programs available online. For more detail, be sure to continue reading our full written guide below.
Kaplan earns the top spot on our list for three reasons: (1) top-notch tutors; (2) fair and affordable rates; and (3) the inclusion of high quality bonus resources and study materials with their tutoring packages.
With that in mind, let’s start with the tutors themselves, and let me just say this – they are flat out awesome. Not only are they some of the sharpest tutors we’ve come across from a knowledge standpoint (it’s clear they have a really solid grasp of ACT content and strategy), but it also seems like Kaplan does a really good job vetting their instructors for interpersonal skills, which in my opinion is absolutely crucial. The Kaplan instructors just have a knack for making the learning process engaging and entertaining.
Kaplan ACT tutoring session
In addition to the one-on-one instruction, students also get access to Kaplan’s self paced prep course, which is one the highest rated ACT courses on the market, and includes on-demand video lessons, full-length simulated practice tests, a customizable Qbank, and more.
Lastly, let’s discuss pricing. Kaplan’s ACT tutoring packages start at around $750 for the package that includes five hours and go up to around $4,400 for their package with 40 hours of private tutoring. While that may sound expensive, it’s actually near the more affordable end of the online ACT tutoring industry. For example, Kaplan’s tutoring packages are more affordable than both PrepScholar and Princeton Review believe it or not.
Taking the number two spot on the list is PrepScholar, and while their tutoring packages are a bit more expensive compared to Kaplan’s, they still deserve recognition for three reasons.
First, and this sort of goes without saying given their inclusion on this list, but the PrepScholar tutors are awesome in their own right. They’re all 99th percentile scorers and know the ACT like the back of their hand. I’d just say from my experience overall, the Kaplan instructors tend to be more bubbly and outgoing, but that still doesn’t take away the fact the PrepScholar instructors clearly know their stuff.
An example PrepScholar practice question
Next, PrepScholar includes an absolute mountain of study materials with their tutoring packages. I’m talking over 40 hours of additional content, including an industry best 4,300 practice problems. Therefore, needless to say, if you’re more of a practice oriented learner (i.e. you know learn by doing), then PrepScholar will likely be a great fit for you.
Lastly, another differentiator for PrepScholar is they offer a 4 point score improvement guarantee, whereas Kaplan does not.
Princeton Review takes the crown for best score guarantee in the entire ACT prep space. Basically, if you sign up for Princeton Review’s ACT 34+ Tutoring course, the company guarantees that you will score at least 34 on the ACT or you get your money back (pretty wild, I know).
Now, there is some fine print behind this guarantee that you’ll definitely want to check out prior to purchasing, but still, if you’re eyeing admission into a top rated university, this may be your ticket.
Stellar ACT instructors with Princeton Review
Plus, the other cool thing with Princeton Review is that they offer in-person tutoring. Their tutors are located all over the map, and if you live in a major city, you should be able to get paired with a Princeton Review tutor.
Obviously, if you live in rural South Dakota or Vermont, this might not hold true, but Princeton Review has done a good job spreading their tutors around the United States, and they’ve got most metropolitan areas covered.
Now, if there is one big knock on Princeton Review, it’s pricing. Their 34+ Tutoring course costs north of $7,000! To be fair though, their full prep course is included with the tutoring package, which adds a lot of value. The Princeton Review prep course includes video lessons, simulated practice tests, ACT prep books, and more.
Magoosh does things a little differently than most other ACT tutoring services we’ve covered so far.
Rather than offering traditional one-on-one tutoring sessions, Magoosh makes their ACT tutors available to students by email. Essentially, how it works is that you take Magoosh’s standard self-paced ACT prep course, and whenever you get stuck or you need advice, you simply email one of the company’s expert ACT tutors, and they’ll typically get back to you within a few hours.
A Magoosh ACT practice question
Now obviously, this isn’t as ideal as meeting with a tutor face-to-face, but that’s why Magoosh prices its course at just $130 (yes, just $130 for the full package).
To put that in perspective, that’s less than one hour of tutoring from Princeton Review. Plus, with the tutor email support, you also get access to the company’s other ACT study materials, including video lessons, practice problems, and full-length practice exams.
Bottom line, Magoosh is not your traditional tutoring program, but I wanted to bring it to your attention as an alternative for students that maybe don’t need a high volume of hours of one-on-one time, but can maybe get away with more of a supplementary support tutoring service here and there. At only $130 for the course, and email support, the Magoosh ACT package is a bargain.
The last budget option on our list is Wyzant, and I saved them for last because in our experience these more broad based type of tutoring services are a little more hit and miss than the tutors from focused test prep companies such as Kaplan and Princeton Review.
This is due to the fact that the instructors from Wyzant really don’t follow a structured teaching framework. Instead, each individual tutor has their own methods and strategies for teaching to the ACT, which may or may not work for you.
This is in contrast to the tutors from ACT focused test prep companies, who are fully trained and vetted, and follow specific curriculum and strategies that have proven to be successful year in and year out. This is ultimately why I trust the Kaplan and Princeton Review type companies more than websites or companies like Wyzant.
With that said, the per hour rates you can get with Wyzant tend to be much lower. I’m talking less than $30 per hour in some cases. Plus, you can often find an ACT tutor in your area if you prefer in-person instruction.
ACT tutors range anywhere from $10 to $300 per hour. On average though, it seems like good ACT tutors typically cost around $100-$200 per hour.
Who are the best ACT tutors near me?
You can most likely find an ACT tutor in your local area; however, given the innovation in video services over the past several years, the best ACT tutors are now available online.
Are online ACT tutors worth it?
Yes and no. If you sign up for a cheap ACT tutoring service online, there is a good chance you will end up being disappointed. However, if you sign up with a respectable, proven ACT tutoring company such as Kaplan or Princeton Review, then you will likely be satisfied with the results.
Will working with an ACT tutor improve my score?
Yes, in our experience tutors will help you improve your ACT score through practice and new test taking strategies.
