ACT Prep: Course or Tutoring, Group or Private: It's Your Choice!
When it comes to preparing for the ACT, we know every student learns in his or her own way. That is why we offer a variety of test prep options, allowing you to customize your learning to your specific ACT needs, as well as your current schedule.
Private Course
Live Online
- 12 hours of instruction
- Personalized 1-on-1 Private Course
- Personalized time schedule
- Expertly crafted curriculum — continuously updated to reflect the latest ACT trends and techniques
- Practice questions that mimic the actual ACT, plus flashcards
Private Tutoring
Live Online
- 12 Hours Package ($165/hr)
- Personalized 1-on-1 Private Tutoring
- Personalized time schedule
- Free introductory session with your potential tutor — no commitment required
- Practice questions, and flashcards to target your weak areas
Private Tutoring
Live Online
- 36 Hours Package ($124/hr), Best Rate
- Personalized 1-on-1 Private Tutoring
- Personalized time schedule
- Free introductory session to meet your potential tutor
- ACT high-scorers as instructors, offering real-world experience and insights beyond textbooks
- Personalized curriculum created just for you, based on your goals and timeline
- Tutors help you set realistic, yet ambitious, goals and keep you accountable
- Practice questions, flashcards, and in-depth discussions to target your weak areas
Your ACT Prep Journey begins here
If you are searching for the best way to make your college application stand out, look no further than Manhattan Review for all your standardized tests needs.
In today's hyper-competitive world of collegiate admissions, gaining acceptance to a prestigious undergraduate program is no longer simply about having good grades: it's about standing out and making sure your application is noticed. At Manhattan Review, we understand the importance of attending a college with immediate name recognition as part of setting yourself up for the career of your dreams. In order to be admitted to the most selective colleges and universities, you will need to obtain a very high ACT score. Fortunately, you do not have to achieve this high score by yourself. At Manhattan Review, our ACT prep courses are carefully designed to help you master the ACT, setting you apart from other eager applicants. Given our established legacy of high test score success, our courses are the first step towards being accepted at even the most competitive undergraduate programs.
Unsurpassed Instruction
Manhattan Review's test prep courses and tutoring services—both in-person and in our interactive online classroom—are taught by highly qualified instructors who have mastered the ACT and obtained a very strong score themselves. Whether you're preparing online or in-person, we keep our class sizes small, and we have designed our programs specifically for students who want to set and achieve high personal goals. Our instructors are high-achieving individuals, and in addition to high ACT scores, they also possess degrees from leading universities. More importantly though, our instructors are all exceptional teachers. They have strong communication skills and unparalleled experience helping students tailor study plans to their specific test-related needs and goals.
Manhattan Review is known throughout the test prep industry for its selective hiring process of instructors and tutors. Since Manhattan Review is a boutique test prep company offering personalized ACT support, we have the ability to dedicate more resources than most firms to our hiring process. By doing so, we are able to hire only those applicants with both superb test-taking and teaching skills. Working with an instructor who has significant experience teaching standardized tests and a superior ACT score gives students the best chance of using their preparation time in the most effective way possible.
Our ACT Prep is highly customizable, and Manhattan Review has many options available to tailor preparation exactly to the student's needs. Therefore, the best way to proceed is to speak to one of our friendly and highly regarded ACT specialists. Requesting an appointment is easy—please simply fill out the ACT Prep Consultation Request Form, and we will be in touch right away. And yes, this in-depth consultation is completely free, so get your prep started today!
ACT Prep: Course or Tutoring, In-Person or Online: It's Your Choice!
When it comes to preparing for the ACT, we know every student learns in his or her own way. That is why we offer a variety of test prep options, allowing you to customize your learning to your specific ACT needs, as well as your current schedule.
Many students enjoy learning in the company of others. They find themselves motivated by being around other hard-working learners and interacting with their classmates. For those students, we offer classroom-style group courses at in-person locations or online. In-person courses are perfect for students who know they focus better in a learning environment outside of their home. Courses taught in physical classroom locations are ideal for students who don't mind traveling in order to learn alongside others. Online group courses, on the other hand, are perfect for students who require more flexibility in their ACT prep while still learning as part of a larger group.
Other students know that they do not perform at their best when attempting to learn challenging academic information in a group setting. They may find themselves distracted by other students or worried about slowing down the pace of the group. Alternatively, these students may become bored or frustrated once they have mastered a particular concept but cannot move on until everyone in the group is able to demonstrate similar mastery. For students who prefer to learn at their own pace and are seeking truly customized test preparation, we offer private tutoring sessions either in-person or virtually. Many students prefer to meet with their private tutor in-person at a mutually convenient location. Other students, however, particularly those with busy school and extracurricular activity commitments, require the flexibility of online private tutoring, which can take place anywhere you have a stable internet connection.
At Manhattan Review, we offer customizable test prep options to ensure you are in charge of your ACT prep schedule. When you are able to concentrate in a supportive learning environment—whatever that means for you—you will be amazed at how fast your knowledge of the ACT will progress.
Maximize Study Time With Manhattan Review
At Manhattan Review, our curriculum is designed to reinforce skills through a combination of exercises, in-class instruction, online problem sets, and practice tests that closely mimic the actual test. Exercises, both those completed in-class or with your tutor as well as at home, cover the concepts that will be assessed in test questions. These exercises also help our instructors identify any areas where students need reinforcement or additional help. In class, instructors review challenging concepts before introducing coursework with the next level of difficulty. Following each class session, students can test their mastery of the concepts they have studied through online problems that utilize actual ACT test questions.
For Parents/Caregivers:
We are proud of the reputation we have developed for our very selective hiring process of instructors and tutors. Since Manhattan Review is a boutique test prep company offering customized ACT preparation, we have the ability to dedicate more resources than most firms to our hiring process. We expect two things from our instructors: a great ACT score and a passion for helping students obtain their own high ACT score through consistent progress and ongoing, personalized feedback. Ultimately, we only hire those instructors with both superb test-taking and teaching skills, ensuring our students receive the highest quality instruction, setting them up for their own ACT success.
We have learned a great deal from our extensive experience in the test prep industry. Specifically, we understand that taking an exam and teaching others how to take it are two separate skills. Our instructors are skilled at tailoring the information they teach to each student's learning style, and the quality of our instructors is simply another reason Manhattan Review stands out from other test prep companies.
To truly understand what makes Manhattan Review so unique, it helps to consider the origins of the firm. Manhattan Review was conceived and started at an Ivy League business school, specifically, Columbia University Business School in New York City. Manhattan Review's Founder was not only pedagogically trained but went on to become a leading academic, eventually accepting a position as a professor at a prestigious business school in Europe. The experience the founder gained by being an active member of collegiate hiring committees, as well as evaluating the teaching potential of countless applicants, cannot be overstated or acquired through other contexts. That is why Manhattan Review's preparation options are widely considered the best choice for serious ACT students.
Given the highly selective hiring process conducted by Manhattan Review, our instructors are more than capable of teaching all aspects of effective test preparation. This includes administering diagnostic tests, planning the most useful lessons, and guiding students through applicable test content. We work hard to make sure each student receives the attention and expertise they deserve when preparing for an important exam as the ACT.
What About Test-Optional Colleges?
As academic institutions attempt to move beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, many colleges are once again requiring students to submit standardized test scores—from the ACT or SAT—as part of their application. Some colleges, however, have chosen to remain test optional for another year or two. What does that mean for students preparing their college applications?
Simply because a college does not require a student to submit standardized test scores as part of their application does not mean test scores shouldn't be submitted. Test scores can make a big difference when it comes to scholarships. At many colleges, even those where admission is test optional, test scores may be required for certain scholarships or for admission to specific majors or honors programs. Private institutions or organizations that award scholarships may require test scores as part of their scholarship application. It is critically important to verify scholarship and financial aid requirements when applying to colleges, because even though the college itself might be test optional, applying for specific financial awards may require the submission of test scores.
Test optional colleges do not require the submission of ACT or SAT scores, but should a student submit a score, it can and most likely will be considered. And this is a good thing! Consider the college applications of two high school students. The applications demonstrate nearly identical data as far as classes taken, grades received, volunteer hours completed, and the number and quality of extracurricular activities. Even though this particular college is test optional, one student chooses to submit her ACT score while the other student does not.
Which student do you think has a better chance of being accepted?
The one who provided more information to the admissions committee. Research from the College Board consistently demonstrates a correlation between standardized test scores and college success: students with higher test scores achieve higher college grades and they are more likely to return for their second year of college. College admissions officials know this, and when considering who to offer acceptance to, they will always prefer having as much information about a student as possible in order to guide their decision-making.
The bottom line is that as long as standardized tests exist, there are benefits to taking them. And given that standardized tests can be mastered with the guidance of skilled professional educators, there is no reason not to take this potentially life-changing exam and ultimately gain acceptance (and perhaps financial support) at leading undergraduate programs.
Our ACT Prep is highly customizable, and Manhattan Review has many options available to tailor preparation exactly to the student's needs. Therefore, the best way to proceed is to speak to one of our friendly and highly regarded ACT specialists. Requesting an appointment is easy—please simply fill out the ACT Prep Consultation Request Form, and we will be in touch right away. And yes, this in-depth consultation is completely free, so get your prep started today!
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
I'm still confused about the ACT format. What sections are there and how long does the whole thing actually take?
The ACT has five sections, and they always come in the same order. English kicks things off (45 minutes, 75 questions), followed by Math (60 minutes, 60 questions). After a short break you get Reading (35 minutes, 40 questions) and Science (35 minutes, 40 questions). If you're doing the optional Writing test, there's another break before that starts (40 minutes, one essay).
Without Writing, you're looking at about 2 hours and 55 minutes of testing. With Writing, it's 3 hours and 35 minutes, not counting the breaks in between. All the multiple-choice sections are scored from 1 to 36, and your composite score is just the average of those four section scores rounded to the nearest whole number. The Writing test is scored separately on a 2 to 12 scale and doesn't affect your composite at all.
How does ACT scoring actually work? I've heard about composites, subscores, and benchmarks and I'm lost.
Let's break it down. Your composite score (1–36) is the average of your English, Math, Reading, and Science section scores. That's the number colleges care about most. Each section also gets its own score on that same 1–36 scale.
Then there are the newer reporting categories. ACT used to give subscores from 1 to 18, but since 2016 they switched to showing these as percentages instead—like "you got 75% of the grammar questions right." It's meant to be clearer about where exactly you're strong or weak.
You'll also see College Readiness Benchmarks on your score report. These are ACT's way of saying whether you're likely ready for college-level work in each subject. The English benchmark is 18, Math is 22, Reading is 22, and Science is 23. If you hit all four, you're in good shape.
And then there are percentile rankings showing how you did compared to other recent high school graduates nationally and in your state. The average composite score across all test-takers hovers around 20.9.
Should I take the ACT or the SAT? What's the real difference?
Both tests are accepted everywhere, so this is really about which one plays to your strengths. Here's the honest breakdown:
The ACT has a Science section. The SAT doesn't. If you're good at reading graphs and interpreting experiments, that's a point for the ACT. The ACT also moves faster—215 questions in less time, so about 49 seconds per question versus 70 seconds on the SAT. If you work quickly, the ACT might suit you better.
The SAT gives you a formula sheet for the math section. The ACT does not—you need to have those formulas memorized. The SAT also has some questions where you have to write in your own numerical answer, while the ACT is purely multiple-choice (except the essay).
Score ranges are different too. ACT scores run 1–36 per section and composite. SAT scores run 200–800 per section and 400–1600 total. A 21 on the ACT roughly equals a 1060–1090 on the SAT. A 30 ACT roughly equals a 1300–1320 SAT.
Honestly, the best way to decide is to take a full-length practice test of each and see which feels more natural. Lots of students take both—at Princeton, about 19% of admitted students submitted scores for both exams.
How do I register for the ACT and what's it going to cost me?
Registration is pretty straightforward. You create an account on the ACT website (MyACT), pick your test date and center, upload a recent photo, and pay. The whole online process takes about 40 minutes.
For the costs: if you're testing in the US, it's $50.50 without the Writing section or $67.00 with it. International students pay more—$150.00 without Writing and $166.50 with it. Late registration will set you back an extra $30, and changing your test date or center is also $30 each. Standby testing (if you miss the late deadline) is $53.
There are seven test dates per year in the US (September, October, December, February, April, June, and July). Internationally, you get six dates (no July). Regular registration closes about a month before test day.
If you qualify based on financial need, fee waivers are available for 11th and 12th graders in the US. They cover the basic registration fee but not extras like late registration or additional score reports.
What do I need to bring on test day? I don't want to show up unprepared.
Here's your checklist. Pack this stuff the night before so you're not scrambling in the morning:
Must-haves: Your admission ticket, a valid photo ID, plenty of No. 2 pencils with erasers, and an approved calculator (make sure it's on ACT's allowed list—no internet, no data storage, no alarms). A simple watch is fine for keeping track of time, just nothing that connects to the internet.
Nice-to-haves: Snacks and a drink for the breaks. You'll be there for hours, and your brain needs fuel.
Absolutely banned: Phones, smartwatches, laptops, tablets, notes, books, any other electronics. Getting caught with these means dismissal and score cancellation, no questions asked.
Arrive by 8:00 AM at the latest (we'd say 7:30 to be safe). Sign-in takes about 30 minutes, and if you're late, they won't let you in. The test itself starts around 8:30. If you're not taking the Writing section, you'll be done around 11:45. With Writing, plan on wrapping up around 12:25.
Can I retake the ACT? And if so, how many times should I actually do it?
Yes, and you wouldn't be alone—43% of ACT-takers retake the test. According to ACT's own data, 57% of retakers improve their scores, 22% go down, and 21% stay the same. So the odds are in your favor.
Most students take it 2 or 3 times total. The most common pattern is two attempts (about 35% of students), followed by one attempt (29%) and three attempts (20%). We generally don't recommend going beyond three tries unless there's a really good reason. Score improvements get smaller with each attempt—it's a lot easier to go from 18 to 22 than from 32 to 34.
Good reasons to retake: your score was way below your practice test averages, you were sick or stressed on test day, or you've done more coursework in your weaker areas since the last test. Just keep in mind that you have to retake the entire test—ACT doesn't let you retake individual sections.
Also worth knowing: you can choose which complete set of scores to send to colleges. But ACT won't let you pick and choose the best section scores from different test dates—that's called superscoring, and it's something some colleges do on their end, not something ACT offers.
Is there a limit on how many times I can take the ACT?
Yes, ACT has a few rules you need to know:
You can take the ACT a maximum of 12 times total. And yes, cancelled registrations count toward that limit. In very rare cases, ACT will allow a 13th attempt if you can show a special reason (like your school district required you to take it, or you first tested before age 13).
There's also a 60-day waiting period between tests. If you take it again within 60 days, your scores get automatically cancelled and you don't get a refund.
As for your scores themselves: they technically never expire. ACT keeps records indefinitely. But realistically, if it's been more than five years since you took the test, most people would advise retaking it. Academic skills fade, and colleges want to see current performance.
What if I feel like I bombed the test? Can I cancel my scores?
You have a small window to cancel, but you need to act fast.
Option 1—right after the test: Before you leave the test center, you can fill out a score cancellation form. Your scores will never be calculated or reported. Simple.
Option 2—up to Thursday after the test: You can submit a written cancellation request to ACT by mail or fax. Once that Thursday passes, the scores are locked in and you cannot cancel them.
The catch is that you have to decide before you see your scores. The deadline passes before scores come out. So it's really only useful if you genuinely felt the test went terribly, not as a way to shop for your best score.
Also keep in mind that you don't get a refund on your registration fee when you cancel, and a cancelled test attempt still counts toward the 12-test lifetime limit.
How much do colleges actually care about ACT scores? I keep hearing "test-optional" everywhere.
It depends on the school, but here's the reality: even at "test-optional" schools, strong ACT scores absolutely help your application. At Harvard, for example, they classify test scores as merely "considered" in their Common Data Set, yet 93% of their incoming class had ACT scores of 30 or higher. That's not a coincidence.
For highly selective schools (acceptance rates under 20%), a composite of 30 is basically the floor. The middle 50% of students at MIT scored 33–35. At Harvard it's 32–35. At Dartmouth it's 30–34. At UC Berkeley it's 29–34.
For moderately selective schools, the ranges are lower but still meaningful. University of Wisconsin–Madison's middle 50% is 27–31. Utah State's is 21–27.
And then there are scholarships. Lots of merit scholarships use ACT scores as a cutoff. The University of Mississippi gives between $1,900 and $8,850 per year depending on your ACT score. UT Arlington offers $10,000 per year for students with a 30+ and top-20% class rank.
The bottom line: if your scores are solid, submit them. If they're well below a school's average range, you might consider test-optional policies. But for competitive schools, a great ACT score is still a huge advantage.
What's the smartest way to prepare for the ACT? Any section-by-section tips?
Start 3 to 6 months out, take a diagnostic test to find your weak spots, and build a study plan around them. Regular full-length practice tests under timed conditions are absolutely the most effective thing you can do. They build stamina, improve your pacing, and make the real test feel familiar.
English (45 min, 75 questions): You've got about 30 seconds per question after reading time. Read every answer choice carefully—many look almost identical. For questions about a whole passage, pay close attention to exactly what's being asked. Misreading the question is the easiest way to get it wrong.
Math (60 min, 60 questions): One minute per question. Simple ones will go faster and give you extra time for the harder problems at the end. Check your progress—you should be at question 20 when you're 20 minutes in. Know your calculator well before test day, and only use it when it actually saves time. Every ACT math problem can be solved without a calculator if you know the formulas.
Reading (35 min, 40 questions): Spend about 3 minutes reading each passage and 30 seconds per question. That's 32 minutes total, leaving you 3 minutes to review. Think in terms of who, what, when, where, and why—like a journalist. A lot of questions ask about exactly those things.
Science (35 min, 40 questions): This is not a science knowledge test. It's a data interpretation test. Spend about 2 minutes per passage and 30 seconds per question. Some people find it helpful to read the questions first so you know what to look for in the data. Make notes while you read.
Writing (40 min, 1 essay): Spend 10 minutes planning and 30 writing. Analyze each of the three perspectives given, form your own opinion, outline your essay, and write. A good structure: discuss each perspective, present your own view, and connect it back to the others. Graders care most about how well you complete the task, not how many words you use.
For materials: the Official ACT Prep Guide is essential because it uses real retired test questions. Manhattan Review offers free practice tests, formula sheets, and grammar guides as downloads. And take at least 3 or 4 full-length practice tests before the real thing.
ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. ACT, Inc. is not associated or affiliated with Manhattan Review, nor does ACT sponsor or endorse Manhattan Review's goods or services.