This guide covers everything tutors need to build or evaluate a course, from choosing between the digital and paper format to the specific topics that carry the most exam weight, the timing benchmarks students need to hit by section, and how to structure the full preparation timeline around a student’s diagnostic results.
What is ACT?
The ACT is a standardized college admissions exam accepted by all US universities and most international institutions. It is available in both paper and digital formats. The Enhanced ACT, introduced in 2025, makes Science an optional section and is no longer part of the composite score. English, Math, and Reading are the three required sections that determine the composite on the digital format. For a full breakdown of what changed, see the digital ACT explained for 2026.
| Format | Required Sections | Total Time | Key Differences |
|---|---|---|---|
Paper ACT |
English, Math, Reading, Science |
2 hr 55 min |
Science required; national test dates only |
Digital ACT (Enhanced) |
English, Math, Reading |
2 hr 45 min |
Science optional; year-round testing at approved centers |
Digital ACT section structure
| Section | Questions | Time | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
English |
50 |
35 min |
Grammar, rhetoric, transitions |
Math |
45 |
50 min |
Algebra, geometry, trigonometry |
Reading |
36 |
40 min |
Passage comprehension |
Science (Optional) |
40 |
40 min |
Data analysis, experiments |
Writing (Optional) |
1 Essay |
40 min |
Argumentative essay |
ACT vs SAT: Which Test Should Students Take?
Before starting any prep course, help students choose the right test by running full diagnostics for both. A 2 or more point ACT advantage or a 50 or more point SAT advantage typically indicates the better choice. For a detailed comparison tutors can share with families, see the guide on how tutors can help students choose between ACT and SAT.
Recommend the ACT when a student works quickly under time pressure, excels with data and graphs, is comfortable with geometry and trigonometry, and reads quickly without losing comprehension. Recommend the SAT when a student prefers more time per question, is stronger in algebra, reads carefully rather than quickly, or performs better with adaptive testing.
| Factor | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
Duration |
2 hr 45 min |
2 hr 14 min |
Questions |
171 |
98 |
Pacing |
Fast (49 to 53 sec per question) |
Moderate (82 to 85 sec per question) |
Math |
Broader including trigonometry |
Algebra-focused |
Science |
Optional (not in composite) |
None |
Format |
Linear |
Adaptive |
What a Complete ACT Test Prep Course Must Include
1. Diagnostic testing first
Never start content instruction before running a full-length diagnostic. It establishes the baseline composite score, identifies topic-level weaknesses across each section, reveals pacing issues, and generates the student’s personalised learning roadmap. Tutors who skip this step spend equal time on areas the student already handles well and areas where they are losing the most points.
2. High-impact topics by section
In English, subject-verb agreement and punctuation account for roughly 30 to 38 percent of questions combined. Transitions and rhetorical skills make up another 20 to 25 percent. In Math, pre-algebra and elementary algebra cover 35 to 40 percent of questions, with plane geometry and coordinate geometry accounting for another 35 to 43 percent combined. In Reading, inference questions and main idea questions together account for 55 to 65 percent of the section. For section-specific teaching strategies, see the guides on ACT English vs SAT Writing, ACT Math question difficulty and pacing, and ACT Reading vs SAT Reading.
3. Timing drills from the start
Pacing is the single most distinctive challenge of the ACT compared to the SAT. The paper ACT gives students as little as 36 seconds per question in the English section and 52 seconds in Reading and Science. Students who have not practised under these time constraints consistently underperform their practice accuracy on test day. Introduce timed section drills from the first week, not just in the final weeks before the exam. For detailed pacing strategies by section, see the guide on ACT timing and pacing.
Enhanced ACT timing
| Section | Time Strategy |
|---|---|
English |
42 sec/question (50 questions, 35 min) |
Math |
67 sec/question (45 questions, 50 min) |
Reading |
67 sec/question (36 questions, 40 min) |
Science |
60 sec/question (40 questions, 40 min) – Optional |
Paper ACT timing
| Section | Time Strategy |
|---|---|
English |
36 sec/question (75 questions, 45 min) |
Math |
60 sec/question (60 questions, 60 min) |
Reading |
52 sec/question (40 questions, 35 min) |
Science |
52 sec/question (40 questions, 35 min) |
4. Full-length mock tests and error review
Students need 3 to 4 full-length mock tests spaced 10 to 14 days apart. Mock tests surface pacing problems, stamina issues, and error patterns that targeted practice alone does not reveal. Spend 60 to 90 minutes reviewing each mock test before moving on. Students should tag every wrong answer into one of four categories. The four types are content gap, timing issue, misread question, and careless mistake. Each requires a different fix and different practice strategy.
How Long Should an ACT Prep Course Be?
| Starting Score | Target Gain | Timeline | Total Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
25+ |
3-4 points |
4-6 weeks |
30-40 hours |
20-24 |
4-6 points |
8-10 weeks |
50-70 hours |
Below 20 |
6-9 points |
12-16 weeks |
80-100 hours |
The recommended weekly study load is 8 to 10 hours split across 4 to 6 hours of guided instruction and practice, 2 to 3 hours of independent work, and 1 to 2 hours of mock tests. Start 3 to 6 months before the target test date. Students aiming for 32 to 36 should start 4 to 6 months early. For guidance on how many full tests students should take, see the guide on how many ACT practice tests students should take.
Should Students Take Science as an Optional Section?
On the Enhanced ACT, Science is optional and does not contribute to the composite score. The composite is calculated from English, Math, and Reading only. Science is reported separately and contributes to a STEM score. Most colleges do not require the Science section and will evaluate applicants using the three-section composite. Students with strong science backgrounds applying to STEM programmes may benefit from including it to demonstrate that strength. For a full breakdown of the decision, see whether students should take the ACT with or without Science.
How MentoMind Supports ACT Prep Delivery
MentoMind’s ACT course includes 1,000 or more expert-crafted practice questions organized by topic and difficulty, 4 full-length tests, AI-powered student support, auto-graded assignments, and white-label options for tutors who want to brand the platform under their own name and domain. Tutors can start delivering structured ACT prep immediately without building course content from scratch.
Individual tutors get diagnostic tools for lead generation, parent-ready progress reports, and flexible pricing structures. Institutions get standardised curriculum across all tutors, bulk student licensing, and multi-location dashboards. For examples of how tutors use MentoMind in practice, see the case studies from iCatalyze Tutoring and PM Tutoring.
For growing the business side alongside prep delivery, see the guides on scaling tutoring income and tracking student progress without burning out.
Students starting above 25 need 4-6 weeks (30-40 hours), those at 20-24 need 8-10 weeks (50-70 hours), and those below 20 need 12-16 weeks (80-100 hours) based on diagnostic results.
The Digital ACT offers year-round testing flexibility and makes Science optional, while Paper ACT has fixed test dates and requires Science. Students should consider their schedule needs and whether they want to include the Science section. Both formats use the same scoring scale and are equally accepted by colleges.
Digital ACT advantages: Shorter test time (2 hr 45 min), optional Science, more test date availability Paper ACT advantages: Traditional format, all students take same test on same day
Start 3-6 months before test date. Students targeting 32-36 should begin 4-6 months early. Always begin with a comprehensive diagnostic test.
Students need 3-4 full-length tests throughout preparation, spaced 10-14 days apart. High-achieving students may benefit from 4-5 tests.
Score improvement varies based on starting score, study consistency, course completion rate, and number of practice tests taken. The diagnostic test helps set realistic improvement targets based on individual student needs and identified skill gaps.
Tutors cannot modify core 1,000+ questions but can add supplementary questions, create custom assignments, white-label the platform, and set their own pricing.
MentoMind offers 1,000+ expert questions, 3 full-length tests, AI-powered help, comprehensive analytics, and white-label options for tutors. These features provide structured learning paths and real-time progress tracking not available in free resources.
MentoMind provides real-time dashboards showing individual/batch performance, topic-level mastery, test score trends, time spent studying, and shareable parent reports.
Most colleges no longer require Writing. Check target universities’ requirements. Writing is recommended for education, law, health sciences, and journalism programs.
Most students take it 2-3 times: first for baseline, second after prep, third to fine-tune. Many colleges use superscoring (highest section scores from multiple attempts).
Yes, the ACT is accepted by universities in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and many other countries. Over 4,000 universities globally accept ACT scores, though availability of international test centers varies by region.
Ready to Deliver Structured ACT Prep Without Building From Scratch?
MentoMind gives you 1,000 plus practice questions, 4 full-length tests, student analytics, and white-label options so you can start teaching immediately under your own brand.
