Walk in ready
ACT® Prep
A balanced mix of instruction, practice and full-length tests.
Increase scores (and confidence!) with Sylvan ACT preparation courses
Unlike most ACT prep programs, Sylvan offers a balanced approach to our prep courses. Our proven mix includes teacher-led instruction (available in-center or via live, online sessions), independent practice, a robust website with resources, thousands of video tutorials and multiple ACT practice tests.
This comprehensive approach ensures that your teen learns strategies for tackling every type of exam question (including the optional writing test). Plus, they can focus on the specific skill areas that need improvement.
What’s included
What does Sylvan’s ACT preparation program offer?
With our ACT Prep, your teen can take full advantage of:
Get started with an ACT practice test
Students start with a Sylvan Prep ACT practice test, which generates a score report that helps us identify areas for improvement and personalize their lessons.
- Total composite score on the 1–36 scale
- Section scores for English, Math, Reading and Science on the 1–36 scale
- An estimated ACT Writing score for each of the four writing traits on a 2–12 scale
- A question-by-question breakdown showing the correct answer, your teen’s answer, and whether they got it right, wrong or skipped it
- Section-level analysis of items correct, incorrect and blank, raw points and percentage of possible points
Prep anywhere with online ACT Prep tools
With Sylvan’s ACT preparation, you also get Sylvan Prep Online — our personalized online learning environment. It gives your teen 24/7 access to extra instruction and practice, wherever they study best.
- Thousands of detailed video lessons on how to approach ACT questions, so there aren’t any surprises on test day
- Subject-specific video lessons to help improve the biggest areas of need
- A vocabulary-building tool to conquer the reading required on the ACT
- Tons of short quizzes so teens get even more practice with questions similar to what they’ll see on the ACT
- Full-length, timed practice tests to prepare for the pace and format of the ACT and build confidence for test day
About the test
What is the ACT?
The ACT is a college admissions test accepted by every U.S. college. It was shortened in 2025: English, math and reading are now the core, and science and writing are optional add-ons.
Good questions!
Frequently asked questions
Sylvan ACT Preparation FAQs
Our most popular ACT Prep Course usually takes 26 hours and runs 8 weeks prior to ACT test dates. Depending on your teen’s goals and current strengths and weaknesses, the course may be longer or shorter.
ACT FAQs
Hear it from Sylvan families
What parents say about ACT® Prep
“Sylvan’s Garner location has been wonderful to work with! The program has helped our daughter with ACT prep and has improved her score thanks to their curriculum.”
“Hello we had a great experience at Sylvan. My daughter received ACT tutoring last summer focusing on math and was able to improve her score and qualify for the Florida Medallion Scholarship.”
“I attended sylvan for the ACT prep, and they were able to individualize instruction for a standardized test. This is not an easy task, so I commend their ability. My score improved tremendously with their help. I would recommend this to anyone looking for college admissions exam help!”
Get started today
Get started with ACT Prep
ACT Prep is available at select Sylvan centers. Give us a call at (888) 338-2283 or fill out the form to discuss your student’s learning goals. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.