9 Best ACT Prep Courses For 2023: Top Online School Picks & Reviews
BEST OVERALL
BEST BUDGET OPTION
BEST LIVE ONLINE COURSE
Millions of 10th-grade students are taking standardized tests like ACT every year. It’s no wonder why the competition is oozing in terms of who scores the highest. In your quest to attain a high score or, better yet, a perfect score, it is crucial that you choose the right ACT online prep course.
There are a lot of ACT prep classes out there that offer promising results, and we understand the challenge of choosing the best according to your needs.
It’s not easy.
So, we’re here to give you the most comprehensive roundup review of the best ACT test prep courses in the ed-tech market today.
Hang in there as we list down only the best for your ACT quest.
1. Prep Expert ACT Course
Best Overall
Price: $ (low-priced)
One of the most competitive ACT prep classes today is the Prep Expert ACT prep course. Who doesn’t want to get involved in an ACT course that’s recognized by Shark Tank and backed by the billionaire Mark Cuban? This prestigious image of the Prep Expert attracts a lot of students to its course model.
For us, we love how they focus on giving you the best instructors in test preps. They employ only the best tutors who garnered perfect scores or in the 99th percentile in the actual ACT test. That’s their main agendum that makes their 4-point score guarantee a possibility for students. Otherwise, you’ll get your money back, which is a great feature for those who are hesitant about the results of their ACT study.
The other aspect that we rave about Prep Expert ACT prep course is their versatility in tutorial formats. They offer in-classroom, live-online, and on-demand online sessions. This option allows freedom for students to choose a tutorial set-up that would work for their schedules and preference. Their most in-demand format is the live-online class, a live video conference with the teacher and other students.
They also offer a range of programs that work for both the students who cram and for those who have enough time to prep. Available plans are:
- 3-week fast-track course
- 6-week flagship course for those who are in a rush to prepare for their ACT test.
- A self-paced program that comes with a 1-year-access to pre-recorded lessons taught by Shaan Patel.
- The weekend review program is for those who want a comprehensive review for their ACT test
Final Verdict:
It’s expensive, but for a very good reason. As they say, you get what you pay for, and it’s what Prep Expert is an “expert” at. The features and claims are promising, and we can tell that the course doesn’t disappoint.
2. Magoosh ACT Prep Course
Best Budget Option
Price: $ (low-priced)
Magoosh may not be as established or as popular as other providers of ACT prep courses on our list, but many still rank it as one of the best online ACT prep materials.
One of its best aspects is its affordability. For a fairly decent value, you can equip yourself for the actual ACT test without a fuss. Magoosh gives you access to its materials while giving you flexibility through its student-friendly features, such as SMS reminders, weekly schedule setups, and bite-sized video lessons.
The video lessons allow you to study at your own pace, anytime and anywhere without the rigidity that other test prep providers are known for. If you ask Magoosh students, the bite-sized video lessons are easily digestible and can be accessed at their most convenient.
Also, Magoosh ACT offers three plan options for you, depending on the time you can allocate for test prep. If you’re in a rush, then you can start off with the 1-month-plan, which is also the cheapest option.
However, if you have more time to prep, let’s say 3 months or more, we recommend the 3-month-prep and 12-month-prep that are both still affordable. These options are also perfect for those who aim higher scores because more time is allotted for the lessons.
Magoosh is amazing, thanks to its happy team of educators who make all this possible for students who love the fun and more relaxed test prep experience. Also, if you feel reluctant about what Magoosh ACT has in store for you, worry no more. Magoosh lets you create a practice account so you can access their 100+ lessons and questions before you decide to upgrade to their premium plans. A great deal, isn’t it?
Here are more reasons to consider Magoosh.
If you’re still not convinced, go ahead and sign-up for their 1-week FREE trial. There are no strings attached. All you have to do is enter your email.
Final Verdict:
The Magoosh ACT is the best online ACT prep program if you’re not into painstaking test preps. Their overall ACT model makes them the best ACT course for the self-paced students who are looking for flexible study time and a course offered at a very affordable price.
3. Kaplan ACT Prep Course
Best Live Online Course
Price: $$ (starting low)
Being in the ed-tech industry for 80 years, Kaplan surely has an impressive history of achievements that other test prep providers cannot beat. Kaplan ACT prep course also has a partnership with ACT, Inc., enabling it to offer a wide ACT coverage.
However, it is included in our list because its features are outstanding. Kaplan ACT prep course offers three course options: self-paced, live-online, and unlimited prep. Kaplan ACT’s most popular option is the live-online sessions.
Despite the steep price, some students prefer to prep for the ACT Kaplan way because of the installment payment for three months. Honestly, the upfront cost is too expensive for low-income families, we cannot argue with this. The good thing is, Kaplan and its partnership with ACT, Inc. makes it possible for low-income families to potentially apply for discounts and free courses.
Also, Kaplan holds the label of being the best test prep provider when it comes to printed materials. So it’s definitely worth the investment. Kaplan ACT prep course has one of the most recommended ACT prep books that contain explanations for every potential ACT practice question. It also includes an official ACT online practice test that simulates what the actual ACT exam may be like.
Still not convinced?
Final Verdict:
The test prep’s whopping prices are intimidating for many families, and for you too if pricing is an essential factor you consider. But the ACT prep books that are proven effective in improving your ACT score makes it something worth considering.
4. The Princeton Review ACT Prep Course
Best Material Quality
Price: $$ (starts low)
It is one of Kaplan’s top competitors and we understand why. The Princeton Review is among the most popular test prep companies because not only does it enjoys long-standing merit of success in the ed-tech industry, but it also takes pride in its quality courses that already stood the test of time. 35 years, to be exact.
One of its top test prep courses is their ACT prep course that integrates cutting-edge technology with quality content and expert tutors. It also gives you an option to personalize your course with the help of high-standard materials.
Moreover, there are a ton of features on offer like the top-percentile instructors and tutor-on-demand sessions. For a hefty price tag, we would expect this type of instruction, especially for students who need constant supervision.
Speaking of being an expensive ACT course, the Princeton Review ACT does not cover ACT materials only. It also includes some of the prep materials for SAT and PSAP, which other test prep companies don’t offer as an added value.
The year-long access, parent-student portal apps, and money-back guarantee definitely make them one of the best ACT prep courses. Who wouldn’t love their “Chat with the Teacher” option? We believe everyone wants this level of accessibility of support.
Finally, The Princeton Review ACT offers multiple course programs. They have the ACT 31+ that guarantees a 31+ score for 2 months, which is the priciest. They also have the ACT Ultimate which is the tier just below ACT 31+. For flexibility, their Private Tutoring and ACT Self-Paced are the best ACT test prep options.
Like Magoosh ACT, they also offer a risk-free trial. The Princeton Review ACT offers their Self Paced Program with a 14-day-free trial. This trial allows you to learn and practice test-taking secrets of their experts with drills and video lessons.
Final Verdict:
For its price and several add-ons, the Princeton Review ACT course deserves to be on our list. In comparison to its close competitors–Kaplan and Prep Expert, we would say that the Princeton Review ACT’s multiple features have an edge when it comes to its ACT online course.
5. Veritas ACT Prep Course
Best Student Support
Price: $$ (mid-range to expensive)
Like Prep Expert, Veritas ACT also offers three tutorial formats: on-demand online, in-classroom, and live-online. The third option is the most popular among students of Veritas ACT. It also comes in a flagship 25-hour session with a live online tutor. This flagship course extends up to 5 weeks of instruction and costs a little cheaper than that of Prep Expert.
It’s also notable to mention that if you’re one of the students who can manage self-paced studying, go for Veritas ACT’s on-demand online. This option comes with ACT question bank, 1-year-access, 10 lesson guidebooks, 12 video lessons in high definition, and live tutor available 7 days a week.
In addition, we appreciate that Veritas is also sensitive to the needs of the students. They allow time for you to check and review tutors, so you will be provided with the best individual who meets and adjusts according to your learning style. Veritas ACT is also perceptive to the idea that students need constant assistance, so their customer service is available 24/7. You can speak to them either through email or live-online (office hours only).
The course material for the ACT is accessible from a wide range of devices as long as there’s an internet connection. Now that’s flexibility at its finest. You can continue where you left off from any device.
Veritas ACT also offer an on demand 7-day-free trial with NO obligations. This trial course includes over three hours of selected ACT on demand lessons with top notch instructors, so you will get a feel on how it’s like to be tutored by their best tutors. Plus, you will also be given access to their question bank with hundreds of ACT practice problems.
Final Verdict:
Veritas ACT is perfect for the more advanced test-takers. For the best value, we highly recommend the on-demand online sessions because of the live instruction 7 days a week!
6. PrepScholar ACT Prep Course
Best Personalized Study
Price: $$ (mid-range to expensive)
With an aim to topple down the more popular ACT prep courses, PrepScholar ACT takes a different route. Its founders, Allen Cheng and Fred Zhang, who are both ACT masters aim to provide a much student-oriented approach.
By the way, we love how bold and promising PrepScholar ACT is, which is a factor as to why it’s gaining prominence recently. The PrepScholar ACT test prep online guarantees a 4-point-improvement through its customization methods.
What makes it even more promising is the system’s ability to detect your exact level on each of the 40 ACT skills. Through this, you can gauge your strengths and weaknesses a lot better. Your study plan will be adjusted according to your needs as well. In other words, you will only work on lessons that you are having difficulties and course through several subject areas that you’re already good at.
Furthermore, PrepScholar ACT has collective motivation strategies that include weekly reports, customized feedback, and progress trackers. Personalized messages of encouragement are even sent to their students. This is done to ensure that the morale of the students remains intact even with the toughest of ACT reviews.
Moreover, PrepScholar employs 99th percentile instructors who also take part in developing the ACT materials. This strategy allows the provider to be on-the-loop on the real ACT prep scenarios that they too had experienced when they were still students.
Take a glimpse of their course below.
Their risk-free trial goes for five days and starts with essential questions to figure out which areas you need improvements. The quick survey for the trial also asks you of your target score increase.
Final Verdict:
They have only two programs, which have a wide price difference. The cheaper ACT program limits your access to prep materials, while the pricey ones offer complete accessibility. For us, the cost of comprehensive access is just too high.
7. Kranse Institute ACT Prep Course
Best Intensive Course
Price: $$ (mid-range)
You might have heard or read about Shaan Patel as a leading tutor for Prep Expert because he definitely is. Due to his superb test-taking background as an SAT perfect scorer, there’s no wonder why he established his own test prep and that’s Kranse Institute.
While it is primarily known for its SAT course, their ACT course is equally amazing. Like Magoosh ACT, they have bite-sized videos that run for around 10 minutes per video, offering students another option for flexible studying.
You might wonder, what else does Kranse Institute ACT has to offer?
It offers you course access for 18 months, which is the longest course access among all test prep courses. Furthermore, their 7-day money-back guarantee is another feature of the Kranse Institute ACT that we love. We know there’s a lot of you who are hesitant about emerging test prep companies such as Kranse Institute, so it’s important to mention their money-back guarantee. Try their services, and if you’re not satisfied after 7 days of usage, you’ll get a refund. As easy as that.
Here’s an overview of its other top features.
Final Verdict:
Despite its shortcomings, the Kranse Institute ACT prep course is worth investigating. Different students have different preferences when it comes to studying, this program might work for you.
8. Sylvan ACT Prep Course
Best In Person
Price: $ (low-priced)
The Sylvan ACT prep course is undeniably one of the best online ACT prep courses in the ed-tech market. It’s popularly known for its in-classroom sessions. It also incorporates a close-knit approach to student learning by using online videos, practice tests, in-center instruction, and independent learning.
The Sylvan ACT prep course mainly offers in-classroom sessions, either 1-on-1 (4) or group classes. You will be taught about different subject areas and test-taking strategies vital for the actual ACT test.
Even better, the tutors make it a point to discuss and develop your college readiness skills, so you can achieve a holistic improvement after you finish the ACT course. They want to see you improve not only in the subjects but also in your resilience when it comes to the pressure and competition there is in college.
Now, if you choose to be in an in-classroom session, you’re lucky enough because Sylvan learning center is present in over 800 locations worldwide. You simply have to utilize their search tool to find the nearest Sylvan learning center from your home.
On the other hand, if you prefer their online sessions, then you can maximize your usage of the video lessons and other content available in the Sylvan website.
Final Verdict:
Sylvan Learning Center is not primarily a test prep company, rather it’s a tutorial company that offers various services for both kids and adolescents who are venturing into standardized tests like the ACT.
That said, Sylvan ACT prep is not the best option for those who are meticulous with tutor expertise who had ACT test experience. However, its due diligence when it comes to in-classroom sessions is remarkable, so we consider it as part of our list.
9. Testive ACT Prep Course
Best Variety
Price: $$ (mid-range)
The Testive ACT Prep Course is one of the most in-demand online ACT prep courses in the market these days because of its interesting course structure. It was founded by two graduates from MIT Sloan School of Management who had a goal in mind–to deliver quality review education through technology and affordability.
What is the best part of the Testive ACT Prep Course that attracts student test-takers? They give you access to their test prep software that has more than 3,000 ACT practice questions without a charge. An added bonus is the support from committed and highly skilled coaches (1).
The extensive collection of practice questions comes with an instant feedback system that provides students prompt answers and clarifications to certain subject areas that they are struggling with the most. Videos are also shown to illustrate how to answer certain questions, especially when it comes to Math.
Before you begin your ACT online prep journey with Testive, you will undergo a free consultation with test experts. In the free consultation, your daily routine, family schedule, goals, plans for college, and learning style will be discussed. This provides the perfect jump-off point for test prep.
Moreover, a diagnostic test (2) is also provided, so your skillset is properly assessed. This will allow the test experts in Testive to figure out which subject areas you need improvement. After the test, your own Testive account will generate the best study program for you based on the result of your diagnostic test.
Testive ACT test prep course also guarantees that you will be mentored by a highly qualified, 99th-percentile scorer coach, regardless of the plan you choose.
There are three different plans to choose from and the significant difference among them is the frequency of the 1-on-1 online coaching per week. Progress tracking is also done per session lasting 30 to 60 minutes, once or twice a week.
The other aspect of the Testive ACT prep course that we love is the software’s ability to adjust according to your momentum. The level of difficulty changes from time to time to challenge your skill set.
Final Verdict:
It’s expensive, but for a very good reason. As they say, you get what you pay for, and it’s what Prep Expert is an “expert”
Final Verdict:
The Testive ACT prep course is best for students with tight schedules because of the three different plans that all address time constraint issues when it comes to prepping for an ACT. They offer a plan for students with at least 4 to 5 months to prepare. There’s also a plan for students who have only 6 weeks to go before their ACT test. Schedule a free consultation (3) to jumpstart your ACT prep. at. The features and claims are promising, and we can tell that the course doesn’t disappoint.
Conclusion
What we have shared here is already a narrowed down list of the best ACT prep classes. It’s now time for you to decide based on your financial capacity and learning needs. Each ACT prep course has its pros and cons, and you should weigh each to identify the best program for you. Hopefully, this list is able to help you assess the right test prep provider for your ACT preparation needs.
References
- https://www.testive.com/coaches/
- https://www.testive.com/how-it-works/
- https://www.testive.com/consultation/
- https://www.sylvanlearning.com/personalized-tutoring/our-approach
