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The ACT is faster-paced than the SAT. On the enhanced ACT, the composite score comes from English, Math, and Reading, and Science is an optional section that some schools and states still include. Our tutors train students to manage time, anticipate question types, and sustain focus through every section they take.
Meet your ACT tutor at home, at a nearby library, or at a coffee shop in the Berkeley area; you choose the meeting place when you book. Online sessions use Zoom and a shared whiteboard.
Students from Berkeley High, Albany High, Piedmont High, and Head-Royce trust our ACT tutors.
Book Your Free ConsultationFree 30-minute call by phone or Zoom. No commitment.
The ACT changed in 2025. The enhanced ACT is shorter, gives students more time per question, and makes Science optional. Your student's Composite score (1 to 36) now comes from three sections: English, Math, and Reading.
| Section | Questions | Time | Counts toward the Composite? |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 50 | 35 minutes | Yes |
| Math | 45 | 50 minutes | Yes |
| Reading | 36 | 40 minutes | Yes |
| Science (optional) | 40 | 40 minutes | No. Adds a separate STEM score |
| Writing (optional) | 1 essay | 40 minutes | No. Adds a separate ELA score |
The three core sections take 125 minutes. A few changes worth knowing:
Our tutors build each student's plan around the sections they will actually take.
Science. Since Science no longer counts toward the Composite, most students can skip it. It is worth taking when a college your student is considering asks for it or values the STEM score, or when your student is aiming at a STEM program and wants that score on record. Despite the name, ACT Science is mostly about reading charts, graphs, and experiment summaries quickly, not about memorized science facts.
Writing. The optional essay produces a separate ELA score. Few colleges require it today, so most students skip it unless a specific school on their list asks for it.
Our advice: decide based on your student's college list, not on a guess. In your free consultation we look at that list together and build the plan around the sections that matter. If your student takes Science or Writing, our ACT program covers them too.
On a free 30-minute call by phone or Zoom, we review your student's starting point, goal, test date, and schedule, then recommend a program.
Your ACT tutor uses full-length practice tests to see exactly where points are slipping and which skills will move the score most.
One-on-one sessions target the highest-impact skills, and regular practice tests guide adjustments. After every session, your tutor writes feedback on what was covered and what's next.
In person or online in Berkeley. Not sure which fits? We'll recommend one on your free consultation.
Best for students with a shorter timeline or a few specific areas to improve.
Discuss this plan on a free consultation →Best for most students who want enough time to build skills, practice, reassess, and improve across the full test.
Discuss this plan on a free consultation →Best for students starting earlier who want the most thorough preparation and time for multiple improvement cycles.
Discuss this plan on a free consultation →Two free starts: a free 30-minute consultation to choose a plan, and your student's first tutoring hour free, with no commitment. If you choose a program, that free hour is added on top of your program hours.
* Monthly payments shown are 12-month plans at 10% APR, the lowest rate offered through Affirm. Your actual rate (10% to 36% APR) depends on your credit and is subject to approval. You can also pay in full. See test prep pricing for package policies.
Yes. A test prep package is a commitment to the hours you buy (see our program terms). That's why we start with a free consultation and a free first hour, so you can be sure before you commit.
No. The weeks shown are typical, not deadlines. Sessions are scheduled around your student's calendar and test date, and you can reschedule for free with at least 6 hours' notice.
Keep unused hours as store credit at your package rate, or take a refund: we re-price the hours you used at the rate they qualify for (a smaller package or pay-as-you-go) and refund the difference.
Read the full SAT & ACT program terms, including the refund schedule. Not sure how many hours? Book a free consultation and we'll recommend a plan.
Tony has two years of tutoring experience and is a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering, teaching math and physics through AP and college levels.
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Arani has 8 years of tutoring experience and holds a BA in Physics and Applied Mathematics and an MS in Applied Physics.
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Nandini is an Economics student at UC Berkeley with several years of experience teaching students of different ages in math.
View Profile →We've been very impressed with the methodical, detailed tutoring by Ingo. He's been working with our son on his SAT and ACT prep. Extremely pleased so far!
Calling High Performance Tutoring was one of our best decisions after treading water with other options for our daughter's ACT. My daughter jumped 6 points on the ACT and felt great about her improvement. We'd highly recommend them for a motivated student eager to improve!
Gopi is an amazing tutor, my son's ACT score went up 6 points, from a 28 to a 34. Thank you!
My children have loved every tutor we have used from High Performance. The tutors have helped them excel in their studies in the classroom and helped them succeed on the AP, IB, ACT, and SAT exams!
My daughter Hannah raised her ACT score from a 26 to a 33 after completing an intensive twelve-week training program with High Performance Tutoring. This score will open up so many doors for her!
David took the ACT and SAT each only once after his tutoring, and he was accepted to Harvard. We'd love your very best tutor for our youngest now.
I've worked with Victor for over a year and I'm beyond satisfied with his expertise. He explains very thoroughly, and in a way that sticks! All A's on tests I study with him for. Highly recommended for subject tutoring and SAT/ACT prep.
I took their ACT prep course and they helped me raise my score from a 26 to a 33! They knew exactly what I needed to practice and my tutor was outstanding. When I saw my score I was nearly in tears. I'm confident the change will be the difference between acceptance and rejection at my top-choice college.
We've used High Performance for two years. Victor helped my son with Chemistry, his grade went from a D to a B+, and he ended up liking the class. They've also tutored him in Algebra and for the ACT. They genuinely enjoy working with the kids, and the kids enjoy working with them!
A belated thank you to Liz for a semester of math tutoring. She essentially taught all of Algebra Honors II. My child received an A in the class and scored in the 99th percentile of the PSAT. We could not have done it without your kindness and teaching skills!
[My son] always felt that he had so Much accomplished when he finishes a tutoring session with Eugene.
We've used High Performance Tutoring for two subjects, Calc and Chem, and have been very happy. The most important thing was for our son to feel confident, and that's exactly what happened. He came home saying, 'Now I get it.' Highly recommend.
Most students take their first ACT in the spring of junior year, which leaves time for a second attempt in the summer or fall of senior year. Starting prep two to three months before the first test date is a good rule of thumb, and earlier is better for students with a big score goal or a busy junior year. Because ACT superscores the core sections, a second attempt can focus on the one or two sections with the most room to grow. Our article on the scoring trick that turns one bad section into a free retake explains how.
Not sure how much prep your student needs? Read How many hours of ACT tutoring does my child need?
It depends on your student's strengths and practice-test results. In your free consultation, we can discuss ACT and SAT fit, timing, and goals before recommending a plan. Should my child take the SAT or the ACT?
Last updated September 2026
Deeper, honest answers to the bigger questions families ask before starting.
Book a free consultation to map out your student's plan with an expert ACT coach. For new students, the first tutoring hour is also free, with no commitment.
