The ACT is far too important and practicable to take without preparing.   Unless a scholar has the rare advantage to master the test independently, some form of preparation is imperative.

1. Is The Program Personalized?

A prep course that is a one-size-fits-all approach is rarely effective to students.   The best ACT prep course takes that into account and provides flexible schedules and locations to meet the needs of all students academic levels, and busy schedules.   Prep course should support all aspects of a student’s learning process.

2. Who’s The Instructor?

Test prep companies boast that they hire instructors who scored perfect on the test.  A perfect score is awesome, but do they know how to deliver meaningful in instruction, or how to relate to your teen.  Research and find out who designed the course content or what experience the instructors have.  Effective instructors will be referred by teens who have already taken the course and was engaged.  Your don’t trust English teacher teaching a Science class.  Seek out trained and qualified instructors.

3. Are The Practice Questions Authentic?

You want to make sure that your teen can secure the benefits of knowledge from authentic questions.

Also, the level of explanation your teen will get with each practice question. Is there a text explanation? Are there diagrams to help your teen sort through difficult math problems? Does your teen have access to video explanations?  Is there follow-up authentic practice questions to be sure your teen has mastered the skill.

4. Quality Of Content

A key component of test prep course is the content and strategy.  There’s a reason why the test prep industry is a billion dollar industry; it is because very smart people who study these tests can decipher what patterns and what is tested.  A high-quality company can tell you what types of questions appear most frequently, how to eliminate answers, and how to work questions in ways that test makers expect you to.  Consequently, the most important reason why your teen should take a prep course over practicing on his/her own is to learn these strategies. Furthermore, make sure your online test prep offers this imperative strategy advice.

5. Support

I believe one of the most important key components to be looking for in online test prep.  You do not want to feel like you just wrote the check and never heard from us again.  If your teen is confused by a question or skill, is there anyone to reach out to.  You want your online test prep course to provide an expert or resources to help fill in the missing pieces.

Even though these are the top five things teens should look for in the best ACT prep course, this list is not fully comprehensive. Just as teens would prepare for a big test, they too should do the research to find the prep program best for their learning needs.