ACT Tutoring
The ACT, which is similar to the SAT I, is used for entrance into US Universities. We are very experienced at tutoring the ACT and the SAT and at helping students apply to US Universities.
ACT Tutoring
The ACT, which is similar to the SAT I, is used for entrance into US Universities. We are very experienced at tutoring the ACT and the SAT and at helping students apply to US Universities.
ACT
What is the ACT?
When applying to University in America, some students prefer to sit the ACT. The ACT is similar to the SAT I but has four sections: Critical Reading, English, Mathematics, and Science. There is an erroneous perception that the SAT I is 'more valid' than the ACT, as both are widely used and accepted. In fact, in 2011, the ACT surpassed the SAT for the first time in total number of test takers. Read about the ACT test format and question types below, or see our dedicated webpage on frequently asked questions comparing the SAT I vs the ACT.
Our Experience & Approach
There is considerably less practice material for the ACT than the SAT. Therefore, our tutors have developed ways to teach this exam with additional practice material. Our Head Tutor, Katherine Wiles, is experienced with helping parents to choose between the ACT and SAT and, along with your dedicated tutor, will advise on specialists for specific sections as needed.
ACT Test Format & Question Types
The ACT assesses the skills that are taught in all schools: reading, writing, mathematics, and science. It is scored out of 36 with the final or composite score determined by the average across the four sections. The English, Mathematics, and Reading sections also have subscores out of 18. The writing score does not affect the composite score.
EnglishThe first section is the 45-minute 75-question English test that covers usage, mechanics, and rhetorical skills. There are five full passages with various sections underlined and questions on the other side of the page.
MathematicsThe second section is the 60-minute 60-question mathematics test that examines pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and elementary trigonometry. Calculators are permitted but with stricter requirements than the SAT. Computer algebra systems (TI-89s for example) are not allowed, but the standard graphing calculators TI-83 and TI-84 are permissible.
ReadingThe reading section is a 35-minute 40-question test with four 10-question passages. These passages are usually in each of the following four categories: prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science. Many international students find the prose fiction passage in particular the most challenging. The only true preparation for this section is to read more!
ScienceThe science section is a 35-minute 40-question test that contains six passages each followed by approximately 6 questions. There is usually only one conflicting viewpoints passage with the others some combination of data representation and research summary. The science section can be challenging to complete on time and so requires extensive preparation.
WritingThe writing (optional) is now 40 minutes long having recently increased from 30 minutes. Essays are given in response to a broad prompt which usually encompasses a social issue. The essay is assigned a score from 1 to 6 by two readers producing a final subscore ranging from 2 to 12.
Selected ACT Testimonials
Please see below some example ACT Testimonials that we have received. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor guarantee or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more ACT Testimonials can be found on our dedicated testimonials page, where you can filter by subject.
Selected Profiles of our ACT Tutors
Please see below some example profiles of the ACT Tutors that we represent. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor selection criteria or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more profiles of our ACT Tutors can be found on our dedicated tutors page, where you can filter by subject.
Sophia Ohler – Private Tutor in London
I'm originally from New York, and have been living in London for a bit over a year now. After graduating from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Creative Writing (Cum Laude), I received my Master's degree from the London Film School. I've been privately tutoring for years, as a peer tutor on Harvard's campus with the Bureau of Study Council, as well as with private agencies. I also have extensive experience as an Admissions Representative in the Harvard Admissions Office. I specialise in the American curriculum and US College Counselling, but know and work with the English curriculum as well. ...
Dr Caitlin Rea – Private Tutor in Edinburgh
Dr Caitlin Rea is a dual (US/UK) citizen, graduating from Harvard with a BA in Neurobiology and Anthropology in 2015. She graduated with a degree in medicine from Kings College London Graduate medical school in 2019 and has relocated from London to Edinburgh last year. She has been working for Wentworth since 2015 focusing on US school and college admissions. At Harvard, she worked for Veritas Education for 2 years and travelled to China to work as both a teacher and US college consultant. She also tutored children with Autism throughout college. Researching and teaching children who have learning difficulties is one of her main interests. Before Harvard, she completed her GCSE's and A-levels (Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Geography) in the UK. Alongside her final year of A-levels, she completed the SAT and SAT II exams and went through the US college application process alongside her UK UCAS application. She is well versed in the various US entrance exams and the US application process. ...
Lily Edwards – Private Tutor in South West London
I am a graduate of Durham University, where I completed a BA in English and Philosophy. Although I went to university in the UK, I grew up in New York, and completed all of my schooling in America. I attended one of the top boarding schools in the country, Groton School, on an academic scholarship. I took the SAT and AP exams, earning some of the highest scores in my class for both. I have been tutoring since the age of 15, as part of a tutoring program at Groton. I continued at university for English and Philosophy students, and post-graduation, here in London. Having attended both US and UK education systems, I understand and can work with both curriculums, especially with school and university entrance exams and processes. ...
Scarlett M – Private Tutor in London
I have experience teaching a range of ages, both privately part-time and in full time employment as a teacher at Hurstpierpoint College, where I worked for a year before starting my degree at Oxford University. I have a particular interest in entrance into the UK's top schools and Universities, teaching 11 plus, Common Entrance, and preparing students for Oxbridge. I am aided by a detailed understanding of UK independent schools as well as experience preparing for the American education system at ISEE and SSAT level in particular. I have delivered private tuition to children between 5 and 20 years. I find tutoring immensely rewarding and particularly enjoy the focused nature of assisting an individual with their academic goals. ...
Itai Farhi – Professional Teacher in Central London
After finishing two degrees from Stanford and Kingston Universities (covering a range of topics from philosophy of religion and mathematics to critical theory) I am now preparing to teach philosophy in prisons and studying to become a psychoanalyst. ...
David Wilkinson – Professional Teacher in North London
I was born and raised in the United Kingdom and won an academic scholarship to Sherborne School at the age of 13. When I was 16 years old my family relocated to the United States, so I completed my secondary education at a competitive high school in the Houston area. After quickly adjusting to the American system, I achieved excellent results in my AP exams and SAT tests and received a place in the prestigious Plan II Honours program at the University of Texas at Austin. I graduated a year early with high honours, a second major in History, and an undergraduate dissertation that was awarded special honours. I have years of experience tutoring for the SAT and ACT exams and experience teaching the American public school curriculum in the humanities. I specialize in preparing international students wishing to attend university in the United States. ...
Nicolas Pimpare – Private Tutor in London Southbank
I was brought up in Paris and moved to London to study at Imperial College, where I obtained a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in Theoretical Physics with High First Class honours. My research focused on the way in which alternative logic systems can help us bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and relativity. I was awarded Associateship of the Royal College of Science.
Although I am a science specialist, I also have a strong background in English and Verbal Reasoning. I sat the GRE in 2016 for entrance to US Grad School and got exceptionally good grades (Verbal Reasoning - 99th percentile, Analytical Writing - 93rd percentile).
Since 2011, I have offered private tuition for all major examination boards as well as working for the Imperial College summer schools. ...
Samara Melwani – Private Tutor in Central London
I am a driven and enthusiastic tutor with over 8 years of tutoring experience. I have a passion for learning, and am currently completing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at UCL.
Given my academic background, I have experience teaching GCSE, A level and undergraduate level Psychology. I also have experience tutoring creative writing, English literature / language, and maths.
I have spent time training and working at The Princeton Review in New York where I taught English as a second language to children and adults, and worked with highly driven students on US boarding school and university test preparation (SSATs, SATs, ACTs). I have a specialized knowledge of US higher education.
I have spent time working in a private children’s therapy clinic, and my career has lent itself to working with students with a diverse range of learning styles, including working with students with special learning needs (i.e. ADHD, autism spectrum, dyslexia / dyspraxia / dyscalculia etc).
I hold an MA in Clinical Psychology, and a BA in Sociology from the University of Toronto. I believe in recognising the unique potential in each of the students I work with. ...
Cecilia March – Private Tutor in North London
I specialise in US exam preparation, reading comprehension, Art History, English (writing and literature), History, and French language. I have benefitted from one-on-one tutoring throughout my education in order to prepare for standardized tests (ISEE/SSAT, SAT/ACT, GRE), which helped me build confidence and was a huge factor in my success. Having grown up in Manhattan and having attended boarding school and university in the US, I am intimately acquainted with the American educational system and the testing and admissions processes for US high schools and universities. Because of my background, I am well equipped to provide admission advice and counselling.
In New York, I attended a private, all-girls school, Convent of the Sacred Heart, before continuing my education at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. At Choate, I took many Advanced Placement and honors courses. I achieved a 35 (of 36) on my ACT and 5's on my Art History, French, English Literature, and European History AP exams. I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee where I double-majored in Art History and French. Before beginning my graduate studies in September 2019, in order to improve my German, I attended the Middlebury College Intensive Summer Language Program in Middlebury, Vermont, an 8 week, immersive program where all classes and socialising are conducted in German. I moved to London in 2019 to attend the master's programme in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute (M.A. distinction, 2020; course: German Modernism: Politics, Utopia, and Times of Turmoil).
I am now the Project Curator of an online journal and exhibition space affiliated with MIT on art and migration and Performa director RoseLee Goldberg's research assistant for the fourth edition of her book Performance Art: From Futurism to the Present, focusing on performance and new media from 2010 onward. ...
Jessica F – Private Tutor in London and Oxford
I have just returned to the UK after 20 months in New Delhi, India, where I was working as an Education Consultant and teaching the SAT and ACT. I gained my undergraduate degree from Cambridge University, and have over three years experience teaching students from Primary age up to GCSE. I am open to residential positions and roles involving travel. I love to engage my pupils in extra-curricular activities such as sports, arts and crafts, trips and days out, and educational visits. ...