If you’re asking do ACT prep classes improve scores, you’re asking the right question before spending real money and real time on preparation. The answer is not a simple yes or no, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.

Here’s the honest version: the right prep works. The wrong prep doesn’t. And knowing the difference is worth more than any single study tip.

Let’s get into it.

The Research Is Mixed. Here’s Why That Matters.

Studies on ACT prep classes show a wide range of outcomes. Some students see gains of 30 to 100 points. Others see almost nothing.

A report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling reviewed common test prep courses and found that many of them had a minimal impact on improving scores. That’s not encouraging, but it’s also not the full picture.

The students who don’t improve from prep classes almost always fall into one of two categories:

• They used a program that focused on cramming rather than genuine skill-building.
• They went through the motions without actually engaging with their weak areas.

The students who do improve used structured, targeted preparation and showed up consistently.

The prep class itself is not magic. What it provides is structure, accountability, and a framework. What you bring to it determines the outcome.

What Good ACT Prep Actually Does

When ACT prep is done right, it does several things that self-studying alone often cannot.

It gives you a strategy, not just content.

Learning how to take the ACT is almost as important as knowing the material itself. The ACT is a standardized test with predictable patterns. A good prep program teaches you:

• How to manage time across each section
• When to skip a question and come back to it
• How to use process of elimination on questions you’re unsure about
• How to avoid the traps built into certain question types

These aren’t tricks. They’re skills. And they take practice to develop.

It forces you to confront your weaknesses.

This is the part most students resist. Left on their own, students gravitate toward the sections they’re already good at. Prep classes don’t allow that luxury. Supervised study means your weak areas get equal attention, and sometimes more.

That discomfort is exactly where score gains come from.

It builds test-day confidence.

Anxiety is one of the most underestimated score killers on the ACT. Students who have sat through timed practice tests, reviewed their mistakes, and built familiarity with the format walk into test day with a fundamentally different mindset than students who haven’t. Preparation doesn’t eliminate nerves. It makes them manageable.

What Bad ACT Prep Looks Like

Not all prep programs are built the same. The ones that don’t move scores typically share a few characteristics:

• They focus on covering content broadly rather than targeting individual weaknesses.
• They use generic practice questions that don’t accurately reflect the real ACT.
• They measure progress by hours studied rather than actual score improvement.
• They prepare students to pass a test rather than to understand the material.

A program that helps you cram for the ACT and nothing else is a short-term solution. It might get you through the test, but it won’t prepare you for what comes after.

The best ACT prep isn’t just about the exam. It’s about building the underlying skills in math, reading, grammar, and reasoning that make a student genuinely more capable. Those skills pay dividends well beyond test day.

The Factors That Determine Whether Prep Works

Whether or not an ACT prep class improves your score depends on several factors that have nothing to do with the program itself.

Your starting point matters.

Students with significant content gaps have more room to grow. A student scoring in the low 20s who commits to structured prep can realistically see a 4 to 6 point gain. A student already in the high 20s needs more targeted, precision-based work to move the needle.

Consistency matters more than intensity.

Students who study for 30 to 45 minutes several times a week outperform students who cram in occasional long sessions. The ACT rewards retention and automaticity, which is the ability to recall information quickly under pressure. That kind of memory is built through repetition over time, not marathon study sessions.

Review matters as much as practice.

Taking practice tests without reviewing them carefully is one of the most common prep mistakes. Every wrong answer is a data point. Students who analyze their mistakes and categorize them as content gaps, timing issues, or careless errors improve far faster than students who just retake tests and hope the score goes up.

The quality of feedback matters.

Generic score reports tell you what you got wrong. Useful feedback tells you why and points you toward exactly what to fix. The difference between those two things is often the difference between stagnation and real improvement.

What to Look for in an ACT Prep Program

If you’re evaluating ACT prep options, here’s what separates the programs worth your time from the ones that aren’t:

• Detailed performance analytics that go beyond a score and show a breakdown of where you’re losing points and why
• Realistic, accurate practice materials because the closer the questions are to the real ACT, the more useful the preparation
• Pacing analysis since timing is often as important as content knowledge and your prep should reflect that
• Targeted study recommendations so your plan is built around your specific weaknesses rather than a generic curriculum
• Progress tracking over time to ensure improvement is measurable and not just assumed

A platform like ScoreSmart is built around exactly this kind of feedback. It shows you not just what you missed but how your timing breaks down, which question types are costing you the most points, and where focused effort will have the highest return. That’s the difference between prep that moves scores and prep that doesn’t.

So, Do ACT Prep Classes Improve Scores?

Yes, when the preparation is structured, targeted, and honest about where the work needs to happen.

No, when it’s generic, unfocused, or used as a substitute for genuine engagement with the material.

The research backs this up. The students who see the biggest gains from ACT prep share a common profile:

• They started with an honest diagnostic baseline.
• They focused consistently on their weakest areas.
• They reviewed every mistake rather than just moving on.
• They used high-quality, accurate practice materials.
• They treated preparation as skill-building, not just test-taking.

That’s the formula. It works regardless of the specific program, but it works best when the program is designed to support that kind of preparation from the ground up.

The Bottom Line

Do ACT prep classes improve act scores? The right ones do, and significantly. The wrong ones waste time and money.

The question to ask before signing up for any prep program isn’t “does this program have a good reputation?” It’s “does this program show me exactly where my points are and give me a clear path to getting them?”

If the answer is yes, you’re in the right place. If it’s no, keep looking.

Your score isn’t left up to chance. Neither is your preparation.

Want to know exactly where your ACT points are hiding? Try ScoreSmart and get the performance analytics that go beyond a score so you can fix the right things and stop guessing.