Manhattan Review ACT® Prep

Your ACT Prep Journey begins here

If you are searching for the best way to make your college application stand out, look no further than Manhattan Review for all your standardized tests needs.

In today's hyper-competitive world of collegiate admissions, gaining acceptance to a prestigious undergraduate program is no longer simply about having good grades: it's about standing out and making sure your application is noticed. At Manhattan Review, we understand the importance of attending a college with immediate name recognition as part of setting yourself up for the career of your dreams. In order to be admitted to the most selective colleges and universities, you will need to obtain a very high ACT score. Fortunately, you do not have to achieve this high score by yourself. At Manhattan Review, our ACT prep courses are carefully designed to help you master the ACT, setting you apart from other eager applicants. Given our established legacy of high test score success, our courses are the first step towards being accepted at even the most competitive undergraduate programs.

Unsurpassed Instruction

Manhattan Review's test prep courses and tutoring services—both in-person and in our interactive online classroom—are taught by highly qualified instructors who have mastered the ACT and obtained a very strong score themselves. Whether you're preparing online or in-person, we keep our class sizes small, and we have designed our programs specifically for students who want to set and achieve high personal goals. Our instructors are high-achieving individuals, and in addition to high ACT scores, they also possess degrees from leading universities. More importantly though, our instructors are all exceptional teachers. They have strong communication skills and unparalleled experience helping students tailor study plans to their specific test-related needs and goals.

Manhattan Review is known throughout the test prep industry for its selective hiring process of instructors and tutors. Since Manhattan Review is a boutique test prep company offering personalized ACT support, we have the ability to dedicate more resources than most firms to our hiring process. By doing so, we are able to hire only those applicants with both superb test-taking and teaching skills. Working with an instructor who has significant experience teaching standardized tests and a superior ACT score gives students the best chance of using their preparation time in the most effective way possible.

ACT Prep: Course or Tutoring, In-Person or Online: It's Your Choice!

When it comes to preparing for the ACT, we know every student learns in his or her own way. That is why we offer a variety of test prep options, allowing you to customize your learning to your specific ACT needs, as well as your current schedule. 

Many students enjoy learning in the company of others. They find themselves motivated by being around other hard-working learners and interacting with their classmates. For those students, we offer classroom-style group courses at in-person locations or online. In-person courses are perfect for students who know they focus better in a learning environment outside of their home. Courses taught in physical classroom locations are ideal for students who don't mind traveling in order to learn alongside others. Online group courses, on the other hand, are perfect for students who require more flexibility in their ACT prep while still learning as part of a larger group.

Other students know that they do not perform at their best when attempting to learn challenging academic information in a group setting. They may find themselves distracted by other students or worried about slowing down the pace of the group. Alternatively, these students may become bored or frustrated once they have mastered a particular concept but cannot move on until everyone in the group is able to demonstrate similar mastery. For students who prefer to learn at their own pace and are seeking truly customized test preparation, we offer private tutoring sessions either in-person or virtually. Many students prefer to meet with their private tutor in-person at a mutually convenient location. Other students, however, particularly those with busy school and extracurricular activity commitments, require the flexibility of online private tutoring, which can take place anywhere you have a stable internet connection. 

At Manhattan Review, we offer customizable test prep options to ensure you are in charge of your ACT prep schedule. When you are able to concentrate in a supportive learning environment—whatever that means for you—you will be amazed at how fast your knowledge of the ACT will progress.

Maximize Study Time With Manhattan Review

At Manhattan Review, our curriculum is designed to reinforce skills through a combination of exercises, in-class instruction, online problem sets, and practice tests that closely mimic the actual test. Exercises, both those completed in-class or with your tutor as well as at home, cover the concepts that will be assessed in test questions. These exercises also help our instructors identify any areas where students need reinforcement or additional help. In class, instructors review challenging concepts before introducing coursework with the next level of difficulty. Following each class session, students can test their mastery of the concepts they have studied through online problems that utilize actual ACT test questions.

For Parents/Caregivers:

We are proud of the reputation we have developed for our very selective hiring process of instructors and tutors. Since Manhattan Review is a boutique test prep company offering customized ACT preparation, we have the ability to dedicate more resources than most firms to our hiring process. We expect two things from our instructors: a great ACT score and a passion for helping students obtain their own high ACT score through consistent progress and ongoing, personalized feedback. Ultimately, we only hire those instructors with both superb test-taking and teaching skills, ensuring our students receive the highest quality instruction, setting them up for their own ACT success. 

We have learned a great deal from our extensive experience in the test prep industry. Specifically, we understand that taking an exam and teaching others how to take it are two separate skills. Our instructors are skilled at tailoring the information they teach to each student's learning style, and the quality of our instructors is simply another reason Manhattan Review stands out from other test prep companies. 

To truly understand what makes Manhattan Review so unique, it helps to consider the origins of the firm. Manhattan Review was conceived and started at an Ivy League business school, specifically, Columbia University Business School in New York City. Manhattan Review's Founder was not only pedagogically trained but went on to become a leading academic, eventually accepting a position as a professor at a prestigious business school in Europe. The experience the founder gained by being an active member of collegiate hiring committees, as well as evaluating the teaching potential of countless applicants, cannot be overstated or acquired through other contexts. That is why Manhattan Review's preparation options are widely considered the best choice for serious ACT students.

Given the highly selective hiring process conducted by Manhattan Review, our instructors are more than capable of teaching all aspects of effective test preparation. This includes administering diagnostic tests, planning the most useful lessons, and guiding students through applicable test content. We work hard to make sure each student receives the attention and expertise they deserve when preparing for an important exam as the ACT.

What About Test-Optional Colleges?

As academic institutions attempt to move beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, many colleges are once again requiring students to submit standardized test scores—from the ACT or SAT—as part of their application. Some colleges, however, have chosen to remain test optional for another year or two. What does that mean for students preparing their college applications?

Simply because a college does not require a student to submit standardized test scores as part of their application does not mean test scores shouldn't be submitted. Test scores can make a big difference when it comes to scholarships. At many colleges, even those where admission is test optional, test scores may be required for certain scholarships or for admission to specific majors or honors programs. Private institutions or organizations that award scholarships may require test scores as part of their scholarship application. It is critically important to verify scholarship and financial aid requirements when applying to colleges, because even though the college itself might be test optional, applying for specific financial awards may require the submission of test scores. 

Test optional colleges do not require the submission of ACT or SAT scores, but should a student submit a score, it can and most likely will be considered. And this is a good thing! Consider the college applications of two high school students. The applications demonstrate nearly identical data as far as classes taken, grades received, volunteer hours completed, and the number and quality of extracurricular activities. Even though this particular college is test optional, one student chooses to submit her ACT score while the other student does not. 

Which student do you think has a better chance of being accepted? 

The one who provided more information to the admissions committee. Research from the College Board consistently demonstrates a correlation between standardized test scores and college success: students with higher test scores achieve higher college grades and they are more likely to return for their second year of college. College admissions officials know this, and when considering who to offer acceptance to, they will always prefer having as much information about a student as possible in order to guide their decision-making.

The bottom line is that as long as standardized tests exist, there are benefits to taking them. And given that standardized tests can be mastered with the guidance of skilled professional educators, there is no reason not to take this potentially life-changing exam and ultimately gain acceptance (and perhaps financial support) at leading undergraduate programs.