Standardized tests are used by colleges and universities to measure how ready a person is for the type of advanced coursework provided on campus. The ACT is one of these standardized tests.

Your teen's score on the ACT will determine if he or she is admitted to a good school, and can help determine his or her eligibility for academic scholarships. Parents know that their teens need to study in order to be successful when taking the ACT, but independently studying isn't always effective.

Here are three ways that hiring a tutor can help your teen be better prepared for the ACT.

1. Access to Inside Knowledge

ACT tutors know everything there is to know about the testing process. These professionals typically have access to inside information that can help set your teen up for success.

Most tutors utilize questions pulled directly from previous ACT tests when administering practice exams. This allows your teen to become familiar with the way test questions are worded so that they are prepared to understand each question fully.

Tutors stay abreast of any changes made to the testing process and can pass this information to your teen in order to better prepare him or her for test day.

2. Personalized Study Plan

ACT prep classes and books designed to prepare students for the ACT are plentiful. While these can be valuable resources, they don't offer the benefit of a personalized study plan for your teen.

A tutor will be able to assess your teen's strengths and weaknesses through practice tests. The results of these practice tests allow a tutor to develop a study plan that focuses on enhancing your teen's weaknesses.

Focusing on the areas where your teen needs the most work can improve the efficacy of each study session. Generic books and classes offer a more umbrella approach to studying.

3. Enjoyable Study Sessions

One of the best ways that a tutor can prepare your teen for the ACT is by making study sessions enjoyable. Most students grow tired of continuous reading and research after a short period of time.

Tutors can design games and activities that will be fun for your teen but also help them master important ACT concepts.

Your teen is more likely to retain the information he or she learns during an enjoyable study session with an ACT tutor, so these sessions can easily help improve your teen's ACT score.