Houston
High School
ACT Tutoring
Houston High School Aspire ACT Tutoring
The HHS Aspire ACT Tutoring Program is your launchpad to achieving your highest possible score.
Why does the ACT matter? Simply put, it’s among the most recognized gatekeepers to college admissions and scholarships. Coupled with your GPA, your score on the ACT can make all the difference, and every single additional point you can earn could equate to thousands of dollars!
What do we offer? Free tutoring sessions led by HHS teachers with vast experience and ACT training. You'll get personalized help in the areas where you need it most, whether it's for the English, Math, Reading, or Science section. Weekly sessions are available for subject area tutoring in conjunction with National Testing Workshops which precede each national testing date.
How do you sign up? It couldn’t be simpler. With your GMSD student email address and the link, you can sign up from your computer or mobile device. Choose your subject or a workshop, enter the required information, and you’re set. Our scheduling system will send you confirmation and reminders so you don’t forget!
FREE Monthly Tutoring Sessions:
Elevate your ACT score to new levels through our free ACT tutoring program. These personalized sessions, taught by HHS teachers, are designed for all students who aspire to improve their ACT score.
Each tutor offers three 60-minute sessions every month. Students can choose their subject area and register for available after school dates. And, registration is simple! Have your student use their GMSD email address to sign up. It will populate their calendar and even send them a text reminder to attend. Teachers may also reach out to students prior to sessions and ask for current subtest scores, etc.
Quarterly ACT Workshops
These workshops, scheduled for the Saturday prior to each national test date, are both a great place to start if you are ready to explore the ACT or if you want to take a step to improve your score. Less individualized and more intensive, each session of the workshop is intended to get you comfortable with the content and the strategies you’ll need to meet your individual goals.
Self-paced Tutorials and Content Practice
In addition to our other supports, every student at HHS has free, unfettered access to Mastery Prep - an online program designed to meet you where you are. Mastery Prep is an adaptive program which uses short diagnostic tests to determine where you need to focus your efforts, and creates a learning plan for you that includes tips, strategies, and video explanations. Mastery Prep only uses actual ACT questions, so you can be confident that your success will translate to the test itself. Click the Mastery Prep icon on your Classlink page for instant access to hundreds of hours of material.
Subscribe to Our ACT Newsletter
Want to stay on top of ACT opportunities at Houston High School? Sign up to receive our ACT newsletter featuring upcoming test dates, tutoring sessions, study strategies, practice tests, and helpful tips from teachers to help students boost their scores. Just fill out the form to the right and receive updates and resources to help students feel confident and prepared for test day.
In-School Support
During key testing periods in October and February, classroom teachers will also host ACT preparation research-backed activities and assignments. These sessions will take place during school hours to prepare Juniors and Seniors for their testing.
Monthly Parent Tips
GMSD's ACT Supervisor Bill Gillespie will share useful tips for parents and reminders for students to sign up for tutoring sessions.
Meet our Aspire ACT Tutors
Ashton Collins: ACT Math Tutor
- 5 years of experience
- Subjects Taught: Algebra II and Pre-Calculus
- Tip for Parents: "The more times you can take the ACT the better! Do not wait until the spring of junior year to take it for the first time."
Book a Session with Mr. Collins
Sabeen Khawaja - ACT Math Tutor
- 10 years of Experience
- Subjects Taught: Algebra I Algebra II, Geometry, and ACT Prep
- Tip for Parents: "You only need 35/60 correct to score 22 (Benchmark) on your Math ACT, so focus on getting the first half of the test questions correct. The questions get difficult towards the end of the Math test."
John Frizzell - ACT Reading Tutor
- 11 years of Experience
- Subjects Taught: US History, SDC History, and AP US History. Plus two years of experience authoring state level standardized assessment questions.
- Tip for Parents: "Spend some time getting to know the question types and how the questions are asked. ACT question writers have to follow certain format rules that can give you an edge when answering the questions if you are familiar with them."
Jessica Minton - Science Reasoning Tutor
- 16 years of Experience
- Subjects Taught: Environmental Science, AP Environmental Science, Biology A/B, Physical Science Honors, Honors A&P, STEM I & II, AAD Personal Finance, AAD Earth Science, AAD Physical Science
- Tip for Parents: "The Science Reasoning is knowing the set-up, trusting the evidence, and knowing the trends. The content is there, but the key is the questions to the evidence presented."
Book a Session with Ms. Minton
Valerie McKinney - ACT English Tutor
- 25 years of Experience
- Subjects Taught: AP Literature and AP Seminar
- Tip for Parents: "Practice taking the English section as many times as possible. You'll become familiar with how the questions are asked and how ACT expects you to answer them. Work on your skills using the big red ACT prep book consistently."
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