TL;DR:
- ACT partnered with BenchPrep in early 2016 to launch ACT Online Prep (AOP), a white-labeled digital test prep platform serving millions of high schoolers who take the ACT exam [1]
- AOP delivers nearly 2,500 prep items — including retired test questions, abbreviated subject tests, and a full-length practice test — through personalized, adaptive learning pathways [1]
- Students who used AOP extensively scored 32% higher on practice exams than those who didn't, and the partnership opened new revenue channels and led to a second product, WorkKeys Curriculum [1]
The Challenge: A Nonprofit Outgrowing Its In-House Tools
ACT is a household name in educational assessment — more than 2 million high schoolers took the ACT exam in 2017 [1]. Creating equal opportunity for every learner is central to ACT's mission, and the nonprofit viewed affordable, accessible digital prep as a way to level the playing field for students everywhere [1].
ACT had already built a digital learning solution in-house. But delivering test prep "straight from the source" — more authentic and less anxiety-inducing than third-party options — meant ACT needed a platform that could scale with the organization and improve the student experience beyond what its internal build could support [1].
The Solution: A White-Labeled Learning Platform Built for Scale
ACT turned to BenchPrep, and in early 2016 the two launched ACT Online Prep (AOP) [1]. Delivered through BenchPrep's fully white-labeled platform, AOP let ACT offer personalized user pathways, adaptive learning, and comprehensive lessons — all under ACT's own branding, preserving a trusted user experience [1].
The content itself carries real weight: AOP includes nearly 2,500 prep items, including actual retired test questions, abbreviated ACT subject tests, and a full-length practice test that predicts a student's ACT score range and flags where to focus study time [1].
Key AOP features, per ACT's Senior Product Manager Brandon Goldsmith:
- Easy access — omni-channel study via web, tablet, or mobile, with instant pickup where students left off [1]
- Personalized study plans — structured or adaptive plans tailored to individual strengths and weaknesses [1]
- Impactful remediation — confidence ratings on each question give students an instant snapshot of where to focus [1]
- Real-time updates — a dashboard tracks days until test day, remaining study areas, and time estimates per task [1]
- Learning made fun — gamification, badges, flashcards, and discussion groups keep students engaged longer [1]
Goldsmith also noted the platform was architecturally easy to install, making it simple to extend AOP to ACT's B2B partners for their own learning programs [1].
The Results: Revenue Growth, Data Insight, and a Stronger Competitive Edge
The partnership let ACT:
- Diversify revenue — students can now buy AOP directly through BenchPrep and via ACT's in-store prep pack, adding new channels beyond ACT's own site [1]
- Compete for B2B partnerships — Goldsmith said AOP's structured approach helps ACT "tip the balance" against third-party prep tools when courting educational organizations [1]
- Make data-driven decisions — custom reporting shows ACT how students use prep materials, which resources move the needle, and where questions need refinement — insight Goldsmith called invaluable [1]
The performance impact is measurable: students who used AOP extensively scored 32% higher on practice exams than those who didn't [1].
Goldsmith summed up the partnership: "BenchPrep is great to partner with because they're vested in your success... They've been very open and creative about finding new opportunities for ACT and AOP to be successful" [1].
Beyond College Prep: Extending the Partnership
Building on AOP's success, ACT also worked with BenchPrep to create an interactive version of its WorkKeys Curriculum, aligned with the updated WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate assessment [1]. Powered by BenchPrep's platform, WorkKeys helps learners identify interests and build job-ready skills through customizable study schedules, intuitive dashboards, and engaging quizzes and games [1].
Full detail: How Did ACT Scale Digital Test Prep to Millions of Students?
Frequently asked questions
What platform does ACT use for digital test prep?
ACT uses BenchPrep's enterprise learning platform to power ACT Online Prep (AOP), a fully white-labeled solution launched in early 2016 that delivers personalized, adaptive test prep to high schoolers [1].
What results has ACT seen from its BenchPrep partnership?
Students who used AOP extensively scored 32% higher on practice exams than non-users. The partnership also opened new revenue channels, improved ACT's competitive position with B2B partners, and gave ACT custom data reporting on student usage [1].
Does ACT use BenchPrep for anything besides ACT test prep?
Yes. ACT also partnered with BenchPrep to build an interactive version of its WorkKeys Curriculum, which aligns with the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate and helps learners build job-ready professional skills [1].