SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

For decades, students who wanted to take the ACT had to sharpen their #2 pencils, open up a paper test, and bubble in their responses. However, that's started to change!

In December 2023, the ACT launched a pilot test of a new digital ACT. Then, in early 2024, access to the digital ACT expanded so that more students in the US can choose between the online and paper versions of the ACT. (Note: all students abroad must take the online version of the ACT.) Currently, all students in the US have the option to take the online ACT or the paper ACT.

How do the paper and digital ACT differ? Which version of the ACT should you take? What are the pros and cons of each version of the test? We answer all these questions in this expert guide!

This just in: changes to ACT testing are coming! The CEO of the ACT announced in July 2024 that students can expect major ACT changes beginning in spring 2025. 

So, what exactly will the biggest ACT test changes be? In this article, we’ll share everything we already know about the ACT exam changes, including:

• When the upcoming changes in ACT testing will go into effect 
• How the test will be shortened, including adjustments to reading passages 
• Which sections are becoming optional 
• How experimental questions are being added to the test
  
  

Let’s dive in!

If you’ve found this article, I assume it’s crunch time, and your ACT test date is in the next couple weeks. If you do not fall into this category (you have a bit of time—one month or more—before your test date), you can still read this guide for some study strategies, but I recommend you take advantage of all the time you have by spreading your ACT preparation out. Don't wait until the last 10 days to cram.

Though quality matters in your ACT prep, quantity is also important: you have to invest a lot of time if you want to see big improvements. You can make a lot of progress in 10 days, but you need to dedicate the necessary time to improve your ACT score. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to raise your score by up to four points in just 10 days.

To ensure you have a solid ACT study plan, you must first familiarize yourself with ACT registration dates. What and when are the most important ACT deadlines? How can knowing these deadlines benefit you as a test taker?

In this article, we go over upcoming ACT registration dates and examine the general patterns of ACT registration deadlines. We also discuss the differences in deadlines for late registration, standby registration, and changes to your test reservation before wrapping up with a look at how you can use ACT deadlines to your advantage.

In recent years, the number of states that administer the ACT statewide has more than doubled. There are now 10 states that require every junior to take the test and five more that either require the test in some districts or offer it as a free option for students who wish to take it.

This post explains why these programs exist, which states have them, and how you can take advantage of them if you live in one of these states.

Has your reading list been taken over by ACT prep books? There are a lot out there to choose from, and you want to make sure you're using high-quality materials that will get you ready for the ACT.

This guide is meant to help you choose the best ACT prep books to achieve your goals. We've divided the books up into three categories: the critical book you need, the best books for general prep, and the best books by ACT section. Before jumping into our recommendations, a quick note about the perspective we're coming from.

No matter how you prep for the ACT—whether you have a tutor, take a class, or study by yourself—you must get access to official ACT tests. These tests are released by ACT, Inc. and contain real questions given to actual students on previous test dates. These questions have been removed from circulation (so you won't ever see them on a real test), but their quality is second to none when it comes to ACT realism.

In this post, I'll tell you how to find all currently available official ACT practice tests. We'll also discuss how to use these tests to improve your ACT score.

No college application is complete without test scores. But sending scores to colleges doesn't have to be a confusing and frustrating process! Read this article to understand all the options for sending out your ACT scores, to get help with the many decisions you will have to make, and to know what to do if you run into problems.

I'll describe the basic process of how to send ACT scores, how to take full advantage of the ACT's individual score reporting, when to send scores, and how to make sure your scores don't get lost. At the same time, I'll go through the pros and cons of every option and suggest a recommended course of action.

If you have been putting off the ACT/SAT or are hoping to retake one, you need to know when you can take your last test so that your scores will arrive at your schools in time. In other words, when is the very latest you can take the SAT or ACT for your college applications?

Read on to find out when you can still take the SAT or ACT—and when you'd be too late. You might be surprised by how little time you have!

Can you take the ACT online? The answer used to be a resounding "no" but, in Fall 2023, the CEO of the ACT made the surprise announcement that they'd begin offering a digital ACT as a pilot program beginning in December 2023.  Since then, access to the digital ACT has expanded, and students in the US now have the opportunity to choose between the paper ACT and the online ACT. 

How does the online ACT work? How is it different than the paper ACT? Can you take the ACT at home on your laptop? What do you need to do to prepare? We'll answer all those questions in this guide!

Are you planning to take the ACT this year? If so, your first order of business is to check out the testing dates and choose the one that works best for you. Whether you plan to take the ACT once or a few times, remember that standardized test scores are an important component of your college application. You’ll want to make sure you choose the dates that will help you be the most successful.

You can use apps to order food, watch sports, keep up with friends, and even study for the ACT. ACT apps are a somewhat recent phenomenon, but they're pretty appealing. After all, studying on your phone sounds like way more fun than studying from a book.

Even though apps are not enough to prepare you for the test on their own, they can be a helpful resource. In this article, I'll explain what ACT prep apps are, list the best ACT apps (most of which are free!), and offer tips on how to use them effectively.

No matter how you prep for the ACT—whether you have a tutor, take a class, or study by yourself—you must get access to official, online and printable ACT tests. The official ACT practice test provided below—released by ACT, Inc.—is the exact format you’ll see on test day.

In this post, I'll tell you where you can find the official, online or printable ACT practice test with the answer key. I'll also give you key strategies and resources to help you make big improvements while you prep for the ACT.

You've just signed up for the ACT. But did you know that there is an optional Writing test for the ACT? More importantly, do you know if your dream schools require or recommend this ACT section?

Check out our regularly updated list of schools to find out if the Writing ACT is worth your time and money. We'll then give you our top tips for acing the ACT Writing section.

If you’re taking the ACT, you know waiting for scores can be stressful. Wondering how your scores compare to those of other students is common, but how do you know what’s considered a good ACT score? More importantly, how do you decide what ACT score to shoot for in order to get accepted to your top colleges? 

We’ll tell you how to determine whether your ACT scores would be considered “good.”(Spoiler alert: it’s tricker than you think!) From there, we’ll explain how to set a target ACT score that helps you achieve your college admissions dreams. As a bonus, we’ll help you put your ACT scores in context by looking at how what qualifies as a good ACT score has changed over time. 

Let’s get started.