SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Many high schoolers have heard of the Princeton Review ACT prep books, including Cracking the ACT. But is Cracking the ACT the right ACT prep book for you? To help you figure that out, we’ve put together a comprehensive review of Cracking the ACT. 

To help you get a sense of what’s covered in Cracking the ACT and how it can improve your ACT score, we will: 

• Explain what Cracking the ACT covers, and where to find copies of the book
• Summarize each section of the book, focusing on the ACT topics and test taking strategies they discuss 
• Assess the book’s strengths and weaknesses 
• Explain how to decide if Cracking the ACT is right for you.

Now, let’s take a closer look!

Barron’s is a well-known provider of test preparation resources, and their ACT prep book, Barron’s ACT 36 4th Edition, is a go-to resource for students taking the ACT.  

But just because a study guide is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best one for you! If you want to get the most out of your ACT study time, then you need to make sure you’re selecting the right ACT guidebook for the job. 

That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive review of Barron’s ACT 36. This article will provide a full rundown of the book, including explaining: 

• What Barron’s ACT 36 is
• What content is covered in the book, chapter by chapter 
• The Seven pros and cons of the book
• How to decide if you would benefit from using Barron’s ACT 36 for test prep

Let’s get started!

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, printable ACT tests. These tests are released by ACT, Inc., and contain real questions given to actual students on previous test dates. Although all of these questions have been removed from circulation (meaning you won't ever see them on the real ACT), their quality is second to none when it comes to realistic ACT practice.

In this post, I'll tell you where you can find all official, printable ACT practice tests with answer keys. I'll also give you key strategies to help you make big improvements on each practice test.

It's pretty scary to walk into a room on ACT test day and with no idea what the essay question you're about to answer is about. Luckily, you don't need to know—the ACT essay prompts only ask about a teensy, tiny category of ideas. And the best part is, you already know all about the topics!

Keep reading to see sample ACT Writing prompts you can practice with. More importantly, we also teach you how to gather evidence before the test so you can walk in 100% prepared to answer any prompt they give you.

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. Most are free and offer a good way to get your feet wet with ACT prep. We'll also discuss how to use these tests to improve your ACT score.

The SAT is offered seven times a year, but which SAT test dates will work best for you and your schedule? What essential factors should you consider before creating an SAT schedule? What are the best SAT dates for juniors? For seniors?

In this comprehensive guide, we offer you the most current info on SAT test dates (domestic and international) for 2020 and 2021. We also give you our top tips for choosing the best SAT test dates for you as well as tons of resources to help you navigate the complicated web of SAT/ACT test dates.

NOTE: Because of COVID-19, some 2020 SAT test dates have been canceled. If you're looking for more information on how COVID-19 is impacting SAT test dates, check out our complete guide.

With the AP English Language and Composition exam coming up, it's important to find the best practice resources, and that includes practice tests! The AP Language and Composition exam has two sections: a multiple-choice section with 45 questions, and a free-response section with three essay questions—one synthesis prompt, one analysis prompt, and one argument prompt.

But not all AP Lang practice tests are like the real exam, and they aren't all of equal quality. In this guide, I'll break down where you can find official College Board AP Language and Composition practice test resources, other free resources out there, and paid practice tests and questions. I'll also break down which resources are high-quality and how to best incorporate AP English practice tests into your exam preparation.

Here we look at international SAT test dates for the the 2020-2021 year. The test months haven't changed since last year, but the dates have! We've recorded what we've learned in this article.

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Reviewing for the AP Biology exam can seem daunting. There's so much material to cover, and much of it is highly complex. However, if you plan your time well and use appropriate study materials and strategies, you can expect a great score on the exam.

In this article, I'll give you an overview of what the AP Biology exam is like, what you need to know to ace it, and how you can use your study time effectively before the exam on Friday, May 14, 2021, at 8AM!

As the school year starts to wind down, you might be asking yourself: when are AP exams? In this article, I'll break down everything you need to know about the AP exam schedule, including when they usually take place, the specific schedule for this year, what to do if you find yourself in an AP schedule mishap, and how you can leverage the schedule to best plan your studying.

Are you taking the AP Calculus AB exam this spring and want to be well prepared on test day? The AP Calculus AB exam in 2021 will be held on Tuesday, May 4, at 8 am.

Before you sit down to take the exam, though, it's critical that you know how the Calculus AB test is formatted, what topics it covers, and how you'll be scored on it. This guide will go over all of that information while also showing you official sample problems and giving you tips on the best way to prepare for AP Calculus AB.

The exam was updated in May 2017, so this guide will explain what changes have been made and how they might affect your review. The AP Calculus AB exam can sometimes seem overwhelming, but we're here to break it down into clear and manageable information for you. You can also check out the College Board's new AP Classroom tool for AP Calculus AB, which has additional resources and information. Let's get started!

The AP European History course and exam cover the history of Europe from 1450 to the present. That means you'll be asked about everything from the Renaissance to the European Union—it's a lot! In addition, the course has had recent updates, making everything a bit more complicated.

If you need guidance for the AP European History exam, read on. In this article, we'll give you an overview of the exam, take a close look at each of its sections, offer some key preparation tips, and explain some important things to keep in mind on test day.

With the 2021 AP English Language and Composition exam happening on Wednesday, May 12, it's time to make sure that you're familiar with all aspects of the exam. In this article, I'll give a brief overview of the test, do a deeper dive on each of the sections, discuss how the exam is scored, offer some strategies for studying, and finally wrap up with some essential exam day tips.

AP Chemistry is a challenging subject, and many students feel nervous about taking on the exam at the end of the school year. But if you have a sense of what to expect on the AP Chemistry test well in advance, you'll be able to prepare appropriately for it.

In this guide, I'll lay out the structure and content of the AP Chemistry exam, give you examples of different types of questions you'll see on it, and tell you how to study effectively for it!

Kaplan is a well-known name in the test prep industry, but does that mean its ACT materials are good? The ACT prep book you choose can mean the difference between reaching your goal score or not, so you want to use a book that's right for you. Kaplan's materials are known for helping students (particularly lower-scoring students) learn the content they need to do well on the ACT, as well as preparing them for the exam's format and question types. However, there are other areas where they're not as strong. 

This Kaplan ACT book review explains what Kaplan's ACT book, ACT Prep Plus 2021, includes, what its strengths and weaknesses are, and who the book is right for (and who will be wasting their time reading it).