SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

If you're applying to any University of California campus as an incoming freshman, then you have a special challenge ahead of you. Applicants need to answer four UC personal insight questions, chosen from a pool of eight unique prompts different from those on the Common App. But not to worry! This article is here to help.

In this article, I'll dissect the eight UC essay prompts in detail. What are they asking you for? What do they want to know about you? What do UC admissions officers really care about? How do you avoid boring or repulsing them with your essay?

I'll break down all of these important questions for each prompt and discuss how to pick the four prompts that are perfect for you. I'll also give you examples of how to make sure your essay fully answers the question. Finally, I'll offer step-by-step instructions on how to come up with the best ideas for your UC personal statements.

If you're applying to one or more of the UC schools, you want to make sure you get the application right. This step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the UC application, from the time you decide to apply to a UC school to when you submit the final piece of the application.

Keep reading to learn when the most important UC application deadline is, which documents you need to submit to complete your application, if you need a separate application for each UC school, and how you can make sure every part of your application sets you apart from the crowd.

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.

Don't you wish you could find out how you scored on the SAT right after you finish taking the test? Or maybe you'd like to forget all about it and pretend it never happened (better luck next time)!

Either way, your wait time for your SAT scores will be the same: somewhere between two and six weeks. This article fills you in on all the details of SAT score reporting and offers some advice for what to do once you get your scores.

If you're planning on pursuing an education or career in health care, you should definitely check out the Tylenol Future Care Scholarship, a merit-based award meant for undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in any of a wide variety of health care programs, including public health, health education, med school, nursing, and even pharmaceuticals.

I'll talk about the eligibility requirements and the application process first before discussing tips and strategies you can use to optimize your chances of winning a Future Care Scholarship.

Yep, you read that correctly: in May 2020, the University of California Board of Regents voted unanimously to stop requiring the ACT and SAT as part of admissions applications. In other words, if you’re applying to a UC school, you won’t have to submit your ACT or SAT scores. 

Before you get super excited, there are some caveats you should know about. That’s why we’re breaking down the changes — and answer your FAQs! — below. 

The California State University (CSU) system consists of 23 college campuses throughout California. Cal State colleges provide higher education to hundreds of thousands of students from California and the rest of the country and world.

In this article, I will describe the CSU system, profile each of the CSU colleges, and explain how to choose which CSU school to attend.

In the past few years, applying to film school has gotten extremely competitive: top schools like USC's School of Cinematic Arts now boast lower admission rates than the Ivies. Simultaneously, the number of film programs has grown—rising from about 300 in 2006 to almost 400 today.

With so many programs available and so much competition for the top spots, where should you apply? In order to help you find the right school for you, I've compiled a list of the best film schools in the US, based on my experience as a film student and actress in LA.

Did you receive a priority application from a college but aren't sure what exactly it is? Is it a scam? Does it mean you'll automatically be admitted? Should you apply to schools that offer you priority applications or do you have better options? This guide on priority applications will answer all your questions!

If you're planning to take the ACT in the spring, you might be wondering: should you take the April ACT? Or will you be better off taking the ACT on a different test date?

In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the April ACT, including when the exam is, whether your scores will get to your schools in time, and the pros and cons of taking the ACT in April.

Are you concerned that, as a result of the novel coronavirus, you won't be able to take an SAT or ACT this fall? Multiple spring and summer exam dates have already been cancelled as a result of COVID-19, and there's no guarantee that in-person exams will be safe to hold in the fall. What does that mean if you were planning to take one of those tests, especially if you're a high school senior who needs standardized test scores to apply to college?

In this article we go over everything we know about potential online SATs and ACTs, as well as our expert opinion on what online standardized tests will be like, how they'll be viewed by colleges, and if this means the exams will move online permanently.

ACT and SAT dates in March, April, May, and June 2020 have been canceled due to COVID-19. If you’ve been caught in these cancellations, you’re probably feeling pretty stressed out. When will you get to retake your test? And is there a special process for registering for the SAT after cancellation? 

If these unknowns have left you feeling confused about how to handle ACT/SAT score requirements for your college applications, let us help you out. In this article, we’ll walk you through what to do after your SAT or ACT test has canceled. We’ll explain: 

• How to transfer your registration for a canceled exam
• How to cancel your registration if you don’t want to move your exam date
• If there are special accommodations for certain groups of students 
• How to choose the right option for you

We’ll also go over the available next steps for students who haven’t taken the ACT/SAT yet but want to enroll in college in Fall 2020. 

We know there can be a lot of anxiety surrounding test scores, but rest assured — you have options!

COVID-19 has led to the cancellations of SAT dates in March, May, and June 2020. Unfortunately, this has thrown a wrench in many high school students’ plans, especially if they’re applying for college in the near future! 

As affected students work to reschedule their tests, the College Board expects there to be a much higher demand for fall testing opportunities. That’s why the CollegeBoard has added a September SAT date in the fall 2020. 

In this article, we’ll tell you everything we know about the September 26, 2020 SAT date as of right now. Keep in mind that information about the exam is still being released, so be sure to check back for updates.

Getting ready to take the PreACT? Then you might be wondering whether you should prep for it—and what resources you can use. Is there a PreACT practice test you can take? What kinds of PreACT resources does ACT, Inc. offer?

Keep reading to learn why it's a good idea to lightly prep for the PreACT, and get a comprehensive list of the best PreACT practice tests and materials you can use in your studying.

The Gates Scholarship is a program with a huge impact. Launched in 2017, the program's mission is to give opportunities to outstanding minority students to reach their highest potential.

In this guide, I'll go through all the details of the scholarship and the application protocols. After that, I'll give you expert tips and strategies for putting together the strongest Gates Scholarship application possible. Read on to learn more!

Note: The Gates Scholarship was established in 2017 as a replacement for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, which reached its goal of 20,000 scholars in 2016.