SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Ashley Robinson

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Recent Posts

The Complete Guide to the AP Comparative Government and Politics Exam

The AP Comparative Government and Politics exam tests your knowledge of how the political systems in different countries are similar and different. The exam requires endurance, strong critical thinking, and top-notch writing skills…which means you’ll need to be extra prepared!

If you’re looking for an AP Comparative Government study guide to carry you through all of your AP prep, look no further than this article! We’ll walk you through: 

  • The structure and format of the AP Government — Comparative exam
  • The core themes and skills the exam tests you on
  • The types of questions that show up on the exam and how to answer them (with sample responses from real AP students!)
  • How the AP Comparative Government exam is scored, including official scoring rubrics
  • Four essential tips for preparing for the AP Comparative Government exam

Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

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The Ultimate APUSH DBQ Guide: Rubric, Examples, and More!

You’ve been working hard in your AP US History class, and now it’s time to start prepping for your APUSH exam. 

But there’s a lot you’ll need to know if you want to do well, especially on the APUSH DBQ section. For instance, you’ll need to understand the APUSH DBQ rubric so you know how you’ll be scored on your answers, and you’ll need to look at a few APUSH DBQ examples so you understand what it takes to 

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about APUSH DBQs in one easy place. (That place is, uh, here.) We’ll go over: 

  • An explanation of what APUSH DBQs are and why they’re important 
  • A walkthrough covering how APUSH DBQs work on the exam and what to expect
  • A six-step process for writing a great DBQ
  • Four tips for studying for and answering the APUSH DBQs

We’ll also give you an APUSH DBQ rubric and APUSH DBQ examples That’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get going!

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How to Ace the AP World History DBQ: Rubric, Examples, and Tips

AP World History is a challenging class, and in order to get credit for it you’ll have to take an equally challenging exam. And one of the toughest parts of the test is the AP World History document-based question, or AP World DBQ. This question asks you to read and analyze documents on the fly, then write an argumentative essay…all in one hour. 

It can be hard to know what–and how–to study for the AP World History DBQ, especially when you don’t know which documents you’ll receive on test day. But don’t worry: we’ll break down everything you need to know about the AP World History DBQ so you can ace it on test day. (We’ll even give you AP World History DBQ example questions and an AP World History DBQ rubric example!) 

Here’s what we’ll cover:

  • An explanation of what the AP World History DBQ is 
  • A look at how the DBQ works on the AP World History exam
  • A step-by-step process for tackling the AP World History DBQ
  • A guide to studying for and answering the AP World History DBQ

Let’s get going!

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Should You Take AP Physics C? Mechanics or Electricity and Magnetism?

The AP Physics C courses are both challenging and rewarding. If you choose to take either AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism or AP Physics C: Mechanics (or both!), you’ll get the chance to learn college-level material and potentially earn college credit! 

But is AP Physics C hard? Can you take AP Physics C without Physics 1? If you’re asking yourself, “Should I take AP Physics C?,” keep reading–we’ll answer these questions and more in this complete guide to the AP Physics C courses and exams

Our article covers all of the following info about AP Physics C: 

  • What’s on the AP Physics C exams and how they’re formatted
  • A quiz to help you decide if you should take AP Physics C
  • A guide to AP Physics C practice tests
  • Five tips for prepping for the AP Physics C exams

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

 

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The Ultimate AP Macroeconomics Cheat Sheet (Graphs Included!)

Each year, around 20% of test takers score a 5 on the AP Macroeconomics exam. (no pressure, right?) If you want to be one of those top scorers, you need to really understand the graphs and equations that will help you make tough calculations during the exam. 

To help you with that, we’ve put together a complete AP Macroeconomics cheat sheet that you can use to prepare for the exam! In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about our AP Macroeconomics cram sheet, including the following: 

  • A quick refresher on what the AP Macro exam covers 
  • A full overview of what’s included in the AP Macro cheat sheet (graphs, equations, and key terms are all covered!)
  • An explanation of how to use the AP Macro cheat sheet
  • Our four best tips for how to study for the AP Macro exam

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

 

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What Are Test-Blind Colleges? Complete List and Explanation

Over the past several years, a rising number of US colleges have dropped SAT/ACT scores from their admissions requirements. Schools that no longer consider test scores for admissions at all are known as test-blind schools. If this sounds like new information to you, keep reading--there’s a lot to learn about test-blind admissions!

In this article, we’ll get you up to speed on test-blind admissions policies by covering the following: 

  • A breakdown of test-blind admissions means, and how it’s different from other policies, such as test optional
  • Three examples of test-blind schools
  • A list of all of the test-blind colleges you need to know about
  • Five pros and cons of applying to test-blind schools 

Keep reading to learn all about test-blind admissions (and how you should prepare for it!). 

 

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The 96 Best Test-Optional Schools in the US

If you want to get accepted into your dream school, you need to earn great test scores. But many colleges have recently made submitting SAT and ACT scores an optional piece of their application process. Yep, you read that right—at some schools, SAT and ACT scores are not required. 

So what does this mean for you? Should you still take the SAT or ACT if your top choice schools have gone test optional? We’ll explain how to handle the SAT/ACT when you’re applying to the best test optional schools in the US, including: 

  • What test optional means (and why so many top schools have gone test optional)
  • A list of all of the top 100 nationally ranked schools that are currently test optional
  • Four key factors you need to consider before deciding how to handle the SAT/ACT for your college admissions

That’s a lot to cover…so let’s get to it!

 

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An Expert Guide to the AP Macroeconomics Exam

If you’re taking AP Macroeconomics, it’s important to start preparing for the exam as early as you can. Familiarizing yourself with what the AP exam will be like is a crucial stepping stone to achieving the score you want...and (hopefully!) earning college credit

This article provides a complete guide to the structure and scoring of the AP Macroeconomics exam as well as essential tips on how to study for AP Macroeconomics. 

There’s a lot to cover here, so let’s begin!

 

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The Best AP Macroeconomics Practice Tests You Can Get

If you’re starting the process of studying for your AP Macroeconomics exam and want to make sure you’re as prepared as possible, there’s nothing better than taking practice tests. Studying with AP Macroeconomics practice tests will familiarize you with the types of questions you’ll see on the exam, expose you to the exam format and length, and give you insight into what material you might be struggling with.

But where can you find great AP Macro practice tests? We've compiled a list of the best AP Macroeconomics practice exams out there, and we’ll give you a few tips on how to use them to potentially boost your score. 

Ready? Let’s dive in! 

 

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The Complete AP Macroeconomics Study Guide

So you’ve been working hard in your AP Macroeconomics class, and it’s time to start studying for the exam. Even though this can seem like a daunting task, if you get an early start and follow a set plan, you’ll be on your way to getting the score you want!

Want to know how to study for AP Macroeconomics? In this complete AP Macroeconomics study guide, we’ll provide you with all the resources and strategies you need to create an awesome, effective study plan.

Ready to hit the books? Then let’s get started.

 

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Is AP Macroeconomics Hard?

Taking AP courses is a big commitment. It’s a good idea to learn everything you can about an AP course before signing up—including how challenging the class is. 

If you’re considering taking AP Macroeconomics, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re going to answer the question, “Is AP Economics hard?” by covering the following info: 

  • The five factors that determine the difficulty of an AP class
  • What the statistics say about how hard AP Macroeconomics is
  • How real students answer the question, “Is AP Macroeconomics hard?”
  • Three tips for finding out if AP Macro will be hard for you

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

 

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SAT Test Dates 2021-2022

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

SAT

Taking the SAT is usually an important part of the college application process. As application deadlines near, forming a plan of action for taking the SAT is important to hitting your target score and getting your college applications in on time

In this article, we’ve put together a complete list of all of the anticipated 2021-2022 SAT test dates, including the deadlines for normal and late registration and SAT score releases, so you can pick the right test dates for you. We’ll also go over four important tips for choosing your SAT dates 2021-2022. 

Let’s begin!

 

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SAT Test Dates 2022-2023

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

SAT

Preparing to take the SAT is often a crucial part of the college admissions process. To ensure your college application plans go off without a hitch, it’s important to have a clear strategy for taking the SAT on time. In order to do that, it’s helpful to have the most up-to-date info about future SAT test dates 2022-2023. 

This article is here to help you plan out your SAT test dates. We’ll walk you through the following: 

  • A full list of 2022-2023 SAT test dates (table included)
  • Information about SAT registration deadlines and score release dates 
  • Four top tips for how to choose your SAT testing dates 

Let’s get started!

 

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September SAT 2025: Everything You Need to Know

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

SAT

The College Board has updated its testing calendar! Typically, the SAT is offered seven times a year, in March, May, June, August, October, November, and December. However, they've recently added an 8th test date for 2025, on September 13, 2025.

Learn why the new test date has been added and the pros and cons of taking the SAT in September so you can learn if this is the right SAT test date for you.

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Does NYU Require the SAT Essay?

New York University, or NYU, is a big school with more than 50,000 students and 18 schools and colleges. It’s also pretty tough to get intoonly 16% of students who applied to NYU in 2018 were accepted.

If NYU is your dream school, don’t lose hope: you can get in as long as you start working toward your goal as soon as possible. Along with focusing on your extracurriculars and grade point average, you’ll want to make sure you’re acing your standardized tests, too! Does NYU require the SAT essay?

But NYU’s testing policy can be a little confusing. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of NYU’s standardized test requirements. Specifically, we’ll take a closer look at whether NYU requires you to submit the SAT essay.

Let’s get started!

 

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