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

5 Ways to Show Demonstrated Interest in a College

Demonstrated interest is one of the trickier parts of the college admissions process. Knowing what demonstrated interest is and how to use it to your advantage can help boost your admissions chances, especially at competitive schools. 

In this article, we’ll answer all your questions about demonstrated interest, including: 

  • What demonstrated interest is, including the basics of how to show interest in a college
  • Why demonstrated interest is important to the college admissions process
  • How to show interest in a college in four ways 
  • How to demonstrate interest in a college to maximize your chances of getting into your top schools

Ready? Let’s dive in. 

 

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What Is Hybrid Learning? Blended Learning? Understanding the Models

Hybrid learning is a teaching model that combines online learning with in-person instruction. It’s a “best of both worlds” way of teaching students!

Because hybrid learning is a blend of digital and person-to-person education techniques, it can be a bit confusing to wrap your head around. That’s where this article comes in! To help you understand how hybrid learning works, we’ll:

  • Answer the questions, “What is hybrid learning?” and "What is blended learning?"
  • Explain the differences between eLearning vs blended vs hybrid learning models
  • Answer the question, “What is a hybrid class like?” in elementary, high school, and college classrooms
  • Cover four pros and cons of hybrid learning vs remote learning and hybrid learning vs in-person learning
  • Provide three tips for both students and teachers for getting the most out of hybrid learning.

Let’s dive in!

 

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The Official ACT Subject Guides: Expert Review

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

ACT

   

The Official ACT Subject Guides are a series of test prep books designed to help students improve their scores on each subject test on the ACT. While there are lots of ACT prep books out there, the official guides are the only ones put together by the makers of the ACT exam! 

In this article, we’re going to go over each of the Official ACT Subject Guides for Math, Reading, English, and Science. In each review, we’ll explain what each study book includes, what each book is good for, and what each book isn’t helpful for. We’ll also give you three tips for how to incorporate the official ACT subject guides into your study routine. 

So let’s check them out. 

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The Best CLT Practice Tests: An Expert Guide

Classical Learning Test (CLT) practice exams are a great way to prepare for the CLT, which is an alternative college entrance exam for high school juniors and seniors. But finding CLT practice tests can be tough!

So you don’t have to track down the best CLT practice tests yourself, we’ve done the work for you and compiled a list of the best CLT practice tests and mock testing opportunities available.

 

 

Here's the essential info you’ll find below:

  • A description of the official CLT practice test
  • A list of three unofficial CLT practice tests and mock exams, including their format, cost, length, and topics covered
  • Three supplemental study resources for the CLT
  • Four tips for using practice tests to study for the CLT

Ready? Let’s dive in!

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Enneagram Type 5: The Investigator

Were you the type of kid that wanted to spend more time with your chemistry set than on the playground? Or maybe you were known for driving your parents bonkers by always asking “why”? 

If that sounds like you, then you might be an Enneagram 5! Enneagram Type 5s are known as investigators, and they’re generally insightful, curious, visionary people 

We know Fives are super curious people, which is why we’ve put together this article explaining everything you need to know about this Enneagram type. We’ll explain:

  • How to tell if you’re an Enneagram 5 (there’s a quiz involved!) 
  • The top five things you should know about being an Enneagram 5
  • What Enneagram Type 5 relationships are like  
  • The best Enneagram Type 5 careers 
  • The Enneagram Type 5 wings 

Let’s start our investigation! 

 

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The 7 Best Online Learning Platforms

Digital learning platforms (also called eLearning platforms or Learning Management Systems) have changed education because they’ve made classroom-style learning possible no matter where you are! 

With the popularity of distance learning on the rise, there are now dozens of online learning platforms to choose from. But which is the best online learning platform? And how can you pick the right learning platform for your classroom needs? 

In this article, we’ll give you a critical overview of seven of the best eLearning platforms to help you get a sense of the different features that online learning systems have to offer. We’ll also explain four steps that you can follow to choose online education platforms that are a great fit for your schools, teachers, students, and parents. 

Let’s get started. 

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Get the Most Out of ACT Academy Free Test Prep With These 5 Tips

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

ACT

If you’re looking for ACT prep that provides questions that are just like the real exam, look no further than ACT Academy, a (free!) test prep resource created by the makers of the ACT.

If you’ve heard of ACT Academy but aren’t exactly sure how to use it or who it’s a good fit for, this overview of ACT Academy test prep is for you. In this article, we’ll cover all of the following info about ACT Academy:

  • How to use ACT Academy test prep
  • Four things that ACT Academy is good for in terms of test prep
  • Four things that ACT Academy isn’t good for in terms of test prep
  • Five tips for getting the most out of ACT Academy test prep.

Let’s begin!

 

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What Is STEM? What Does It Stand For?

If you live in the U.S., you’ve probably heard about how important “STEM” education is. But what is STEM, exactly? And why is it so important? 

In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about STEM education, including:

  • Explain what STEM stands for
  • Overview the disciplines that STEM includes
  • Answer the question, “What does STEM stand for in school?”
  • Explain the importance of STEM
  • Provide a five question quiz to help you decide if pursuing STEM is right for you

Ready? Let’s dive in! 

 

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4 Ways COVID-19 Is Affecting Fall 2021 College Applications

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, some colleges and universities have changed the application process for the upcoming Fall 2021 application cycle. These changes are meant to help applicants and may include application deadlines, required application materials, and financial aid applications and awards.

If you're planning to apply to college this fall, it's important you know about these changes and how they might affect you. In this article, we'll help you navigate changes to the college application process due to the COVID-19 epidemic by describing four ways that these changes may affect college applicants. We'll also provide four tips for how to proceed if your college application is affected by COVID-19.

Take a deep breath: we're here to help you navigate the changes to the admissions process. Now, let's take a look at the Fall 2021 admissions process.

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Is It Bad to Apply to College as an Undeclared Major?

One of the biggest—and most difficult—decisions college applicants must make is what they want to major in. As a result, many students struggle to pick a major when they’re filling out their college applications. That’s why many schools give you the option to select “undecided” or “undeclared” on your app. 

But will being undecided affect your ability to get into your dream school? If you’re wondering, “Is it bad to put undecided on a college application,” then this article is for you. We’ll explain the following:

  • What an undeclared major is
  • What putting “undeclared” on a college application means
  • The implications of applying undeclared at different schools
  • How selecting “undeclared” can affect your college application
  • Whether you should put undeclared on your application

So let’s get started!

 

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Barron's ACT: Expert Prep Book Review

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

ACT

Barron's ACT is one of many books available in Barron's lineup of test prep resources. Since there are so many to choose from, you want to make sure you choose the specific Barron's test prep guide that will mesh with your test prep needs.

In this article, we'll give you a full review of Barron's ACT to help you understand what unique features this Barron's ACT book offers. Our review will cover the following: 

  • What Barron's ACT is
  • What content is provided in this Barron's ACT book, chapter by chapter
  • Six pros and cons of the book
  • How to decide if using this Barron's ACT book would be a good fit for you.

Now, let's dive in!

 

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The Best Way to Study ACT Vocabulary

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

ACT

Mastering ACT vocabulary words is an essential part of studying for the Reading section of the ACT. But settling on the best ACT vocabulary study method can be tricky. Do you study thousands of vocab words, or do you tackle the toughest ones? And what’s the best way to study: an app, flashcards, or something else? 

We’re here to teach you the most effective ways to learn ACT vocabulary! We’ll cover:  

  • The importance of vocabulary words and how they affect your overall ACT score
  • A bad, better, and best method for studying ACT vocabulary
  • How to interpret and answer a “Vocab in Context” ACT question
  • Eight solid resources for studying ACT vocab 

Now, let’s get started!

 

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Can Colleges Revoke Your Admission Because of Social Media Posts?

Recently, several colleges have made headlines because they’ve revoked incoming students’ admission due to their racist social media posts. That’s left lots of high school students wondering about how their Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter posts will affect their college admissions chances. 

In this article, we’ll help you understand how social media can impact your admissions c chances. We’ll explain: 

  • Why some students have had their admission revoked recently 
  • What universities have said about their decisions 
  • What you can do to make sure your social media helps, rather than hurts, your admissions chances

Let’s take a look. 

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William and Mary Supplemental Essay: 3 Key Writing Tips

The College of William and Mary in Virginia is the second oldest university in the country, and it's consistently ranked in the top colleges in the nation. Their acceptance rate reflects that: every year, only 36% of students who apply are admitted.

That means that if you're interested in applying to William and Mary, you'll want your application to shine. Simply having good grades and test scores isn't enough on its own—in fact, 75% of accepted William and Mary students were in the top 10% of their high school class.

This is where the optional William and Mary essay comes in. This is your chance to make your application stand out! So what is this optional essay, and how optional is it? This article will tell you everything you need to know about the William and Mary supplement essay, including:

  • Explaining the William and Mary supplemental essay prompt
  • Walking you through how to answer the prompt
  • Going over what admissions counselors are looking for in an excellent supplemental essay

We have a lot to cover, so let's get started!

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Cracking the ACT Review: Is This ACT Prep Book Right for You?

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

ACT

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!

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