SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

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.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended much of the world, and colleges are no exception. Around the world, colleges have sent students home and implemented virtual classes. No more dorm living, cheering for your team at sports games, or meeting new people in the cafeteria. Now, many students are learning via online classes in their parent's homes. And, unfortunately, no one yet knows if the coronavirus will be contained enough to allow campuses to open up in the fall. For incoming college freshmen, this is a huge blow. They already missed out on their final months of high school, along with all that entails such as prom and graduation. Now they might begin their college experience in much the same way. 

For some of these students, the thought of losing even more traditional experiences, such as moving into the dorms with a roommate, joining college clubs, and engaging in classroom debates, is enough to make them consider postponing college until students can return to classes. In fact, if schools don't resume in-person classes, more students than ever before may end up taking a gap year. Currently, 16% of high school seniors are planning to take a gap year rather than virtual classes.

But is deferring college during a pandemic the right decision for you? What factors do you need to consider and what questions do you need to ask yourself before you decide? We go over everything you need to know and think about to make the best decision for you.

Whether it's a rainy day or your kids have had enough time in the backyard, summer crafts are a great way to keep them occupied by giving them a fun way to explore their creativity. In this guide, we've compiled 25 of the best summer crafts.

We've organized them into three categories, based on age: summer crafts for toddlers, summer crafts for preschoolers, and summer crafts for kids. However, these groups are just guidelines, as most of these crafts can be done by a variety of age groups. From ice cube sailboats to insect hotels to cactus rock plants, this list of easy summer crafts for kids will be sure to be a hit with everyone!

COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus) has upended events across the world, and that includes upcoming SAT test dates. Some SAT test dates have been cancelled while the future of other test dates is up in the air, and it makes for a stressful situation for students who need to take the SAT to apply to college. Use this guide to learn the latest information on COVID-19 SAT cancellations, what you should do if you were registered for a cancelled exam, what steps the College Board is taking as a result of the cancellations, and what you should do while you're waiting to take the SAT.

Your backyard provides endless opportunities for fun, learning and creativity, but coming up with actual backyard games and activities can be tough. We're here to help! In this guide, we've compiled 24 of the best backyard activities and backyard games for kids of all ages to enjoy. Want to take a swing at a water balloon pinata? Create a tiny picnic table for squirrels? Lounge on a giant water blob? We'll tell you how!

Cooking is a skill everyone should have, and kids can begin learning the basics at a young age. Doing so can make them more self-sufficient and more likely to make healthier meal decisions throughout their lives. But it's important to choose recipes that match their skill levels, which is where we come in. We've compiled a list of 32 easy recipes for kids, in six categories: breakfast, smoothies, snacks, dinner, vegetarian, and baking.

For each of these cooking recipes for kids, we include a link to the recipe, a brief description of it, the estimated time to make the recipe, and the difficulty level (easy, medium, or advanced). The difficulty levels are based on kids' cooking skills, and even the advanced recipes are doable for children if they have adult help. Let's get cooking!

With many kids learning from home due to Covid-19, easy-to-organize educational activities for students are more important than ever. Writing helps improve students' creativity, communication skills, and ability to focus, among other benefits.

Whether you're a teacher, a parent now homeschooling, or a student looking for something new and interesting to write about, these writing prompts are for you. We've collected 57 writing prompts for students of various ages, from elementary school through high school. From spooky story writing prompts to debating how to improve schools, this article has writing prompts that will appeal to all students.

Do you have a big exam coming up, but you're not sure how to prepare for it? Are you looking to improve your grades or keep them strong but don't know the best way to do this? We're here to help! In this guide, we've compiled the 17 best tips for how to study for a test. No matter what grade you're in or what subject you're studying, these tips will give you ways to study faster and more effectively. If you're tired of studying for hours only to forget everything when it comes time to take a test, follow these tips so you can be well prepared for any exam you take.

Thinking about becoming an engineer? First, you’ll need to choose an engineering major! There are many types of engineering, and the specialization you choose will determine the types of classes you take and which jobs you’re most qualified for. In this guide, we discuss everything you need to know about different engineering majors, including the classes you’ll take, the degree you’ll earn, what the hardest engineering majors are, and more. We also go over nine types of engineering majors so you can get a sense of what you’ll learn and what the types of jobs you can get with each specialization. The guide ends with tips for things you can do as a high school student to give yourself the best chance of succeeding as a future engineering student.

Anxious to get your SAT scores back right away? Need your scores to meet a college application deadline? If you’re wondering how to get SAT scores early, we have some bad news: you won’t be able to receive your SAT scores before other test takers. However, there are other options available if you need colleges to receive your SAT scores early. We cover all of them in this guide, along with the exact day you can expect your SAT scores, when colleges will receive your scores, and what your options are if you need early SAT scores.

Sifting through glossy college brochures and trying to choose the right schools to apply to can feel overwhelming. Then, once you decide where to apply, you have to navigate each school’s application, wondering if you’re filling questions in properly and what your chances of being accepted are. The good news is, you don’t need to struggle alone! A college counselor can help answer many of your college-related questions, and they’ll use their expertise to advise you on the best college decisions for you.

Want to learn more about college counselors? In this guide, we’ve answered all your college admissions counselor questions, including every question they can help you answer, who should meet with a college counselor, and what you need to do before you meet with one.

The ACT can be a slog. First you have to do all that studying, then spend a bunch of hours taking the test, then wait weeks for your scores to get back. Do you know what makes it better? Memes. This guide contains 21 of the most relatable ACT 2020 memes out there, from the frustration at not being able to use a mechanical pencil to finding out your scores have been delayed. And yes, there is a baby Yoda ACT meme too.

Have you learned that you or someone close to you is an Enneagram Type 1? We're here to give you an in-depth explanation to this personality type. Read on to learn all about what Type 1s are known for, what they care about (and fear most), how to tell if you're a Type 1, and how this type interacts with friends, lovers, and coworkers.

Electives are some of the coolest classes you can take in high school. They can cover almost any topic, from pottery to poetry to Portuguese, but just like any other course you take in high school, colleges will be looking at your electives to see which classes you chose and the grades you got in them.

So which high school electives should you take, exactly?

In this guide we'll cover how to choose electives that you both enjoy and can use as a way to strengthen your college applications.

The COVID-19 coronavirus is causing massive changes to the 2019/2020 school year, and one of those changes is how AP exams will be taken this spring. The College Board has made recent updates to the 2020 AP exams, and you can find everything you need to know about them in this guide. We cover if/how the AP exams will be taken, if colleges will still accept these scores, and how you can prepare for the exams with digital resources.