SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Dora Seigel

As an SAT/ACT tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you get there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is also passionate about acting, writing, and photography.

Recent Posts

The Only Actual Science You Need to Know for ACT Science

While you may have been told you need zero science knowledge to answer any ACT Science questions, this is NOT true. There are typically around four questions per test that you cannot answer without previous background knowledge. That's the difference between a 31 and a 36 on the Science section!

In this article, I will give an overview of the 18 topics that will NOT be explained in the ACT Science passages that the ACT expects you to know. The ACT assumes you know these topics from school and science class. To gather this info, I dissected dozens of previous ACT Science test sections to find the concepts you have to know. As far as we can tell, we're the only ones who have taken the time to research this.

If you've gotten bad grades in science classes in school, this article will give you a refresher on the only concepts you need to know.

Read More

 

Expert Guide to SAT Grid-Ins: 5 Key Tips

author image
Posted by Dora Seigel

SAT Math

If you’re planning to take the SAT, you may have heard of this strange question type known as grid-ins. You probably know that there are multiple-choice questions and an optional essay, but what are grid-ins? Problems that require you to draw pictures or graphs, perhaps? The reality is grid-ins are almost identical to multiple-choice questions; they just don’t provide answer choices.

This guide will explain what grid-ins are, discuss where they appear, outline how many appear on the SAT, and provide tips on answering them. 

Read More

 

The 3 Types of ACT Science Passages: What You Must Know

The ACT Science section is one of the bigger mysteries to students since it is the most different from the SAT, PSAT, and other tests you have taken. Here, I will try to unravel the mystery by explaining the types of passages on the ACT, as well as the unique question types for each of these passages.

By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of what the ACT Science section entails and how to best prepare for it.

Read More

 

How Many Questions Can You Skip for a Good SAT Score?

Every year students fight to get the SAT score they want. For many students, completing all the questions before running out of time is a serious challenge. If you're one of those who struggles to finish the test in time, skipping can be a real asset. But how many questions can you skip for a good score on the SAT?

Read More

 

How Much Do Donations Help College Applications?

This is a question a lot of students think about during the college admissions process. If my parents could afford to donate $1 million, would I get in? Do donations affect your admissions chances? If so, by how much? In this article, I'll answer all of these questions.

Read More

 

What Is SAT Verbal? How to Raise Your Reading Score

If you've found this article, you might have heard the term SAT Verbal. It's an older, outdated term to describe the SAT Reading and Writing section. However, the content of the SAT Verbal section is still very important today.

The many of the topics and skills from what used to be known as SAT Verbal are now tested in the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section. To do well on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section, you need to understand what SAT Verbal is, what types of skills it tests, and how to practice it.

Read More

 

How to Get Into Film School, by a USC Alum

If you're interested in going into the entertainment industry in any capacity, be it directing, writing, producing, animation, editing, or otherwise, you should consider attending film school. I wrote this article to share my knowledge as a USC film school alum and to help you get accepted to film school as well!

Read More

 

How to Win a Student Election, by a Former Class President

Hoping to be your class president? Winning the position takes a lot of work, but you can absolutely make it happen. Why should you trust me? I was my Junior Class President and Student Government President my senior year, so I know what it takes to get there. In this article, I've outlined every step you need to take to become class president: starting with just getting on student council freshman year, all the way through running in a big election as a senior. 

Read More

 

The Best SAT Score Predictor

The SAT can be mysterious and nerve-inducing; your score on this never-before-seen test will play a huge role in your college applications. When I took the SAT for the first time, I didn’t do any preparation and wasn't sure I could reach my target score.

The best way to lessen your fear is to try to predict your SAT score. How can you estimate your SAT score? What are the effective methods? Do the SAT score predictor quizzes really work? This guide will walk you through the different methods of estimating your SAT score and will tell you how to use that prediction.

Read More

 

Time Management Tips and Section Strategy on ACT Science

Most students struggle with the timing of the ACT Science. I really struggled with it when I was a high school student. With only 52.5 seconds to answer each question or five minutes per passage, you have no time to waste.

I improved my ACT science score by five points between my first official test and my second. Did I learn more science between the first and second test? No, but I did practice certain time management tips and ACT Science strategies specific to the section. In this article, I'll show you the lessons I learned so you can finish the section with time to spare.

Read More

 

The Best Way to Study and Practice for ACT Science

The ACT Science is like a double rainbow: unique, complicated to understand, and people freak out when they see it. Unlike a double rainbow, which tends to freak people out because of its awesomeness, the ACT Science section tends to freak people out because of the crazy time crunch with only 35 minutes to answer 40 questions.

Even so, if you want to do well on the ACT Science, you can't avoid it. You have to buckle down and create a great study plan. The good news is there are several easy steps to take to make sure you are studying for the ACT Science section in the right way.

Here is an overview of what this guide covers:

  • Which study materials to use
  • The importance of using realistic timing
  • How you should be reviewing your practice tests
  • Memorizing what the ACT Science expects you to know
Read More

 

High GPA but Low SAT Score: What Do You Do?

For a lot of smart students, the SAT is a struggle. If you have a high GPA, but a low SAT score, you're not alone!

If you feel like you're good in school but not great at test taking, here's our expert guide on how you can boost your chances of getting into a great college. You'll be able to show colleges your true academic potential.

Read More

 

ACT Science Practice Tests: What to Use and What to Avoid

Whichever way you choose to prepare for ACT Science — whether with a private tutor, class, online program or on your own — you need to make sure you are using high-quality practice ACT Science tests. Because ACT Science is unique, any old science study material won't cut it. To learn about how different ACT Science is from any other science test, read the big secret of ACT Science.     

In this guide, I'll tell you where to find all of the official ACT Science practice tests available: several are free! Also, I'll provide tips on how to use these ACT Science practice tests improve your score.

Additionally, I'll talk about some of the ACT Science practice materials you should avoid and why you shouldn't use them. I draw my conclusions from my years of experience tutoring students for ACT Science and from my own practice for the ACT Science test.

Read More

 

How Long Is the SAT With Breaks?

The SAT is a marathon that takes up your whole Saturday morning. But exactly how long is it? How long is the SAT with breaks? How long is it with the Essay section? Without it?

This article gives the answers to these questions and also offers a few key tips on how to use SAT breaks to your advantage on test day.

Read More

 

High GPA but Low ACT Score: What Do You Do?

You do great in school, but you just can’t get that score you want on the ACT. If you're a great student but not as great a standardized test taker, don't worry: you aren't alone.

In this post, I'll let you know what ACT scores qualify as low, what message those scores send to admissions officers, and what you can do to improve your chances of getting into a good school.

Read More

 

Student and Parent Forum

Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Ask questions; get answers.

Join the Conversation

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!