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

Your ACT Superscore Calculator

Planning and trying to reach your ACT target score can be stressful and frustrating. You got a 36 in Math on one test date and a 35 in Reading on another test date. Why can’t you just get all of your highest individual section scores on the same test date?

If you’re applying to colleges that superscore the ACT, you don’t have to worry about that. So what is an ACT superscore? And how do you calculate it? In this post, I’ll explain what superscoring means, how to create your own ACT superscore calculator, and how superscoring affects your test-prep strategy.

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How to Cram for the ACT: 10-Day, 4-Point Prep Plan

If you’ve found this article, I assume it’s crunch time, and your ACT test date is in the next couple weeks. If you do not fall into this category (you have a bit of time—one month or more—before your test date), you can still read this guide for some study strategies, but I recommend you take advantage of all the time you have by spreading your ACT preparation out. Don't wait until the last 10 days to cram.

Though quality matters in your ACT prep, quantity is also important: you have to invest a lot of time if you want to see big improvements. You can make a lot of progress in 10 days, but you need to dedicate the necessary time to improve your ACT score. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to raise your score by up to four points in just 10 days.

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How to Cram for the SAT: 10-Day, 200-Point Prep Plan

If you’re reading this guide, I’m going to assume you don’t have a lot of time before your SAT test date. If you do have a lot of time before your SAT test date (one month or more), feel free to read this article for useful tips, but I urge you to spread your prep out over the full amount of time you have. Do not wait to cram.

The total amount of time spent preparing for the SAT matters, and though you can make great strides in just 10 days, you still need to put in the time. I’ll guide you through the steps to successfully cram for the SAT and raise your score by up to 200 points.

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Heart of Algebra: Key Strategies for SAT Math

On the newly redesigned 2016 SAT, the math section content is divided into four categories by the College Board: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics in Math. Heart of Algebra accounts for the largest part of the SAT math section (33% of the test), so you need to be well prepared for it. In this post, I'll be discussing this category's content and question types, working through practice problems, and giving tips on how to ace these questions.

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How Many Questions Can You Miss for a Perfect SAT Score?

Every year about 500 students get a perfect score on the SAT. How many questions can you get wrong and still be among this elite group? Find out here in a complete breakdown of the Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing sections across eight official SAT practice tests.

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What Is a Point Guard? Basketball’s Team Leader

Love watching Steph Curry hit three-pointers? Or seeing Lindsay Whalen dribble down the court? What exactly do these point guards do? What is a point guard in basketball, even?

Well, every basketball team’s starting lineup is made up of five players (each team puts 5 people on the court): a center, small forward, power forward, shooting guard, and a point guard. Each of these players has unique skills that make them an asset on the court.

What is a point guard’s specialty? A point guard’s expertise is typically ball handling and passing.

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7 Most Common SAT Math Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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Posted by Dora Seigel

SAT Math

I spent several years tutoring students in SAT Math, and many found the section frustrating. The first test-takers for the new SAT in March felt the same. Some struggled because they felt their strong suit was English and were irked by the content, mental math, and the pacing of SAT Math. Others found that although they considered themselves excellent math students, they struggled to finish and get the score they want.

No matter what group they fell into, students tended to make the same seven mistakes on the SAT Math section. In this guide, I'll tell you what those mistakes are, give you examples, and let you know to avoid making these mistakes in the future.

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The #1 Rule for Filling Out Your Walmart Application

Applying for a Walmart career? Want your Walmart application to stand out?

Filling out the Walmart online application can be a little confusing. In addition to normal application questions about your background, the Walmart application asks you to complete a "Pre-Employment Assessment test." This 65-question test will HUGELY affect your chances of starting a Walmart career.

In this guide, I’ll tell you where to find the Walmart online application. Even better, I'll explain the key to acing the Walmart Pre-Employment Assessment Test, so you have the best chance possible of getting a Walmart job.

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The 85 Cutest Puppies to Brighten Your Day (Pics + Videos)

Looking for the cutest puppies to cheer you up? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve got pictures and videos of puppies doing all sorts of adorable things. Find cute puppies indoors, cute puppies outdoors, puppies with other puppies, puppies with other baby animals, puppies with babies, funny puppies, and sleeping puppies. Try to make it through this collection of puppy pictures without saying awwwww. I dare you!

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Is Shingles Contagious? 2 Methods of Transmission to Avoid

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Posted by Dora Seigel

Health

Exactly how you get shingles can be confusing: it's technically the reactivation of chickenpox and is caused by the same pesky virus (the varicella-zoster virus).

But is shingles contagious? What are the riskiest transmission methods? How long is it contagious? What can you do to avoid getting shingles transmitted to you? What even causes shingles?

We'll be covering everything below, but let's start with a basic question.

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Can You Take the ACT After High School? Expert Guide

If you're an adult who needs or wants to take the ACT, you might be worried. Most people taking the test are 16 or 17, but can you take the ACT after high school? Yes, you absolutely can! There are many valid reasons for taking the ACT after high school, and the process barely differs from taking it as a teenager.

In this article, I’ll discuss the reasons you may want or need to take the test as an adult, how to register, how testing as an adult will be different, as well as additional advice.

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Brain Food for the ACT: 11 Best Exam Snacks

Looking for the best snacks for the ACT? You should be! Snacks are an underrated yet crucial part of planning for the ACT. Good snacks will help you succeed on the ACT, giving you the brain boost you need, while bad snacks can suck your energy and make you more hungry. In this article, I’ll address why snacks are important, the qualities of the best ACT snacks, and give you 11 snack options. I’ll also give you some tips to succeed on test day.  

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What Is the ACT Fifth Section? Answers From ACT, Inc.

If you took the ACT on April 9th or if you had friends who did, you might have heard there was a fifth section, which is abnormal. Usually, the ACT has four sections plus an optional writing section: Math, Reading, English, and Science. However, on April 9th, at certain test centers, there were five sections plus an optional writing section: Math, Reading, English, Science, and additional Science. What was this fifth section? Why was it there? I talked to the Director of Public Relations at ACT, Inc., and got the answers!

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The 11 Best SAT Snacks to Help You Get Through the Test

Snacks are one of the most overlooked yet most necessary parts of your SAT planning. Snacks can be an energy fueler, helping you to power through the SAT. However, the wrong snacks can be energy drainers, making you crash during the marathon that is the SAT. In this guide, I’ll talk about the importance of snacks, what makes a good snack and provide 11 SAT snack options. I’ll also let you know what snacks to avoid.

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What Is the New SAT Like? Student Reactions to the Test

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Posted by Dora Seigel

New SAT

The newly redesigned 2016 SAT debuted on March 5th. If you haven't taken it yet, you may be wondering what to expect: What is the New SAT like? What did students think of the exam? Was it easier or harder than the old SAT? How did it compare to the ACT?

In this article, I’ll discuss the reactions to the new SAT and talk about what it means for you. 

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