SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Halle Edwards

Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.

Recent Posts

When's the Last ACT/SAT for Regular Admissions Deadlines?

If you have been putting off the ACT/SAT or are hoping to retake one, you need to know when you can take your last test so that your scores will arrive at your schools in time. In other words, when is the very latest you can take the SAT or ACT for your college applications?

Read on to find out when you can still take the SAT or ACT—and when you'd be too late. You might be surprised by how little time you have!

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How to Get Your PSAT Score Report

How do you get your PSAT score report? Can you view it online? The PSAT score report works a bit differently than your typical SAT or ACT report.

We will walk through how to get your report and what to do once you have it.

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SAT Percentiles and Score Rankings (Updated 2023)

Have you taken the SAT recently and need help deciding whether you should retake the test? Or maybe you haven’t taken the SAT yet but want to develop a target score.

One of the best ways to understand your SAT scores is to understand your SAT score percentiles. You can learn to maximize your study time, find the biggest score gains, and impress your dream school by understanding percentile rankings. Read on for a guide to maximizing your SAT score—and your college admissions chances—by using SAT score percentiles.

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What's the Highest Possible SAT Score?

Curious about what perfection looks like on the SAT, or about how many people get perfect scores every year? In this post, we'll show you what the highest possible score on the SAT is and how many raw points you need to rack up in each section to earn that score.

We'll also include tips and links to other more detailed articles for those aiming for that rare—but not impossible!—maximum SAT score.

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ACT Percentiles and Score Rankings

What's the difference between a good ACT score and a great ACT score? One way colleges make that distinction is by looking at ACT score percentiles.

ACT score percentiles help colleges compare students with one another, rather than just looking at everyone's individual score. Learn more about your ACT score percentile so you can maximize both your study time and admission chances. Then, find out your current score percentile using our detailed charts.

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What's a Bad SAT Score? Nationally and by College

 

Have you taken the SAT recently? Are you wondering whether your score is bad? Or maybe you just want to know the score to beat before you take the SAT for the first time?

In this article, we'll explain what a bad SAT score is, both in terms of the national averages and the colleges you might be interested in.

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The SAT Scores You Need for Nursing Programs

Are you wondering about the kind of SAT scores you need to get into nursing schools? Applying for undergraduate nursing programs is simpler than you might think, but it's important to make sure you understand exactly what's expected of you.

This article will explain everything you need to know about applying to nursing school, including the different types of nursing programs that are available, the current average SAT/ACT scores for nursing school students, and what you need to do to make your application stand out. We'll also go through some examples of great nursing schools so you can see their SAT requirements.

Read on to find out the SAT nursing scores you need and to get tips for a successful nursing school application!

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ACT Expert Guide: What's the Highest Possible ACT Score?

What is the highest possible score on the ACT, and how rare is it to get one? Whether you're just now diving into your ACT prep or have been at it for a while, you're probably wondering what the best score is. In this guide, we'll explore the odds of earning the maximum ACT score and give you tips and advice for reaching it.

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How Many People Get a 34, 35, 36 on the ACT? Score Breakdown

We know that 36 is the best possible score on the ACT and that any score in the 30s is considered very good. But how good is a top score of 34, 35, or 36? And how many students earn these scores every year?

In this post, we break down just how rare those top scores are and how many students get them each year. Learn how you can stand out in the application process with a top score—and how to raise your ACT score to get there.

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Colleges Requiring All SAT Scores Sent: Complete List

Are you putting together your college application list? One factor you might not have considered is which schools require you to send your entire SAT testing record. Unfortunately, you can't always hide your rotten SAT scores! So if you have some less-than-stellar scores, you might avoid (or at least think carefully) before applying to those schools.

We have a complete list of which schools require your complete SAT testing record. Read on for this list as well as exclusive advice for applying to these schools.

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Average ACT Scores by State (Most Recent)

Did you recently get your ACT scores back and are now wondering how your score compares with those of other test takers in your state? Or perhaps you're curious as to how your state's average ACT score stacks up against other state averages.

For this article, we compiled the average ACT scores by state, as well as the average in each subject area, using the latest data from ACT, Inc. Read on to learn how your state's SAT data—and your ACT score—compare with the averages in the rest of the country.

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Complete Guide: Which Schools Use the Common Application?

Are you applying to college soon? If so, you've probably heard of the Common Application—an online application you can use for more than 900 colleges. Since you only have to fill out one application, it saves you time when applying to college.

But which colleges use the Common Application? And which Common Application schools are in your state? We have a complete list here, broken down by state and updated for the 2023-24 academic year.

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What Is Summer Institute for the Gifted? Should You Join?

Want to challenge yourself this summer? Interested in showing colleges some of your academic interests? If so, you might have heard about the Summer Institute for the Gifted.

In this post, we'll explain what the Summer Institute for the Gifted is all about; we’ll cover logistics such as application materials, cost, and dates; and we’ll help you decide whether it's a good fit for you.

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The Best AP World History Study Guide: 6 Key Tips

Are you taking AP World History this year? Or considering taking it at some point in high school? Then you need to read this AP World History study guide. Instead of cramming every single name, date, and place into your head, learn how to study for the AP World History exam so that you can learn the major ideas and feel ready for test day. We'll also go over some key strategies you can use to help you prepare effectively.

The AP World History test is challengingjust 13.2% of test takers got a 5 in 2021. But if you study correctly throughout the year, you could be one of the few students who aces this test. Below are six tips to follow in order to be well prepared for the AP World History exam. Read through each one, apply them to your test prep, and you'll be well on your way to maximizing your score!

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Should You Take AP English Literature or AP English Language?

Are you considering taking an AP English class at some point during high school? You might have noticed that AP offers two English courses—AP English Literature and Composition and AP English Language and Composition. (Those titles are a mouthful, so we'll just refer to them as AP Literature and AP Language in this post.)

So what are some of the differences between the two classes? Is one class harder than the other? Should you take both or just choose one? In this guide, we'll explain the similarities and differences between the two courses to help you decide which option is best for you.

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