SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Have an ACT date coming up that you can’t make or think you’re not going to do well on? Learn here how to cancel ACT tests or change your ACT test date.

Additionally, we'll also cover some reasons why you might cancel your ACT registration – and help you decide if canceling is truly the best move.

Not so happy with your score on the Old SAT? You might be thinking about retaking the test. Unfortunately for you, the redesigned version of the SAT – in this post, we’ll just call it the “New SAT” – debuted in March of this year. Which means if you retake the SAT, you’ll be taking a totally redesigned test. So you may be wondering, "Should I take the New SAT?"

This post will help you decide if your Old SAT score is really not good enough for the colleges you hope to apply to. Next, we will explain some potential challenges with studying for the New SAT, and help you decide if it’s the right step for you. Don’t sign up for the New SAT before reading this post!

Here at PrepScholar, we get a lot of questions about every aspect of the ACT. To help, we've compiled this ACT FAQ to address all of your questions about the test – whether you haven’t even cracked open a prep book to study for it yet or if you’ve taken it four times and are wondering which scores to send to colleges.

Read on to get the answers to all of your burning ACT-related questions and links to the best articles on our site to help you prepare for the ACT.

Wondering how the new Common Core standards will affect the ACT, if at all?

Find out how the ACT could reflect the new Common Core standards, and how that will affect studying for the test.

You know the SAT was just revised. But were those changes driven by the Common Core? And why would that matter? Read on to find out—and to be prepared for the revised SAT!

Not on our watch.

To do well on the SAT/ACT, you need to commit to a certain amount of study hours. The higher the score you want, or the more points you need to improve, the more hours you need to put in. (Read more about how long exactly you need to study for the SAT or ACT here.)

If total hours is your main goal for studying, then procrastination is what you need to defeat to be successful. So we’ll talk a bit about why procrastination happens, and then give actionable advice for fighting it.

Read in to conquer procrastination once and for all!

Trying to figure out why your SAT score went down on a retake? Or are you just wondering how much a digital SAT score can drop if you retake the test?

Find out the likelihood of an SAT score decrease, how much your SAT score could decrease by, and how to make sure your score goes up, not down.

How much can an ACT score drop by? How likely is it your ACT score will decrease if you retake the test? Or are you wondering why your ACT score went down on a recent retake?

Find out how likely an ACT decrease is, how big that ACT score decrease could be, and how to make sure your score goes up, not down! Read on if you have a retake in store.

Curious about which states require the SAT? Could requiring the SAT make it more popular than the ACT?

In this post, we'll discuss how state SAT testing could increase nationwide SAT rates, and what to do if you live in an SAT-required or SAT-optional state.

The ACT is getting more popular each year, though it still might not be as popular as the Plastics.

Wondering if having the ACT required in states increases its overall popularity nationwide? And is requiring the ACT the best policy for students?

We’ll discuss the statewide ACT policies and how effective they are nationwide. Also, we’ll tell you how to approach the ACT, whether you’re living in an ACT-required state or not!

Your SAT/ACT score isn't a one-trick pony.

Wondering why your SAT/ACT scores are important? They're used for more than just college admissions.

Get a list here of who uses SAT/ACT scores, and why. You may be surprised how late into life your SAT/ACT scores can follow you!

What exactly are the instructions on the ACT? Do they really matter?

We will go over the complete ACT directions, including the main directions and the specific directions for each section. We’ll show how they reveal tips for how to do well on the test. You may be surprised by how many hints there are in the ACT directions!

Furthermore, knowing these directions before test day can save you time and stress – so you can just focus on the questions! So read on to be as prepared as possible for the ACT.

You’ve taken the PSAT and gotten your score report, but what’s next?

This is a guide as to how to interpret and use your PSAT score to help you prepare for the SAT. Read on to make the most of your PSAT score.

Three little letters, one big test.

Wondering what the letters ACT actually stand for? The answer reveals a lot about the history of the test as well as its goals. Read on to learn about the name of the ACT and why that matters.

Shockingly, catchy slogans were not a part of the original Scholastic Achievement Test. 

If you're a high school student trying to get into college, you've definitely heard of the SAT, and might already be studying for it. But have you ever wondered what "SAT" itself actually stands for? And does it reveal anything about what the SAT claims to measure?

Well, it turns out the SAT has gone through many name changes, which reveal changes in the test's design and purpose. Read on for the full story behind the SAT's name.