SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

When it comes to college applications, you have a few options for how you can apply. Two of these are the Common Application (or Common App) and the Coalition Application (or Coalition App).

In this extensive guide to the Coalition vs Common App, we’ll go over the major features of the two application systems and take a look at their biggest pros and cons. We’ll then review the colleges that don’t accept either application system, and offer you tips on whether you should choose the Coalition or Common App.

Aiming for the world-renowned Harvard University? As part of the application to this prestigious Ivy League school, you'll have the option to submit a supplemental essay. But what should you write about for your Harvard essay? What are the different Harvard essay prompts to choose from, and how should you answer one so you can give yourself your best shot at getting in?

In this guide, we give you advice for each Harvard essay prompt as well as tips on whether you should choose a particular prompt. But before we look at the prompts, let's go over what Harvard actually requires in terms of essays.

Known for its highly ranked engineering program and huge array of academic programs, Purdue University is an excellent public university to consider for college. To apply here, though, you will need more than just good grades—you will need to write unforgettable essays as part of the Purdue supplement.

In this guide, we go over the current Purdue essay prompts and offer helpful tips on how to write each Purdue supplemental essay you're required to submit. 

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Emory University is a prestigious private university ranked within the top 25 universities nationwide. To apply here, you'll have to submit your transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, and a few essays. But what do you actually have to write for your Emory essays?

Below, we present to you this year's Emory University essay prompts and offer you tips for figuring out which prompts you should choose for your application. We will also look at admissions officers' feedback for real Emory essays that worked.

Let's get started!

The University of Michigan is one of the highest-ranked universities in the nation and is therefore a popular choice for many students, especially those in Michigan and the Midwest. At present, U-M's got a relatively low acceptance rate of just 20%.

If you're planning to apply to this coveted university, then you'll need to know how to write your best University of Michigan supplemental essay possible. Read on to learn what the University of Michigan supplemental essays entail and to get some advice on answering the various prompts. We also give you real University of Michigan essay examples and general tips for producing a great college essay.

Carnegie Mellon is ranked among the top 25 universities in the nation, so you'll need to have an impressive application—with stand-out essays, of course!—in order to get admitted. Applicants must submit a total of four Carnegie Mellon essays, three of which comprise the Carnegie Mellon supplement.

Keep reading to learn what the current Carnegie Mellon essay prompts are, what topics you could write about, and what qualities make for a great Carnegie Mellon essay.

Rice is one of the top 20 universities in the nation, and to get in, you need more than just awesome grades and test scores—you need a compelling Rice essay. The Rice application requires several essays depending on the school you're applying to at the university. So what should you write about for each Rice essay to make your application as strong as it can be?

We'll explain what the Rice supplement is and go over the Rice University essay prompts you'll see on your application. After, we'll give you expert tips on how to answer each essay prompt so you'll have an even better shot at getting accepted to this prestigious university!

Before you envision yourself getting settled in at Georgia Tech, you must get over the hurdle of writing the Georgia Tech essays. The Georgia Tech supplement requires you to write a short essay specifically for Georgia Tech. But what is the essay prompt? And what should you include in your Georgia Tech essay?

Keep reading to learn exactly what the Georgia Tech essay is, what kinds of topics you can write about (and what kinds of topics to avoid), and how to ensure you're submitting a quality essay.

Northwestern University is an excellent choice for college, but can you easily explain just why you want to go there? If you're planning to apply to Northwestern, you'll need to submit a "Why Northwestern" essay—a supplemental statement that describes why you've chosen to apply to this school and what you think Northwestern can offer you in terms of your future goals.

In this article, we'll go over what this kind of college essay entails as well as why you're required to submit a "Why Northwestern" essay. We'll also cover various topics and tips you can use to craft a compelling Northwestern supplement essay.

Got your heart set on Princeton—the #1 ranked university in the US? Then you'll need to learn how to write amazing Princeton essays for your Princeton Supplement, a key part of your application for admission.

In this detailed guide, we go over the different types of essays you'll be required to write for your Princeton application and provide you with some expert tips on how to write your most effective and unique essay possible.

The University of Georgia is an excellent public school ranked in the top 50 universities nationwide. If you're applying here, you'll need to submit two amazing essays. So what are the UGA essay prompts? And how can you ensure your UGA essays will make you stand out?

In this in-depth guide, we give you all the current UGA essay prompts and tips for choosing and approaching the best prompt for you. We also look at an actual UGA application essay example to give you an idea of what your own essay can and should look like.

Applying to college usually means writing some essays, asking for letters of recommendation, and submitting your transcripts. But what about the ACT and SAT? Is the ACT required for college? The answer is, not necessarily!

In this guide, we explain what test-optional colleges are and give you the complete list of 1,000+ colleges that don't require ACT scores from applicants. We also offer a few tips for what to do with these ACT-optional college lists.

SAT and ACT scores are common admission requirements for college. But what if I told you that you could get into a great school without taking either of these exams? Behold test-optional colleges. Colleges that are test optional don't require you to submit SAT or ACT scores but will consider them if submitted.

In this guide, we'll explain what "test optional" means for different schools before providing you with a comprehensive list of test-optional colleges and universities in the US. The first two lists will cover the best test-optional colleges and universities (i.e., those ranked in the top 100), and the last list will include all other test-optional colleges in the country.

Along the way, we'll also give you a few key tips on when you should and should not send your SAT/ACT test scores to schools.

To ensure you have a solid ACT study plan, you must first familiarize yourself with ACT registration dates. What and when are the most important ACT deadlines? How can knowing these deadlines benefit you as a test taker?

In this article, we go over upcoming ACT registration dates and examine the general patterns of ACT registration deadlines. We also discuss the differences in deadlines for late registration, standby registration, and changes to your test reservation before wrapping up with a look at how you can use ACT deadlines to your advantage.

You know that you'll have to take the SAT or ACT and do well on it—but figuring out exactly when to take your exam can sometimes feel like the hardest part of the whole testing process. In this guide, we introduce all upcoming SAT and ACT dates for the 2022-2023 testing year and explain what factors you must consider before committing to a test date.