SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

The SAT Reading section presents you with challenging tasks. Not only will you have to sustain your focus over a long 65-minute section, but you'll also have to search actively for evidence in each passage to back up your answers.

The test may be time intensive and full of tricky "distractor" answers, but you can learn to avoid the common pitfalls with the right approach. This guide will discuss the best strategies for reading the passages effectively and achieving a high score on the new SAT Reading. To start, let's go over what the redesigned passages are going to look like on your test.

Disclaimer: we're not going to tell you how to cheat on the SAT. We do not advocate cheating by any means!

What we will tell you about, however, are some high-profile cheating scandals that have occurred in the recent past. While these scandals involved flagrant violations of ETS rules and regulations, we'll also reveal some little-known actions that can raise some red flags around your scores and jeopardize your chances of college admission.

But first, let's take a look at the scandals.

In many regards, College Board has made the SAT a lot more transparent. As of March 2016, the majority of the test has a very clear and consistent format - with one exception. In recent months, some students encountered an unexpected 20-minute experimental section at the end of their tests.

This guide will explain everything we know so far about this experimental section and how it differs from the experimental section on tests past. Read on to learn about this extra material and what it means for your test prep. 

Attention, 2017 juniors! Do you know when you’ll be taking the PSAT? Do you know the best way to prepare for the test?

This guide is for anyone planning to take the PSAT in the fall of 2017. We have the predicted PSAT test dates, along with some key study tips. To start, let’s discuss what you need to know about how your school will administer the PSAT.

“Savannah... looked inward, sealed off from the noises and distractions of the world at large...The ordinary became extraordinary. Eccentrics thrived. Every nuance and quirk of personality achieved greater brilliance in that lush enclosure than would have been possible anywhere else in the world.”

John Berendt wrote these words about Savannah and its people in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, his bestselling book that put Savannah on the map. Largely due to Berendt’s colorful love letter to the city, over 13.5 million travelers head to the riverside capital of Georgia every year.

Do you dream of cutting out your daily commute and getting away from the office? Would you love the freedom to work from home or anywhere with an internet connection?

Thanks to advances in technology, more and more people are working remotely every year. Employees can enjoy greater flexibility and freedom, and employers can discover talent all across the country and globe.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about working from home, including what skills you need and where to find legitimate work from home jobs. First, what kind of telecommuting jobs are available?

A stolen laptop, a skiing injury, a dangerous hurricane—knock on wood that none of these accidents or emergencies ruin your travels. While you can’t do much to ward off bad luck, you can protect yourself from financial loss by buying a travel insurance plan.

The best travel insurance will reimburse money you lose from a cancelled flight, medical issue, stolen belongings, or a number of other accidents that can occur when you travel. You can buy short-term travel insurance to cover a single trip or long-term insurance if you’re moving abroad for a year or more.

This guide will go over all the benefits of travel insurance, as well as help you decide whether or not you need to purchase a plan before your trip. If you already know you want a plan, then jump down to my picks for the five best travel insurance plans for 2016.

To start, let’s go over what travel insurance plans cover.

Having a poor credit score can feel like you’re caught in a catch-22. You need a credit card to improve your score, but it’s hard to get a credit card without a good score.

Luckily, there are credits cards available for people with poor credit. Once you get one of these cards, you can use it to build your credit score over time.

This guide will give you recommendations for the best credit cards for people with bad credit, along with some tips on how to apply. Click here to go straight to the credit card recommendations, or first, read on to learn what makes a bad credit score and why it matters.

Taking a gap year after high school is an option that more and more young adults are choosing each year. Whether you want to learn outside the classroom, uncover your passions, or just copy Malia Obama, you can pursue all three goals by deferring college enrollment for a year.

Gap years look different for everyone, but they all share an emphasis on experiential learning and personal development. This guide will explore what a gap year is, as well as discuss some of its pros and cons. If you're thinking of taking a gap year or are simply interested in learning more about it, read on for a full investigation into this growing trend.

Are you looking for ways to make some extra money? One of your best assets for fast cash could be sitting in your closet. Rather than letting your old clothes collect dust, try selling them online or at a local secondhand store.

This comprehensive guide has all of the places to sell clothes for cash online or in person. First, consider these general principles of selling your clothing and accessories secondhand.

Are you feeling burdened with student loans? Consolidating your loans might help you turn over a new leaf.

Student loan consolidation can simplify your monthly payments and potentially reduce your interest rate, resulting in a lot of savings in the long term. At the same time, loan consolidation isn't for everyone, so you need to make sure you understand all the terms before taking on a new contract.

This guide will go over the ins and outs of student loan consolidation so you know what it means, how to do it, and whether or not consolidating your student loans will give you a fresh financial start. First, what exactly is student loan consolidation?

IRAs, or independent retirement accounts, are tax-advantaged savings accounts that help you save money for retirement. There are two main types, traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, and they work in slightly different ways.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about traditional and Roth IRAs and help you decide which type of account is better for you. Before delving into the differences, let’s go over what you need to know about independent retirement accounts in general.

Are you getting checks for the first time? Have you forgotten how to order more? Do you know all the different ways you can deposit a check into your bank account?

Whether you want to order, deposit, cash, or void a personal check, this guide has got you covered. If you're also interested in learning exactly how to fill out a check, check out our other guide too. For now, read on to learn the different ways to order personal checks.

When you look at a loan or credit card offer, you’ll see the term “APR,” or annual percentage rate, popping up all over the place. What is APR, exactly, and why is it important when taking out a loan or choosing a credit card?

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about annual percentage rate and how you can use it to understand the annual costs of a loan or credit line. To start, let’s establish a working definition of APR.

If you’re looking to buy a new home, then you’re likely asking yourself, how much house can I afford? How much mortgage can I afford, and what’s a reasonable monthly payment to take on? You don’t want to get in over your head, but you also don’t want to live in a shoebox in the middle of nowhere. Where does the balance lie?

This guide will help you answer the question, "How much house can I afford?" based both on the numbers and your overall happiness. To begin, let's go over some general guidelines to consider when buying a home.