SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Feeling pressed for time on any test is extremely frustrating. It’s even worse on tests like the SAT and ACT because they’re so lengthy: if you run out of time on a section, you don't get the relief of "Well, at least I'm done with the test" because you have to move right on to the next section.

Since you can’t stop time (probably?) and, except for some special circumstances, can’t get extra time, you'll need another solution to help you avoid running out of time. So what strategies can you use? I’ll discuss the top misconception students have about running low on time on the SAT Reading section and strategies to avoid running out of time.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Heed the wise words of Dr. Seuss, and get reading! The more you practice reading SAT passages, the better you'll perform on the SAT Reading and Writing section. This article goes over everything on the SAT Reading and Writing section so you know exactly what to expect.

Sure, you've done your paces on single variable equations and now they're no problem, but what do you do when presented with multiple equations and multiple variables at once? These are what we call “systems of equations” and, luckily for us, they are extremely predictable types of problems with multiple methods for solving them. Depending on how you like to work best, you can basically choose your own adventure when it comes to system of equation problems.

But before you choose the method that suits you (or the individual problem) best, let's look at all the various options you have available as well as the types of questions you'll see come test day. These questions will always show up once or twice on any given test, so it's best to understand all the strategies you have at your disposal. 

This will be your complete guide to systems of equations questions—what they are, the many different ways for solving them, and how you'll see them on the SAT.

This posts contains a Teaching Explanation.

You can buy Calculus by Stewart here.

This posts contains a Teaching Explanation.

You can buy Calculus by Stewart here.

Have you started researching how to apply to college? You may know that most college-bound students take the SAT and ACT. But just how important are they, and when can you get away without taking them?

Let's look at when SAT and ACT scores are important for college admissions, and when they're not.

Being a transfer student has benefits, but it can be even harder to navigate than applying as a freshman straight out of high school. Transfer student requirements can be tricky to figure out, as many college application guides are written with freshmen in mind.

Despite the difficulty, being a transfer student is worth it. Whether you want to transfer because you're ready to move from community college to a four-year university or because your school isn't the right fit, this guide will help you learn what colleges look for in transfer students and how to make your application more appealing to colleges.

When you’re applying to college, each part of your application counts. You want to maximize every opportunity to make yourself stand out from the thousands of other applicants vying for a spot at the school of your dreams.

One of the many places you can distinguish yourself is in the Common App Honors section. In this article, we’ll talk about what the Honors Common App section is and how to maximize it to show your best work.

The admissions committee that decides whether or not you get into your dream school can often seem shrouded in mystery. Who, exactly, are these people? A group of soulless office workers who delight in stamping “Rejected” across applications? A team of well-trained robots who data-mine your application and input it into an algorithm?

While it may seem like the admissions committee process is secretive, that’s actually not the case. Admissions committees are made up of real, live humans whose sole job is to put together the best incoming class possible for their college or university.

Let’s learn a little more about college admissions committees.

The two biggest challenges of ACT Math are the time crunch—the math test has 60 questions in 60 minutes!—and the fact that the test doesn’t provide you with any formulas. All the formulas and math knowledge for the ACT comes from what you’ve learned and memorized.

In this complete list of critical formulas you'll need on the ACT, I'll lay out every formula you must have memorized before test day, as well as explanations for how to use them and what they mean. I'll also show you which formulas you should prioritize memorizing (the ones that are needed for multiple questions) and which ones you should memorize only when you've got everything else nailed down tight.

The SAT / ACT is incredibly important for many students.  It's used to determine admissions into talent programs like Duke's TIP or Johns Hopkins CTY.  It's also a good predictor of future college potential.  

But how do you know what a good SAT / ACT score is for someone in middle school?  Here, Dr. Fred Zhang does a novel analysis on two data sets to find what is considered a good score for middle school students.

It can be hard to know when to guess on the SAT, especially since the recent overhaul has changed for the test is scored. But the truth is more straightforward than you might expect! Read on to find out whether you should guess on the SAT and what you can do to maximize the number of correct answers you end up with from guessing.

Even though the English language is complex, the digital SAT tests a specific set of grammar rules. Furthermore, it tests these rules the same way, over and over again.

In this complete guide, we've compiled a comprehensive list of SAT grammar rules you need to know to ace the digital SAT Reading and Writing section.

Nobody likes commas: they're weird and confusing and possibly pointless. My brother decided to boycott them entirely in his senior year of high school, leaving his lists running together and his appositives undefined. Even veteran copy editors sometimes struggle with where exactly to place these reviled punctuation marks. 

Even so, if you want to succeed on the ACT English, you'll have to learn how to expertly employ commas. The good news is that there is a fairly limited set of comma rules you'll need to know for the ACT.

As if college applications aren't stressful enough, an interview with the admissions department can ramp anxiety up to eleven. Though an interview is a great way to make a lasting impression, it also introduces some new things to worry about in addition to your application, such as what you're supposed to wear.

Like all parts of the college application process, you want to make a good impression, but also be yourself. Not everyone is a fashion maven, and there are additional barriers for students experiencing academic hardship.

If you have questions about what to wear to a college interview, you're in luck—we've got answers. From how to style yourself to how to afford business casual on a budget, this guide will help you look sharp and feel confident during your college interview.