SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Organization Questions on SAT Writing: Tips and Tricks

 The SAT Writing and Language section tests you on where to place sentences within a paragraph and where to place paragraphs within a passage. You may not know exactly how to approach these questions if you've never encountered these types of questions on other tests. Fortunately, organization questions aren't overly difficult if you know how to recognize and approach them.

In this article, I'll do the following:

  • Explain the different types of organization questions on SAT Writing
  • Provide a step-by-step approach to answering each type of organization questions
  • Offer tips to help you answer organization questions on the SAT.
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Can You Write in the ACT Test Booklet?

I don’t know about you, but scratch paper is really useful for me when I’m working through a test. You might know that you’re not allowed to bring paper or notebooks in with you when you take the ACT - you also won't get scratch paper. But are you allowed to write on the ACT test booklet?

The short answer is yes, but there’s a bit more to it than that. Here, I’ll go through exactly when and why you’re allowed to write on the booklet. Then, I’ll tell you how you can use the ACT booklet to your advantage by taking the most effective notes possible.

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Add/Delete Questions on SAT Writing: 6 Steps to Answer

Add/Delete questions require you to determine whether a sentence should be added or deleted from a passage. There are multiple add/delete questions on SAT Writing, so figuring out how to tackle these questions is imperative to improving your Writing score.

In this post, I'll do the following:

  • Explain add/delete questions
  • Teach you the basic constructions of add/delete questions
  • Provide example questions
  • Give you strategies and a step-by-step approach for answering these questions
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What Is an Alternative High School? Is It Right for You?

Will you be attending an alternative high school or are you wondering if it's the right choice for you or your child? For some students, alternative high schools fit their personality and learning style much better than traditional high schools, and they can be a way for these students to achieve success.

What are alternative high schools? How are they different from traditional high schools? Is attending one the right choice for you? How can you find the right alternative high school? Read on for answers to each of these questions and more.

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How Should You Spend the Night Before the ACT?

Planning the night before the test is the last thing you really have to worry about before taking the ACT. But how do you know what to do so that you get the best score possible the next day?

This comprehensive guide will lay out everything you should (and shouldn’t) do before you head to bed the night before the ACT. Follow these tips - covering everything from logistical concerns to last-minute exam prep - to wake up confident, refreshed, and ready.

Let’s get started!

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The 10 New SAT Changes and What They Mean for You


Times, they are a-changin’. Bob Dylan’s 1964 anthem of change may not have originally referred to a college admissions test, but it certainly applies to the SAT overhaul of 2016. The redesigned test features huge changes from its previous version, in terms of its structure, scoring, and content.

Read on to learn about the major updates and what you can do to prepare for them. To start, let’s take a look at the test’s structure and exactly how it’s a-changin'.

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Can You Use Old Practice SATs to Study for the New SAT?

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Posted by Ellen McCammon

SAT

 

Since the SAT has just been redesigned, you might feel like there aren’t very many practice questions around for you to use. The College Board has released four free practice tests, but once you get through those, what should you do?

You might be wondering if you can use old SAT practice tests to study for the new SAT. The answer is yes, you can! I will show you how.

Read on to see why you would want to use old practice tests, what practice tests won’t do for you, and then a how-to guide on the most effective way to use old tests to prep for each section. Finally, I’ll also briefly discuss using the ACT for new SAT prep, since the tests are surprisingly similar.

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Possessives and Apostrophes on SAT Writing: 4 Key Tips

Do you know how to determine if a noun should have an apostrophe? Do you know where to place apostrophes in possessive nouns? Do you know when to use there vs. they're? These are all topics that are tested on the SAT.

The SAT Writing section has questions about possessive nouns and pronouns. In this article, I'll provide you with all the rules and strategies to correctly answer these questions.

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How to Figure Out What SAT Math Questions Are Really Asking

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Posted by Vero Lecocq

SAT Math

SAT Math questions often hit you with a lot of jargon. Some types of questions are prone to being pretty wordy, and many problems just don't make sense—they simply don't click in your brain.

Well, this state of affairs simply will not do. There's got to be a better way of hammering away at these problems. And, lo and behold, the post that follows has arrived to illuminate this path.

This article will walk you through how to figure out what an SAT Math question is really getting at—what it's truly asking under all that banter.

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Can You Take the ACT in College?

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Posted by Vero Lecocq

ACT

 

If you took the ACT in high school, you were probably perfectly content to bid it farewell when you want on to college. If you didn't take it in high school, you were probably just as glad to get a pass on that particular trial. But what if you need to take it after you graduate? Can you take the ACT in college?

Yes! It's absolutely possible to take the ACT in college; there's nothing standing in your way. This article will discuss reasons to take the ACT as a college student, what the process is like, and what makes it different than taking it in high school.

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Last Minute Guide to Cramming for the ACT: 10 Tips

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Posted by Vero Lecocq

ACT

 

The ACT is upon us, and it seems fair to assume (since you're reading this article) that you're under-prepared. If you've got less than three weeks before the exam and haven't really studied yet, you're officially cramming for the ACT.

Now, if you're willing and able to put in some 60 hours of preparation before the test, take a moment to read our cram plan for those very circumstances. If that doesn't sound realistic for your circumstances, though, read on to discover the most useful strategies you can employ to get up to speed on the test in a pinch. We'll cover tips specific to each part of the test, as well as some global advice on topics like guessing and keeping a level head on test day.

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How to Overcome SAT/ACT Test Anxiety

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Posted by Vero Lecocq

ACT, SAT

We've all experienced nerves before an important evaluation, but for many of us the anxiety is much, much worse than a few simple jitters

By all accounts, a significant percentage of students experience some level of test anxiety, ranging from significant but livable symptoms to the most severely debilitating manifestations.

Dealing with any level of test anxiety during the SAT or ACT is, at its best, the opposite of fun. This guide will explain what test anxiety is, why it happens, and what you can do to manage it

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11 Things You Must Avoid During ACT Practice Tests

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Posted by Dora Seigel

ACT

If you’re using practice tests for your ACT prep, great job! That’s the best way to prepare for the ACT, but how do you make sure you’re learning from each ACT practice exam you take? How do you make sure you’re really prepared for the actual ACT? You must sit for each ACT practice exam with realistic testing conditions. What might you be doing (maybe on accident) that’s destroying your realistic testing conditions? 

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SAT Advice: Top 5 Tips for Test Prep

Looking through pages and pages of SAT advice, tips, and strategies can get a bit overwhelming. If you’re looking for the information on the most important things to know about taking the SAT, you’ve come to the right place.

Here, I’ll lay out my best SAT advice: five tips to help you excel when you take the test. Read on to get the short and sweet version of everything you need to know.

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How Many Students Prep for the ACT?

If you’re currently preparing for the ACT, you might be wondering how many other students are in the same boat. As you may have expected, you’re not alone - there are a lot of students out there who are trying to prepare for the ACT.

In this post, I’ll go over exactly how many students take the ACT, before talking about the different methods of prep that these students use.

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