If you took the ACT with Writing in September, October, or December of 2015, you may have been taken by surprise by the change in the essay prompt (compared to previous ACT Writing tests). And when you got your scores back...well, you may have been even more confused.

While the change in the ACT essay format was announced ahead of time, the full explanation of how the Writing scores would be normalized was not made clear until after the first administration of the new ACT Writing test. Because of this, ACT, Inc. faced a bit of controversy about the scoring of the new Writing test. Now they've returned to a 12-point scoring scale, with a more transparent calculation system. Read on to learn what all this means for you.

Change is scary, and the SAT was already kind of scary in the first place, so you might be feeling apprehensive about the new test. Good news: It's possible that the new SAT will be easier for some (or even most!) students. In this article, I'll go through some predictions about which aspects of the new SAT have the potential to make it a less challenging test and which types of students are most likely to benefit.

Significant changes are coming to the SAT in 2016, but the effect they'll have on the student experience is debatable. Is the new SAT harder? It's impossible to tell for sure without any data on new score patterns.

In the meantime, we can make a few predictions for how the changes to the format and content of the test could increase its difficulty. In this article, I'll give you an overview of the changes to the test, list some factors that might make it more challenging, and suggest study strategies for students who may struggle on the new SAT.

It can be hard to tell what counts as a good score on the ACT, especially for high-achieving students. In this article, I'll explain what competitive ACT scores are for an honors student and what that means for you.

But first let's define our terms!

It can be hard to tell the difference between a good SAT score and a bad one, especially for high-achieving students. To help you see how you stack up against your peers, we've done a thorough statistical analysis to determine what counts as a good SAT score for an honors student. In this guide, I'll give you a sense of what a high score looks like for a top student and help you understand what that means for you.

But before we get into the data, let's define our terms.

Are you an athlete? Thinking seriously about playing a sport in college? Or just love playing for fun? Consider attending a college-based summer sports camp! Get more playing time in and meet like-minded athletes with a passion for your sport. In this article, I’ll explain what college-based sports camps are, discuss the costs, give you some examples, and help you decide if you’d like to attend.

Are you interested in joining your school’s Science Olympiad team or are already a member and want to learn how to become a better competitor? This is the guide for you!

I was on Science Olympiad for six years in middle school and high school. Four of those years my team went to Nationals, and I eventually became team captain and placed first in the nation in one of my events, so I know all the ins and outs of this competition. I’ll go over everything you need to know about what Science Olympiad is, what team members do, how competitions work, and how you can be a standout competitor.

You may think that of all the grammatical concepts you will encounter on the ACT English, recognizing a correct sentence will be one of the easiest ones. But did you know that this is actually one of the most commonly-tested subjects because it can be very tricky?

Do you know what you need to have in order to have a complete sentence? Can you reliably tell the difference between a subordinate clause and an independent clause? Do you know how to use semicolons and conjunctive adverbs?

Read this guide to see how the ACT manages to trick so many students with this seemingly easy concept.

Interested in science? Science fair is a great way to pursue your interest in science. It can help you figure out if you’re interested in a career in research. It’s also a good activity for your college application, especially if you win awards. I should know! I placed 3rd in my state science fair and won an award from NASA #sciencenerd #brushingdirtoffmyshoulders.

What exactly is science fair? How do you compete and win? In this guide, I’ll explain exactly what you need to do to develop winning high school science fair projects and why you should consider participating in this challenging but fun extracurricular.

Polynomial problems will show up in some way, shape, or form on the ACT two or three times per test. And since polynomials are so deeply connected to other ACT math topics, like operations and functions, it's even more important to take the time to understand them before test day.

Luckily, you probably know a lot more about polynomials than you think, and if you're currently rusty on the subject, just a little review will have you knocking out your polynomial questions left and right.

This will be your complete guide to polynomials on the ACT—what they are, how you'll see them on the test, and the best way to solve your polynomial problems before time is up.

The ACT is daunting. It just is. One of the most intimidating things about it is the average student's initial uncertainty as to what types of questions are going to be asked: Will it test vocabulary? What's tested on the science section? How many formulas do I need to memorize? The best way to clear up the confusion is to look at some ACT sample questions, so you can get a sense of what to expect on test day.

As you are most likely aware, there are five sections on the ACT—English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing—each of which has its own types of questions. In this article, I'll guide you through every type of question you're going to encounter in each of these areas and offer some tips on preparing for them.

Studying for the new 2016 SAT and struggling to remember specific concepts? Flashcards might be a great study resource for you! Flashcards can help you memorize the information you need to know.  In this guide, I’ll explain how to make SAT flashcards for vocabulary and math formulas and how to study with the flashcards you make. 

Each year, Princeton University receives over 25,000 applications for its undergraduate class. Only 7% of them get a Princeton acceptance letter.

For example, in 2015, Princeton received 27,290 applications for the Class of 2019 and accepted 1,908 students. That's a tiny 6.99% admission rate.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of applicants get a rejection letter. “I'm sorry to inform you…”

I was one of the lucky few to apply to Princeton and receive an acceptance letter in the mail. Since Princeton was one of my top choice schools, I was ecstatic that they wanted me as part of their community. I dreamed about how my future would turn out if I attended Princeton.

Here’s my complete, official Princeton acceptance letter.

Each year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology receives nearly 20,000 applications from high school hopefuls. Only 8% of them get a MIT acceptance letter.

For example, in 2014, MIT accepted 1,447 applicants from 18,356 candidates. That’s a small 7.9% admission rate.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of applicants get a rejection letter. “I'm very sorry to inform you…”

When I was in high school, I was one of the lucky few to apply to MIT and receive an acceptance letter in the mail. This validated years of hard work, especially in the sciences and research. It was inspiring to know that they wanted me to be a part of their amazing community.

Here’s my complete, official MIT acceptance letter.

Love animals? Thinking about a career as a veterinarian? Or maybe you're just hoping to play with animals? Volunteering at an animal shelter can be a great experience.

How can you become an animal shelter volunteer? What will you do as a volunteer? Are there alternative experiences? This guide will answer all those questions and more, so read on!