SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

CTY, or Center for Talented Youth, at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) offers an assortment of resources to gifted students. These resources include summer programs and courses, written resources, community awards/recognition, and college counseling.

The first step to many of the CTY programs is registering for the Talent Search. Even the programs that are open to everyone give priority to students who participated in the Talent Search. For your convenience, we've compiled everything you need to know about CTY into one magnificent blog entry guide. I recommend reading it all the way through, but if you only want to read one particular section, you can pick it out from the Table of Contents.

I'll start off by going in depth into the Talent Search and then mention other programs along with links if you want more information than I give in this article.

Are you a student at a public high school in New York State? Then you must pass a math Regents exam in order to graduate and get your diploma. One of these exams is Algebra 1 Regents, which tests your understanding of an array of algebra-related concepts and laws, from exponents and equations to functions and probability.

The next NYS Algebra regents exam will be held on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 1:15 pm.

Read on to learn exactly what the Algebra 1 Regents exam entails, what kinds of questions you can expect, what topics you should know, and how you can ensure you pass it.

Some states in the U.S. require students to take and pass a standardized test in order to graduate from high school with a diploma. If you live in the state of New York, you'll have to take and pass a standardized test called the Regents Exam in order to earn your high school diploma.

There are several individual Regents Exams, each covering a different subject area. If you want to get a high school diploma in the state of New York (called a Regents Diploma), you'll have to take and pass at least one science Regents exam.

The Living Environment Regents Exam is one of four science exams offered, and we're here to help you learn everything you need to know to help you decide if taking the Living Environment Regents exam is the best choice for you.

In our full guide to this exam, we'll cover the following:

• What the Living Environment Regents Exam is
• Who should take the Living Environment Regents Exam
• Important information about the exam for quick reference
• The format of the exam
• Sample questions from the exam
• The topics and subtopics covered by the exam sections

There's a lot to cover here, so let's get going!

The PSAT is an important test on the road to college. Your scores predict how you'll do on the SAT. Plus, top scorers can earn distinctions and scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

So how do you know whether your PSAT scores are good? While what counts as a good score varies depending on your personal goals, we can give a more objective answer to this question by considering PSAT score percentiles. But first, let's review how the PSAT is scored.

Every student who takes the SAT will access the exam using a digital app called Bluebook starting in 2024. But what is the Bluebook app? How do you set it up and how does it work?

We’ll answer all of these questions and more to help you learn the ins and outs of using Bluebook before exam day. As a bonus, we’ll also walk you through what’s included in the Bluebook app, the SAT prep materials provided through Bluebook, and give you three tips for practicing for the digital SAT.

So, let’s get started!

Some people really prefer mechanical pencils to regular pencils. If you are one of those people, you may wonder if you can use a mechanical pencil on the SAT or the ACT.

The short answer is no, but the long answer is a much more convoluted “Maybe, but I don’t recommend it.” Read on for a breakdown of the official policies for each exam, why this rule exists, the actual reality of mechanical pencils on the exam, my recommendation, and some other important administrative regulations to remember for test day. 

When the College Board rolled out its new digital SAT format in spring 2023 for international students and in March 2024 for U.S. students, it was one of the most significant changes the company has made to the standardized test in its 97-year history. This major transition is intended to make the exam more equitable and to reduce test-taking anxiety by aligning the format with how students are already learning online.

But what precisely is changing? There’s much to know beyond the move from analog to digital. In this article, we’ll provide everything you need to know about the new SAT format so you can prepare effectively.

The College Board has released a new, digital SAT. The College Board has said that one of the reasons it developed the digital SAT was to introduce adaptive testing. Adaptive testing allows exams to change in real time based on how well, or how poorly, a student is performing.

If adaptive testing is unfamiliar to you, don’t panic! We’re here to walk you through the ins and outs of adaptive testing so you’ll be fully prepared for the digital SAT. In this guide, we’ll cover: 

• What the SAT adaptive test is
• How adaptive testing works
• How to create a test prep strategy for SAT adaptive testing
• Three tips for preparing for adaptive testing
  
  

Let’s dive in!

If you've applied or are currently applying to Ivy League schools, you've likely heard the phrase "Ivy Day." Ivy Day, or Ivy Admissions Day, is when all the Ivy League schools announce their admissions decisions for regular decision first-year applicants. This year, Ivy Day is March 26, 2025. 

Keep reading to learn more about what to expect on Ivy Day, how to predict future Ivy Day dates, and what to do with your admissions decision(s) once Ivy Day is over.

With the digital SAT, students will take the exam in a totally new format. The days of the pencil-and-paper SAT booklet are gone…which means you probably have some questions!

You know, like…how does the digital SAT work?

Spoiler alert: one of the biggest changes about the digital SAT is that you’ll have to take in on some kind of digital device. But what are the digital SAT approved devices? And how can you access them if you don’t already have one?

In this guide, we’ll explain how taking the digital SAT works to help you get ready for the new format. We’ll cover:

• How the digital SAT works
• How you’ll take the digital SAT, including answering the question, “What devices can I use on the SAT?”
• What to do if you don’t have an approved device
• What happens if you have technical issues during the exam

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

In 2022, the College Board announced that the SAT would soon be administered digitally. The new digital format of the standardized exam began in March 2023 for international students; U.S. students begin taking the digital SAT in March 2024. After the transition, pencil-and-paper tests will no longer be offered.

The change is a welcome one for many test takers, but how will the new format affect your test prep? One strategy is clear: As you’re planning to take the digital SAT, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking the right kind of practice exams. Let’s take a deep dive into digital SAT practice tests so you’ll be prepared for the online version of the exam.

Are you considering getting tutoring for the SAT/ACT, but want to know how much it will cost? Maybe you’ve already decided on tutoring, but aren’t quite sure how much money you should put aside for it?

The question of how much to pay for tutoring is important to consider when planning your test prep budget. After all, you want to make sure that you are spending your money wisely! This means that paying $30/hr to a high school senior who took the test once, got a 1450, and has never taught before is not the right option for comprehensive tutoring.

On the other hand, just because a tutoring service is more expensive doesn’t mean it’s the best one for you. A so-called expert SAT/ACT tutor can cost you anywhere from twenty to hundreds of dollars an hour, so it can be hard to know where you should be looking.

Why is it worth spending money on tutoring, and how can you narrow in on the right budget for you? Read on to find out!

feature image credit: Save Money by 401(K) 2012, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original.

We know that the cost of a college education can seem out of reach for many students. Luckily, there are a number of ways you can reduce the price of your degree, from grants and work-study to student loans. Even better, if you’re an exemplary student, you’ll likely qualify for one or more merit-based scholarships, which are a great way to offset tuition, fees, room, and board.

In this post, we’ll discuss what merit scholarships are and provide a list of the top merit aid programs. We’ll also share our expert recommendations on how to apply so you can maximize your chances of graduating with minimal to no debt. Let’s get started!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwestern University gave its supplemental learning program for children and teens, known as NUMATs, a makeover. Now renamed the Northwestern CTD, this unique and challenging learning experience for gifted learners is back and waiting for you to apply!

The Northwestern Center for Talent Development (CTD) provides advanced tests to students to find their academic strengths and weaknesses and offers courses to help students prepare for their academic futures.

In this guide, we’ll answer all of your questions about the Northwestern CTD, including:

• What is Northwestern CTD? What do you do in the program?
• Why should you or your child participate?
• How do you apply?
• How much does it cost?

We'll also give you tips for getting in. That way, you’ll have everything you need to get your eligibility materials ready in time for Northwestern CTD Summer 2023. So, let’s get started!

In case you haven’t heard, there are some big changes happening to the SAT in 2024. As the SAT goes digital, you’ll need to adapt to the new format and structure.

But in order to adapt to the new and improved SAT, you need to know more about how the exam is changing. In this guide, we’ll walk you through all of the major SAT changes (2023-2024), including: 

• When the SAT is changing
• Why the SAT is changing
• The main changes to the SAT
  
  

Let’s begin!