SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

If you’re looking for ACT prep that provides questions that are just like the real exam, look no further than ACT Academy, a (free!) test prep resource created by the makers of the ACT.

If you’ve heard of ACT Academy but aren’t exactly sure how to use it or who it’s a good fit for, this overview of ACT Academy test prep is for you. In this article, we’ll cover all of the following info about ACT Academy:

• How to use ACT Academy test prep
• Four things that ACT Academy is good for in terms of test prep
• Four things that ACT Academy isn’t good for in terms of test prep
• Five tips for getting the most out of ACT Academy test prep.

Let’s begin!

Over one million high school students use the Common App each year to apply to colleges. The Common Application website can seem confusing at first, but we're here to simplify things. Looking for Common App instructions? Want to learn how to add colleges to Common App profiles? Just want to know what the Common App looks like before you dive in? We answer all those questions and walk you through each section of the Common App so you can create the strongest college application possible.

If you're aiming for a really high SAT score, you'll need to learn how to beat the most difficult questions on every section of the test. Here, I'll go through a few of the most difficult reading questions I've seen on the SAT Reading and Writing section and how to solve them.

Why exactly are they so hard? How do you tackle them? How well will you do? Challenge yourself for that top score.

Scholarships can be a significant source of college funding for students of all different backgrounds - if you know where to look, that is. Many top scholarships have eligibility requirements regarding financial need or academic merit, but there are also excellent scholarship programs that are specifically for minority students. Most of these programs were created in order to facilitate access to education for minority students, and many aim to help students pursue careers in which people of certain ethnicities or backgrounds are underrepresented. 

One of the best ways to optimize scholarship funding is to apply to scholarships with more specific eligibility requirements (requirements that you meet, of course). To help you find scholarships like this, I’ve compiled a list of awards meant for students of specific ethnic and racial backgrounds. I started with scholarships meant for students of all minority backgrounds before moving into awards meant for specific minorities. Finally, I’ve ended with some tips and strategies for getting the most scholarship money possible. 

Asking someone to write you a letter of recommendation for your college applications can be nerve-wracking. However, having a "brag sheet" to hand your recommender can make them more likely to accept. It may also encourage them to write about awards and personal strengths you want colleges to know about. 

Brag sheets are a great tool that not enough high school students make use of. But we're here to help! This guide includes everything you need to know about brag sheets, including what you need them for, what they should include, and an example of a great brag sheet.

If you're preparing for the SAT or have received your SAT scores, you may be wondering what score you need to get into college. What's an average SAT score for colleges?

In this article, I'll explain average SAT scores and what they mean for you. Find out how to calculate the score you need to help reach your college goals.

Have you been asked to provide a "parent brag sheet" for your child's guidance counselor? Have you heard of other parents completing them and are wondering if they're required for college applications? Parent brag sheets are becoming more popular, but many parents don't get much guidance on how to complete them. We created this guide to explain what a parent brag sheet is and what they're used for. We also go over common parent brag sheet example questions and explain how to answer them. 

Interested in how to become a therapist? Demand for many types of therapists is skyrocketing, so it's a great field to join. However, it's important to know what you're getting into before you embark on a therapy career. What types of therapy degrees are there? What degree do you need to become a therapist? How long does it take to become a therapist? We answer all these questions and more in this in-depth guide on how to become a licensed therapist.

Are you planning on taking the ACT soon? If so, you're probably wondering, "What's a good ACT score for 2021?" In this in-depth guide, we'll go over the three ways you can  know if an ACT score is good or not. We also explain why it's so important to set a goal score and how the coronavirus pandemic and new school score policies have affected 2021 ACT scores.

Applying to college is a nerve-wracking process, but have no fear: if you want to go to college even with a low SAT score, there is most likely a school for you!

In this article, I'll list the colleges with the lowest 25th percentile SAT scores for their admitted students. The 25th percentile SAT score means that 25% of admitted students to that university scored at or below that number; the 75th percentile SAT score means that 75% of admitted students scored at or below that score (25% scored higher). I'll also explain why their low SAT criterion doesn’t necessarily mean the university is bad.

Did you know that the ACT is accepted by all four-year colleges? For this article, I've compiled a list of colleges with the highest average ACT scores for admitted students. With this data, you can compare your own ACT scores (or goal scores) with those earned by admitted applicants at top colleges.

We'll also talk about what these rankings actually mean: are these schools the best you can attend? Are they the most competitive? What if your ACT scores are below the listed averages?

Read on to find out the answers to these questions (and more)!

Albert Einstein, who's generally considered a pretty smart guy, said, "It's not that I'm so smart. It's just that I stay with problems longer." That type of commitment, as anyone who's studying for the ACT knows, is its own form of intelligence, and it's what will help you accomplish your long-term goals.

This book guide is meant for students looking to "stay with problems longer" and study intensively, like 100 or more hours, to maximize their scores on the ACT. If you're a student who wants to leave no stone unturned as you prep for the ACT, then these are the books for you.

Before delving into the ACT prep book list, a word about what perspective I'm coming from in my recommendations.

If you have researched the college application process, you may have heard about the concept of a "target school." What is a target school or college? Simply put, it's a college that you are likely—but not guaranteed—to be admitted to based on your qualifications.

In this article, I'll define and explain the concept of a target school. Furthermore, I'll discuss how to identify your target colleges and determine how many of these schools you should apply to.

If you've already taken the SAT, you know it will likely be an important component of your college applications. Maybe you've set a goal score for yourself based on the types of colleges you're interested in. Even if you haven't taken the SAT yet or are still considering whether to take it, you probably want to know more about what the most competitive colleges and universities expect when it comes to applicants' standardized test scores.

I've compiled a list of colleges with the highest average SAT scores for admitted students. You'll be able to compare your own SAT scores (or goal scores) with those of top colleges and universities. I'll also talk about what these rankings actually mean so that you can interpret this information effectively. For example, are these schools the best schools you can attend? Are they the most competitive? What do you do if your SAT scores are below the listed averages?

Read on for a list of the top schools ranked by SAT score, and answers to the above questions!

The college application process can be stressful, but don't worry, if you hope to attend a four-year university and have a low ACT score, there is quite possibly a college for you!

In this article, I list the universities with the lowest 25th percentile ACT scores for their admitted students. The 25th percentile ACT score signifies that 25% of admitted applicants to the school received an ACT score at or below that number. The 75th percentile ACT score signifies that 75% of admitted applicants to the school received an ACT score at or below that score (25% scored higher). I will also explain why you shouldn't always judge the colleges by their low 25th/75th percentile ACT.