The ACT is scored on a scale of 1-36. But how exactly do you end up with a composite score on this scale when you answer a lot more than 36 total questions? In this article, we'll walk through the steps needed to calculate your ACT composite score, including how to calculate your raw scores and convert these into scaled scores.

On the 4.0 scale, an unweighted 4.0 GPA means perfection. You need straight As in every class—not even one A- is allowed. In college applications, this carries a lot of weight. You're essentially telling the college, "High school classes are a cinch. I've taken a tough course load, and I'm more than prepared for what college has to throw at me."

In high school, I got a 4.0 GPA with a course load featuring 10 AP courses. I got straight As and 12 A+'s. This strong course load, along with a strong application, got me into Harvard and every college I applied to.

While it's flattering to say, "Well, Allen's just a smart guy," in reality I relied a lot more on high-level strategy and effective academic habits. These were the same strategies I applied to my undergraduate work at Harvard and that led me to graduate summa cum laude with a 3.95 GPA. This is the guide I wish I had my freshman year of high school.

You’ve taken the SAT/ACT and are ready to send your scores to colleges. But did you know that not all colleges require official score reports? That's right—many colleges are now letting applicants self-report their scores directly on their applications (and only requiring an official score report if they choose to enroll).

But what does self-reporting test scores mean? We answer this critical question here and also give you a list of popular colleges that allow self-reporting. Additionally, we'll go over how to self-report scores using the Common Application and Coalition Application.

Got a passion for more than one field of study? Then you might be interested in studying two fields simultaneously with either a double major or dual degree. What is the main difference between a double major and a dual degree? And how can you figure out which option will be a better fit for you?

In this dual degree vs double major guide, we go over the fundamental difference between the two academic paths, define each option in detail, and take a look at the most important similarities and differences between the two. We also offer you some tips to help you determine whether a double major or dual degree will work better for you based on your preferences and goals.

College interviews are becoming increasingly common, especially among selective colleges. Many students go to interviews ready to answer questions but forget that it's important to ask interesting questions as well.

In this article, I'll establish the basics of how to prepare for college interviews and explain what questions you should and shouldn't ask during an interview, so you feel totally ready on the day of.

If you've taken an ACT practice test, you've probably wondered how the questions you answer on each test section translate to a final score out of 36 points. What is a raw ACT score? What about a scale score? How does one score affect the other?

In this article, we explain what the equating process for the ACT is and give you info on how your raw scores translate to scale scores for each section of the test.

Because final class grades in high school are usually given as either letters (A-, B+, etc.) or percents (87, 92, etc.), you might be a little stuck on how to convert these marks into the decimals that are used to calculate your GPA. No worries—this article is here to help! Keep reading to see how to translate all your grades into GPA-ready numbers.

If you have great grades and high test scores, some of your prospective universities may invite you to enroll in their honors college. Generally speaking, honors colleges and honors programs at U.S. universities offer top-tier students rigorous academic programs, special scholarships, and better job prospects. 

But of course, there’s more to an honors college or program than that! We’re going to introduce you to honors colleges and honors programs so you can decide whether enrolling in one is right for you. This article will: 

• Answer the question, “What is an honors college?”
• Discuss what types of students might be a good fit for an honors college
• Explain the difference between an honors college vs honors program
• Take an in-depth look at real honors programs at two U.S. universities 
• List five pros and cons for enrolling in an honors college

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Whether or not you are Catholic, you’ve likely heard of some Catholic colleges in the United States. These private institutions follow the Catholic intellectual tradition, meaning they promote a liberal arts education, community service, and ethics. While you don't need to be Catholic to attend one of these schools, many Catholic students enjoy having an academic atmosphere that both reflects and supports their faith.

In this guide, we introduce our picks for the 11 best Catholic colleges and offer tips for deciding whether a Catholic college is the ideal choice for you. Before we get into that, though, let’s go over exactly what Catholic colleges are and what kind of experience they can offer students.

In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Abigail Williams is the pebble that gets the avalanche of the Salem witch trials started. It is Abigail who first says Tituba has been using supernatural powers to corrupt her and Betty, and it is Abigail who jumps on the (metaphorical) accusation train after Tituba has been coerced into confessing her involvement and naming co-conspirators.

In this guide, we'll go over Abigail's entire sphere of influence, from her role as the lead accuser in the witch trials to the relationship between Abigail and John Proctor, and discuss what drives Abigail to act as she does throughout the course of the play.

The college interview process can be nerve-racking. This interview gives the college you're applying to another opportunity to evaluate you and help determine whether or not to offer you admission. However, your college interviews won't be nearly as scary if you know what to expect.

In this article, I give you the 14 college interview questions you absolutely must prepare for. I explain why you're being asked these questions and how to provide great answers. Furthermore, I offer advice on how to prepare for your interviews so that when the time comes, you'll be ready to ace them.

Are you looking for cool science experiments for kids at home or for class? We've got you covered! We've compiled a list of 37 of the best science experiments for kids that cover areas of science ranging from outer space to dinosaurs to chemical reactions. By doing these easy science experiments, kids will make their own blubber and see how polar bears stay warm, make a rain cloud in a jar to observe how weather changes, create a potato battery that'll really power a lightbulb, and more.

Below are 37 of the best science projects for kids to try. For each one we include a description of the experiment, which area(s) of science it teaches kids about, how difficult it is (easy/medium/hard), how messy it is (low/medium/high), and the materials you need to do the project. Note that experiments labelled "hard" are definitely still doable; they just require more materials or time than most of these other science experiments for kids.

Just like the ACT has four different sections, the ACT Reading section has four different types of passages for you to read. This article breaks down exactly what's on this section of the ACT so you can plan your best approach.

First, let's consider how the ACT Reading section is formatted.

Independent and dependent variables are important for both math and science. If you don't understand what these two variables are and how they differ, you'll struggle to analyze an experiment or plot equations. Fortunately, we make learning these concepts easy!

In this guide, we break down what independent and dependent variables are, give examples of the variables in actual experiments, explain how to properly graph them, provide a quiz to test your skills, and discuss the one other important variable you need to know.

Not sure what number comes after trillion? Interested in the names of other very large numbers? What is a Googol exactly? Read on to learn what comes after trillion, the name of every important number that's larger than trillion, and some ways to help you conceptualize extremely large values.