SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

If you're an educator or have a student in school, you may have heard of the concept Vygotsky scaffolding. It may sound like a construction term, but Vygotsky scaffolding and the related concept of the zone of proximal development are teaching methods that can help students learn much more information much more quickly than they would with traditional instruction.

However, Vygotsky scaffolding is only effective if you know how to properly implement it; otherwise it can actually hinder a student's learning. Read this guide to learn what scaffolding and the zone of proximal development are, what the scaffolding psychology is, if studies have found these teaching methods to be effective, and how you can use these methods in the classroom to promote learning.

Getting your first job is really exciting—you have real-world responsibilities, and real-word money that you earned yourself, probably for the first time. In your teen years especially, the independence that comes with a part-time job is especially appealing. You get out of the house, meet new people, forge professional connections, and make your own savings and spending decisions.

But you probably have a lot of other things on your plate as well: school, extracurricular activities, family, friends, even college applications. How do you know whether getting a job is a good idea? In this post, I'll talk about the things you should consider before submitting those job applications. Hopefully you come away from this post with a better idea of whether getting a job is right for you.

Often mistaken for a fire sign because of their fierce independence, Scorpios are actually a deeply emotional and sensitive water sign. While they can be intimidating, Scorpios are also the most loyal friends and partners you could ever ask for, and as one of the most ambitious signs, they're amazing at creating connections and being their authentic selves.

College admissions can be confusing, with a lot of contradictory information thrown around. It's hard to separate fact from fiction, which is frustrating since the stakes are high and you may not realize you made mistakes until it's far too late.

In this exclusive article, we decided to consult university admissions officers and counselors around the country to break through the noise.

We asked them a simple question: "What's the #1 fact you wish college applicants knew about admissions?" The results might surprise you. 

Are you looking for ultra high-precision SAT percentiles? Official SAT percentiles released by the College Board only go as far as the ones place—this means you'll see only whole numbers such as 2, 56, and 93, without any decimals. But this isn't accurate enough for some test takers.

For this article, I've calculated SAT percentiles to six digits of precision (and, yes, every digit can help, especially if you're scoring at the high end!).

Not sure how to use Microsoft Excel? Then you've come to the right place! Microsoft Excel comes with most Microsoft suites and is a commonly recognized computer application that many of us use at one time or another.

While known primarily as a spreadsheet tool, Excel is constantly introducing new functions and is very useful even for people who only need it for basic tasks. With Excel, you can do things such as balance your household budget, make charts for presentations, and analyze data for businesses.

This Excel guide will take you through how to use Excel, including the basic functions, a few key advanced skills, and Excel tips and tricks everyone should know. I recommend following along in Microsoft Excel as you walk through this guide.

Are you scoring in the 600-750 range on SAT Reading + Writing? Do you want to raise that score as high as possible—to a perfect 800?

UPDATE: This article discusses a previous version of the SAT. If you are looking to get a perfect score on the digital SAT check out my guide to getting an 800 on SAT Reading and Writing.

Are you born between mid-February and mid-March? Then you're a Pisces! The Pisces sign is represented by a pair of fish and associated with the element of water. Pisces are often known for being empathetic, generous, and in touch with their emotions, but there is a lot more to this sign than meets the eye.

In this guide, we explain what a Pisces is and what the common Pisces traits--both good and bad--are. We also go over how Pisces interact in romantic, platonic, and work relationships and give advice for Pisces and those who know them.

Libra is an air sign, and Libras are known for the love of being around other people. Libras are incredibly cooperative and fair-minded, and are a sign that believes firmly in the power of social connection. Libras are some of the most interesting and clever people around, and they have a lot to offer. Below, we'll talk about key Libra characteristics, how Libras relate to others, and advice for being a Libra and getting along with the Libra in your life.

Sagittarians, our winter-born, free spirit friends! They're lucky, honest, and ever-so-slightly reckless. What's not to love?

If you're reading this right now, you're either a Sagittarius yourself or you're researching the traits of someone specific, like a friend, partner, or co-worker. Or, maybe you're just curious? Whatever the reason you're reading up on Sagittarius characteristics, we're here to better help you understand this zodiac sign better.

In this article, we're going to break down everything you need to know about the traits of the Sagittarius sign, including:

• Answering the question, "What is a Sagittarius?"
• Giving you 5 key Sagittarius traits
• Discussing how Sagittariuses work in relationships
• Providing tips for how to get along with Sagittariuses, no matter your sign

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

While you might think college preparation only happens during the summer before college, this isn’t necessarily true. In fact, you can start preparing for college as early as 9th grade! But what exactly does the process of college preparation entail?

Here, we explain how to prepare for college at every grade level in high school. Specifically, we take a look at what you can do on the academic, financial, and extracurricular fronts, providing you with advice and tips, as well as a helpful preparing-for-college checklist.

MCAT, GRE, GMAT...there seem to be a million different tests to get into graduate school, and the PCAT is one of them. Students who want to go to pharmacy school are often required to take the PCAT exam as part of their admissions packet.

But what is the PCAT, exactly? What’s the format of the exam? And what kind of PCAT scores do you need to get into pharmacy school?

Well, fear not! We’ve put together an expert introduction to the PCAT exam. In this article, we’ll cover:

• The unique features of the PCAT
• An overview of PCAT registration
• What to expect when taking the test
• The typical PCAT scores required for pharmacy programs

Having a good understanding of the PCAT can save you a lot of trouble later, so read on!

Are you struggling with ACT English scores between 14-24? You're not alone—hundreds of thousands of other students are scoring in this range. But many don't know the best ways to break out of this score range and get 26+ on the ACT.

Here we'll discuss how to improve ACT English score effectively, and why it's so important to do so. Put these principles to work and I'm confident you'll be able to improve your score.

Are you a Taurus zodiac sign, or do you know someone who is? If you want to know your strengths and weaknesses as a Taurus or how to relate to a Taurus in your life, then you've come to the right place. Read on to learn all about this April-May zodiac sign, key Taurus traits to look for, and what the Taurus is like in relationships.

One question that often comes up as you begin studying for the SAT is this: how on earth is this thing scored? 

This article breaks down how the SAT is scored, section by section. You will learn how your raw score becomes a scaled score, what adaptive scoring is, and how you can use that information to your advantage. 

This article is fully updated for the digital SAT!