Being successful on the SAT and ACT is all about the preparation you put into it. While you probably know it's a myth to think you can't study for these tests, you might not realize that the reverse is true - studying is exceptionally important for doing well on the SAT or ACT.

That's why it's a really smart idea to prep for the SAT/ACT as a sophomore. Let's talk about why prep is so important for these tests, what you can do in 10th grade, and what your most helpful study schedule should look like over the school year and beyond.

First, when will you be taking the SAT or ACT?

Last year, the average Reading score on the ACT was 21.2. With a strategic approach to reading the passages quickly and efficiently, you should be able to break away from this average and boost your scores!

Let's review what you'll see on the ACT Reading section and then talk about the most efficient way to read the passages and answer the questions with time to spare.

Are you planning to take the ACT soon? Curious about what the English section is like? It's more than just correcting grammar and recognizing proper punctuation. In this post we will break down exactly what the ACT English section tests. 

Have you taken the ACT recently? Do you think you did badly? Or maybe you’re just wondering what the minimum score you need to get into college is.

We will explain what a bad ACT score is, both in terms of the national averages and colleges you want to go to.

All these tips apply equally to the SAT and the ACT, though for simplicity I'll mostly use the SAT for specific examples in this guide.

Have you not taken a geometry class yet, or do you feel like geometry's not your strong suit? If that's the case, how well can you do on the ACT without a strong knowledge of geometry?

Let's approach this by first considering how many of the math questions on the ACT cover geometry and, its close relative, trigonometry.

While the vast majority of articles on our blog are about immediate tips for the SAT/ACT test, from time to time we also feature some latest products we at PrepScholar are coming out with.  This time, we're announcing our new PrepScholar Tutor service.  It combines the affordability and customization of PrepScholar Automated Prep with varying levels of premium tutoring, giving you many advantages of each.

In 2014, the makers of the ACT rolled out a new pre-ACT test: the ACT Aspire. Unlike the ACT Plan, which was given just to tenth graders, the ACT Aspire is meant to be given to 3^rd through 11^th graders, with the goal of testing Common Core standards as well as ACT readiness.

The ACT Aspire has its own scoring scale, content, and goals compared to the ACT. But it provides a predicted ACT score based on your performance. So is that predicted score accurate? We’ll give you the answer.

Both the ACT and the SAT let you rush your score for an extra fee.  When is it worth it and when is it a waste of money?

The SAT is changing in March of 2016, so the class of 2017 is in a tough spot: how do you deal with the change?  One strategy is to just skip the SAT and instead do the ACT.  Is this strategy brilliant or brilliantly boneheaded?  Here we find out.

Did you know that the ACT Writing Test changed dramatically in Fall 2015? You might not, because people haven't talked about it much, but it changed the ACT and possibly standardized testing in general. It's scored based on all of the old ACT's criteria, but also on a number of new concepts.

We've written the most comprehensive guide available on the new ACT Writing section. Keep reading to find out how you can prepare for and ace this new test.

Are you studying for the ACT? One great way to add some extra prep to your day is with ACT Questions of the Day. They are a fast and easy way to get in some additional prep and figure out where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Read on to find out where you can get the best ACT Questions of the Day, and how to use them most effectively to maximize your ACT score.

I recently received a question from one of my students that I believe highlights a very common mistake:  "I find that on some sections I finish early and close the section ahead of time—does this mean I'm doing well on those sections?"  Here, I'll break down why this sometimes happens, and what it means for you.

The ACT doesn't penalize guessing, so you should never leave any answer blank even if you have to take a completely blind guess.  Even with this information, students still make one huge mistake.  Here we expose the biggest ACT guessing strategy mistake students make, and suggest a much better approach.  We've seen students improve 1-2 points immediately after applying this 5-minute strategy.

We all want to max out brainpower on the day of the ACT. But what can help, besides studying? One factor worth considering is where you take the test. You want a place that allows you to focus completely on the test without other anxieties, concerns or discomfort.

And guess where a lot of test-day anxieties, concerns and discomfort can come from? That's right, they can be direct results of choosing a distracting or inconvenient testing center. In this article, we give you all the information you need to make the right decision about which of all ACT test centers to choose