SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Important: Read This Before You Send SAT Scores to Colleges

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Posted by Dr. Anna Wulick

SAT

No matter how stellar your transcript, no matter how mastered your extracurricular activities, no matter how lyrical your essay—no application is complete without your SAT scores.

So how do you make sure your SAT scores are sent properly, at the right time, and with only the scores you are most proud of? Read on for our best advice on the decisions you'll be faced with and what to do in case something goes wrong.

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SAT Fees and Registration: What's the Total Cost of the SAT?

Just like many parts of the college application process, taking the SAT (and even using your SAT scores) comes with an assortment of fees. Here, I'll break down every possible SAT registration cost and score fee. We'll go over strategies for saving as much money as possible on the SAT.

This article is fully updated for the digital SAT!

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Future Years' SAT Test Dates, Schedules, and Deadlines

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Posted by Dr. Fred Zhang

SAT

Future SAT test dates are only confirmed less than a year in advance, but we at PrepScholar have done the hard work of looking at past test date patterns to predict future SAT test dates and registration deadlines.

For 2023 and early 2024, the official timetable is set in stone. But even though they're more uncertain, we can predict future years like 2025, 2026, and 2027 with decent confidence. These predictions have been updated in September 2023 to reflect the latest possible data.

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The 5 Best SAT Apps & How to Use Them Effectively

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Posted by Justin Berkman

SAT

You might use apps to take photos of your food and put dog filters on your face, but did you know you can also use apps to prepare for the SAT? It's true! There are a number of apps designed to increase your familiarity with the SAT and get you closer to reaching your goal score. And now that the SAT has gone completely digital, apps are a great way to practice for the test in a digital format. 

In this article, I'll let you know how you can use apps in your SAT preparation, and I'll name five of the best free SAT prep apps currently available.

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Which Colleges Superscore the SAT?

Your SAT scores are an important part of your application, especially as the applicant pool gets bigger and more competitive every year. So how can you make sure colleges will consider your very best scores?

This article will discuss the colleges that superscore the SAT. After giving you a list of every college that superscores the SAT, I'll talk about how you can use this information strategically as you prepare to apply to college. To start, let's briefly review what "superscoring" means.

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What's a Bad SAT Score? Nationally and by College

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Posted by Halle Edwards

SAT

 

Have you taken the SAT recently? Are you wondering whether your score is bad? Or maybe you just want to know the score to beat before you take the SAT for the first time?

In this article, we'll explain what a bad SAT score is, both in terms of the national averages and the colleges you might be interested in.

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The Educator's Guide to the Digital SAT

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Posted by Ashley Robinson

SAT

The SAT suite of exams is officially switching from a paper-and-pencil format to a new, digital format in 2024. That means big changes are in store for educators and students. 

In this article, we’ll answer your questions about the digital SAT so you’ll know what to expect from the new format. We’ll cover:

  • A complete timeline for when the new digital SAT and PSAT will be implemented in schools
  • How the digital SAT and PSAT will be different in terms of content and format
  • How the digital exams will be scored, and how it’ll be different from the paper versions
  • Materials students will need to take the digital SAT and PSAT

Let’s get started!

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When Do SAT Scores Come Out? SAT Score Release Schedule

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Posted by Allen Cheng

SAT

The SAT score release dates are always tense for students. Did you get the score you were aiming for? Do you have to take the SAT again? Checking scores immediately when they come out gives you the most time to plan ahead.

In this article, find out when you'll receive your SAT score report depending on your test date, and learn the fastest way to check your SAT score.

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When Is the December SAT? Should You Take It?

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The December SAT is your final chance to take the SAT of the year, and for many colleges, it's the final SAT they accept before application deadlines. But is it the best SAT date for you?

There are important pros and cons to the December SAT, and we'll go over each of them in this guide. We'll also explain key December SAT dates, such as what day the test is on, when you need to register by, and when you (and the schools you apply to) will receive your scores.

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SAT Test Dates: Full Guide to Choosing (2024, 2025)

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Posted by Dr. Fred Zhang

SAT

The SAT is offered seven times a year, but which SAT test dates will work best for you and your schedule? What essential factors should you consider before creating an SAT schedule? What are the best SAT dates for juniors? For seniors?

In this comprehensive guide, we offer you the most current info on SAT test dates (domestic and international) for 2024-2025. We also give you our top tips for choosing the best SAT test dates for you as well as tons of resources to help you navigate the complicated web of SAT/ACT test dates.

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The Best SAT Prep Websites You Should Be Using

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Posted by Rebecca Safier

SAT

The SAT has been around in one form or another since 1901. Through all its changes, probably the most helpful one for you is the rise of free online practice questions and guides covering every aspect of the test.

Rather than having to carry around 400-page practice books like the students of yesteryear (i.e., the 90s), you can use these online resources to prep from anywhere with the Internet. To help you discern high-quality resources from low-quality ones, this guide will break down the SAT prep websites you can use to review content, learn strategies, and find practice questions.

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When Is the November SAT? Should You Take It?

During November, you're thinking about Thanksgiving, the upcoming holidays, and....the SAT? Maybe! One of the SAT's seven annual test dates is offered in November, and it may be the exam date you choose.

However, before you sign up for the November SAT, you need to make sure it's the right test date for you. In this guide, we go over all the key November SAT test dates, such as when you need to register by and when you'll receive your scores, and we also go over every key pro and con you should consider before deciding to take the SAT in November.

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Best SAT Math Prep Books (2024): Expert Reviews

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Posted by Rebecca Safier

SAT

While there are many different SAT prep books, they all have one thing in common: they all claim to be the best. How can you figure out which one will actually help you succeed on the digital SAT?

This guide will give you my recommendations for the best prep books for the Math section of the digital SAT. Some of these books are best for strategies and thinking through the problems, while others are best for practice problems. A few are geared toward top scorers, while some will help you improve a low score fast.

Before delving into the list, I have to make one disclaimer:

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A Massive Collection of Free SAT Practice Tests

Whether you're building your own SAT prep program or just supplementing a class, finding SAT practice tests and questions can pose a serious challenge. This article will go through every type of practice SAT test, including those for the new digital SAT, how to best use them, and, most importantly, where to find them.

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Colleges Requiring All SAT Scores Sent: Complete List

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Posted by Halle Edwards

SAT

Are you putting together your college application list? One factor you might not have considered is which schools require you to send your entire SAT testing record. Unfortunately, you can't always hide your rotten SAT scores! So if you have some less-than-stellar scores, you might avoid (or at least think carefully) before applying to those schools.

We have a complete list of which schools require your complete SAT testing record. Read on for this list as well as exclusive advice for applying to these schools.

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