Students will be able to apply to Harvard University without taking the SAT or ACT for at least the next four years, according to a report from the PBS NewsHour. Harvard announced last year that standardized tests would be optional for a year due to the lack of available or accessible testing sites during the…
UPDATES: How Does Corona Continue to Impact Testing? [GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, ACT, SAT, TOEFL, EA]
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect schools and businesses worldwide. The health and safety of testing candidates and staff remain priorities as testing organizations continue to offer online testing while finding ways to safely reopen testing centers. Here is the most up-to-date information on admission tests and their response to coronavirus. GRE ETS is offering…
ACT to Permit Retaking Single Sections of Exam
According to a report in the New York Times, students who wish to improve their scores could retake individual parts of the exam, instead of the entire ACT. This will take a lot of pressure off test-takers, enabling them to improve their scores on one section without risking getting lower scores on sections they…
Should You Take the ACT Before Spring of Junior Year?
You generally need to take your ACT by the fall of your senior year at the latest. Most universities want to see your scores almost a year before you’d actually begin your fall university studies. So students should choose their ACT test dates with this in mind. However, for most students, it’s not a good…
Mastering the ACT Section by Section
Whether you’re just starting your ACT prep or you’re months in, beating your head against the wall, let’s talk about the best way to start approaching your ACT prep. While you might be studying a little bit of each section every day, or studying sections in chunks, you probably already know that it’s a good…
Affordable Online Test Prep [Episode 198]
We are now getting calls from applicants who plan to plan to apply in the summer, fall, and winter to matriculate in 2018. A few have all their ducks lined up – test score in place, school visits planned, a GPA they’re proud of, and maybe they’re just rounding out their profile to put icing…
Top 5 ACT Tips (And Free ACT Resources!)
There’s a big sea of ACT test prep out there. When you decide to start studying for the exam, it can be tricky to know where to start. But ACT prep doesn’t have to be overwhelming! With these five ACT tips and the best free ACT resources, you’ll be well on your way to making…
9 Easy Ways to Improve Your ACT Score
The most important lesson you can learn as you study for the ACT is this: you can always improve your ACT score. You don’t need to be genius to raise your score, nor do you need infinite amounts of study time. Today, we’ll look at 9 easy ways to improve your ACT score. 1. Prioritize the Most…
ACT vs SAT: Pros And Cons
Which test should you take? The SAT or the ACT? An already tough question even without the added wrench of the brand new SAT (premiering in March 2016) thrown into the equation. So if you are planning on taking standardized tests in the spring of next year or later, make sure you read on to…
4 Things You May Not Know About the ACT
1. The essay has changed Many students recall the ACT essay as a cakewalk, with prompts debating the merits of school uniforms being about as intellectual rigors as you’d get. Well, those days are now over and the essay is much more difficult and nuanced than that. As an educator I’d argue it is definitely…
Banish Outdated ACT Prep Resources
Imagine a class where the teacher gives you a stack of notes. He or she tells you that to do well on the test all you need to do is to study the notes. Wanting to do your best, you do just that, carefully memorizing each point. When you sit down to take the test,…
The ACT Essay: A Breakdown
The Prompt The new ACT essay prompts that premiered last fall have been giving even top-scoring students a run for their money. The reason is because the ACT is now asking students to do a lot more in their essay responses. So let’s break it down. The ACT essay prompt consists of three main parts:…
ACT, SAT, PSAT…What’s the Difference?
When we compare standardized tests to each other, there are usually two points of view that people take: either they’re all the same, or you have to prepare for each one separately. The truth—surprise, surprise—is actually somewhere between those two ideas. But that’s boring to write about (who actually likes compromising, anyway?), so I’m not…
Review of BenchPrep’s Online Test Prep Site
I just logged into the BenchPrep test prep website and am welcomed with their greeting of “Gain an unfair advantage on test day”; I like this – a test prep site with an edge! Let’s continue exploring… After you sign in and choose your test (see list below), you’ll then choose your target test date….
Want a 30+ on the ACT? Here’s What to Know
If you or your child is about to start preparing for the ACT, you might be wondering what exactly will show up on the test? What does one need to know to do well on the ACT? Here’s a brief overview of what’s covered in each section. ACT English The ACT English section measures standard…