So now that the SAT II Subject Tests have been permanently discontinued by the College Board…what takes their place? How does this change your college application and your test-prep planning? Concerned parents asked me these questions over and over again at a recent speaking gig, and I’m sharing my answers with you.
College Process News: SAT II and SAT Essay Discontinued
As of January 2021, the College Board has discontinued the optional SAT essay section and the SAT II Subject Tests for US students. How will these major changes affect test prep and the competitive college process for YOU? I’m breaking it down.
How to go from deferred to accepted in five easy steps: COVID Edition
If you’ve been deferred from your early decision dream school, it can feel like you’re just waiting. But actually, there’s a LOT you can do to go from deferred to accepted…yes, even with most travel and face-to-face contact ruled out by Covid-19! Here’s what you need to know NOW to go from deferred to accepted in five easy steps.
Do you have to write the essay on the SAT or ACT?
Do you have to write the essay on the ACT or SAT? I’m usually here to tell you that skipping something you COULD use as an opportunity to shine is a mistake…but maybe not this time. Read on to find out if you’re one of the lucky ones who really CAN forget about writing the SAT Essay section or the ACT Writing component.
What's New on the Common App, 2020-2021
The 2020-2021 Common App has some important changes, and being aware of them will help you put your best foot forward in your college applications! This post is your COMPLETE resource guide to acing the Common App and opening the door to that dream school.
SAT and ACT Test Dates 2020-2021
To plan a successful 2020-2021 college application cycle (read: to get into that dream school in 2021), you need to start making a testing plan now. So here’s your complete ACT and SAT testing calendar for 2020-2021—every test date with information about which tests (ACT, SAT, and SAT II Subject Tests) are available, registration deadlines, and score availability dates. Get planning!
"Test-optional" applications: can YOU skip the SAT or ACT entirely?
So…we’ve taken a look at what “test optional” REALLY means, and how it affects the way your application is evaluated. Now that you have a little more information about what makes this decision complicated, let’s cut to the chase: how do you decide if YOU can skip the SAT or ACT? I’ll walk you through it.
Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors AND Seniors: Here's Your Quarantine/Post-Quarantine College Admissions To-Do List
We may be having a very weird semester, but time hasn’t stopped. Your future is still coming—so how are you getting ready for it? In this post, I’m giving every high school class a to-do list for using your quarantine time to set up the most successful college process and transition possible. Tackle this list and you’ll have a leg up when things do get back to baseline.
Expert Guidance For Uncertain Times: FREE Webinars on Test Prep in the Time of Covid-19
We’re living in very uncertain times—Covid-19 is changing test prep, with new adjustments being announced every week, but it’s not changing the fact that college admissions deadlines are fast approaching! I can’t get hand sanitizer back on the shelves, but I CAN make sure you have all the information you need to navigate this uniquely challenging situation and stay on track to your dream school. So welcome to my webinar series—it’s the latest news, expert analysis, and the chance to ask me YOUR questions, and it’s ABSOLUTELY FREE.
Are SAT II Subject Tests DEAD?
SAT II Subject Tests are no longer a consistently required part of every college application—which means they might not have to be part of your testing timeline at all! But it also introduces a complicated decision: how do you decide if YOU should take SAT 2s? In this post, I’ll explain what factors make Subject Tests necessary, important, a good opportunity…or something you can skip.
How To Make Online Test Prep Work For You
Online education, distance learning, remote instruction—whatever you call it, it’s our new normal for right now. How will you make the switch without letting it derail your prep for ACTs, SATs, and even just your classes? For the last decade, I’ve been helping students in nine time zones across six continents get the scores they need to get into their dream schools—so let me explain.
Test Prep in the Time of Coronavirus: Advice From an Expert
The coronavirus pandemic is disrupting lives around the globe—and it’s also disrupting test prep and college admissions. In this post I’m passing you all the news you need and giving you my expert analysis of how it will affect your test prep and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.
ACT Section Retesting: What You Need To Know
The rules for ACT retesting have changed—and it’s major! Let me walk you through what’s changing and when—and what it means for your testing timeline and strategy.
Adversity Score No More: Meet the SAT "Landscape"!
Worried about the new SAT Adversity Score and how it affects your testing strategy? Well, here’s an update you need: it’s been replaced by a new College Board innovation that affects your college applications, but differently. Meet the Landscape…and let me brief you on what it is and what it means for you.
What's New On The Common App 2019-2020
The Common App makes changes every year—some big, some small. This year, several of those changes affect user experience. Let me fill you in on what’s changing for the 2019-2020 application year and what’s staying the same—and then I’ll walk you through the Common App step by step!
What's the SAT Adversity Score?
If you follow testing and college-process news, you may have heard of the SAT’s new “Adversity Score.” But what is it, really? And how will it affect YOUR testing strategy? I’m breaking it down for you.
