The first SAT of the new school year is almost here: August 27. But you’ve still got enough time to make some serious gains in your SAT Reading section—if you start working on your strategy in a focused way right now, that is. This post is a comprehensive guide to ALL of the types of questions that show up on the SAT Reading, as well as my key tactics for answering each of them.
The QAS and TIR: Find Out Which Questions You Got Wrong on the SAT and ACT
If you’re planning to retake the SAT or ACT, the logical place to start studying is whatever question types you got wrong the first time you took the test. But your College Board report only shows you your score and your percentile ranking. How do you find out which questions you missed—so that you can nail them next time? Enter the SAT’s Question and Answer Service and the ACT’s Test Information Release.
Does the class of 2022 need the SAT or ACT?
The class of 2021 has had their college process upended by Covid-19—including schools going temporarily (or even permanently) test-optional. But what about the class of 2022? If you’re a current Junior, you probably have some questions about testing and college applications in the age of coronavirus—and lucky for you, I’ve got expert answers.
SAT and ACT Test Dates, 2022-2023
If you’re a high school sophomore or junior wondering when you should sign up for your first standardized test sitting, look no further: this post lists out all ACT and SAT test dates for the 2022-23 season. Whether you’re an international student or one based in America, whether you’re taking the SAT or the ACT, this post has got the dates you need, as well as info on how to register for each test.
Top 5 Ways the SAT and ACT Math Sections Try to Trick You
Time and again, I see very smart students make the same types of missteps on the SAT and ACT Math. That’s because the test-makers ARE sometimes trying to trip you up. This post reveals the five most common, trickiest stumbling blocks that the ACT or SAT Math section might throw your way…as well as the strategies you’ll use to clear those obstacles from your path so you can reach that stellar score.
When You Wake Up Sick or Distracted on Test Day
No matter how much you've studied for the SAT or ACT, sometimes unlucky things happen when you sit down to take the test. Whether you wake up sick or distracted on test day, here's how you can best prepare yourself for the unexpected when it happens to you.
Answering SAT Evidence Questions
Evidence Questions can account for up to a THIRD of the questions on the SAT reading section. That’s a lot of points in the balance—not to mention that this question type can be quite tricky and time-consuming to answer if you don’t have a strategy. Fortunately, once you read this blog post, you will have one!
What to Know about the New, Digital SAT
BIG changes are underfoot for the SAT: the College Board just announced that the test will have gone completely digital by 2024. But what exactly does this mean for the composition of the test, its difficulty, and for YOU as a future SAT taker? This post explains it all in simple English.
When to Take Your First SAT in 2022
Figuring out when exactly you need to take your first SAT (and the second, and….) can be a real headache. The timing question is made even thornier by the fact that the SAT has changed quite a bit over the past few years—and many of those changes impact testing timelines. This post gets you up to date on all of those factors that impact SAT scheduling, and then helps you figure out what that means for YOUR SAT schedule in 2022.
Should I Take the ACT or the SAT in 2022?
When it comes to choosing between taking the SAT and the ACT, you obviously want to pick the one that’s going to help you shine the most on your college applications. But how do you figure THAT out?! This post clarifies the ways that this question has changed in recent years, AND the three key steps you should take to decide which test is right for you.
Your Last-Minute SAT Study Plan
Let's say you've only got a week or two to go before your SAT. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do in the next few days to raise your score—in fact, you can still boost your score by as much as 300 points. How? By studying the five high-point-yield topics I’ve listed out in this blog post.
What Grammar Do You Need to Know for the SAT?
For a high score on the SAT Writing and Language test, you’ll need to learn more about grammar and rhetoric than what you’re being taught in your high school classroom. This week’s post brings you the 19 key elements of the English language that the SAT Writing and Language section will test you on.
Should You Guess on the SAT and ACT? (And If So, How?)
If you’ve taken a few SAT or ACT practice tests (or even a round or two of the actual test), you may have found yourself running out of time on a section or two. What should you do when you don’t have time to actually think through those last few questions? Will it help or harm your score to guess—and if you should guess, what are the smartest strategies for doing so? This week’s post has got you covered.
Does the Class of 2023 Need to Take the SAT or ACT?
Lots of things looked different for the 2020-21 college application cycle—including the fact that many more colleges than usual went Test Blind (didn't accept SAT/ACT scores) or Test Optional (allowed applicants to opt out of submitting scores). But will these COVID-specific policies still be in effect next year? If you’re in the class of 2023, read on for answers to this question, and my specific advice to rising Juniors on this front.
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.
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!
ACT vs SAT I vs SAT II: What's the Difference?
We may be test ninjas here at Ivy Lounge, but everyone has to start with the basics! This post will get you up to speed on the crucial foundational knowledge about the ACT, SAT I, and SAT II—so you can get on your way to an overall testing strategy!
The Right (AND WRONG) Ways to Use SAT Practice Tests
Real SAT practice tests are a finite resource. Let me explain why that matters…and how to make the most of the valuable practice tests you have!
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 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.
