The SAT Subject Test Plan

            In 2017, the College Board adjusted its calendar of SAT test dates, eliminating the January date and replacing it with an August date.  August 24, 2019, will be the third August SAT test date.  And it is becoming one of the most popular test dates for students to take their SAT Subject Tests.             […]

The Power of Public Speaking

            Over the past few decades educators, politicians, and the titans of business in the United States have put an ever increasing focus on the STEM skills: science, technology, engineering, and math.  These skills are incredibly important in a world in which technology plays a larger and larger role in […]

SAT Subject Tests

            For students applying to the most prestigious and competitive colleges and universities, an additional step in the testing and application process is taking the SAT Subject Tests.  Since only a small minority of the two million students who take the SAT each year take even one SAT Subject Test, many student and parents are […]

SAT Controversies

In the last several months, the SAT was rocked by two separate controversies that have students, parents, college counselors, and teachers all doubting the value and fairness of the SAT. Shortly after the administration of the August 25th, 2018, test date, rumors began circulating that some of the questions that appeared on the test had previously […]

Should I Take the SAT or ACT?

Considering that most colleges and universities in the United States currently accept either the SAT or the ACT as part of the application process, a common question parents and students will ask their college counselors, teachers, and test prep tutors is which one should I take?  SAT or ACT?  This question used to be purely […]

How to Navigate the May SAT Date

While the March SAT date is the most popular among students, with some reports claiming that as much as fifty percent of all high school juniors who take the SAT do so in March each year, another popular test date is the May SAT date.  Many students take the SAT for the first time in […]

Guessing Strategies for the SAT & ACT

With so many changes in the standardized test landscape over the last three years, many students, parents, and educators are confused about many of the topics and concepts surrounding the college admissions tests: SAT and ACT.  One area of confusion relates to scoring and guessing.  Students, parents, and even educators are not sure if it […]

Transitioning from Elementary School to Middle School

Life is full of milestones, and one of the most overlooked and least understood is the transition from elementary school to middle school.  Elementary school, normally Kindergarten or first grade through fourth, fifth, or sixth grade, is for many young students a safe environment for learning both the basics of academics and social cues necessarily […]

The Differences Between SAT and ACT Math

Algebra Tutor Lexington, MA

One of the potentially most stressful decisions parents and students have to make during the college counseling process is the choice between the SAT and the ACT.  While students can begin their junior year by taking the PSAT and possibly the preACT, many schools only offer one of the official practice tests.  Students can take […]

The ACT is from Mars and the SAT is from Venus

We humans love to categorize everything, including ourselves.  This is especially true about academics.  We all know peers, students, and friends who call themselves a “math person”, or a “science person”, or an “English person”, and there is some truth in that, although that truth is more complicated than a simple label.  As complicated beings, […]

Are ACT scores getting lower?

ACT, Inc. just announced some updates regarding the June 13, 2020 ACT test date.

The SAT has been dominating the news over the last year due to a series of controversies engulfing the College Board and a slew of announcements by colleges and universities covering topics ranging from the decision to go test-optional to reports that more and more colleges have decided not to consider the SAT essay score […]

The Differences Between SAT and ACT ELA sections

The struggle students and parents face deciding between the SAT and ACT is completely understandable. The two tests are equally accepted by nearly all colleges and universities in the United States, and since updates to both tests in 2016 by their respective test writers, the two tests are more similar than ever.  In a previous article, […]