I’ve been getting questions from parents and students about the possibility of the ACT going digital, following the SAT’s recent transition. The ACT has been available only as a digital test for international students (anyone outside the US) for several years. Recently, there is an option in certain centers to take a digital ACT, but (for now) the US-based ACT is primarily a paper based exam.

The computer based ACT and the paper based ACT are the same outside of the format. They have the same number of questions, the same timing, and the same scoring. Both formats will be accepted and given equal weight by colleges. 

Should you take the digital ACT if it is available in your area? It really depends on what you feel most comfortable with. My recommendation is to take both versions of the test and see which one you felt better with. The ACT has sample tests in both the digital and paper format on their website and in their official prep guide.

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As we embrace the new era of the digital SAT, we're met with a fresh challenge: a scarcity of study resources. This shortage might persist, given the College Board's decision to discontinue the QAS, effectively limiting access to past real SATs. Presently, the College Board has provided only 4 practice digital SATs, a digital 8/9 grade PSAT, and a digital 10/NMSQT PSAT via their BlueBook app.

Given the scarcity of official practice SATs, we have to use them wisely! These tests serve as the best resource for practice and assessing progress, so students should ration them carefully, reserving some for potential future retakes of the exam.

What to avoid: until you've exhausted all official practice tests, avoid all other College Board materials. Unfortunately, questions from their practice tests have been repurposed in their question bank, paper book, and social media posts. Exposure to these questions compromises the accuracy and effectiveness of practice exams.

For additional...

With the SAT now fully digital worldwide, the decision-making process for choosing a standardized test has shifted. While my usual advice of comparing scores and considering comfort levels with each test remains unchanged, a new factor has emerged – the availability of practice tests.

Currently, the digital SAT offers only four practice tests, along with a single digital PSAT and an eighth/ninth-grade version. In contrast, there is a wealth of practice tests available for the ACT, a test which has remained fairly consistent over the last three decades. Even non-official ACT materials, created by test prep companies over time, outshine their rushed-to-market digital SAT counterparts.

Practice tests are crucial. They allow students to get experience taking timed tests, helping them become more comfortable with the process, and giving them an accurate idea of where their score currently stands. In my opinion, taking many practice tests (and reviewing them) is the best way to...

In the era of test-optional college admissions, families may question the necessity of taking the SAT or ACT. While a robust test score can undoubtedly bolster your application, the financial advantages of a strong performance can often be overlooked.

Beyond enhancing your application, a noteworthy SAT or ACT score can be a key to merit scholarships. Many educational institutions tie scholarship opportunities directly to these standardized test scores. It's not merely about gaining admission; it's about unlocking financial support that can significantly ease the burden of tuition fees.

Before dismissing standardized testing altogether, prospective students should look into the policies of their target schools. A solid test score doesn't just enhance your chances of admission; it elevates your eligibility for scholarships, which can be even more competitive than the admission process itself. Importantly, some schools mandate an SAT or ACT score for scholarship consideration, even if...

With the final paper SAT coming up in a mere month, many students and parents have questions and concerns about  the new, digital version of the SAT. Foremost among those concerns is the fact that the test is adaptive

Adaptive technology is not new

Both the GMAT and GRE have been adaptive tests for decades, so the industry has a lot of experience with this technology. This should allay people’s concerns about the effectiveness of adaptive testing - while it is new for the SAT, it is not new to testing!

The Digital SAT is section adaptive

Like the GRE, the Digital SAT adapts in sections. This means that your performance on the first section determines which version of the second section you are given. 

How the Digital SAT adapts

There are two sections (what the SAT calls modules) for the reading & writing portion of the exam and two sections for the math portion of the exam. Everybody gets the same version of module 1. If...

Test anxiety is one of the most challenging hurdles that some students deal with when taking the SAT and ACT. Test anxiety is an emotional and physical response to the stress of taking a test. Here are some techniques students can use to effectively cope with this issue.

1.  Be prepared! It’s easy to feel stressed if you don’t feel well prepared for a test, so make sure you learn lots of strategies, review tested concepts, and take lots of practice tests so that you feel confident and prepared on test day.
2. Remind yourself that you are prepared. Make an effort to push negative thoughts from your mind and tell yourself that you are prepared and will do well on test day.
3. Sign up for lots of tests. Knowing that your next test is not your last test can do a lot to calm your nerves.
4. Breathe slowly. Breathing in and out slowly can help slow your heart rate and make you feel calmer.
5. Don’t procrastinate. It’s easy to push off tasks that make you feel...

Learning content and efficient strategies is an important part of the test prep process; however, taking real, timed, practice tests is an often overlooked – but crucial – part of this process!

Build familiarity with the test format

Use real practice tests to get familiar with the different types of questions, the structure, and the format of the SAT or ACT. Familiarize yourself with the instructions and rules. You don’t want any surprised on test day, and you want to feel at ease as you take the real test

Figure out your weaknesses

After taking a practice test, look at your results to see what you need to work on (and what you don’t need to work on). Let your results guide your studying, so you know what rules and strategies to study to improve.

Get accustomed to pacing

The last thing you want to do is to stare at the clock on test day! This wastes time and distracts you. Taking timed practice tests will allow you to build an innate...

Good test scores strengthen your application

Strong test scores can only improve your chances of admission into the colleges of your choice, allowing you to stand out from applicants who chose not to include scores (they aren’t omitting their scores because they aced the test). They give yet another data point for schools to assess your candidacy, so even if you have the option of applying without scores, applying with good scores can only work to your benefit.

You can improve your chances at scholarships

Many merit-based scholarships either require or strongly prefer good SAT or ACT scores. Skipping standardized testing can potentially leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table.

Standardized testing can demonstrate academic preparedness

While your grades are one measure schools have of your academic performance, different schools have different measures, so it’s a less reliable tool for schools. Some (or many…) schools are...

The summer is my favorite time to prepare for the SAT or ACT! It’s much easier to focus on preparation when you don’t have the rigors of the school year to contend with. Here are my recommendations for getting the most of out your time this summer:

1. Learn the content

Study up on your grammar rules and review past math concepts. Both the SAT and ACT cover math topics from pre-algebra, algebra 1 & 2, trigonometry, and geometry. 

1. Learn the strategies

It’s really important to learn the best ways to tackle each section and question type. It’s also important to learn how to pace yourself, what to do when you run out of time, and when to guess.

1. Take practice tests

Taking practice tests allow you to put your knowledge into practice. It also allows you to work on your pacing; make sure to always take your practice tests timed to get the maximum benefit!

1. Learn from your practice tests

It’s...

The ACT science section is notoriously intimidating to students, and it is a reason that many students opt not to take the ACT at all! While the section is definitely not for everyone, in my experience tutoring students, many students exceed their expectations and end up conquering the science section in the end.

I’m bad at science – should I skip the ACT?

Not necessarily! I’ve had many students who consider themselves “bad” at science who end up excelling on the ACT science section. It is more of a reading section than a science section, in my opinion. 

What makes it so difficult?

The science section is unlike any other science test you’ve encountered in school. It doesn’t test (much)  factual knowledge learned in school, but rather tests your ability to synthesize information from tables, charts, graphs, and short passages. The unfamiliarity makes many students underestimate their ability. Further,...