Foundational Math on the SAT & ACT
Most teens planning to take the SAT or ACT schedule their test dates either after they’ve finished Algebra 2 or at least much of the way through the course. Do our preeminent college entrance exams really require advanced math knowledge for good or even great scores? In a word, no. My friends and colleagues at the National Test Prep Association analyzed all of the official SATs and ACTs released over the last three years to answer an ingenious question: What Would a Smart 9th Grader Get on SAT and ACT Math? What would an A+ student who has just finished Algebra I and Geometry score on the SAT and ACT if she got everything right that she had seen in school and got everything else wrong? According to my analysis, she would score a 29 on ACT Math (80% of the tested material) and a 700 on SAT Math (87%).…
The Case for the March SAT
Teens may not like the idea of taking the SAT, but at least they have plenty of options in terms of when they actually have to drag themselves to a testing center. The College Board administers the SAT from the beginning of the school year until its end, typically in October, November, December, March, May, and June. We’ve even had an August test since 2017. The conventional wisdom suggests that students sit for the SAT (and ACT) in the spring of junior year and, if needed, the fall of senior year. High schoolers who follow this dubious advice flock to the May and June dates in the spring, then inevitably test again in October and November. December has typically been the test date for very late seniors and very early juniors. After watching students struggle through the college admissions process for over twenty years, I’ve seen how the traditional testing…
SAT AutoProctor
When it comes to earning your best possible SAT score, nothing can replace the benefits of full-length, proctored practice testing. Make every test count no matter where you are with the Chariot Learning SAT AutoProctor! How do you use the SAT AutoProctor? Easy! Just assemble everything you need for a high-quality proctored practice test in Standard Time, ideally on an open morning in your schedule, and start the SAT AutoProctor video. I’ll walk you through every step of the testing process from beginning to break to end in 3 hours, 30 minutes. What else do you need to do to make this testing experience complete? 1. Use an official released exam from the Official SAT Study Guide. Alternately, print a test from the College Board website or an SAT QAS test. Be sure to have a printed answer sheet as well! 2. Prepare your environment. 3. Assemble everything you’ll need…
The Case for the October SAT & ACT
For high schoolers, the academic year roars in with early opportunities to take the SAT & ACT. With the addition of an awesome August SAT administration, October no longer serves as the first chance to take either test. However, the month of fall foliage and Halloween treats is still one of the best times to take the SAT and ACT. What’s so great about October, besides pumpkin spice lattes? So early in the school year, classes haven’t really ramped up, which affords busy students a bit of breathing room to prep for the big tests. Most extracurricular activities, with the notable exception of fall sports, are equally slow to start. Thus, students can actually focus on the tests in October. However, other reasons sweeten the deal for October for 11th and 12th graders alike. SENIORS, even those late to the college admissions party, enter October feeling the pressure to finalize…
How The SAT & ACT Can Make Us Proud of America
When the 4th day of July rolls around, we citizens of the United States sometimes ponder questions deeper than just where to watch the best fireworks. We think of patriotism and pride, and even the most cynical among us contemplates what really makes America great. If thoughts like these have been rolling around in your head lately, here’s something to consider about American excellence… According to a 2014 tally, over 300,000 students outside the United States took the SAT in more than 1,000 international test centers across 175 countries. In Hong Kong alone, one 2013 SAT administration was inundated by 10,000 test takers. The ACT commands similar–and, in some countries greater–numbers of international test takers, and both tests have seen more test takers last year than ever. Why should students across the world take the SAT & ACT, when only colleges and universities within the U.S. use these scores…
Early Testing Game Plan for the Class of 2025
If your son or daughter is currently entering 10th grade, you may not be entirely steeped in every detail of every aspect of college admissions… at least not yet! But decisions made early in high school often prove influential for better or worse once college applications start shipping. You and your teen should be thinking about academic rigor, extracurricular commitments, and innovative ways to pursue their most particular interests. And, for just a moment, you might think about admissions tests. Make no mistake: 10th grade is too soon for most (but not all) teens to take the SAT or ACT. But change is coming to the SAT, and we’re already getting questions about how to proceed. The SAT is going fully digital in the United States in 2024. American students will see a digital PSAT in October 2023, but expect the March 2024 SAT to be the first domestic digital…