What About the SAT or ACT Waitlist?
No college-bound student wants to hear the word “waitlist” from the school of her dreams. But the waitlist option can be a boon to anyone who misses the registration deadline or decides at the last minute to take a test. Getting on the waitlist for a particular test carries a real reward in terms the possibility of testing earlier than you could otherwise but also real downsides: You are not guaranteed a seat: Waitlisted students are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Your morning will be full of uncertainty and delay: Waitlisted students are seated after all regularly registered test-takers have been admitted and if sufficient test materials, staff, and seating are available. You might not know where you are testing until the last minute: College Board allows students to register for an SAT seat by radius. Waitlisted students will be automatically placed into an open seat as they become…
Underrated Test Taking Skills
Many students–and parents–struggle under the misconception that good test takers are born rather than made. When you think about it, though, taking tests is to a large extent a skill that can be learned, practiced, and coached. As with any other skill, some people may be born with certain advantages, but innate traits don’t determine your destiny. In fact, the traits that define success in any endeavor you might consider test taking are available to anyone who wants to develop them: 1. COMPOSURE Obviously, anyone seeking success on a chancy but consequential exam should have a plan for how they will succeed, one that encompasses every aspect of performance before and during the test. But bad test takers panic when things go wrong. Great test takers stay cool under pressure and stick to their plans no matter what happens. 2. ENDURANCE You may not work up a sweat during a…
ACT Gateway and Device Readiness Cutoff Dates
Remember when we were talking about getting ready for the Enhanced ACT? Well, the Enhanced ACT is now the official ACT everywhere, so let’s make sure we’re ready! One of the defining features of the Enhanced ACT is that national test administrations can be taken either on paper or on digital device. Consider three important factors when determining how to take your ACT: First and foremost, the ACT is a native paper test. All things being equal, test takers should register to take the test on paper (and prep accordingly). Access to digital testing will vary by region and will likely be limited in traditional SAT-dominant states like New York. As ACT continues to refine its Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) processes, digital test takers should pay close attention to ongoing alerts about ACT Gateway and Device Readiness Cutoff Dates. What is ACT Gateway? ACT Gateway is the ACT equivalent…
Is Your Device Ready for Test Day?
While high stakes tests have traditionally been synonymous with #2 pencils and annoying ovals, today’s standardized exams tend to embody a digital future. In the college admissions world, the SAT has gone completely app-based while the ACT has now added a computer testing option. While many students harbor a (some would say misguided) love of digital tests, the apparent advantages of a keyboard and screen rather than paper and pencil come with some significant drawbacks. For one, you have to manage your own device. While the responsibility to bring a device in proper working order to an exam site seems innocuous enough, the last fifty years of testing have established that remembering a pencil, let alone a calculator, is too much for some teens to handle. The device policy for the SAT and PSAT is easy to understand, since all testing is administered through the Bluebook app, which supports testing…
What Happens When a Test Goes Wrong?
During the first waves of the March 8, 2025 SAT administration, technical difficulties essentially undermined test takers’ best efforts. Essentially, the Bluebook app forced the submission of many—anywhere from 5,00 to more than 10,000–tests before those tests were completed, generally during the 2nd Math module. All the work those test takers invested to perform their best when the test counted was squandered at the last moment. What did College Board offer to make things right? A full refund A voucher for a free test A special makeup date two weeks later Choice to keep March 8 score AFTER seeing the score Changing the blind cancellation to an option for students to see their scores first was an updated and entirely unprecedented response by College Board on March 13, undoubtedly due to public pressure. Yet, some consider even this response inadequate, especially when emotional suffering and negative impacts on student schedules…
Five Ways to Ruin Your SAT Experience
I had the rare pleasure of proctoring a free practice SAT at a local library this weekend. Pre-pandemic would find me or another member of the Chariot Learning team at one venue or another nearly every weekend to oversee the administration of a free SAT or ACT. These days, busy teens find it harder than ever to commit to the same four-hour block during days off of school. Plus, the implementation of Bluebook has made testing at home easier than ever. That said, putting yourself into a true simulation of test day conditions surrounded by other test takers can elevate the value derived from practice. No wonder I was so happy to see 21 high schooler devote a chunk of their Sunday to make the most of one of those Bluebook exams. We all learned a few things about what not to do on test day! 1. SHOW UP LATE…