Ah, the dreaded essays. They cause sleepless nights, endless fretting, and constant stress. And that’s before you start writing them! Once you begin, it’s an endless stream of worries–are you writing about the right thing? Is this sentence structure correct? Did you say something that might keep you out of your dream school? Is someone […]
How to Improve your SAT Vocabulary—for Free!
While the College Board claims the SAT is not a vocabulary test, there is no denying that a broad vocabulary is required for a high Critical Reading score. But there is no reason to invest in expensive vocabulary books, flash cards, or computer programs. The internet has everything you need to improve your vocabulary, and […]
SAT Writing: The Top 3 Grammatical Errors
The multiple choice portion of the Writing section contains three types of questions that test about two dozen types of common grammatical errors, such as pronoun reference, conjunction choice, and verb tense. But which errors are tested the most often? In the ten tests of The Official SAT Study Guide, there are a total of […]
Don’t be a Thesaurus Theodore in Your College Application Essays!
Writing the college application essay can be a pretty intimidating experience. The topics given are often broad (and sometimes not very interesting) and, if they don’t give you a topic, then it can be downright terrifying to write. You want to sound smart, and you also want to sound academically appealing. The problem with all […]
Top Free Vocabulary Resources
While the College Board claims the SAT is not a vocabulary test, there is no denying that a broad vocabulary is required for a high Critical Reading score on the current test. But there is no reason to invest in expensive vocabulary books, flash cards, or computer programs. The internet has everything you need to […]
Do Colleges Use the Optional ACT Writing Test Score?
When it comes to the ACT, colleges come in two varieties: those that require or recommend that you take the optional ACT Writing Test, and those that say that the test is not needed. How is it used, and how will it affect how your ACT score is viewed?
5 Steps You Need to Take Before Senior Year Starts
That last summer before senior year is a great one! It’s full of excitement, expectation, and possibility. It’s the summer before your last year of high school, and your last “real” summer before college. Even though it’s a magical time, you still need to be planning ahead, particularly if the college admissions process is on […]
ACT and SAT Tips and Tricks: Incomplete Comparisons
Comparisons errors occur on both the ACT English Test and the SAT Writing and Language Test. When you find a comparison in a passage on one of these tests, ensure that the two items being compared are alike; it’s acceptable to compare an apple to an orange but it’s likely questionable to compare a green […]
How is the SAT Essay Scored?
Although most SAT test-takers have a good grasp of how the overall test is scored (you get a score out of 2400 points, with each of the three sections earning a score between 200 and 800), many don’t really know how the SAT essay is scored. Here’s the deal.
What You Need to Know About the SAT Experimental Section
On Saturday, I will have taken the SAT for the umpteenth time. I’m taking the January administration for a couple of reasons: first, so I can buy this test. Three times a year the test makers allow you to purchase a copy of the test through their Question and Answer service, and January is one […]