Are you feeling bummed about a score you just received on your ACT or SAT? Here’s your guide on how to recover and do better on your next one.
How to Protect Your Mental Health during Test Prep
You can't just cram for a standardized test! Nor can you grind your body and mind into the ground all of junior year and expect to still perform well on the SAT or ACT. Here are some of the top tips I give clients about the mindsets and habits that will keep you on pace for a strong finish.
5 Quick Brain Tricks to Improve Your SAT or ACT Score
Not sure how to prepare mentally before your next exam? Check out these 5 strategies that will boost your brainpower.
Test Anxiety Resource Library
Yes, we’re approaching the toughest stretch of test prep and college applications. No, that doesn't mean you should panic. Beat stress with these quick hits.
SAT Reading & Writing: Avoid Burnout with this Trick!
A lot of SAT-takers report getting to Module 2 of the Reading & Writing section…and feeling suddenly exhausted and distractible. Fortunately, I’ve developed a special hack to help you avoid the dreaded R&W crash.
Guide to Common App Resources
Those deadlines are looming and your stress level is rising. Don’t panic! This Common App resources roundup has got links that will help you answer any question, and overcome any hurdle, standing in the way of clicking “submit.”
The Most Important Parts of a Test-optional College Application
So, you’re thinking about skipping the ACT or SAT because some (or even all!) of the schools on your list went test-optional during Covid-19. Before you actually commit to skipping, let’s take a look at how it affects the way the rest of your application is evaluated.
ACT Experimental Questions: Use Them to Raise Your Score!
Did you know: not all questions on the ACT actually count towards your final score? While most students won’t do anything in particular with that fact, this post will help you use experimental Qs to increase your score.
When to Submit SAT/ACT Scores to Test-Optional Colleges
Should you submit your SAT or ACT scores to that test-optional school? Will they help you or hurt you? This is a tricky question, but this blog post offers you three ways to make this important decision.
Improve Your College Admissions Chances with "Demonstrated Interest"
If I told you there were easy things you could do to move your application from the “rejected” pile to the “admitted” one, you’d take those steps right away, no? Well, “Demonstrated Interest” is exactly that! This post explains WHAT Demonstrated Interest is in college admissions—AND gives you nine ways to show that interest to the schools on your list.
Submitting the Common App: Your 6-Step Checklist
There’s more to calling your Common Application complete than dotting every I, crossing every T, and catching every typo. My six-step checklist will have you hitting submit with confidence!
How to Stay Calm during the SAT & ACT: Page-Turn Zen
All the SAT and ACT prep in the world won’t matter if you get so nervous on exam day that you can’t remember what you’ve learned. That’s why I like to teach my SAT and ACT-taker clients this technique: Page Turn Zen. Read on for the deets on how this simple practice can help you stay calm—and increase your score by hundreds of points.
The Best Strategy for ACT "Fork" Questions
The "fork question" is my term for a particular question form on the ACT that can waste your time and induce unnecessary errors...unless you see it coming. Read on for the lowdown on how to conquer this tricky question type.
Is There Still a COVID Question on the Common App?
In recent years, the Common Application has featured an optional question asking about students’ experience during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Is this question still on the Common App? And if not, what’s taken its place?
When Should You Take the Digital SAT and ACT? Four Timelines
Okay, so you know you need a Testing Timeline—but where do you start? I’ve got you covered. One of these four basic Testing Timelines should get (almost) every high school Junior on the path to SAT or ACT success!
How to Write Your Common App Activities List
Everyone knows that the Activities List is a super important section of the Common App…so why do so many people flub the chance to maximize its impact? Let me show you how to avoid that pitfall with these six steps to a winning Activities List.
10 Things *Not* to Do in Your College Applications
I get it: college admissions is a pressure cooker, and it’s tempting to take some shortcuts to success. But there are some supposed “hacks” that backfire big-time. Here's what NOT to do when you're applying to college.
Guide to Diagnostic Testing for the ACT & Digital SAT
You might already know that you need to take a diagnostic test in order to set up a successful test-prep process. But did you know that HOW you take it really matters? I’m explaining what to do and what NOT to do in order to get the best results from your diagnostic SAT or ACT test.
Improve Your SAT or ACT Score with the "Things to Remember" Hack
My students who make the most astounding improvements on the SAT or ACT have one thing in common. It's a simple study technique I call the "things to remember list," and I can teach it to you, too.
Making Your College List: Factors to Consider
Before you start applying to colleges, you need to figure out which ones you’re applying TO. Sounds simple, right? But there are so many factors to consider that making a college list can seem intimidating. Don’t worry! This week I’m giving you a straightforward five-step guide to drafting your list of dream schools….so you can start working on getting INTO them.
