Category: Test Prep
Staying Up Late to Study Hurts Students More Than It Helps
For many high school students balancing standardized tests, school projects, assignments and extracurriculars, it may seem like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. As a result, many students are staying up late to study. According to a 2015 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about seven out of 10 high school students aren’t getting enough sleep. In fact, Stanford Medicine refers to teen sleep deprivation as an epidemic.
What Is a Good SAT Score?
The SAT may have changed a lot in recent years, including going digital-only for international students in 2023 and for the U.S. in 2024. But one thing hasn’t changed — a good SAT score will help you gain acceptance into the schools on your college list, even if they’re test-optional. Of course, standardized test scores are just one component of a strong college application, but they help provide a more comprehensive picture of your college readiness. If you’re preparing to take the SAT, keep reading to learn more about how the score is broken down, what’s considered a good score, and what the score range is for the middle 50% of enrolled students at some of the top universities in the U.S.
Test Score Submit Rates for Class of 2026
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way higher education institutions review applications with many colleges choosing to adopt a test-optional application review process. However, with record-breaking applicant pools and record-low admit rates, families are worried that test-optional may not really mean test-optional at all. Here is what we know, so far.
SAT to ACT Score Conversion Chart
Want to see how your scores on the SAT compare to ACT? The College Board provides concordance tables so students and educators can see how SAT total scores compare to composite ACT scores. You can also use the SAT score conversion chart below if you’ve completed both tests and want to determine which score is better to submit to colleges. These tables
List of Colleges Extending Test-Optional Policies
UPDATED: List of Colleges Extending Test-Optional Policies The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on a number of changes within the standardized testing industry, including the introduction of a new, entirely digital testing format and many colleges shifting to a test-optional admissions process for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. In fact, 75% of four-year colleges and universities did not require SAT or ACT scores for the 2021-22 admissions cycle.
Why SAT and ACT Scores Still Matter as Test-Optional Choices Rise
In the past several years, testing policies have varied wildly across the U.S. admissions landscape. While it was once a given that applicants would submit their test scores with their college applications, students now may be wondering whether it is still worthwhile to take the ACT or SAT exam. Keep reading to find out why it is in many applicants’ best interest to submit a standardized test score — even if the school does not require it.
Test-Optional Doesn’t Mean Test-BlindWhile it is true that a fair number of schools have retained test-optional admissions for the upcoming application cycle, that doesn’t equate with being completely blind to applicants’ test scores. Instead, the role that SAT or ACT scores play in a student’s chance of admission has evolved: while scores are no longer a requirement at many colleges, that doesn’t mean that they won’t have an impact on students’ admissions odds. In fact, admissions officers are likely to look favorably upon applicants with compelling SAT or ACT scores. SAT and ACT scores that fall within or above your best-fit colleges’ desired score range will continue to
Which AP and IB Courses Count for College Credit and How?
Taking AP or IB courses doesn’t just look good from a college admissions perspective—these classes can also translate into college credit once a student enrolls. While policies vary by college, many universities will grant college credits that go towards specific course requirements, in turn allowing students to free up some room in their schedules. Even if AP and IB courses are only applied towards a student’s overall credit count, completing advanced classes is a great way to get a jump start on college.
Test Prep Tips for the ACT and SAT
When preparing for the ACT or SAT it’s important to develop an effective test prep strategy. From selecting the right test to setting score goals and creating a testing timeline, a good test prep plan can make all the difference in students’ performance on the ACT or SAT. Here are some test prep tips to help students prepare for the SAT or ACT.
Test-Taking Strategies: How to Ace the College Test Prep
Exams like the SAT, ACT, PSAT and AP tests can all seem overwhelming at first. Being asked to complete an academic assessment is already stressful, and it’s even more challenging to perform well under timed conditions when the stakes are high.
The good news is that it’s possible to put most of your test-taking anxieties at ease and ace your college test prep. The secret to performing your best is taking advantage of tried-and-true test-taking strategies that will set every student up for success.
Test Prep 101: Guide to the SAT Math Section
By IvyWise Master Tutor
The SAT Math Test is divided into four main sections: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics in Math.
What to Know About AP Subject Tests
An Overview for Students Who Are Interested in AP Subject TestsAP Subject Tests are likely to be a part of many students’ high school experience as students take advanced courses in order to boost their course rigor. These exams can be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in a subject that you are passionate about and maybe even earn some college credit.
Navigating Fall Testing in 2020
What You Need to Know if Testing is on Your Radar This FallThis fall, students may feel like they’re approaching a crossroads. While many originally planned on taking the PSAT, SAT, or ACT during their fall semester, the COVID-19 pandemic has added a layer of uncertainty to their college preparation plans. As some testing sites begin to reopen, new questions have emerged. Some students may be wondering whether they should register for a fall exam, what taking the SAT or ACT during the COVID-19 pandemic will look like, and what their options are if they decide against sitting for an exam.
IB vs. AP: Which Is Best for College Admissions?
For high school students looking to make the most of their courses, choosing between an International Baccalaureate (IB) and AP curriculum is often a top priority. While both choices are academically rigorous and can lead to college credit, there are also profound differences between the two programs.
ACT Superscoring: Colleges that Superscore the ACT
Here are the Colleges that Superscore the ACT
Superscoring is the practice of considering only the highest section scores across all SAT or ACT test scores that are submitted when evaluating applications. Many schools already superscore for the SAT, but superscoring for the ACT has not always been widely practiced.
Tips for Boosting Your TOEFL Score
By Joey, IvyWise Tutor
For many international students, taking the TOEFL exam is one of many steps on their radar for the U.S. college admissions process. Many colleges do require TOEFL scores as part of their international application review process, so it’s important to do your research and see what the policy is at every school on your best-fit list.
How to Set Test Prep Goals for 2020
Get a Head Start on Planning for the New Year
With the new year right around the corner, now’s the time to start thinking about your test prep goals for 2020. Whether you’re a freshman who is just beginning to think about college, a sophomore gearing up to start test prep, or a junior who is already in the thick of it, there are concrete steps that you can take in 2020 to get closer to achieving your test prep goals.
Colleges That Don’t Honor Score Choice
Learn How Score Choice Works and Which Schools Honor It
For high school students navigating the college application process, the back-to-school season is about a lot more than starting new classes. In addition to coursework, many students are preparing all of the components of their college applications, including submitting test scores.
What’s Covered on the PSAT Math Test?
Every Math Component Students Need to Review Before the PSATWith the PSAT just around the corner, now is the time to hone your mathematical skills so you are up-to-date on what’s being asked on the exam. Whether you consider yourself a numbers person or not, it’s a good idea to go into the exam with these top PSAT tips.
Understanding AP Exam Scores
Here’s What Each AP Score Means
By Seamus, IvyWise Master Tutor
The first AP Exam scores are available today, and will continue to be released over the next few days. This is an exciting time for students who are eager to learn their results, but what exactly do these scores mean?
What’s on the SAT?
Learn About Every Kind of Question You Can Expect on the SAT
Performing well on standardized tests is about so much more than thinking quickly and bubbling in the answers. In order to really excel on exams, it is important to have a thorough understanding of exactly what the test will cover and review accordingly.
Testing Accommodations for the SAT and ACT
Learn What Kind of Accommodations Are Available for the SAT & ACT
The SAT and ACT can feel overwhelming for any test taker, but for students with learning differences or disabilities there can be an additional piece to the testing puzzle: obtaining appropriate accommodations in order to have the best chance of reaching their goal score on test day.
