Paying for college can be a daunting task, so many seek out scholarships to help cover the cost of tuition. For high school seniors looking to get into college, there are two types of scholarships. There are need-based financial aid and award-based financial aid. The National Merit Scholarship is offered by taking the PSAT/NMSQT and falls into the latter type …
How Time Management Can Improve Your Scores
One of the easiest ways to improve your standardized tests scores is to improve your time management when taking the exams. Unfortunately, managing your time is easier said than done. So many adults struggle to find a healthy balance of how they spend their time, so it’s no wonder that high school students find themselves in the same boat – …
Breakdown of the PSAT: Timing & Content
In our previous blog about the PSAT, we talked about the benefits of the test and explained the difference between the three different types of tests. We also briefly mentioned the timing of each test, but this will be a more comprehensive breakdown of the PSAT that will look into the scoring, contents of the exam, best practices, and what …
Time Management for the ACT
Many students see the ACT as an intimidating and stressful task in their lives. With more questions on the exam than minutes to complete it, it can feel like the exam tests sheer speed over intelligence. Clocking in at nearly three hours, the ACT leaves many students feeling like exhaustion is inevitable. But the correct techniques for managing time efficiency …
Benefits of Taking Practice Tests
In the world of SAT and college preparation, practice exams are often looked at as just bitter medicine, a way to help students simulate the environment of high-pressure tests without the risk of failing. But some students often opt out of them due to the perception of it being less important. The fields of science and psychology tell us those …
5 Ways Your Study Space Impacts You
This is a guest post by Nicholas Randall of StudentSharp Choosing the right study space might seem hard. Or perhaps you’ve become accustomed to one, but don’t know the pros and cons of it. It can be difficult to decide between libraries, parks, your home, or other areas to study. In this post, we’ll show you five ways your study …
The Forgotten Power of Flashcards
In many ways, test prep has gone high-tech. There are practice tests online, apps to help you review vocabulary, and digital descriptions of the best way to study for each section. And yet, one of the most powerful ways to prepare for standardized tests is the same one that was probably used by your grandparents–flashcards. Why Flashcards? Physical flashcards offer …
Conquering Senioritis
Each year, shortly after second semester begins, millions of high school seniors are struck with a dangerous disease.  High school diplomas and college acceptances are among the damage inflicted by this infection, and it’s a plague that’s unlikely to be irradiated anytime soon.   It’s conquering senioritis.   And while it’s the sort of epidemic that the CDC can’t possibly hope …
Test Anxiety Game Plan
According to the American Test Anxieties Association, 34-38% of students experience at least moderately-high anxiety when it comes to taking exams. Â Here are some strategies for keeping those test-day nerves in check when it comes to the SAT. The Night Before Practice Makes…Anxious It may be tempting to think sneaking in one more practice test or spending the evening drilling …
5 Big Myths of Test Anxiety
1. Test Anxiety isn’t real. Students just want to get out of exams FALSE: Of all the myths about Test Anxiety, this is by far the most damaging. While there are students out there who may fake a stomach bug to get out of the Presidential Fitness test in Gym or to post-pone that Biology quiz, students with Test Anxiety …