Score At The Top Blog

When a student is preparing for a big test at school, don’t underestimate the power of the fuel they ingest. Our Score At The Top tutors continuously praises the power of brain foods for test success. You wouldn’t start a NASCAR race on an empty gas tank – and the same mentality applies to exam day.

Topics: Test-Prep

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Based on our personal and corporate experiences, the data, and published statements from students, it’s highly likely that the correct answer is that more students are cheating than we realize. The perfect crime needs motive, means, and opportunity, and there’s never been a more perfect confluence of the three relatives to cheating, thanks to COVID-19.

More often than ever before, students are learning at home – without proper supervision. This is one of the biggest reasons why students cheat on exams, especially digital tests.

The answer to “So, what?” is that the act of cheating raises important issues for students, the vast majority of whom will be back in classroom environments next fall and no longer able to use the opportunities for cheating in online testing environments.

Topics: Cheating, Virtual School

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With summer just about here in South Florida, we at Score At The Top have already started working with students to help them recover last year’s courses or get a head start on next year’s core schedule. And because late summer and early fall test dates are just around the corner, we’ve also opened enrollment for our summer SAT and ACT workshops! The relatively relaxed summer months are a great time to prepare. Below, you’ll find some of our tips for testing plans and for academic preparation at all grade levels to help you take advantage of the summer break.

Topics: ACT, ACT/SAT, SAT

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Parents and students often ask us: Is taking the SAT or ACT without studying okay? Isn’t it good practice for next time?

Our answer is always the same: No! Test day is not the time to show up blind. Even if you plan on taking the test numerous times and even if you feel confident in your testing ability, it’s just not worth the risk.

Topics: ACT, ACT/SAT, SAT

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Sitting for an SAT or ACT amid nervous students, serious proctors, and loudly ticking clocks can unnerve even the steadiest student. Suddenly, your heart is beating out of your chest, your palms are sweating, and you have a strong inclination to jump up and run out of the room. But wait! You take a deep breath, thankful that in addition to all your studying, memorizing, and strategizing, you also took time to prepare yourself emotionally by arming yourself with valuable tools like the ones you’ll find in this article.

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Many students wonder if they should prepare for the PSAT, which, by virtue of its name, is a “preliminary” or practice test. Certainly, if you are taking it in your freshman or sophomore year, the main goal is to get a feel for the test and an approximation of how you might perform on the SAT. These “baseline” scores can help you set your college admission goals and give you an indication of how much more you may need to prep for the SAT or ACT. In junior year, however, the PSAT/NMSQ holds more weight, because that score is the best predictor of your junior SAT score. In addition, your performance may qualify you for National Merit Scholarship recognition, can provide a scholarship for college and make you a standout on your college applications.

Topics: Test-Prep, PSAT

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So, you’ve decided that the ACT is your test. You prefer its straightforward approach and sense that you can handle the quicker pace, as well as the math and science knowledge it requires. Now it’s time to start prepping!

Topics: ACT, ACT/SAT, Test-Prep, Tips

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So you’ve decided to conquer the SAT as part of your college admissions game plan. That means it’s time to start preparing and practicing – now. You’ll find lots of great overall information and advice for preparing for standardized tests in our Ultimate Guide to Preparing for College Entrance Exams.

Topics: Test-Prep, SAT

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We get it. The mere mention of standardized tests might make you cringe and shudder. You’ve got enough to do with schoolwork and extracurricular activities – how will you find time to prepare for college entrance exams that may determine your future?

Topics: ACT, Test-Prep, PSAT, SAT

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In the wake of a “year like no other,” the numbers are starting to trickle in and we’re learning more about how the widely implemented test-optional college policies affected admissions. Already, the data bear out what we’ve been telling our students all along: it’s in your best interest to submit a competitive score in the optimal range of your top-choice school.

So, before you start throwing your application at all of the test-optional colleges with high acceptance rates, here are our top three reasons why your scores still matter at test-optional colleges:

Topics: College Admission, ACT/SAT, Test Optional

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