Score At The Top Blog
The latest tips, tricks, and education to help you get into your top college.
ACT Changes in 2026: What the New Roadmap Means for Your Student
A guide to the ACT changes in 2026: free practice tests, section retesting, remote proctoring, and more. Here's what's real and how to plan ACT prep.
APUSH or Honors? How to Make the Course-Rigor Call
Should a top student take APUSH or Honors U.S. History? See how selective colleges weigh course rigor and strength of curriculum, and how to choose.
SAT/ACT Score Guarantees are a Marketing Trap
Ads for test prep promise a 200-point SAT gain or your money back. Here's why those score guarantees are nearly impossible to collect, and what you should ask first.
Will California Kill Test-Optional? Over 1,100 UC Professors Hope So
Over 1,100 UC professors signed an open letter calling for SAT/ACT reinstatement. Why California's test-blind decision drove the test-optional era – and how it could end it.
The Path to College is Paved with Calculus: Three Routes Back if Middle School Math Got Off Track
Enrolling in calculus as a senior often hinges on a middle school decision. Here are three routes back to AP Calc if Algebra 1 didn't happen early in your student's track.
Is 1440 SAT Enough for Out-of-State UF Applicant? The Honest Math Behind a 60-Point Retake
A 1440 sits at the median of UF's fall middle 50%. A 1500 lands near the 75th percentile. What a retake is actually worth for out-of-state families.
Precalculus Over the Summer: What It Actually Takes to Compress a Year of Math
Compressing a year of Precalc into one summer takes more than picking a provider. What the realistic time commitment looks like, and what schools actually require.
Florida's New FACT US History Course: Should Your Student Take It Instead of APUSH?
Florida's new FACT US History course pilots in 2026-27 as an APUSH alternative. Here's what it means for college credit, admissions, and your transcript.
The Vanderbilt Case Study: What "Test-Optional" Actually Did to Admit Rates (2025–26)
Vanderbilt applications jumped 54% under test-optional while admits dropped 46%. What that means for SAT and ACT strategy.
Decoding the Enhanced GMAT Focus Edition & The Revised GRE
The Graduate Management Admission Test, commonly known as the GMAT, is a crucial benchmark assessment of the fundamental skills necessary for enrollment in graduate business and management programs. Because of the decreasing numbers of test-takers, there has been a trend among business schools to accept alternative exams or even go completely test-optional. So, the GMAT is undergoing significant modifications with the introduction of the GMAT Focus Edition in the fourth quarter of 2023. This updated version endeavors to adapt to changing times and provide an effective means of evaluating candidates seeking admission to reputable business and management programs. The new GMAT adaptations recognize three key areas that business schools desire in prospective students: problem-solving skills, logical reasoning abilities, and data literacy. The test aims to align with these requirements and ensure continued relevance in admissions.
