Score At The Top Blog

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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Now that you’ve decided to tackle and conquer the SAT as part of your college admissions game plan, it’s time to start preparing and practicing. 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. For instance, you will want to create a consistent practice schedule, set realistic goals, and make sure to take plenty of official practice tests in test-like conditions that are timed and completed in one sitting.

Beyond that, you will want to focus on learning and practicing strategies specific to the SAT. While the SAT allows more time per section than the ACT, it is also known for being the more confusing test. With practice, however, you will gain familiarity with the test, learn to decipher the questions, and discover the methods that work best for you. Here are some of the best prep tips from our experts to help you get ready to take the SAT confidently and successfully.

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?

Take a deep breath, wipe the sweat off your brow, and let us reassure you that you can do it with a solid preparation plan – and successfully achieve your goals. While no two students are alike, you can find a path and process that will prepare you to do your best.

Topics: ACT, Test-Prep, PSAT, SAT

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Amid the sea of challenges that rocked the world of college admissions this past year, College Board is riding the wave of changing times. The organization announced on Tuesday, January 19, that it will no longer administer SAT Subject Tests and will drop the optional essay portion of the SAT.

Topics: College Admission, Subject Test, SAT

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Although many selective colleges have temporarily gone test-optional because of the pandemic, test-optional doesn’t mean “test-blind.” Not only will test-optional colleges consider your scores if you submit them, but submitting competitive scores that are well into a college’s mid-50% range for admitted students has the potential to improve your admission chances. For students who don’t submit scores, colleges will place far more emphasis on other crucial admission factors, such as your academic record, extracurricular commitment, essays, and recommendations. So, if you’d like to improve your potential for admission, here’s our advice about your junior-year testing calendar. This means YOU, members of the class of 2022:

Topics: ACT, ACT/SAT, Test-Prep, Tutoring, Educational Consulting, SAT

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We’ve gotten several questions from students confused about test-optional and whether or not to submit scores to schools with November deadlines. Keep reading to hear what we propose.

Topics: ACT, Coronavirus, SAT, Test Optional

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How does one explain the inexplicable or make sense of the senseless? We suspect that you can’t do either, but we’re going to at least describe our bewilderment regarding the scoring results of the August 2019 SAT.

Topics: Concordance, SAT

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We fully expect that virtually all students who follow our recommended regimen of prep for standardized tests –SAT, ACT, and SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) – will see significant score increases over the course of tutoring and on the actual tests. We have over 30 years of history that validate our expectation after helping thousands of students accomplish exactly that…

Topics: Test Scores, SAT

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A recent blog post by one of our fellow members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) opened with this advice to other IECA members:

Topics: ACT, ACT/SAT, SAT

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