The College Solutions Blog

Valuable insights from Lynn O’Shaughnessy
a nationally recognized college expert.

SAT/ACT

Getting Into Great Schools With Poor SAT and ACT Scores

I don’t have to tell you that one of the biggest stresses of the entire college process is the standardized testing. The prospects of taking the SAT and/or ACT is daunting, particularly since so much can ride on the results. I resented the amount of time and money spent in my house on these darn tests for my own two...

How Valuable is the ACT?

If you do poorly on the science and reading section of the ACT will you struggle in college? Not necessarily, according to a new intriguing study conducted by researchers at Stanford and the University of Chicago. The research concludes that the test scores on the reading and science sections of the ACT have “little or no” ability to predict whether...

SAT or ACT: Which Scores Are Better

Every college and university in this country will accept either the SAT or ACT. It makes no difference whether you submit one or the other or both. With the 2010-2011 testing season winding to a close this month, I wanted to share the chart below that should help you to decide which scores to submit to colleges. Obviously, you will...

ACT or SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT test keep this in mind: the ACT AND SAT require different kinds of skills. Some teens can significantly increase their scores just by picking the right standardized test to take. Here are reasons why the ACT or SAT might be better than the other: Teens who do well on the ACT...

January 26, 2011

7 Ways To Boost Your ACT or SAT Scores

Across the country, high school juniors will be taking the SAT and ACT this semester. Here are seven ways for teenagers to improve their SAT and ACT scores or limit the damage of mediocre results: 1. Don’t pick a test based on where you live. Students on the West and East Coasts typically take the SAT test. In the Midwest...

November 21, 2010

The Hazards of Brainiacs on College Campuses

I’ve often wondered why colleges and universities are so fixated on admitting students with extremely high SAT or ACT scores. Some of these teenagers only excel at taking tests and earning top grades, which can lead to awfully uninspiring young adults. I’ve heard admission folks privately lament that kids with high test scores can be duds. If I was an...

November 5, 2010

Grockit: Can Studying for the SAT or ACT Be Fun?

Studying for the SAT or ACT isn’t fun. But Grockit is trying hard to make it entertaining. Grockit, whose motto on its homepage is “Get addicted to studying,” bills itself as a social networking site for learning. With Grockit, teenagers can improve their test skills, in part, by learning from and competing against thousands of other students. They can earn...

October 6, 2010

8 Things High School Seniors Need To Be Doing Now

For high school seniors, it’s crunch time. Deadlines for college applications are looming, so it’s time to get focused. Here are 8 things seniors need to be doing now. 1. Meet college reps. This is the time of year when admission officers are racking up frequent flyer miles as they meet with prospective students throughout the country. Contact colleges on...

September 21, 2010

ACT or SAT: Take a Practice Test

Should your child take the SAT or the ACT? I tried to tackle this question with my last post: SAT or ACT: Which Test Should You Take? Here’s another way to determine whether a child will get high ACT test scores or SAT scores: Take a practice SAT and ACT test. A student can take a sample SAT test anytime...

September 19, 2010

SAT or ACT: Which Test Should You Take?

When deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT test keep this in mind: the ACT AND SAT require different kinds of skills. Some teens can significantly increase their scores just by picking the right standardized test to take. Here are reasons why the ACT or SAT might be better than the other: Teens who do well on the ACT...