What Are the Advantages of Having a High SAT Score?
The Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT is the standardized entrance test for college admissions across the US. Naturally it is considered one of the most important elements of college applications. But is it really worth it? The proverbial question facing every student ever planning on taking the SAT is: Does having a high SAT score really matter? While no one really aims for an average SAT score, knowing the answer to this question would help students and parents in determining whether it’d be worthwhile to spend a ton of time, effort, and money on preparing for and taking the [...]
Top 3 Actionable Steps for Improving Your SAT Score
Not attaining the SAT score that you know you can achieve can be very frustrating. There’s a lot of pressure on these results and it’s easy to think low SAT scores are the end of the world. One bad score is just a setback though, and there’s a lot you can do to turn things around. The great thing is, you’ve got a second chance, and now it’s up to you whether you take it. With the right steps, improving your SAT score is eminently possible, and you might be surprised by just what you can achieve. How to [...]
How to Increase Your MCAT Score
Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet that will increase your MCAT score, no simple solution. Instead, increasing your MCAT score is a process of hard work, study, practice, and learning new habits. But the good news is that you can increase your score if you follow these practices. It won’t be easy—nothing worth doing is easy—but it will be worth it. So what can you do to increase your MCAT score? Make A Study Plan That Reevaluates the Way You Study Taking the MCAT is a different experience from taking a test in school, and you need to be [...]
How to Improve Your ACT Score By 10 Points
We won’t sugar coat it: there’s a lot that’s riding on your ACT score. But you already know that or you wouldn’t be here. You want to test well so that you can get into the college of your choice, so that you can earn a scholarship (or several). Getting a great ACT score is one of the first steps on your road to college life and that dream career that you think about at night. But first you’ve got to take the test. And love them or hate them (most people hate them) it’s going to be a standardized [...]
Essential SAT Studying Tips You Must Use
For many college-bound students, the SAT is one of the most important tests that they'll take in high school. Not only is it used by colleges and universities to evaluate applicants, but a better score could mean getting into the school of your dreams, and all it takes is a little bit of practice to up your chances. After all, those who study for the SAT tend to do much better than those that don't, and a little bit of study now can have an outsized impact on your life if it helps you get into a better school. [...]
How to Build the Best ACT Study Plan and Strategy for Success
Drafting up an ACT study plan that works is complicated. There are several blogs out there telling you to follow an infallible strategy — a miracle plan to ace the ACT test. Unfortunately, that’s not true. But, thank goodness, it is possible for any student to succeed in the ACT test with a personalized study plan, which targets their weaknesses effectively. Learn below our 4 steps on how to build the best ACT study plan for you! #1 Read an ACT study book (prep guide) Before you develop any study plan, you need to know what you’re studying for. [...]
The Best Ways To Study For AP Subject Tests
Standardized tests measure more than just your specific knowledge of a subject, as you likely already know. While this information is not included in the instructions of any exams, these tests also measure your ability to manage the exams and the questions. In some cases, understanding how this is done can be just as important as knowing the answers to the questions, for every standardized test is a challenge with regards to the “what” and the “how” of testing. If you’re going to try to earn college credit before finishing secondary school, then you’re going to be taking AP [...]
How to Gain Research Experience in High School
At Kyo Standard, we see students with varying resumes. Some are high performing athletes (D1 candidates), some are world class musicians (World renown violin prodigy), and some are multinational philanthropists. Lately, parents have been asking us about how to make their student more competitive in the post covid world. A world where SAT scores matter less and extra curriculars matter more. Most students have the same amount and kind of EC activities. Math club, academic decathlon, volunteering at a hospital, and fundraising for group projects. These are all impressive, but these activities are well… common. Ask your [...]
College Admissions Trends during the Pandemic
2021 College Admissions Trends: Analyzing the Data The 2020-2021 college application cycle was the first one after COVID-19 took over the world. Due to the various impacts of the pandemic, colleges took steps such as delayed deadlines and implementation of test optional policies to accommodate the different changes students were going through. As a result, the results landscape and the subsequent 2021 college admissions trends were also more drastic than ever before. In this blog, we’ve outlined and analyzed different data points such as application numbers and acceptance rates, alongside test optional policies, and data released by [...]
When should you start prepping for your SAT after the PSAT?
Now that you have taken your PSAT and hopefully have gotten your scores back, take a moment to congratulate yourself! You have successfully started the process into prepping for college. If you have not taken your PSAT yet, now is the chance to start up your test prep for the college entrance Exams. This begs the question of when you should start prepping. To answer this, you must look at a few factors such as the types of exams, your current score, and what you need to get on your exam. What are the differences between the [...]
How Read and Interpret your PSAT Score Report
While the exam occurs during October for many juniors, the scores do not get released until December. The release of these scores tend to be accompanied by a score report that details your score. Of course, you may still have many questions on what your score means or if you qualified for anything that would be significant for college applications. The PSAT is scored between 320-1520, combining the scores from Reading, Grammar, and Math sections. The Reading and Grammar sections are scored together as a combined score between 160-760 while the math section is scored out of 160-760 [...]
National Merit Scholarship
The National Merit Scholarship Program for the Class of 2022 will be unusual. There was a large drip in the number of PSAT takers. Only about 737,000 juniors were able to take the October 2020 PSAT. This is a just 44% of the number of student who took the PSAT in October of 2019. Almost 1 million students were not able to test. The January exam will have narrowed the gap somewhat, but the number of participants will be low. Students who missed the PSAT can read about how to participate in the National Merit Scholarship through Alternative [...]
The Advanced Placement Exam
AP Courses, College Credits, and YOU Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams are an essential component of the college application. Course work and successful completion of the exam demonstrates the student’s ability to maneuver challenge classes and allows them to stand out from other applicants. These exams can put your child on the fast track to a college degree, giving him or her the chance to earn college credit while still in high school. What are the AP Exams? The AP exams are college level tests administered by The College Board (makers of the SAT). Student may take the [...]
How to Raise your SAT Score by at least 100 Points Quickly
If your SAT score is around 900-1100, you can raise your SAT score by 200 points by doing this simple trick. Your student has a problem. He or she is trying to do too many questions. They are trying to finish the test. They think they have to answer every question. They are wrong. Especially if they are scoring 900-1100. We get it. No teacher has ever given your student a test and said, “Answer as many questions as you can.” We’ve been conditioned into thinking that a test must be completed. But, what if we didn’t have [...]
What is a Good SAT Score?
I used to tell people, “A good SAT score is the one that gets you into College of your choice.” What I really meant was, “do your research and see what type of scores the colleges on your list are asking for.” Then there are the families that say, “1550!” What a number! More importantly, what a specific number. Not 1540? Not 1530? I get it, 1550 is beautiful. It’s close to perfect without being perfect. Its high enough that everyone will respect it, but not so high that everyone expects Harvard. Well, my answer to the “What is [...]
How MCAT Tutoring Can Help Increase Your MCAT Score
Anyone that has their sights set on medical school knows how important the MCAT is. Not only is it a required test for admittance to most medical schools, but it also represents how you'll be judged during the admissions process. Alongside your GPA, total and BCPM, the MCAT constitutes 50 percent of your admissions consideration, and a great MCAT score can mean the difference between studying medicine and taking another path in life. The good news is that you don't have to sit idly by, leaving your fate in the hands of a test that you're ill prepared for. [...]
Looking for an ACT tutor? Here you go!
Almost every college and university in the United States accepts ACT scores. In this day and age, it is essential that you prepare your children for the best and deliver nothing short of perfection. Especially when it comes to the future of the little ones, parents cannot take a backseat. Even more nerve wracking is that the demand for ACT tutoring is high. Thousands of experts have begun tutoring and providing requisite tutelage to keep up with demand. Our experts’ stellar mastery in math, reading, grammar, and science reasoning skills are at par excellence. Most of the ACT prep [...]
What does SAT/ACT “Test Optional” mean for me?
Should I submit my SAT/ACT scores to test-optional schools? This year has been an interesting year, and college admission is more confusing than ever. Social distancing and lockdowns, it has become challenging for prospective students to sit for the SAT and the ACT. Many of our students had to sign up for tests in other states/countries, and when they arrive, they are told they cannot sit for the exam due to quarantine rules. In order to alleviate the test-taking problem, many colleges have implemented test-optional policies. Still, we get asked, “ Should I submit my SAT scores to test-optional [...]
Impacts on the SAT Timeline
By Jasmin Figueroa Here is What We Know About the SAT during the Pandemic. With the SAT exam starting up again in August, it’s important to know that there will not be any drastic changes to the SAT implemented any time soon. With COVID-19 many are left wondering if test scores are large factors for college applications. For now, test scores will be required on some college applications. With the exception of the University of California schools and others listed on 1,200 others that have adopted test-optional or test flexible policies. These flexible policies continue to change as regulations [...]
SAT and ACT Testing Re-Opening during COVID
By Stephanie Doty, Operations Coordinator Testing Center Updates COVID-19 has turned the world of testing on its head. Many Juniors and Seniors trying to take their exams have run into test cancellations, classes being shifted online, and a complete change to their AP exams. Needless to say, these past few months have been a lot for our students and we want to take a moment to remind the upperclassmen that they are doing great navigating this pandemic. Many states have begun to open up, whether slowly or quickly, after shelter in place orders or self-quarantines have begun to loosen. [...]
Tips for College Common Applications
By Jasmin Figueroa We have looked over a few things regarding the Common App these past few weeks. The Common App is a great resource for organizing your information, activities, and test scores in a unified way that makes it easier to release and hand over to various colleges on your list. At first, the Common App can seem overwhelming, so to avoid any downfalls during your application process, here are 20 things you can do to optimize the Common App! 1. Proofreading All Personal Information This may sound like a minor detail, considering the various components to the [...]
A Guide to Letters of Recommendation
By Jasmin Figueroa Fundamentals of Letters of Recommendation for College Going through all the needed material for college applications can be stressful! Especially the part about where you need to ask someone to write a lot about you. A letter of recommendation can show a different perspective to the admissions officers because it is the only part of your application that doesn’t come from you. It comes from a teacher or mentor. What is a Letter of Recommendation? A recommendation letter is a letter from someone who knows you well under an academic or professional setting. This person is [...]
Common Application Differences
By Stephanie Doty Hey, Rising Seniors! We are so excited to be launching our College Preparedness Series with you! Becoming a senior is just the beginning of your journey to college. To begin this journey, college applications are an incredibly important first step. Regardless of when you are intending to apply, early or regular decision, knowing the steps and differences of common apps is incredibly important. Check out this Step by Step Guide to Common Applications by our partners at InGenius Prep. This guide covers everything about how to use a common application and how to avoid mistakes in [...]
ACT and SAT Prep Timeline
By Stephanie Doty When should you start prepping? Well, it depends on what kind of scores you got on either the PSAT or a practice exam. If you are a student who scored from the 900 to 1100 range, beginning prep as early as you can after your PSAT in your junior year is important. This would provide you with plenty of time to take the exam and get your highest score before submitting applications before December of senior year. Enough preparation time can potentially benefit your score and make it more likely that if you have trouble with [...]
Covid-19 and What To Do Next
Today the College Board announced that it will cancel the June SAT. The exam will be offered in August with an administration of the test available every month after until December. This arrangement comes after the College Board rescheduled its March exam to June. This development can only add to the anxiety juniors are already feeling with regards to their applications in the fall. Who is to say that the August exams won’t be cancelled? If so, what options are available? Should I even bother taking the exam? What should I do if I’ve been shooting for the June [...]
