Strategy, tips, and exam guides for the SAT, ACT, and AP® exams — from a Barron's author with 20+ years of experience.
By Brian Stewart, Barron's SAT, ACT & PSAT Author & Perfect SAT/ACT ScorerUpdated August 27, 2026 for the 2027 AP® U.S. History Exam Most students who struggle on the AP® U.S. History exam don't struggle because they didn't work hard.…
By Brian Stewart · March 2026 The SAT's Reading & Writing section tests grammar in a specific way. There's no reciting rules or labeling parts of speech. The test hands you a sentence with one thing wrong and asks you…
By Brian Stewart · March 2026 Take a practice SAT lately and you've probably noticed that vocabulary still plays a real role in the Reading & Writing section, even though the test no longer has a dedicated vocabulary section the…
Most SAT study guides start in the wrong place. This guide — built on how experienced tutors actually prepare students — walks you through every step: how to diagnose your weaknesses, prioritize your time, use practice tests strategically, and build the critical thinking skills the SAT actually tests.
The digital SAT feels different from the paper test — shorter, no long passages, a calculator throughout. But is it actually easier? Here's what the College Board's own research, national score data, and the evolution of official practice tests actually tell us.
Most students assume test-optional means scores don't matter. The research — and the admissions offices — tell a different story. Here's what you actually need to know before deciding whether to submit your SAT or ACT score.
How long you need to study for the SAT depends on where you're starting and where you need to go. Using College Board research data, this guide walks you through how to set a target score, estimate your study hours, pace your practice tests, and avoid the most common mistake students make — so every hour you put in actually moves your score.
Most students take the SAT or ACT more than once — and that's smart strategy. But how many times is too many? Learn the optimal number of attempts, how superscoring can work in your favor, and exactly when it's time to stop testing and focus on the rest of your application.
A good ACT score isn't a single number — it's the score that makes you competitive at your target schools. Here's how to find yours.
Not sure if your SAT score is good enough? This guide breaks down score tiers, middle 50% ranges at top colleges, and how to set a realistic target score for your specific college list.