Scores


SAT versus ACT, A Side-By-Side Analysis, Part 1 of 3

In March 2016, the CollegeBoard rolled out a completely redesigned  SAT, which they’d been planning and perfecting since 2012, the first year they were outsold by the ACT. Although all the changes were ultimately based on (or perhaps justified by) sound educational principles, whenever CollegeBoard representatives spoke about the specific changes or whenever articles were published about them, in almost every case they made the SAT more like the ACT, at least on the surface. These changes included the following: removing the guessing penalty; moving from five answer choices to four; replacing challenging vocabulary with simpler “words in context” and […]


12 Hot Tips for SAT and ACT Game Day

If you’ve been preparing over weeks or months for an ACT and/or SAT, then you’ve probably spent most of your time learning and reviewing all the math and English grammar covered on them. If you’re shooting for a competitive score at the most selective colleges on your list, I bet you’ve also been taking practice tests to develop effective strategies and recognize common question types. In the end, your SAT or ACT score won’t likely correlate with any meaningful aspect of your future, but it WILL be an accurate measure of two things: knowledge of highly refined academic material and […]


4 Tips for Using Your Vacation Wisely to Prep for Winter and Spring SATs, ACTs, and SSATs

You’ve worked hard this semester—or at least that’s what you’ve told your parents ;-). You deserve a relaxing vacation, and at CPE we wish you a great time skiing, beaching, playing, hanging, reading, vegging, keeping your mask on and social distancing from others, and whatever else you like to do to unwind and recharge your batteries for the second semester. If you’re facing February-June SATs, ACTs, or SSATs (see dates here) and you’re honest with yourself, you know you can have a kick-butt vacation, do all the things you want to do, and/or spend LOTS of time doing nothing at […]


Using the Summer to Gain a Competitive Edge

What are the best three things about the school year?  Duh.  June, July and August of course!  Camp, summer jobs, new friends and relationships, and, most importantly, NO SCHOOL! The long summer break is a double-edged sword, however: very few use the summer to advance their learning or to advance their chances in the college admissions game.  Given the increasingly competitive nature of the game, summertime represents a phenomenal opportunity for ambitious students not only to enhance their education (not to mention keeping up with the international competition, who are in school 10 or 11 months out of the year), […]


Why CPE’s 4-in-1 Super-Value Math Class Is Right for YOU Right Now

   For further details on the class, visit our 4-in-1 Super Value Math page Dr. Yo’s 4-in-1 Super-Value Math Class is one of those rare classes that makes excellent sense for the vast majority of high school students regardless of their achievement and regardless of the caliber schools they’re considering or hope to consider. The problem is, most students and parents either don’t know that it exists, or they don’t immediately see how it can prove so tremendously beneficial in their particular case. The purpose of this blog post is to redress those unfortuante circumtances. The concept underpinning the class is to offer high […]


Dr. Yo’s Easier/Harder Guide to the NEW SAT for March 2016

You’ve been hearing quite a bit about the substantially redesigned SAT rolling out this March (March 2 in WeHa public schools, to be specific, and March 5 nationwide). And I strongly suspect we’ll be hearing quite a bit more in the weeks to come. The bottom line is, despite the protestations of the College Board and Kahn Academy (which has had video help freely available for YEARS without any hoopla), the changes make tutors, classes, and other forms of extra help and preparation MORE, not less, important. Because the SAT hasn’t changed in a decade, everyone has some familiarity with […]


Why CPE’s 4-on-1 Super-Value Math Class (for SAT, New PSAT, New ACT, & Level 1 Subject Test) Is a Great Idea

   For further details on the class, visit our 4-in-1 Super Value Math page Dr. Yo’s 4-in-1 Super-Value Math Class is one of those rare gems that makes excellent sense for the vast majority of high school students. The problem is, most students and parents either don’t know that it exists, or they don’t immediately see how it can prove so tremendously beneficial in their particular case. The purpose of this blog post is to redress that unfortunate situation. The concept underpinning the class is to offer high school students in grades 9-12 instruction and practice on the SPECIFIC BODY OF MATHEMATICAL […]


How to Interpret PSAT Scores in the College Admissions Game and What They Mean for your Standardized Test-Taking Future

It’s been about a month since your PSAT scores came back, so it’s high time you stepped out from the darkness of denial and into the light of Holy crap! Can I still get into college? Do they count? What do they mean? What’s with the funny scale? How do they translate to SAT scores? To ACT scores? Can I use them to decide whether I’d be better at SATs or ACTs? Am I having fun yet? Settle down, young grasshopper. We got you. Most importantly, the PSAT only counts if you do well :-). There’s no downside, no way […]


10 Words on the SAT That Don’t Mean What You Think

One of the three bodies of material covered on the SAT is vocabulary. It’s a substantial body of material, to be sure, but since the days of the Princeton Review’s Hit Parade and other lists culled from ACTUAL, PUBLISHED SATs, at least the CollegeBoard’s word bank isn’t a mystery any more. Any real student of the test can discover what words are on the exam, and those words can be systematically studied in preparation. At CollegePrepExpress, for example, we give students access to all the challenging vocabulary, Critical Reading section by Critical Reading Section in the CollegeBoard’s Official Guide to the […]


Slow and Steady Wins the Standardized Testing Race

Last week’s blog focused on what to do when your first or second round of test scores surprise you–and not in the good way. If you were disappointed with your Jan SAT results (or perhaps Feb ACTs when the results come in the next few weeks), we hope you’ll channel your energy in a positive direction and redouble your efforts in the next few months. Every SAT or ACT you take gets easier from experience, and if you put in a regular routine of effort, you can fully expect to go up. There’s one thing I can tell you with […]


Holy SAT! What to Do When Your Scores Surprise You

  So you just got your SAT results. With certain numbers in mind, you scan your scores, and… Oh no. Is that right?! It can’t be. What if the numbers add up to less than you hoped? Stop. Take a deep breath. Don’t get discouraged. And definitely don’t freak. January SAT scores, in particular, can be heartbreakers. Why? For many students, it’s their first official college entrance exam, and for even more it’s their first SAT. Three hours and forty minutes is MUCH longer than the PSAT (or any other test you’ve ever taken), so think of it as a […]


Score-Boosting SAT and ACT Prep Packs

Pick up our power-packed SAT and ACT study tools jammed with the strategies, rules and tips that WILL boost your scores! For $5.99, it’s really a no-brainer! Our SAT/PSAT Prep Pack includes: 15-slide SAT Overview of strategies and material for all three sections (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing) Best SAT Strategies: 3 pages that tell you how to conquer each of the three sections 10 Essential Grammar Rules to master the Writing Section Comprehensive Math Compilation (11 pages of formulas and math facts you need to know to get an 800) Tips for Good Writing: Writing tricks to impress examiners […]

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