ACT

Got ACT Soon? 5 Tips for Cramming

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If you’re taking the ACT next weekend and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—hey, we understand, end of school, start of summer, yada yada yada—do not despair. You don’t need to spend nearly as much time prepping as you do for the SAT. The ACT is, in fact, a much more “beatable” test than the SAT, especially when time is short. There are two bodies of material you need to know: math (key topics in Arithmetic, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and ~15% of Precalc) and 10 key grammar rules. Send us a text @ 413-329-7540 […]

Old Class, New Format, Still FREE! Mindfulness-Based Academic Stress & Test Anxiety Reduction Workshop

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The format has morphed, but the class in hardly new. Resuming Wednesdays on Jan 5, 2022, Dr. Yo will present and help students practice well-researched and effective techniques to stay focused, in-the-moment, and in control of their thoughts!   Come to one, or come to one a week, always FREE.   Wednesdays nights 7-8pm ET.   Click for FREE Registration

Taking the ACT Next Weekend? 5 Tips for Cramming

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If you’re taking the ACT next weekend, 6/9 or 6/10, and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—hey, we understand, final papers, final exams, sports commitments, nice weather, yada yada yada—do not despair. Because there’s no vocabulary on the exam, you don’t need to spend nearly as much time studying as you might think. Except for slow test-takers, who may prefer the SAT because there’s significantly more time per question, the ACT is, in fact, a much more “beatable” exam than the SAT, especially when there’s only a week or two before game day. There are two […]

Taking the ACT this weekend? 5 Tips for Cramming

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If you’re taking the ACT next weekend and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—hey, we understand, midterms, midyears, new semester starting, sports commitments, yada yada yada—do not despair. Because there’s no vocabulary on the exam, you don’t need to spend nearly as much time studying as you might think. The ACT is, in fact, a much more “beatable” test than the SAT, especially when time is short, and doubly especially compared to the redesigned SAT rolling out next month. There are two bodies of material you need to know: math (key topics in Algebra 1, Geometry, […]

Got ACT on 9/21? 5 Tips for Cramming

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If you’re taking the ACT next weekend and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—hey, we understand, end of summer, start of school, yada yada yada—do not despair. Because there’s no vocabulary on the exam, you don’t need to spend nearly as much time studying as you do for the SAT. The ACT is, in fact, a much more “beatable” test than the SAT, especially when time is short. There are two bodies of material you need to know: math (key topics in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and a wee bit of Trig) and 10 key […]

College Admissions Secrets for Parents and Teens: Listen to Mom’s Advice

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By Kate Cryan, mom If you’re looking for an entertaining, informative, and inexpensive evening for you and your college-bound teens, head to Hall High School at 7pm on Wednesday March 12th, where Dr. Michael J. Youmans (aka Dr. “Yo”) of CollegePrepExpress will present a 90-minute “soup to nuts” overview of the college admissions process. College admission is a daunting process for both student and parents, and it makes no difference to the parents’ stress levels whether it’s the first or fifth child going to college.  (As a parent with one child nearly finished at college, I can vouch that starting […]

5-Point Checklist to Prep for the ACT in a Week…or Less!

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If you’re taking the ACTs this weekend and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—understandable given the SATs and/or January midterms many of you faced—do not despair. Because there’s no vocabulary on the exam, you don’t need to spend nearly as much time studying as you do for the SAT. The ACT is, in fact,   a much more “beatable” test than the SAT, especially when time is short. Whereas the SAT requires a huge chunk of STUDY time to master all the abstruse vocabulary (see what I did there?), ACT prep places a premium on taking […]

Why the ACT is just as important as the SAT

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By Kate Cryan “There are several compelling reasons why students SHOULD TAKE BOTH tests.”  So said Dr. Yo in this 2008 post. You could say he was a good five years ahead of the curve: last year, the number of students taking the ACT was, for the first time, slightly higher than the number taking SAT, and 50% higher than the number taking ACT ten years ago. Why the sudden preference for ACT? It’s not sudden, and it’s not a preference, because SAT popularity hasn’t waned. The number of ACT takers has steadily increased each year until it finally surpassed […]

Got ACT on 9/21? 5 Tips for Cramming

 tagged ACT / standardized tests / test prep by

If you’re taking the ACT next weekend and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—hey, we understand, end of summer, start of school, yada yada yada—do not despair. Because there’s no vocabulary on the exam, you don’t need to spend nearly as much time studying as you do for the SAT. The ACT is, in fact, a much more “beatable” test than the SAT, especially when time is short. There are two bodies of material you need to know: math (key topics in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and a wee bit of Trig) and 10 key […]

Taking the ACT This Weekend? Here’s Your 5-Point Checklist for Cramming

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If you’re taking the ACTs this weekend and haven’t been able to prepare as thoroughly as you’d like—understandable given the end of the year crunch—do not despair. Because there’s no vocabulary on the exam, you don’t need to spend nearly as much time studying as you do for the SAT. The ACT is, in fact,   a much more “beatable” test than the SAT, especially when time is short. There are two bodies of material you need to know: math (key topics in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and a wee bit of Trig) and 10 key grammar rules. More […]

Pep Talk for Standardized Test-Taking JUNIORS

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“The truth can hurt you it’s just like the dark it’ll scare you witless but in time you see things clear and stark.” – Elvis Costello Everybody knows junior year is the hardest working year of high school. And, alas, the stark reality is the hardest part of it is the final stretch. Cumulative tests, big papers, final projects, and (gulp) final exams all conspire to make the last two to three months challenging to sleep, serenity, even sanity. Oh yeah, and then throw standardized testing—SATs ACTs, Subject Tests, and, in some cases, AP exams—into the already unmanageable mix. Thanks, adult world, […]

The PSATs Are OVER!…Now What?!

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So you took the PSATs this past week. For many of you, sophomores and juniors alike, that began your foray into the wonderful world of high-stakes (college entrance exam) testing. That’s the bad news. The good news is that sophomores have a really long break before the next one (PLAN and/or Subject Tests next spring) and juniors get a little break in the otherwise nonstop bombardment that is the junior year in American high school. As far as standardized testing goes, the vast majority of juniors don’t sit for another exam until January (SATs) or February (ACTs). Some may choose to […]

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Mindfulness-Based Reading Comprehension

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Ever start a reading comprehension passage on a standardized test and recognize halfway through the first column that you have absolutely no idea what the passage is about? Ever sit down to read a book or magazine and suddenly realize that while your eyes are running down the tracks of words and lines, your mind is on a completely different train? Yeah, um, you’re not alone.

Using Mindfulness Techniques to Enhance Learning and Raise Test Scores

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“The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again, is the very root of judgment, character, and will… An education which should improve this faculty would be the education par excellence.” – William James, 1890 Reducing stress and anxiety surrounding the entire college admissions process is so important at CollegePrepExpress that it’s part of our mission statement. A highly effective and increasingly popular set of techniques to reduce tension, heighten awareness and concentration, and instill a deep sense of well-being is MINDFULNESS.  Mindfulness techniques are now widely and successfully used in business, sports, health, and, slowly […]