Many parents ask us if a student’s SAT prep should be delayed until he or she has completed Algebra 2 in school. The timing of when you study for the SAT is really important. Kids’ schedules, whether during sophomore or junior year, tend to get filled up later in the year. While schedules are more hectic in the spring, students also have more math knowledge under their belts than in winter or fall. So, what should students do?

Many colleges make the award automatic based on a combination of SAT (or ACT) and GPA. Merit-based scholarships range from $500 to $200,000. Our students seeking scholarships report an average award exceeding $70,000 over four years.

As you might have heard, many students are disappointed with their June SAT scores. Students who answered more questions correctly on this SAT compared to a previous exam saw very minor score improvements. Our founder, Mark Greenstein, offers advice to these students to combat their surprisingly low test scores.

Mark Greenstein of Ivy Bound offers test day hints to Ivy Bound students taking the SAT or ACT.

The score, officially called the Environmental Context Dashboard, is calculated with several factors that take into account a student’s home conditions, their community and school system. Also factored in are the student’s local crime rate, poverty rate, if the student has only one parent, the families median income and more.

During winter and early spring in New England, an SAT date may be cancelled due to weather. Parents and students who might be fretful about a cancelled SAT should know there is no downside to a test that’s rescheduled! Our founder, Mark Greenstein, explains how this can actually be beneficial for students.

There is recourse, in mindset and action, for students who receive SAT scores that are below where they need for likely admission to their choice university.

The makers of the SAT demand scrutiny when someone’s score has increased by what they believe to be an inordinately high amount. When a student scores 250 points higher than a previous test, they are required to investigate for cheating.

TEST OPTIONAL AND TEST BLIND HAVE TWO DIFFERENT MEANINGS:

Test Blind: colleges wont see test scores at all.

Test Optional: Students who withhold scores are still included for consideration but with one less credential

The format of the SAT has changed in many ways, both good and bad, depending on a given student’s strengths. Designed to prepare students for higher education, the standardized test has evolved greatly over its 90-year existence.

We have always promoted efficiency – more learning in less time! We understand that most student schedules are overcrowded with schoolwork, extracurricular activities and other obligations. There is no time to be wasted

When you score poorly on the SAT the first time, it can be very disappointing. However, depending on when you took the exam, there could be time for a retake. If you’re a high school junior, should you sign up for the next SAT or look ahead to future ACT dates? We offer three tips to help you make this decision. First, what are the key differences between the two tests?

For all students studying for the SAT and ACT, we have some advice: Don’t wait to sign up! Whether it’s your target or practice test date, delaying until close to the deadline could get you shunted to a faraway test center. To avoid the unnecessary stress before test day, make sure to sign up well in advance.

Ivy Bound was originally founded with a desire to give students the best SAT test prep in the area. Since 2001, Mark Greenstein’s company has evolved into one of the premier test prep and tutoring firms in New England, helping students succeed on the ACT, AP Exams, Graduate School Exams and much more. While we guarantee SAT score increases, we also encourage students to strive for merit scholarships based on test performance.

Aren’t you glad you graduated when colleges didn’t require a “resume”, or scrutinize what you did with every month of your summer vacation? We who attended high school in the 1990s and earlier didn’t face the same time pressures as the kids who will graduate this decade.

Ivy Bound hears groans of "What do I do now!" from students and parents immediately following the release of most SAT score reports. Students who did not receive the highest possible grade should consider the following general advice.

Juniors who performed well on the most recent iteration of the SAT are in the unique position of having both a luxury and a responsibility. Both are discussed in this article.

This is a heads-up to the many students and their parents, who might be complacent about college prospects. Even in the past five years, admissions to the most competitive U.S. colleges have tightened further.

When studying for the SAT, it is important to perform well on practice tests. Although our tutors have a great deal of success in assisting students in raising their scores, our services are not always required for trial examinations. We go over the College Board-licensed SAT Reasoning Test booklets that we have in order to demonstrate to students how they can independently prepare for the day of the exam.

A parent will feel regretful when their child receives an unsatisfactory score on either the SAT or the ACT. Fewer scholarship opportunities, a smaller total amount of money available for awards, and the realization that "we could have prevented this."