File FAFSA Early — Especially During a Government ShutdownBy Dr. Shaan Patel, CEO & Founder of Prep Expert® As the government shutdown stretches into one of the longest in U.S. history, millions of families are left wondering how it will affect financial aid. The truth is that while Pell Grants and federal student loans remain funded, the people who process those applications are not all on the job. That means…

When you sit for the ACT, you join a club that has millions of members. The ACT, first launched in 1959, is a college admissions test that has the advantage of being over thirty years younger than the comparable SAT– which means that since its inception, it’s been designed around the pitfalls of the SAT, making it more advantageous for some students. But why do we need two college admissions…

The SAT turns 100 next year! While it might seem hard to believe, given the modern version of the test students get today, the SAT predates sliced bread (1928), the ballpoint pen (1931), and TV (1927). And while the name is the same, the test has changed substantially in both its purpose and content areas. In order to understand where the test is going, it’s important to know its history–…

Homeschooling gives families more freedom to design learning experiences that reflect their values and goals. It can provide an academic challenge for the kids who need it, and a more accessible learning experience for students who need a more flexible environment. Yet that flexibility sometimes raises questions about standardized testing, especially the SAT and other standardized tests. For many homeschool students, the SAT is an important bridge between home-based education…

Since its introduction in 1959, millions of hopeful college students have taken the ACT. Today, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic kickstarting test-optional policies, many students question whether or not the test is still worth taking. But honestly? The answer to that isn’t just a resounding yes, it’s “Yes, and it’s actually more important now than ever before.” With the rise of grade inflation, the increasing difficulty of college…

Early Decision Deadlines: What Families Should Know Before Making the CommitmentBy Dr. Shaan Patel, CEO & Founder of Prep Expert® As fall approaches, high school seniors and their families face one of the most important choices in the college admissions process: whether to apply Early Decision (ED) or wait for Regular Decision (RD). With deadlines fast approaching, many in late October or early November, this decision can shape not just…

Challenge Ved Kandula approached SAT prep with skepticism. He expected “just a bunch of boring SAT tips” and wasn’t convinced a course would make a real difference. He needed instruction that felt dynamic, practical, and more insightful than a standard prep book, and a structure that would push him to master timing, vocabulary, and math under pressure. At first, I thought it would just be a bunch of boring SAT…

Challenge Before joining Prep Expert®, Fred Lewandowski wanted more than generic PSAT advice. He needed a teacher who would break down every topic clearly, push the class with targeted practice, and stay patient and responsive when questions piled up. “My instructor was Kevin Parrish, genuinely one of the best teachers I have ever had an experience with.” Fred was looking for: Complete coverage of PSAT content Proven strategies for each…

Over 3.1 American students are homeschooled; that’s just about 1 in every 20. That number has been increasing steadily every year, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic when we saw a massive jump. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests, an improvement that only increases in marginalized populations. And while colleges are actively…

FAFSA 2025: What Families Need to Know Before Filing The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is one of the most important steps in the college admissions process. Without it, millions of students would miss out on grants, scholarships, and federal loans that make higher education possible. For the first time in three years, FAFSA opened on October 1, 2025, right on schedule. That’s a big win for families,…