For parents, involvement in their son or daughter’s college choice can be an emotionally exhausting tug of war between two extremes. Some parents stay out of the way, wanting their child to own the decision.  Other parents push their child towards a particular university, afraid their child will never find a good fit on his or her own. If you think of choosing a college as a skill set, it will…

Sometimes a child becomes ill or has some other emergency situation that causes him or her to miss an extended amount of school time.  Once the situation has been resolved, the child may come back to school only to discover that things aren’t as easy as they used to be.  He or she may not understand what is going on in class, or he or she may be overburdened with…

High school students are some of the busiest and most stressed-out people out there. With a jam-packed schedule—classes, extracurricular activities, sports, standardized test prep, college applications, after-school jobs, et cetera—and countless worries on your mind, it is easy to lose perspective. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you might want to ask yourself if your schedule and course load are too difficult. Are your grades dropping, or is your performance slipping? Are you…

A private tutor could be a tremendous resource for your child, particularly for subject areas in which the child is struggling or has an especially demanding amount of schoolwork. There are a variety of factors and other options you should consider before you go to the trouble and expense of engaging the services of a private tutor for your child. More thoughts on these considerations below. If your child needs…

Let me begin by saying you should never cram for any test, especially the ACT® test—it’s an exam that rewards hard work and preparation, and to do your best, you need to do a lot of studying. But, since you’re reading this post, I assume you don’t have time for that—so, I’ve listed a few things you can do to best cram for the exam below. To cram for the ACT® test…

Having a child who’s leaving for college is a time of mixed emotions for most parents. You’re proud but also worried if they’ll be okay away from home; you’re looking forward to having more time to yourself, but you’re also sad to see your pride and joy go. To help you through the process, I’ve compiled a list of things to consider and do as you get ready for the…

The college admissions process is incredibly stressful for students (as well as parents!). But, there are plenty of things you, as a parent, can do to make the process go smoothly, and boost your child’s chances of ending up at his or her dream school. A smart and savvy college admissions plan includes creating an effective system to keep track of admissions requirements and deadlines; doing research (both online and…

Making sure your son or daughter does his or her homework and is signed up for the right SAT or ACT prep class isn’t the only way you can help them achieve academic success. Another essential — and often overlooked — way you can set your child on the way to the college of his or her dreams is to provide a healthy and balanced diet at home. To boost…

You might be wondering which test you should take, the SAT or ACT? This is a question we get a lot here at Prep Expert®, and there are several different answers that can apply. The tests are slightly different, particularly when it comes to science questions and calculator usage, but ultimately, it’s a personal decision that will depend on your academic goals. Remember: if you’re looking for help on the…

You know this already, but it’s never a good idea to cram for any test, especially the SAT. No matter how smart you are, you need to be familiar with the types of questions asked, and what right and wrong answer choices look like. This requires great familiarity with the exam, which is best acquired by taking lots of practice tests over a considerable period of time. If you happen…