Standardized tests are designed to feel tricky. They compress time, reward pattern recognition, and penalize hesitation. For many students, the SAT or ACT isn’t difficult because the material is beyond their ability, it’s difficult because they haven’t yet learned how to take the test. Across hundreds of Prep Expert® reviews, one theme appears again and again:Students finally understand the “game” behind the test… and once the strategies click, everything changes.…

For thousands of students, the SAT or ACT isn’t just a test — it’s a turning point. A higher score can open doors to more selective colleges, bigger scholarships, and a new sense of confidence. Across Prep Expert®’s SAT and ACT prep programs, one pattern appears over and over again: significant, measurable score improvement, often in just a few weeks. This article takes a multi-student look at how Prep Expert®…

Getting a good ACT score can feel a little mystifying to some students. After all, with the big numbers the SAT throws around, it feels a little more clear. But when it comes to the ACT, the gaps between the numbers feel much larger; for instance, there’s no statistically significant difference between a 1585 and a 1590, but there’s an enormous gulf between a 30 and a 35.  So what…

https://vimeo.com/1136260874 Why Tens of Thousands of Students Taking the SAT Right Now Should See It as an OpportunityBy Dr. Shaan Patel, CEO & Founder of Prep Expert® Across the country, tens of thousands of students are spending their Saturday taking the SAT. Not because they’re being punished with an extra day of school, but because they’re stepping into one of the most important milestones in the college admissions process. For…

https://vimeo.com/1134742878 Why Filing the FAFSA Early Still Matters—Even During a Government ShutdownBy Dr. Shaan Patel, CEO & Founder of Prep Expert® When the federal government shuts down, it doesn’t just halt national parks or delay agency operations. For millions of students, it directly impacts something far more personal: their ability to pay for college. With FAFSA processing stalled and families unsure whether their applications will be reviewed anytime soon, it’s…

https://vimeo.com/1134742937 How the Government Shutdown Impacts California Students — And What Families Can DoBy Dr. Shaan Patel, CEO & Founder of Prep Expert® The government shutdown has officially tied for the longest in U.S. history, and while the headlines focus on political gridlock in Washington, its ripple effects reach much further, to students across California and the nation who are trying to afford college. As federal employees remain furloughed, questions…

https://vimeo.com/1134743062 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…

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…

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…

https://vimeo.com/1122908364 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…