As the various players in graduate admissions testing respond to ongoing developments surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, testing platforms and policies have evolved at a dizzying rate.

Despite sensationalist headlines, the at-home 2020 AP exams were a success, and average scores fluctuated within expected ranges.

Taking into account the current COVID-19 crisis, where students will have been out of school from March to September (and potentially longer), summer break may seem less like leisure time and more like a scholastic drought. In fact, the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a non-profit that assess academic proficiency, estimates that students may return to school with only 70 percent of yearly gains in reading and less than 50 percent of gains in math.

Taking AP classes seems obvious for admissions, but many students don’t realize that AP develops soft skills for college preparedness, too.

Great minds don’t think alike, and these noetic differences are especially evident in the ways we learn. For students with learning differences (LD), the path to cultivating successful study habits begins with analyzing and identifying how you effectively absorb and retain information. Such metacognition involves self-monitoring, strategic planning, and objective assessments of strengths and weaknesses.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic and nationwide test-site closures, testing agencies are being forced to adapt to a new and ever-changing landscape, including offering new formats of the tests.

However, for ACT the shift to online standardized testing has been in the works for some time now—the ACT has been offering online testing domestically for district- and statewide school-day tests since 2016, and in international test centers since 2018. However, as of September 2020, they will finally expand this option to include national test dates across the United States. 

As an elite athlete working towards the Tokyo Summer Olympics, Kate Grace is the embodiment of growth mentality. Kate recently spoke to the Yale Club of Oregon on “Practicing Excellence: Mastering Mind and Body on the Road to the Olympics.” We saw parallels between her training, college admissions, and SAT or ACT test prep, so we asked her to sit down with us and share more about her dedication to continued improvement.

LSAC’s answer to closed test sites, LSAT-Flex may not be right for all applicants. But for those who’ve been prepping, it’s better than not testing at all.

Amid concerns over security and access, the organization backed down from plans to offer an at-home digital version of SAT this fall.

With two-thirds of testing centers closed for the June 13th ACT, students look to July and beyond.

Over the last several weeks, in response to the coronavirus pandemic and widespread closure of testing sites, some graduate programs have announced a waiver of normal requirements that applicants submit GRE or GMAT scores. But the vast majority of programs are maintaining existing policies. To meet the continued demand, both the GRE and GMAT have introduced online, at-home versions of the test available at least through early summer.

As more schools announce test-optional policies, submission of SAT and ACT scores is still frequently required to receive merit aid.

Your essay is your opportunity to let your character shine and convince admissions officers that you will be a vibrant asset to their student body. To that end, we’ve got some tips for writing an essay that stands out.

Some Covid-related exam changes are temporary, but others are likely here to stay – and the legitimacy of the entire AP program hangs in the balance.

I’ve been teaching college undergraduates for about ten years now, reading thousands of pages of their writing. I also coach high school students to write better essays. As end-of-term essays from my undergraduates pile up, awaiting commentary, I’ve started wondering, how can high school writers “graduate” to college-level writing? 

Moving science classes out of the classroom decreases the opportunities for collaborative study and eliminates the possibility of in-person laboratory experiments, which provide invaluable hands-on experiences for students – allowing them to see scientific concepts in action. Educators are doing their best to ease this transition for students, but what are some actions students can take to get the most out of their science classes? Let’s take a look.

Are you confused about the 2020 AP exams? That’s okay, so is everyone else! (Even the College Board.) 

A roundup of admissions news and test-related changes, updated regularly.

How can you ensure you’re getting the most out of your math classes?

With all public universities in the state adopting a new test-optional admissions policy, students and families need to understand the implications.

What are “study skills,” and who needs them?

As testing organizations respond to Covid-19 containment measures, it’s key for students to understand their options.

School’s canceled! Once every teenager’s dream, this COVID-19 containment measure now has you realizing that you’ll be responsible for your own learning. You’ll still take final exams, and maybe even AP tests or IB exams. In other words, you can’t give up on school just yet. But learning is about to get harder: for the next few weeks, you won’t have the support structure of the classroom.

As the health of our students and staff is our top priority, we’re joining efforts to contain COVID-19 by transitioning all tutoring sessions online.