Skip to content
The Olive Book Blog

ACT & SAT Test Tips and Study Strategies

  • ACT & SAT Courses
  • ACT
    • About the ACT: Content, Scoring, What to Study
    • ACT Study Guides & Schedules
    • ACT Math
    • ACT Science
    • ACT Reading
    • ACT English
  • SAT
    • What to Expect on the SAT
    • SAT Study Guides & Schedules
    • SAT Math
    • SAT Reading
    • SAT Writing & Language
  • ACT & SAT Test Tips
    • Study Videos
    • Study Strategies
    • Scoring
    • Week of the Test
    • College Admissions
  • For Parents
  • For Students
  • About
  • Home
  • Blog

Blog

Get ACT & SAT Tips and Strategies in Your Inbox

Subscribe to receive an email every Tuesday and Thursday with our latest blog post.

link to olive book act course
link to olive book sat course
Rated the #1 ACT and SAT study course

Follow Along!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Latest Instagrams:

Did you see our Reel yesterday with tips for readi Did you see our Reel yesterday with tips for reading faster? The SAT and ACT Reading sections are not designed to be read at a “normal” pace - they’re designed to test your ability to read quickly and with focus. 

If you find yourself struggling to complete the SAT or ACT reading passages in the allotted time, we’ve put together a few more in-depth reading strategies to help you increase your reading speed up and attack the Reading passages on our blog. Linked in bio! @theolivebook
If you took the SAT in the past two years, your SA If you took the SAT in the past two years, your SAT test may have had not four, but five test sections. This fifth section, called “Section 5” by the SAT, is an experimental section used to test out questions for future SAT tests. 

Section 5 is 20 minutes long and can be a Math, Reading, or Writing and Language section. It’s usually administered, after a short break, following the Math with Calculator section. 

While, we don’t know for sure if this section counts towards your SAT score, there are a few reasons why it’s highly unlikely that anything in Section 5 counts towards your score:

First, it would defeat the point of a standardized test. 
Second, the time limit for Section 5 does not align with any other section of the test. 
Finally…we would hope their policy would be clearer if they were counting any of Section 5 towards your score. Many people assume that the vague policy is an attempt to ensure students actually try on Section 5 rather than blow it off.

No one knows for sure if the experimental section counts towards your score. And although it probably doesn’t, since the College Board is not transparent about this, we recommend you try your best on Section 5. In this case, it’s better safe than sorry. Plus, the data is used to help make the test better for future students – which could be you if you test again!
.
.
.
#sattest #collegeboard #studygram #studytips #classof2022 #classof2023
The March SAT test about 2 weeks away! It's time t The March SAT test about 2 weeks away! It's time to buckle down and focus. Watch these videos ^ (shared in stories) to supplement your studying. You can also find them on YouTube via today's blog post, linked in bio. 

Need more help? Our online SAT course is all you need to study from day one to test day. Learn more at olive-book.com!
.
.
.
#sattest #collegeboard #studygram #studystudystudy #classof2022 #classof2023
Should you still take the SAT or ACT if the colleg Should you still take the SAT or ACT if the college you're applying to is now test-optional due to the pandemic? Here's our take:

Schools will know what testing options are or were available to students, even if this varies by state. 

In other words, let’s say two students from the same school apply to the same college. One applies with a test score but the other student does not…who do you think will have a more complete application?

 In submitting a test score, the student is providing a more complete picture of their academic abilities.

If you'd like more info on this topic, head to our blog - linked in bio.
.
.
.
#testoptional #sat #act #acttest #collegeboard #classof2022 #classof2023
Many, many colleges – from Ivy Leagues like Yale Many, many colleges – from Ivy Leagues like Yale to private schools like Rice and public schools like The University of California – say that Pass/Fail grades due to the pandemic will not have a negative impact on admissions decisions. The one good thing about a global pandemic is that it is, well, global; everyone experienced it and is aware that it continues to affect the world.

Colleges will continue to look at your college application holistically, weighing the course rigor of your entire transcript, advanced classes, extracurricular involvement, application essays and SAT/ACT scores in their decision. 

This is why it’s important to show consistent growth or excellence throughout high school rather than just a few semesters. Colleges have never relied on the grades from one semester to determine a student’s eligibility for admission; they have always looked at the complete transcript to get the best picture of a student’s academic performance.
.
.
.
#sat #act #classof2022 #classof2023
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • 4 Strategies to Increase Your Reading Speed
  • What is the Experimental 5th Section on the SAT?
  • 8 SAT Prep Videos to Help You Own the Test
  • Should You Submit a Test Score to Test-Optional Colleges?
  • Pass/Fail Grading and College Admissions

Categories

  • ACT
    • ACT English
    • ACT Math
    • ACT Reading
    • ACT Science
  • ACT & SAT Test Tips
    • College Admissions
    • Scoring
    • Study Strategies
    • Week of the Test
  • For Parents
  • For Students
  • SAT
    • SAT Math
    • SAT Reading
    • SAT Writing & Language
  • Uncategorized

Get a New Practice Question Each Week

Enter your email below to get a new ACT/SAT practice question delivered to your inbox each Wednesday.

Pages

  • About
  • ACT Study Guides & Schedules
  • Blog
  • SAT Study Guides & Schedules

Categories

  • ACT
    • ACT English
    • ACT Math
    • ACT Reading
    • ACT Science
  • ACT & SAT Test Tips
    • College Admissions
    • Scoring
    • Study Strategies
    • Week of the Test
  • For Parents
  • For Students
  • SAT
    • SAT Math
    • SAT Reading
    • SAT Writing & Language
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • 4 Strategies to Increase Your Reading Speed
  • What is the Experimental 5th Section on the SAT?
  • 8 SAT Prep Videos to Help You Own the Test
  • Should You Submit a Test Score to Test-Optional Colleges?
  • Pass/Fail Grading and College Admissions

Follow Along!

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Copyright © 2021 The Olive Book Blog | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme