Congratulations Yash Rane!
When Yash Rane learned that he had received a perfect score on the September 2014 ACT Exam, he was ecstatic. “When I first out about it, I was just sitting at my desk in my house. I was incredibly excited to be getting my score,” he said. “The first person I told was my brother, who was closest. He was pretty excited too. The first thing [my mom] did was, she couldn’t believe that I got that score, she just had to tell everyone.” Rane got a 36 after taking Excel’s ACT Core Classroom Course,… Continue Reading
What’s a good score on the SAT?
That is a good (and very frequently asked) question! Our answer is simple: Whatever score gets you into the college you want. It may seem like a cop-out, but it’s the best answer we can give for such a loaded question. The SAT is not a measure of your worth or intelligence. It’s just one part of the complicated decision process admissions officers use to figure out whether or not you’re a good fit for their school. The score you need to get into a particular school may be completely different from the score your… Continue Reading
A New Year…
New Year’s resolutions. Made every January 1st at 12:00 AM, they are goals that you strive to achieve over the following year. These resolutions can be anything—to earn straight As, to keep your room clean, or to try something new. However, since the January SAT is right around the corner, perhaps your New Year’s resolution is to attain a certain high score on this dreaded test. To help achieve your goals, there are a few tips that you should keep in mind. Attend all your Excel classes. Excel instructors teach valuable tips that will increase… Continue Reading
Reducing Test Anxiety
Stress. It assaults the calmest of students in the worst of circumstances. Stress is a natural, but not insurmountable, challenge faced by all SAT test-takers. Using a few simple techniques, all students can learn to effectively and efficiently combat stress in all situations. Strategy 1: Tensing and Relaxing. This strategy is developed and explained in depth in Dr. Paul D. Nolting’s instructional text Math Study Skills Workbook, Your Guide to Reducing Test Anxiety and Improving Study Strategies. When using the tensing and relaxing method, first place feet on the floor, making sure the soles of… Continue Reading
To Retake or Not to Retake?
It’s 6am on a Thursday morning. Your alarm sounds, screaming at an inhuman pitch from your bedside table. You roll over to slam the snooze button—but wait. You just remembered. SAT scores came out online this morning! Bolting out of bed, you furiously log in to your laptop computer. In your sleep-addled state, it takes multiple tries to type the password into your computer, only adding to your anxiety. Finally, you reach the CollegeBoard site, log on, and navigate to the score report page. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and then look… Continue Reading