--- title: College Admissions News and ACT / SAT Strategy | Lisa Alvarado description: Stay current with the latest college application and admission news, as well as proven ACT and SAT strategies. --- # COllege Admissions News and ACT / SAT Strategy Stay current with the latest undergraduate college admissions news and proven ACT and Digital SAT strategies. Browse by All ACT ACT/SAT sat prep ACT/SAT study skills college tips college advice sat tutoring ACT prep sat tutors college student College Admissions High School Test Taking SAT college education college questions study skills ACT test SAT study plan college freshman advice SAT test College Applications SAT online tutoring college entrance college timeline ACT overview SAT math digital sat sat online studying for the SATs undergraduate student common questions ACT study plan ACT-Math practice SAT study help SAT study tips college tips for studying for the SATs ACT Science ACT math Reading Comprehension SAT practice tests SAT self-study admissions essays applying to college college admissions process college tuition sat reading test taking strategies ACT concepts ACT study help ACT tutoring AP tutoring Choosing a College Digital ACT SAT reading comprehension SAT writing act online act reading ap classes ap test prep college admissions essay cost of sat tutoring math skills sat help sat tutor cost sat tutor hourly rate studying for the ACT ACT english COVID sat Campus bound College Rankings GMAT Managing Stress Online Reputation Management PSAT SAT classes SAT redesign Standardized exams Study plans Uncategorized Writing Section act coronavirus admissions data chemistry chemistry subject test college ROI college athletics college coach college essay writing advice college essays college freshman questions college prep college recruiting college resume collegebound admissions cost of college desmos extracurriculars improve academic performance interview preparation logs in ACT-Math math new student FAQs process of elimination sat chemistry test standardized tests study abroad study tips studying for standardized exams submitting test scores test anxiety test optional test prep strategies tips for studying for the ACT writing an essay This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## Posts by Lisa Alvarado: [Managing Stress](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/managing-stress) [Standardized exams](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/standardized-exams) --- Stress is something that everyone experiences; however, the triggers and manifestations of stress differ for everybody. As illustrated in the Yerkes-Dodson Human Performance Curve, a little stress can be good; it keeps us focused and motivated, and can positively impact performance. However, too much stress can be physically debilitating and can decrease productivity, performance, and cognitive function--a particular issue when engaged in a high cognitive activity, such as standardized tests. While effective time management, productive study habits, and strong organizational skills can help combat stress, there are also coping mechanisms that you can utilize to help mitigate stress. [ACT](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/act) [ACT test](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/act-test) [Writing Section](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/writing-section) --- Writing an essay in 40 minutes can be a daunting task. The ACT graders expect you to write a well-developed, coherent essay about a topic that you may not be familiar with. However, knowing more about the ACT Writing section, and what graders are looking for can help you to prepare for this task effectively. [Online Reputation Management](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/online-reputation-management) #### Every tech-savvy student realizes that there’s a ton of information about them online (most of which they’ve posted themselves) and that this information is widely accessible by their peers. Fewer students consider how their online presence will impact their admissions to colleges or to the work-force. And fewer still consider how they can take control of their online presence to ensure a positive impression of them shines through amongst the cluttered returns of a Google search. [College Applications](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/college-applications) [college advice](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/college-advice) [college timeline](https://www.myguruedge.com/our-thinking/actsat-and-applying-to-college/topic/college-timeline) ---  **SUMMER BEFORE SENIOR YEAR**  JUNE                - Take the ACT/SAT - Take time this summer to volunteer or shadow a professional JULY                - Go on campus visits to start narrowing down your college list AUGUST          - Get started on Common App Essay* (brainstorm, outline, drafts) - Create a college list taking into consideration: academics, graduation rate, majors, size, location, school resources, campus life. - Be sure to apply to at least 4 schools. Your college list should include at least: - 1 Safety school (a college you’re confident that you can get into) - 2 Good Fits (colleges that you’re pretty sure you can get into) - 1 Reach (a college you have a chance of getting into, but it’s a stretch) ### Follow this blog