Short-form videos can be surprisingly powerful for SAT/ACT prep—especially when each one teaches a single “micro-skill” you can apply immediately on practice tests. In this article, we’ll group four quick lessons into one theme: how to think and work like a high-scoring test taker. That includes technical accuracy (so you don’t lose points to formatting) and flexible reasoning (so you don’t freeze when a problem feels unfamiliar).
On the Digital SAT, the Writing and Language-style questions (now inside the Reading & Writing section) reward students who can move quickly without getting sloppy. That usually means two things: (1) spot the grammatical “signal” the test is actually measuring, and (2) use the minimum amount of reading needed to answer confidently.
The Digital SAT gives you a built-in highlighter, but the highest-scoring students don’t use it to color every line. They use it as a decision-making tool: highlight only what helps you eliminate answers faster, keep track of grammar relationships, and spot transitions that change meaning.
Most students preparing for the SAT spend their study time grinding through practice problems the long way — expanding every expression, setting up every equation from scratch, and calculating when they could be estimating. That approach costs time you don't have. The Digital SAT rewards students who work smarter, not harder. Below, our lead SAT tutor Stefan Maisnier break down five algebra strategies — demonstrated in short, focused videos — that can shave seconds off every problem and add points to your score.
Over the past 8 years, as the SAT has undergone two massive updates, the ACT has generally remained static in the turning world of college admissions. Any changes to its format have been comparatively minor, making it relatively straightforward to prepare for. But, as of July 15th, 2024, the ACT has announced some fairly extensive changes that will be rolled out in 2025-26. In this article, we will summarize those changes and consider how they might impact a student’s decision to take the ACT vs. the SAT.
Earlier this spring, we at MyGuru declared that test optional college admission policies were coming to an end for high school students applying to top American universities. As part of the upcoming 2024-25 application cycle beginning this fall, most of the Ivy League and a notable number of elite universities across the United States are once again requiring an ACT or SAT score. Now, Stanford has quietly announced (in a classic Friday news dump) that it too will be reinstating a standardized testing requirement for undergraduate applicants, but beginning in 2025, making this the final test optional application cycle for the Cardinal. This particular decision is important for two reasons: