College admissions
Scores, test policies, timing, and the decisions around the test.
What is a good SAT score in 2026? The percentiles, and the number that actually matters
The national average for the class of 2026 was 1045. A 1200 is the 75th percentile among test takers, a 1400 the 93rd, a 1500 the 97th. None of those is the answer, because the only score that is good or bad is one measured against a particular college's admitted range.
SAT or ACT in 2026: how to choose now that the ACT has changed
The ACT got shorter and made science optional, the SAT went digital and adaptive, and every Ohio junior gets one of them for free at school. What each test looks like in fall 2026, how to compare a student on both, and the one decision that actually matters.
PSAT to SAT: what your PSAT score predicts, and what it does not
The PSAT is scored on the SAT's scale and tests the same skills, so a score is a fair estimate of an SAT taken the same month. It is a poor estimate of the SAT you will take in March, and it cannot see the top of the range at all. What to take from the report.
Test-optional in 2026: which colleges require the SAT again, and what to do if your list is mixed
As of September 2026 the Ivy League is back to requiring scores, the Florida and Georgia public systems are phasing them in, and most of the rest of the top 100 are still optional. What each policy word actually means, and how to decide school by school.
When should my child start SAT prep?
Work backward from the test date rather than forward from today. A guide to picking a first test date, how long each stage actually takes, and why starting too early usually backfires.
How many hours of SAT tutoring does a student actually need?
A straight answer from the tutor you would be paying: what the number depends on, when more hours stop helping, and the three situations where tutoring is the wrong purchase entirely.