Helping your child through the college application process doesn’t have to feel like juggling chainsaws in the dark. With so many forms, deadlines, essays, and financial decisions, it’s easy for both students and parents to get overwhelmed. But with a step-by-step checklist and a clear timeline, you can support your teen in a meaningful way — without taking over their work. The most important piece of this puzzle is right up front: Here at Kate's Tutoring, we strongly suggest

Your B student wants to apply to competitive colleges, and you're worried they're not being realistic. Here's the truth: B students absolutely get into schools like Boston University, USC, and University of Michigan. Holistic admissions changed everything. With strategic course selection, deep extracurricular involvement, compelling essays, and strong test scores, a 3.4 GPA student can compete with 3.9 students. This guide shows you exactly how—from choosing rigor over easy A

Your straight-A student just bombed the SAT or ACT and you're confused. How can someone who earns A's in honors classes score so poorly? The truth: GPA and test scores measure completely different skills. Schools reward consistent effort and mastery of taught material. The SAT and ACT test strategic thinking under extreme time pressure, pattern recognition, and test-taking savvy—skills most schools never teach. The good news? With targeted prep, your student can bridge this g

Every spring, my inbox floods with the same panicked questions: "My junior just signed up for the May SAT—can we still prep?" "When should my sophomore start studying?" "We thought we'd wait until summer to begin. Is that too late?" I have noticed that, by and large, most families start SAT and ACT prep too late. By the time they realize it, they're scrambling to cram months of material into weeks, paying for expensive crash courses, or settling for scores.

We compare the ACT and Digital SAT in 2025, breaking down the latest updates, major differences, and tips to help students pick the best test for them.

Don’t wait until fall to start prepping for the SAT or ACT! Learn why summer prep is essential for improving your score and reducing stress.

The ACT and Digital SAT differ in format, content, and structure. Discover which test plays to your strengths and how we can help you prepar

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), a cornerstone of the college admissions process, has undergone a revolutionary transformation with the advent of the Digital SAT. In this blog post, we will unravel the intricacies of this cutting-edge examination, exploring its features, benefits, and the way it operates in the digital realm. But before we begin, I want to make sure we're very clear: here at Kate's Tutoring, we're ready to help prepare you for this exam , but we actually

Getting ready for the SAT and ACT exams can feel overwhelming, especially with updated formats rolled out. But good prep gives you confidence and helps you boost your SAT and ACT scores. This guide breaks down proven test prep strategies for the digital SAT and enhanced ACT so you know exactly how to study smarter and maximize your results.

I get it: it's been a really tough few years and a lot of schools have gone test-optional. So the big question you're probably asking yourself now is, "Do I even need to take these exams?" And the short answer is ... probably. The longer answer is that you now (sort of) have the ability to be a bit more strategic in your test-taking decision. Before COVID, you really had no choice. You had to take either the SAT or ACT (or, if you're like me, you did both for ...some reason.

We've prepared a full page of information the best time to take your ACT or SAT test. If you're wondering what the best schedule for your exams is, make sure you get in touch and review the best test prep timeline! First up: get at least a full round of testing in by the end of your junior year. ​ Most students take the PSAT in the spring of sophomore year or fall of junior. By the end of junior year (so, May) you should have sat for the ACT, AP tests, and/or the SAT. You c

Their standardized tests (SAT or ACT) have been canceled month after month after month. What are they going to do?