Get the tools you need to succeed on the SAT and ACT

The earliest Hamilton Education enrolls students for the SAT/ACT program is after they have completed their sophomore year in high school. The student’s schedule, including school, exams, and extracurricular activities, will also be taken into consideration when finding the right SAT/ACT prep program for him or her. For many students, summer or winter break is a great time to study for the SAT/ACT because there are fewer distractions and more time to devote to prep. Each student is different and should discuss with parents and counselors when the best time to begin this process is.

In 2016, College Board redesigned the SAT, resulting in a test that is 95% concordant with the ACT. The skills being tested by both, therefore, overlap significantly. There are, however, some distinctions between the two tests: The SAT includes four sections: Critical Reading, Writing and Language, Math (no calculator), and Math (with a calculator), followed by an optional essay section. The Critical Reading section includes passages from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Math sections are more algebra focused. The ACT includes four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, followed by an optional essay section. The timing of the ACT is faster than that of the SAT. The Math section includes a significant number of geometry questions. Hamilton Education offers the H3 Program, preparing students for three exams – the SAT, ACT, and PSAT – in a single effort using a skills-based approach. Often, simply looking at the test or even a diagnostic test is not enough to determine which test a student will perform better on. In fact, we’ve had dozens of students who were initially against taking–or studying for–the ACT go on to earn perfect scores on that test. Furthermore, students who know they prefer the ACT will still take the PSAT in the fall of their 11th-grade year, and this test could lead to significant financial aid for college. Nearly every college accepts both the ACT and the SAT, which suggests that, according to college admissions officers at least, there is no substantive difference between the difficulty level of each test.

Hamilton Education’s teachers have all received Bachelor’s degrees in their respective fields, and the majority are working towards or have already received a postgraduate degree (Master’s or Ph.D.) in their field. Hamilton Education is committed to excellence in learning, and our selection and training of teachers reflect this core principle.

For just about every selective college or university, the admissions essay is a critical component in the overall “holistic” impression you make in your application package. While grades and test scores give the admissions officer a good sense of your academic preparedness, and the list of extracurriculars gives them a general impression of the depth and scope of your involvement in non-academic activities, it is the college essay that presents you as a full-fledged human being with a story. A good story will make a student “pop” off the page and stand out among the welter of equally strong candidates for admission. Your story will also tell the admissions officer how likely you are to not only leave your mark on campus, but also to go on and do great things after college. And every college, no matter how selective, wants to be able to say of students who go on to successfully lead, create, build, reform… “that’s our alum!”