Shift - College admissions in a changing world

Managing test anxiety and setting yourself up for success on test day

Anxiety disorders affect anywhere from 15-30% of teens, according to recent studies, and many more are anxious in high stress exercises like their SAT or ACT exams. Brian Stewart, founder of BWS Education Consulting, has been a tutor for 18 years and has worked with thousands of students, including hundreds with test anxiety. Brian shares his preparation tips to get you in the right mindset for test day, and test day tips that will help you manage your anxiety.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to minimize your student loan debt

College is becoming more expensive ever year like clockwork, making the debt burden for students larger and larger. How can you minimize your student loan debt? Shane Bybee has run Bybee College Prep for almost a decade and has helped thousands of students get into college and deal with the cost. In this episode, Shane shares why he has students think about cost from the get-go and how to reduce your student loan debt burden as much as possible.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Digital SAT: how to prepare for the upcoming transition

The new all-digital SAT exam comes out next year. What should this year's sophomores and juniors do about that? Brian Eufinger, cofounder at Edison Prep, has tutored SAT full time for over 15 years and takes the SAT himself annually. In this episode, Brian shares the 'need to know' info about the upcoming transition to the digital SAT, and how you can avoid it or plan to make the most of it.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to be strategic on your college applications with a low GPA

Not everyone has a good GPA. If you're one of these people, you shouldn't lose hope - you can still get into some great schools. In this episode, Marc Gray, founder of Odyssey College Prep and the author of Achievable's ACT course, shares his tips and strategies for students with a lower GPA that helps them still get into great colleges or even their first choice school.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to write a great college essay

Steph Shyu has seen a LOT of college essays. Steph is the founder of Admitsee - a crowdsourced database of college applications, including essays from thousands of students. In this episode, she draws from her wide range of experience reviewing student essays to share her tips for writing an essay that will give you the best chance of getting into your dream college.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Strategy for accomplishing your goals when preparing for the SAT and ACT

How do you prepare for the SAT or ACT in a way that will get you to your goal score? Scott Webster of Clayborne Education has tutored hundreds of students on the SAT and ACT. In this episode, he lays out how to prepare for either the SAT or ACT, including taking a preliminary test to gauge your score range, building a study schedule to get you from your preliminary score to your goal, and more.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

The case for studying vocab for the ACT and SAT

When preparing for the ACT or SAT, is studying vocabulary words actually a good use of your time? Claudia Chesler, a part of the Potomac Education Center for the last 17 years, says yes. In this episode, she explains why vocab is important for the SAT or ACT verbal sections, how to best study vocab to improve your score, and why having a strong vocabulary will help you in college and beyond.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

10 hacks for solving SAT Math problems

Want to ace the SAT Math sections? Both the calculator and no calculator sections? Well then we have a special episode for you. Dave Lynch, founder of StudyLark, has tutored students on the SAT for almost 20 years. In this episode, Dave shares his 10 best hacks for simplifying and solving the various problem types you'll find on the SAT Math calculator and no-calculator sections. If you want actionable tips on how to beat the test, check out this episode.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

16 hacks for solving SAT Reading and Writing & Language sections

Want to ace the SAT Reading and Writing & Languages section? Then look no further. Dave Lynch, founder of StudyLark, has tutored students on the SAT for almost 20 years. In this episode, Dave shares 16 hacks that will help you solve all kinds of different tricky problems on the SAT Reading and SAT Writing & Language sections. These hacks will help you solve questions more quickly and make the right answer "fall right into your lap." If you love getting into the weeds on the tests themselves, this episode is for you!
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to choose your Common App essay topic and crush your essay

The Common App essay is the cornerstone of your application. So how do you make the best impression? Mark Cruver, founder of Capstone Educational Consultants, has been helping students get into college for over a decade. In this episode, Mark describes his recommended approach for picking a Common App essay topic from brainstorm to submission, how to talk about themselves, and how to find great stories in your life that will be great for college admissions officers to read.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.