As of October 2026 the PSAT/NMSQT scores 320-1520, with a separate 48-228 Selection Index that decides National Merit. Here is what a good score is.

Upper Level ISEE: 160 scored questions in four sections plus an unscored essay, 2 hours 40 minutes of testing, each section scored 760 to 940. How to prepare.

The HSPT: 298 multiple-choice questions in five subtests, about 2.5 hours, no guessing penalty, scored 200 to 800. Which schools give it, and how to prepare.

A higher SAT or ACT score opens published merit money and required-score colleges. See the grids, the policies, and what changes in a student. By Test Prep Gurus.

Senior year deadlines for fall 2027: SAT and ACT test dates, November 1 early deadlines, UC and CSU filing dates, FAFSA, and scholarships. By Test Prep Gurus.

UC admit rates for Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita high schools run 17.3% to 25.2%. See where graduates enroll and how to prep. By Test Prep Gurus.

Laguna Beach High School posts a 26.1% UC admit rate and a UC Reach Score of 47. See how local graduates land at UC and what prep it takes. By Test Prep Gurus.

Irvine high school graduates: UC admit rates from 18.2% to 36.5%, Reach Scores up to 161, and the colleges on their lists. By Test Prep Gurus.

What parents of 9th and 10th graders should do about college prep now: grades, reading, math, activities, and PSAT score scales explained. By Test Prep Gurus.

The PSAT total runs 320-1520 and the National Merit index runs 48-228. Here is what the score means and the next steps for your family. By Test Prep Gurus.

Stanford requires the SAT or ACT in 2026. See the 1510-1580 SAT band, the 34-35 ACT band, a 3.9 percent admit rate, and what to do now. By Test Prep Gurus.

The 8-line letter two parents wrote the night before their daughter's first college decision, printed in full, plus how to write your own. By Test Prep Gurus.

Homework drives SAT and ACT gains: 5.7 ACT points, 190 SAT points, 63% gaining 200-plus. The research and the three-step method, explained. By Test Prep Gurus.

Practice scores stuck? See the three-step homework fix, what the research says about practice testing, and our published gain numbers. By Test Prep Gurus.

Why teens quit SAT and ACT prep, and what keeps them going: owned goals, if-then plans, practice testing, and our published score gains. By Test Prep Gurus.

The full 11th grade plan: PSAT in October, a practice ACT, a spring SAT or ACT, grades, activities and a college list. With 2026-27 dates. By Test Prep Gurus.

Why kids blank on tests: Beilock's choking research, the 6-point writing effect, and the "I am excited" reframe, in plain language for parents. By Test Prep Gurus.

A first SAT or ACT score is feedback, not a verdict. See average gains of 5.7 ACT points and 190 SAT points, and what the research says. By Test Prep Gurus.

Flow has three conditions, PERMA has five elements, and a one-hour mindset session moved GPA 0.10 points for some students. What that means at home. By Test Prep Gurus.

Brooks (2014) and Ramirez and Beilock (2011) tested ways to beat test nerves. Here is what the numbers say and what parents can do. By Test Prep Gurus.

Growth mindset and test scores: the 12,490-student Nature study moved GPA 0.10 points, not SAT or ACT scores. What that means for parents. By Test Prep Gurus.

UC admit rates, Reach Scores, and college lists for the 4 high schools in Newport Beach and Corona del Mar, plus what prep it takes. By Test Prep Gurus.

UC admit rates and UC Reach Scores for all 4 Huntington Beach high schools, plus what local students need for the colleges they attend. By Test Prep Gurus.

Costa Mesa UC admit rates run 19.2% to 23.9% across 3 high schools. See Reach Scores, published college lists, and how to plan prep. By Test Prep Gurus.

USC is test-optional in 2026. See the 1440-1550 SAT band, the 32-35 ACT band, the 10.0 percent admit rate, and how to decide. By Test Prep Gurus.

Purdue University-Main Campus requires the SAT or ACT. See the 1190-1460 SAT band, 27-34 ACT band, 50.3% admit rate, and what to do now. By Test Prep Gurus.