The Seeley

Test Pros Blog

Sharing testing insights, tips, and information to maximize your testing success.

A New Digital SAT Is Coming!

This week, the College Board announced that starting with the class of 2025 (current high school freshmen), test-takers will exclusively take a shorter, digital, adaptive SAT. By the spring of 2024, all SATs and PSATs administered in the US and abroad will be...

Accommodations on the ACT & SAT

As the testing season for juniors begins, many families are wondering how their student with certain learning differences might be able to receive testing accommodations on tests like the ACT and SAT. Students who have documented learning differences can apply and...

Should I Take the ACT with Writing?

As juniors begin the start of their college admissions process, there’s one question we can’t seem to escape, “Should my student sign up for the Writing or Essay component of the ACT or SAT?” For many years, there’s been a great deal of confusion about the purpose of...

SAT/ACT Testing Timelines

What does the best testing timeline look like? We speak to so many families and students about this exact topic every year, with many families wishing they had started earlier. The better you plan the process, the less stressful the process is. Many things have...

Taking a Computer-Based ACT?

Over the past few years, the ACT has begun rolling out a computer-based version of the ACT. This exists in stark contrast to the paper-and-pencil version that’s been available for decades. Students taking a computer-based version will still see the same content and...

When Should You Submit Test Scores to a Test-Optional College?

The way students are applying to college in a post-COVID world is different in almost every aspect, including what information a student decides to share with colleges during the application process. The largest change around college admissions recently has involved...

What Your Student Needs to Know about the PSAT

Many rising sophomores or juniors are likely hearing about their upcoming PSAT and wondering what is the purpose of the test. When it comes to the PSAT-NMSQT, it is helpful to start with what it stands for: Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test-National Merit...

Choosing Between the ACT and SAT: What’s Right for You?

One important question many students will need to answer at some point is “should I take the ACT or the SAT? Or both?” The answer often depends on WHO the student is. Many parents may remember ONLY taking the SAT in high school. Or some of us can even remember a time...

What is the ISEE?

The Independent School Entrance Exam, or “ISEE,” is a test that some independent schools use as a part of their admissions process. Test results can also be used for scholarship awards or to determine class placement. For admissions purposes, a higher score on the...

What is the HSPT?

What is the HSPT? The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is an admissions test given to eighth-graders who are seeking entrance into specific Catholic high schools. Schools use the HSPT exam results to make admissions decisions, determine curriculum placement,...

How to Take a Practice Test

The benefits of taking a practice SAT or ACT test are plentiful, but did you know that it matters HOW you take a practice test? Your goal while taking a practice exam should be to recreate the test environment as much as possible. Practice is important, but it’s the...

The ABCs of the TIR: Ordering a Copy of your ACT

One of the most frustrating experiences for a student is seeing a disappointing test score but not knowing which questions were wrong. As humans, we crave the ability to learn from our mistakes, but many students don’t have the ability to do that after an official ACT...