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By Laura Whitmore Ho ho ho — we’re kicking off the holiday season with a little academic cheer. With the December SAT right around the corner, I’m here to gift you my best last-minute strategies to help you squeeze out every possible point on test day. Think of these as your “SAT cheat codes,” wrapped up and delivered just in time. I’m Laura Whitmore, founder of Strategic Test Prep, and after 18 years of coaching SAT students, I can tell you this: even the smallest shortcuts

By Laura Whitmore It’s that time of year again—the holiday lights are coming out, your Spotify playlist is full of Mariah Carey, and the SAT is just around the corner. I’m Laura Whitmore from Strategic Test Prep, and after 18 years of coaching students (and earning a 1590 myself), I’ve learned how to recognize patterns in what the College Board loves to test. I also just took the November exam, which gives me an up-to-date perspective on what’s likely coming your way in Decem

By Laura Whitmore If SAT reading passages make you feel like you’re running in circles—reading the same lines over and over again and still thinking What did I just read? —you’re not alone. The digital SAT’s reading section is faster, denser, and trickier than before. But the good news is that you don’t need to read every word to get the answer right. In fact, after 18 years of tutoring and a 1590 on my recent SAT, I’ve developed a strategy that makes a huge portion of the re

By Laura Whitmore Hey everyone! I’m Laura Whitmore , founder of Strategic Test Prep , and I just took the November 2025 SAT  myself. This post breaks down everything you need to know — how this test compared to past exams, what sections were hardest, and what trends I’m seeing from College Board moving into 2026. I also invited two of my students who took the November SAT to share their experiences in some really insightful conversations! Want a break from reading? Head over

By Laura Whitmore The November SAT  is almost here, and if you’re in cram mode, don’t worry — you can still sharpen your score in the final days. These last minute SAT tips   are the exact test day hacks I use with my own students who score in the 1500s and land in the top 1%. I’m Laura Whitmore, founder of Strategic Test Prep. After 18 years of coaching students, I’ve seen that even the smallest shortcuts can save time and add points. I’ve pulled together 20+ last-minute tip

By Laura Whitmore If you’re taking the November 2025 SAT , you’re probably wondering what kinds of questions, rules, and problem types you should focus on as test day approaches. After 18+ years of coaching students, scoring a 1590 on the SAT , and releasing the very first SAT predictions video back in 2022 , I’ve developed a reputation for calling what’s going to show up on the test. This blog post breaks down my Top 10 Predictions for the November SAT —covering both English

By Laura Whitmore ⏰ The SAT is almost here — and you’ve only got one to two weeks left to study. Don’t panic! You can still make meaningful progress  and raise your score in a short amount of time if you focus strategically. Whether you’ve barely started or you’re aiming for that last 100-point boost before test day, this guide will walk you through exactly what to do in your final stretch. 👉 Don't feel like reading? Watch the full video here .   💡 Step 1: Diagnose Your Wea

By Laura Whitmore The October SAT  is almost here, and if you’re in cram mode, don’t worry — you can still sharpen your score in the final days. These last minute SAT tips  focus on grammar and strategy so you can walk into test day confident and ready. I’m Laura Whitmore, founder of Strategic Test Prep. After 18 years of coaching students, I’ve seen that even the smallest grammar shortcuts can save time and add points. Here are my 10 best October SAT last minute tips . 👉 Do

By Laura Whitmore Oh, magic eightball… are all my predictions for the October SAT correct? It is certain. Hi everyone, Laura here with STP. I’ve channeled my inner fortune teller, consulted my trusty magic eightball, and I’m ready to share my top eight predictions for the October SAT . These aren’t wild guesses—they’re based on nearly two decades of SAT teaching experience and patterns I’ve seen again and again on the test. By the end of this post, you’ll feel like a true SAT

By Laura Whitmore With the September SAT just around the corner, you might be feeling nervous, rushed, or unsure about how to make the most of the final days before test day. Don’t worry—you’re not alone, and you’re not out of time. In this post, I’m sharing 8 powerful last-minute SAT tips  (straight from my YouTube video) that can help you boost your score fast. 👉 Don't feel like reading? Watch the full video here .   ⭐️ College Board just released brand-new questions  to

By Laura Whitmore If you’re taking the September 2025 SAT , you’re probably wondering what kinds of questions, rules, and problem types you should focus on as test day approaches. After 18+ years of coaching students, scoring a 1590 on the SAT , and releasing the very first SAT predictions video back in 2022 , I’ve developed a reputation for calling what’s going to show up on the test. This blog post breaks down my Top 10 Predictions for the September SAT —covering both Engli

By Laura Whitmore If you’re prepping for the SAT, you already know how tough the English module can get! Recently, College Board released about 300 brand-new SAT questions, and many of them are trickier than anything we’ve seen before. Why should you care? Because whenever new questions drop, similar versions often show up on the actual test.  That makes these essential practice if you’re testing in late 2025. 👉 Don’t feel like reading? Watch my full YouTube video now. And

By Laura Whitmore With the August SAT just around the corner, you might be feeling nervous, rushed, or unsure about how to make the most of the final days before test day. Don’t worry—you’re not alone, and you’re not out of time. In this post, I’m sharing 10 powerful last-minute SAT tips  (straight from my YouTube video) that can help you boost your score fast. 👉 Watch the full video here:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-EjhxatuKA ⭐️ College Board just released brand-ne

By Laura Whitmore The August SAT is right around the corner, and I’m here with my Top 10 Predictions  for what you’ll see on test day! These predictions are based on recent trends and firsthand test-taking experience from myself and my team. Don’t feel like reading? Watch the full YouTube video here  where I walk through each problem step-by-step. 🔮 Prediction 1: Exponential Functions – Identifying the Coefficient, Base, or Constant 👉 If the SAT asks about the coefficient o

By Laura Whitmore The Digital SAT has introduced a faster-paced format with more complex English questions, and many students are finding it harder to finish on time—let alone score high. The good news? With the right strategies, the English section becomes much more manageable. In this post, I’m sharing five practical tricks that consistently help students move through the test more efficiently and accurately. Whether you're aiming for a higher score or just trying to keep u

By Laura Whitmore If you're preparing for the SAT, chances are you’ve heard that Math Module 2 is tough. And you’re right—this section is where students tend to run out of time or freeze up on multi-step problems. I’ve seen this across the board, and my colleague Huzefa from Scalar Learning has seen the same. We both scored perfect 800s on the SAT Math, but not because we never made mistakes. We just learned how to work through tough questions quickly and efficiently—and that

By Laura Whitmore One of the most common things we hear from students preparing for the digital SAT is this: “I run out of time in Module 2, and the math questions at the end feel impossible.”  If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone! The College Board has definitely increased the difficulty level of questions in the second math module—and unfortunately, their answer explanations can read more like a novel than a helpful guide. The good news? There's a tool built right into

By Laura Whitmore College admissions is more competitive—and more confusing—than ever. Between shifting test-optional policies, early decision trends, and pressure to build the perfect “narrative,” it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I recently sat down with Amy Miller, a seasoned Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) with nearly 30 years of experience, to talk through what’s really  going on in admissions and what families can do to give themselves a clear, strategic advantag

By Laura Whitmore If you’re aiming for a high score on the SAT English section, mastering grammar rules is essential—but it’s not just about memorizing rules. It’s also about learning how to apply them quickly and confidently under timed conditions. Many students lose valuable points or run out of time simply because they’re unsure of what to look for. I’ve narrowed down the most time-saving grammar strategies that really make a difference. These are the same strategies I tea

By Laura Whitmore College Board just shared some big updates for the 2025 SAT — and staying ahead of these changes can make a real difference when it comes to test scores and confidence. Fresh details straight from the National Test Prep Association (NTPA) conference highlight new SAT questions coming soon, more full-length practice tests in development, and other important changes ahead! These updates mean better ways to prepare and fewer surprises on test day. This quick br