Prepmedians Blog

Tag: Tips and Tricks

  • Prepmedians Reviews

    Prepmedians Reviews

    Prepmedians Reviews

    Are you searching for Prepmedians Reviews to answer the question “Is Prepmedians worth it?” We’ve got you covered!

    We pride ourselves in our amazing Prepsters who have not only CRUSHED their SATs/ACTs but also fallen in love with learning. They have discovered how capable they truly are. They will carry this confidence into all that they will accomplish in their incredible lives.

    Below, check out real Prepmedians reviews from Prepsters!

    Be sure to watch the videos linked below each Prepster! Prepmedians is the only test prep company on the market with actual video reviews from students, so check them out!

    Then, claim your dream SAT/ACT score here!

    Prepmedians ACT Reviews

    Casey Simpson (increased 25 percentile points on the ACT, scored 34 on the ACT, 36 on ACT Reading)

    Screen Shot 2024-03-04 at 4.32.03 PM   “Prepmedians helped me so much prepare for the ACT and eventually get a 34 on it. Reading was my worst section originally. But after practice, it became the section I got a 36 on. Thank you, Prepmedians!”    
    5 stars        

    Note: Although you may recognize Casey as a famous actor from Nickelodeon’s Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, he is NOT acting here! He truly used Prepmedians to CRUSH his ACT, and now he is enrolled at Duke University. He enthusiastically volunteered to make this video review for us and was not paid for doing so.

    Watch Video Review!

    Casey’s Prepmedians Review:

    “What do you call a kid who goes from a 74th-percentile ACT score to a 99th-percentile ACT score? A Prepster!

    Prepmedians helped me so much prepare for the ACT and eventually get a 34 on it. Reading was my worst section originally. But after practice, it became the section I got a 36 on. Thank you, Prepmedians!

    If you want to prepare for the ACT or SAT, want to crush the test, and want to watch some funny videos too, then Prepmedians is a great, great resource for you to use.

    And that is a Fire Fact.”

    Emma (increased 5 points on the ACT, scored 34)

    emma   “Luckily on test day, my score, which was stuck at a 29, was able to improve to a 34, and that was thanks to Prepmedians.”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Emma’s Prepmedians Review:

    “When I started studying for the ACT, my score was staying stuck at a 29. I tried book after book, and nothing was helping to improve my score.

    However, I found Prepmedians on TikTok, and I decided to give it a shot. I found that their videos were fun and enjoyable to watch, and studying became so much easier because I enjoyed doing it.

    Luckily on test day, my score, which was stuck at a 29, was able to improve to a 34, and that was thanks to Prepmedians.”

    Twainia (increased 10 points on the ACT English)

    twainia   “Prepmedians truly helped me improve my ACT English score by 10 points from a 16 to a 26!”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Twainia’s Prepmedians Review:

    “Prepmedians truly helped me improve my ACT English score by 10 points from a 16 to a 26!

    I used Prepmedians to finally understand content that I did not understand before. There were many grammar rules that they went over that I never really understood in school, especially as an immigrant, but now I finally understand.

    While watching the videos, unlike school, I was actually willing to watch without feeling tired because they have truly hilarious and great videos. I really felt warm watching the videos too because I truly felt like there were people who supported me through a screen. One more thing: “Believe in yourself because I certainly do.”

    Connor (increased 3 points on the ACT, scored 35)

    Connor 35   “I 100% recommend Prepmedians. My ACT score has increased from a 32 to a 35 in fewer than 4 weeks through the skill-building videos and practice questions!”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Connor’s Prepmedians Review:

    “I 100% recommend Prepmedians. My ACT score has increased from a 32 to a 35 in fewer than 4 weeks through the skill-building videos and practice questions!

    Prepmedians has made learning fun and extremely effective.”

    Ruchita (increased 9 points on the ACT English, scored 33)

    ruchita   “Prepmedians is simply the best test preparation company! They’ve helped me increase my score by 9 points on the ACT English section!”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Ruchita’s Prepmedians Review:

    “Prepmedians is simply the best test preparation company! They’ve helped me increase my score by 9 points on the ACT English section!

    My score went from a 24 to a 33 after two weeks of using Prepmedians daily! I was beyond excited to see a huge amount of growth all because of the awesome Prepmedians.com’s brilliant platform.

    I’m more than grateful to have them as a part of my high school journey. They will always hold a special place in my heart. Prepmedians are my superheroes!”

    Other ACT Prepsters!

    act 7 points act lizzie 35 act composite 33
    act vaishnavi act 30 to 32 act night before

    Prepmedians SAT Reviews

    Sarah (scored a 1580)

    sarah   “I scored a 1580 on the SAT because I used Prepmedians!”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Sarah’s Prepmedians Review:

    “I scored a 1580 on the SAT because I used Prepmedians!

    My Prepmedians lesson plan showed me exactly what I had to accomplish each week, so I could focus my mental energy on learning and building test-taking confidence.

    The videos are not only fun to watch but they’re also educational!

    Plus, the customer service is so fast and helpful.

    I’ve got nothing but the warmest of feelings towards Prepmedians given all that they’ve done for me.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.“

    Alyssa (increased 350 points on the SAT, scored a 1450)

    alyssa   “My SAT score went up 350 points! It went from an 1100 to a 1450, which is insane to me!”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Alyssa’s Prepmedians Review:

    “My SAT score went up 350 points! It went from an 1100 to a 1450, which is insane to me!

    Prepmedians has saved my SAT score.

    They present the information in such a logical and clear way. It really makes sense in my brain.

    Plus it’s entertaining.

    I am eternally grateful. They are incredible!”

    Abrahim (increased 220 points on the SAT, scored 1490)

    Abrahim   “Using Prepmedians for a single month, I saw an increase of more than 200 points on my SAT score, and I scored a 1490 on the August 27th SAT exam.”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Abrahim’s Prepmedians Review:

    “Using Prepmedians for a single month, I saw an increase of more than 200 points on my SAT score, and I scored a 1490 on the August 27th SAT exam.

    Over the past year or so, I’ve gone through SAT practice books, and I’ve answered hundreds of SAT practice questions, but none of these materials helped me get the really difficult concepts to really stick.

    One day I came across Prepmedians on my ForYouPage, and I decided to check it out. Prepmedians not only presents all the difficult topics that I couldn’t understand but they also have a comedic aspect in their videos and in their explanations that helps me make connections during the test like, for example, an acronym or a joke.

    I think getting Prepmedians was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

    John (increased 250 points on the SAT)

    john   “Prepmedians covers 100% of what’s on the SAT, which helped me boost my SAT score by 250 points”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    John’s Prepmedians Review:

    “Who needs to cheat on the SAT when there’s Prepmedians? Prepmedians covers 100% of what’s on the SAT, which helped me boost my SAT score by 250 points! It helped a lot, especially with grammar. Prepmedians “

    Kevin (increased 110 points on the SAT, scored a 1460)

    Kevin   “Prepmedians’ tips and strategies not only helped my score a lot but also gave me the confidence I needed to score a 1460.”    
    5 stars        

    Watch Video Review!

    Kevin’s Prepmedians Review:

    “Going into the SAT, I wasn’t sure how it would go. But as soon as I got to the Reading and Writing section, I felt more confident because of Prepmedians.

    Prepmedians’ tips and strategies not only helped my score a lot but also gave me the confidence I needed to score a 1460.

    What sets them apart from other organizations is the fact that you actually enjoy your time studying for the SAT with them.”

    Other SAT Prepsters!

    sat logan sat kate sat 1500 josh
    sat james biser sat tanish patel sat maya

    More Kind Words

    sat michael duke thank you incredible platform 17 years school

    Check out MANY more Prepmedians reviews here!

  • Tips and Tricks for Each ACT Section

    Tips and Tricks for Each ACT Section

    ACT English Tips

    1: Choose the Most Concise Answer

    ACT English questions tend to test grammar rules and sentence structure in the most straightforward, logical way. So try to find the choice that provides all of the necessary information for the sentence to make grammatical sense…and nothing extra. The main goal of this is for the sentence to be clear and concise while being grammatically correct! One of our Prepmedians videos One KISS Is All It Takes covers this exact rule in more detail!

    2: Be Careful With “No Change” Answers

    Almost all the grammar questions have the option of “No Change.” This is a dangerous choice because if you aren’t aware of more obscure grammar rules, you might be tempted to choose it even when the sentence can be fixed. It is really important to double-check all other answers before settling on “No Change” as the correct choice. The best way to check all the options is to read the sentence with each option and decide. But “No Change” really is the correct answer around ~25% of the time, so don’t second-guess yourself if you are sure there isn’t an error. There are more strategies that can be found at prepmedians.com

    ACT Math Tips

    3: Pay Attention to Diagrams

    A lot of math questions tend to be accompanied with diagrams. It’s important to pay attention to these figures, as they tend to summarize all the details of the question while giving clues about which answer choices are the most logical. If a problem asks you to figure out an angle, for example, and some of the choices are acute while others are obtuse, you will be able to eliminate at least a couple of these answers just by looking at the diagram because they are drawn to scale (unless otherwise noted). If an answer is not supported by the diagram, it’s usually safe to cross it out. Even when diagrams are not part of the questions, you will be able to draw diagrams by yourself based on the details.

    4: Plug In Answers and Numbers

    If a question asks you to solve for x, simply plug each answer choice back into the original equation and see which one works. This will tell you which answer choice is the correct one without having to really solve the problem!
    For numbers, you’ll choose random numbers to plug into algebraic variables. This strategy lets you analyze the problem using real numbers instead of unknowns, and works best for questions with multiple variables. This could be useful when you are looking at the range of a function or inequalities.

    When solving really obvious questions, these strategies might slow you down instead of helping. So make sure you don’t waste your time using this strategy in questions you already know the answer for!

    ACT Reading Tips

    5: Start With Your Strengths

    The ACT Reading section is always structured the same way with four topic areas in the same order. Each topic corresponds to a passage or pair of passages.
    – Prose fiction/literary narrative
    – Social science
    – Humanities
    – Natural science

    If you have already taken practice tests and know the order of efficiency within the topics, start by reading the passage that correspond to the topic area in which you are most comfortable. The main purpose of this is to start with the topic you are able to read fast and analyze so you are not giving yourself a chance to get questions for that passage wrong. This way, you can get the questions that are easiest for you out of the way first and won’t risk running out of time before you have a chance to answer others.

    6: Skim Passages

    For some students, it might be manageable to read passages normally and still have enough time to finish the section, but you have to be a really quick and thorough reader in order to pull this off. The best strategy for most people is to skim the passages instead. In order to skim effectively, read the introduction and conclusion paragraphs as well as the first and last sentences of every body paragraph. This will give you a good overview of the main ideas and allow you to answer most questions. When you get to detail questions, you can then reread specific parts of the passage if necessary.

    ACT Science Tips

    7: Do the Conflicting Viewpoints Section Last

    The conflicting viewpoints passage on ACT Science is usually the most time consuming for students. In case you’re not familiar with it, this part of the section asks you to read two or three passages that detail different viewpoints on a scientific issue. You’ll then answer questions about these viewpoints and how they relate to one another. Since this is more reading-intensive and can eat up a lot of time, it’s best to save this part for last so that you don’t end up missing other questions in the section that will be quicker and easier for you to answer.

    8: Rely On Visuals

    The ACT Science section has a lot of unfamiliar terminology and facts that make it seem overwhelming. The best way to attack those passages is to ignore the unfamiliar terms and go straight for the graphs, which should provide enough information for you to answer the majority of the questions you’re faced with. Most of the information you’re given is just extra stuff thrown in there to make this section seem more difficult than it really is. In reality, the science section is more about logical reasoning and data interpretation than it is about actually knowing any science. As long as you can read the graphs, you’ll be fine!

    Find out more detailed tips and strategies that can be used to excel in the test at Prepmedians

  • Building Social Skills

    Building Social Skills

    Social Skills to Build Up

    As an incoming freshman, you’ll face a number of challenges including managing your schedule and living far from home. For some, meeting new people is exciting and a walk in the park, but, for others, social anxiety proves its existence. Below you will find the skills needed to succeed in college and the working world:

    Face-to-Face Communication

    Sure, modern technology has made the discovery of multi-functional devices possible, but it has also prioritized itself as a necessary means of communication. Most of our generation’s interactions take place on our smartphones and computers, so we struggle to exercise face-to-face communication. Some college courses will have hundreds of students in a lecture hall, so your grade isn’t dependent upon vocal participation. However, other courses that are seminars or discussions rely on prompted, active discussion between students. Take these opportunities to practice talking and listening in-person; try to focus all your attention on the speaker and avoid distractions from your phone or laptop.

    Say Your Piece

    Active-listening is huge when engaging with others, but a smart conversationalist also knows when and how to be assertive. Successful conversationalists…

    • Express their views in class discussions (Check out Chris’ article “How to Choose Your College Courses“ if you need help doing so)
    • Defend their viewpoints and ideas
    • Avoid succumbing to negative peer pressure

    These skills will find themselves helpful once you enter the workforce after college and you need to go through interviews, negotiate salary and pay raises, or share thoughts in meetings.

    Ask for Help

    Asking for help is honestly something that I still struggle with. If you’re anything like me, you try to do everything in your own strength just to prove that you are capable. Well, you are more than capable. Continuing your education in college means experiencing situations that can be overwhelming. Similar to using Prepmedians to help ace your standardized tests in high school, don’t be afraid to ask the help of others more experienced than you. Put yourself out there by demonstrating your need for understanding in the classroom, library, or dining hall table.

    How To Improve Social Skills

    You need more than the knowledge of the skills above to succeed in having some shot at a social life in college. Put these words into action by finding ways to master these skills.
    ## Team Activities
    Start a conversation with others that are like-minded or enjoy the same activities as you. This way you feel more comfortable doing something you enjoy. You will find yourself developing meaningful relationships and connections with your fellow peers because of the commonality you all share. You know what this means? Less pressure to come up with a conversation. Hallelujah! Now, you can actually enjoy the activity without worrying about the perfect thing to say.

    If you’re a risk-seeking or risk-taking person, get comfortable with moving outside your comfort zone. Maybe that’s joining the debate team or trying out for the school play. Either way, stepping outside of your comfort zone is a great way to overcome your fear.
    ## Writing
    Writing is a great pre-exercise for a conversation; it helps you work through your thoughts and ideas before venturing off. Blog or journal your thoughts so that you have decided your stance on a certain issue before talking with others. Think of it as processing the activity beforehand and express yourself without the stress of an audience.
    ## That One Friend…
    We all have that one outgoing friend. Maybe it’s you, but if that were the case, you probably would not be reading this article. Try tagging along with that friend a couple times to feel more comfortable in social settings. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll be surprised that over time you became that one outgoing friend for someone else!

    Remember…

    You’re not the only student suffering from a little bit of social anxiety. However, with these tips, you’ll conquer that anxiety and find a group of friends you can rely on. If you need to, tell yourself: “You got this!” as motivation. Always believe in yourself because we at Prepmedians certainly do!

  • First Day of Classes: College Edition

    First Day of Classes: College Edition

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    Okay Prepster, you aren’t in high school anymore! No one is there 24/7 to coddle you or hold your hand and guide you through every decision you must make. Studying for exams isn’t as easy as subscribing to Prepmedians and watching videos with all the content you need to know on the exam. Your professors have expectations and if you don’t meet them, well, that’s on you.🤷

    Professors expect you to be more responsible and independent than your high school teachers presumed. Therefore, follow these tips to ensure that you perform at your optimal level and make the most of your classes and professors.

    Promptness and Punctuality

    Make a good first impression by not strolling in late to class. Pleeaaasssseeee do yourself a favor and make the effort to be punctual for the first day of class. Set three, six, nine, etc. alarms if that’s what it takes to get you out of bed, especially if you have an early morning class which unfortunately, are sometimes unavoidable. Therefore, make sure you are getting enough sleep. Check out Chris’ article “Sleep Deprivation in College” to learn the causes and consequences of sleep deprivation.

    Try to head to class early with at least ten minutes to spare. This way you can guarantee that you’ll have a seat in case other students had the same idea. At my school, students that aren’t even enrolled in a class still show because they want to get in if someone intends on dropping the course. If you’re too early, occupy yourself by reading or grabbing a quick cup of coffee. However, being late draws attention to you as you enter and I would not recommend making an enemy of your professor on the first day. My parents have always told me that if you’re early you’re on time, if you’re on time you’re late, and if you’re late you’re not needed anymore. So, be prompt and arrive early!

    Seating

    I’m not going to lie, seating yourself depends on several external factors…
    1. Do you fall asleep easily? If the answer is yes, then you should probably sit in the front of the class. This will hopefully push you to stay awake so you don’t knock out in front of your professor… Yikes!
    2. Are you talkative with friends? If the answer is yes, then you should probably sit near someone you don’t know or sit in a row by yourself. As hard as it may be, you should be paying attention in class anyways. No tea, no shade, just facts!
    3. Is your sight or hearing limited? If so, then sitting towards the front of the class should help.
    4. What does your schedule look like? If you have another class right after one ends, it’s best you sit near the door so that it is easier for you to exit the building.

    Preparation

    When it comes to school supplies, just bring the basics for the first day of classes. This includes: pens, pencils, binder or folder, loose-leaf paper or a notebook, and highlighters. On the first day, you should be receiving a syllabus for each class. This is why it’s necessary to have a folder or binder to put your syllabus and handouts in.

    However, just because the first day of class is typically “Syllabus Day”, does not mean that it is not important. And stating so could not be further from the truth. Use the first day to feel out the professor as they go through an overview of the course and the course policies. This information is vital, so make it a point to be prepared in class to make your first day count!

    Besides your exam days, the first day of class is one of the most important days of the course. So, be prepared, focused, and most importantly, present.

  • How to Choose Your College Courses

    How to Choose Your College Courses

    What Are Your Passions/What Are You Interested In?

    We all go to college with the hopes that we can get a degree that will set us up for a future career, but what you study doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be pigeonholed into that area for the rest of your life. Obviously, if you’re hoping to become a doctor and you don’t study pre-med or some sort of Biology, your dream will be very hard, but I’ve found from finance talks and conferences, you don’t have to be an economics or business major to get into finance. So if you’re unsure which courses to enroll in, choose courses in subject areas that you liked in high school or you think might be interesting.

    You’re a freshman. Most schools don’t require you to declare your major until the end of your sophomore year. Use this time to experiment and see which subject areas you are genuinely interested in. Do note that you should look ahead at requirements for majors to plan out and see which courses you will end up taking in the future.

    Choose Courses that Fulfill Requirements Early

    Most colleges have a variety of requirements in different subject areas that students must fulfill by the time they graduate, and if you ask any college student, most will say that they are not fond of these requirements. For the English majors, they don’t know why they have to take science classes. For the STEM majors, they don’t get why they need to take an art class.

    Whether you end up enjoying these requirements or not, it’s best to take them as soon as possible for two reasons. First, you might end up enjoying one of your required courses and find that you want to pursue that subject area as a major. Because you took the class so early in your college career, you have the time to declare that subject area as your major and pursue learning that subject. Second, it’s best to get your requirements done early so you’re able to take more in-depth classes later in your college career. Most interesting courses across all majors are known in a category called electives, and in order to be eligible to enroll into electives, you must first take some required courses where you’ll learn about the fundamentals of that subject area. Taking some of your general requirements early will allow you to take more electives since by the time you’re able to enroll in these electives, you won’t have to worry about fulfilling your general requirements.

    Note: This is also true for major requirements. Although, you might find some of the courses you are required to take for your major more interesting than the courses you have to take for your general requirements.

    Choose Courses That You’ll Do Well In

    This isn’t to say take all the “easy A” classes, but your grades in college do matter. Your grades show future employers and graduate schools whether or not you are able to learn and perform tasks. This tip is more to guide you in smaller decisions like if you need to fulfill a science requirement and you know you have no interest in science, should you take Biology, which you aced in high school, or Chemistry, which you struggled with in high school.

    This tip can also expand into bigger decisions like what major you will choose. Most people enjoy subject areas that they excel in so if you had plans on becoming an economics major, but you’ve done well in your environmental science classes, then you should consider pursuing an environmental science major.

    Use Add/Drop Week

    Reading course descriptions can only get you so far. Reading course descriptions is like reading someone’s Tinder bio and then deciding that you want to date them for a semester. It can only tell you so much; you’re basically going in blind. If you were forced to make a semester-long commitment, wouldn’t you rather go on a date first?

    Add/Drop week is that first date. Sure, that one week of classes might not accurately portray how the semester will go, especially since it’s syllabus week, but at least you’ll be able to get a feel for the class environment, how the teacher is, and what specifically you’ll learn throughout the semester. This is crucial in deciding which courses to take because even if the course sounds like something you’ll be interested in, maybe the teaching style that semester doesn’t suit your learning needs. Small things like that can really make or break one’s learning experience so it’s best to test the waters before fully committing to something.

    What’s Next?

    College can be a stressful time for many students since although these are some of the 4 most free years of your life, they’re also the 4 years you’ll be judged on before you enter the “adult world.” It can be intimidating picking courses that might decide what you will be doing for the rest of your life, but when choosing your college courses, you just need to have the right approach.

  • Tips and Tricks for Each SAT Section

    Tips and Tricks for Each SAT Section

    SAT Reading Tips

    Tip 1: Pay Attention to Connotation and Context

    Look for words that indicate positive or negative connotation in the part of the passage that the question refers to. This will help you to eliminate at least a couple of choices even if you are not sure about the remaining answer choices.
    Context is also very important! Don’t just analyze the referred sentence in the question — look at the sentences above and below it too. Watch out for the contrast words! You should also pay attention to strong adjectives that might help you to determine connotation.

    Tip 2: Use Find the Evidence Questions to Your Advantage

    These new questions can help you tremendously in identifying mistakes and clearing up ambiguities. For example, say you’ve picked out two answers that you think could be correct for a reading question. If the next question asks you to identify the best evidence for your answer, you can read through all the options the find-the-evidence question and see which choice most directly connects to one of your two potential responses for the previous question. That is, looking at both the questions combined will help you get the right answer for both the questions.

    SAT Math Tips

    Tip 3: Underline Key Parts of the Question

    Underline what you need to find in the question so you don’t get confused during the calculation process.
    Many students accidentally pick the trick answer choice because they lose track of the value that they were originally supposed to find. You can avoid this by underlining relevant parts of the question to maintain your focus.

    Tip 4: Memorize Formulas

    Although the SAT math section does provide you with a list of formulas, you’ll lose time and flow by constantly turning back to reference them. It’s best to have all the formulas memorized beforehand. This is a good reference from Khan Academy for some of the important formulas covered on the SAT.!9d6f82b33f4e0a6e192e74224a40976c332ddfbb

    SAT Writing and Language Tips

    Tip 5: Memorize Grammar Rules

    The SAT Writing section has a specific standardized approach to grammar so it’s useful to memorize the rules to reduce confusion. It’s always safer to know the exact rules than to just go by what “looks right” or “sounds right” to you. If you’re not used to some of the more archaic grammar rules tested on the SAT, you should memorize them. This will prevent you from accidentally choosing NO CHANGE for questions where the grammar is actually incorrect. At prepmedians.com, we have a Need-to-Knows list of grammar rules with all of the grammar content you need to know to ace the section!

    Tip 6: Skim the Paragraph Before Answering Rhetorical Questions

    Rhetoric questions ask you to examine entire paragraphs or the passage as a whole to find the right answer.
    The SAT mostly sticks to asking Writing questions chronologically, so you’ll likely find yourself answering several grammar questions about specific sentences, followed by a couple of rhetoric questions that relate to the paragraph as a whole.
    Don’t be lulled into complacency and think you can answer rhetoric questions just by reading through the specific sentence the question asks about and using vague memories of the content of the other sentences you just answered grammar questions on. Instead, skim through the paragraph as a whole and then attempt the rhetoric question. Since you went through the paragraph as you answered grammar questions, you would not be wasting time by skimming through it again for the rhetoric questions.

    These tips are just to get your feet wet, but there are many more strategies that you can find at prepmedians.com where all the content and strategies are baked into our HD entertaining videos featuring Broadway singer-actors and sketch comedians.