Blog by Ivy Tutors Network

The November 2025 SHSAT was the first digital version of the exam. The scores will be released in March 2026. We’re sharing what we heard from students.

How long you should study for the SAT and when you should start preparing for it depend on your academic strengths and weaknesses, as well as your goals. For most students, the answer is sometime during your sophomore year. We dive into details in this blog.

The PSAT (Preliminary SAT) is a standardized test sponsored by both the College Board, who write and administer it, and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Here's what you need to know!

Improving vocabulary for the SAT is a common concern for students. And there is no shortage of opinions on how to do that: from SAT vocabulary lists with hundreds - if not thousands - of words, to mountains of flash cards, to prefix and suffix memorization, everyone on the internet says they have it cracked. We think it’s a lot simpler than all of that (and we’ve got Katya to back us up!).

The best SAT prep courses are results oriented and led by experts. We walk you through how to identify what that means so you can get your money’s worth and actually improve your score.

In addition to strong academics, Catholic high schools in New York offer students religious education and experiences, opportunities for service, and college coursework through partnerships with local Catholic universities. There are currently 43 Catholic high schools in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island under the Archdiocese of New York, and 15 under the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. Here are the top-rated ones!

As SHSAT prep specialists (and NYC Public High School graduates!), one of our top recommendations to students and parents considering taking the SHSAT is to take a practice test. This blog outlines our many tips for navigating NYC public high school admissions + 25 free practice tests.

Test optional can be a confusing concept to students and parents. And it doesn’t help that schools seem to constantly be shifting their policies. Learn what test optional means in 2025 and how you can use test-optional policies to your advantage.

The digital SAT (DSAT) is now the only SAT. It comes with a built in calculator, called DESMOS. Does that mean all other calculators are off limits? Does that mean you *have* to learn DESMOS? Which calculator gets you better scores? If you’re wondering which calculators are acceptable or allowable for the SAT, we’ll answer that and more. Plus which calculators are acceptable for the PSAT.

Grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension are hard for many students and a source of stress when it comes to standardized tests and entrance exams like the SHSAT, ISEE, TACHS, ACT and SAT. Learning the 5 blocks method of sentence structure makes the grammar section of these tests easier to navigate and quicker to move through, improving your score and saving you needed seconds per question.

The college essay (or personal statement) is your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions committee in your own voice. It’s your moment to share who you are, how you think, and what kind of student you’ll be. And it’s a critical piece of your application.

Director of Admissions, John Morganelli, shares the hardest colleges to get into based on acceptance rates and answers a few frequently asked questions.