SAT & ACT Diagnostic Test Guidelines
Welcome to our Diagnostic Testing Guide:
let's find out which test—the SAT or ACT—is the best fit for you!
To ensure we start with an accurate picture of your current performance level, please complete a full-length diagnostic test for both the SAT and ACT. The instructions below will guide you through the process of accessing, taking, and submitting each test. Timing guidelines are at the bottom of the page.
SAT Diagnostic Instructions (Digital Only) Standard Timing: 2 hours and 24 minutes
Instructions:
- Download and install the Bluebook app by College Board here.
- Use Practice Test #7
- Complete the full test in one sitting, under timed conditions, to simulate real testing conditions.
- Once finished, please email your score report and screenshots with full summaries of the questions you got right and wrong to us.
- Please do not take a paper test; only the Bluebook APP digital test provides accurate insight
ACT Diagnostic Instructions (Paper-Based) Standard Timing: Approximately 3 hours
Instructions:
- Print the Official Test - Use the 2025 MC4 Enhanced ACT test. Print pages 2–47
- For the Reading and Science sections (pages 26–47), print single-sided for easier use.
- Print the Official Bubble Sheet and use during the test
- Scoring Sheet ACT 2025 MC4 Scoring Guide (printing this out is recommended for manual grading)
- Take the Test Under Standard Conditions
- Plan for a single sitting, under timed conditions, to best reflect your stamina and current readiness.
- No breaks between sections except the one listed.
- After you have finished the test, it is a helpful diagnostic tool for you to go back and finish any questions that you left blank, but note that they were filled in after time ran out. ( You will learn to optimize your timing.)
You may purchase a test prep book (e.g., The Official ACT Prep Guide) from a retailer like Amazon, which allows you to take the tests directly in the book.
Important Notes for ACT Testing
- Science Section: Please complete this section, even if some colleges may no longer require it. It’s useful for a full diagnostic profile.
- Essay Section: Please skip the essay. It’s rarely required and generally not a good use of prep time.
- Calculator Use: A graphing calculator is permitted only for the Math section. You may not use it on the science section.
- Clearly mark any unanswered questions if time runs out.
- When submitting, include a full scoring sheet and a question-by-question breakdown of correct and incorrect answers.
- If the test isn’t completed within the allotted time, we encourage you to submit two scores:
- One score based only on the questions completed within the time limit
- A second score based on the full test completed with additional time.
This helps us assess what content is known with and without time pressure.
- Total raw scores (number of correct answers per section)
- Marked bubble sheet
- List of question numbers marked correct and incorrect
- Full scoring sheet
If anything is unclear, feel free to email or call—we’re here to help.
Timing guidelines for the act & the sat
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ACT Timing Guidelines
Standard Timing:
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SAT Timing Guidelines (Bluebook Digital Test)
Standard Timing: The digital SAT includes two sections and one break.
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