A Student Review of Washington University in St. Louis

A Student Review of Washington University in St. Louis

The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Mimi is a Chicago tutor specializing in various foreign languages tutoring, Algebra tutoring, Writing tutoring, and more. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in French and Economics. Check out her review of her school:  VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Mimi: Wash U is set in a somewhat urban-suburban setting. The main campus straddles Clayton, which is ... Read More About A Student Review of Washington University in St. Louis

A Day in the Life at Brown University

A Day in the Life at Brown University

The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Jay is a Boston tutor specializing in Chemistry tutoring, Statistics tutoring, Algebra tutoring, and more. He is a 2012 graduate of Brown University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Check out his review of his alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Jay: The campus is nestled atop College Hill with a 10-15 minute walk downtown. The campus has a variety of walking routes that keep you within ... Read More About A Day in the Life at Brown University

How is the ACT Scored?

How is the ACT Scored?

The ACT consists of an overall result – the Composite score – and individual marks for four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Writing, which is not required by all colleges and universities, is assessed separately. These are some great tips on how to improve your ACT score that you may find useful. For the above multiple-choice sections and the composite score, the ACT utilizes a four-step process: 1. The number of correct questions is determined. There is no penalty for incorrect answers or unanswered questions. 2. A raw score is calculated. For example, if 48 of 60 answers are correct on ... Read More About How is the ACT Scored?

Official SAT Changes for 2016 Announced

Official SAT Changes for 2016 Announced

On March 5, 2014, The College Board officially announced the multiple changes it will make to its well-known college entrance exam, the SAT. First discussed in 2013 (and the first large-scale revision since 2005), these changes will modernize the SAT and intend to improve its ability to accurately evaluate students’ readiness for higher education.  The adjustments will affect both content and the required skills to score well, though the test’s general format of three sections will remain. (Note, however, that what constitutes each portion will differ.) For a specific treatment of each section’s revisions, see below. &n ... Read More About Official SAT Changes for 2016 Announced

How is the GRE Scored?

How is the GRE Scored?

In 2011, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) revised the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) exam. In addition to modifying the test structure and the types of questions utilized, the scoring scale was also revised. Previously, test-takers received marks between 200-800 on the Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning sections and between 0-6 on the Analytical Writing component. While Analytical Writing remains the same, the new system is as follows:  Quantitative Reasoning: 130-170, one-point increments Verbal Reasoning: 130-170, one-point increments Analytical Writing: 0-6, 0.5-point increments On both the Quantitative Reasoning ... Read More About How is the GRE Scored?