AI tools make studying feel easier. Students can get instant explanations, summaries, or even solutions to difficult problems with a few clicks. While convenient, this reliance on AI can create a false sense of mastery. Students may think they understand material, but in reality, they may be skipping the deep reasoning and problem-solving skills the ACT and SAT actually test.

On test day, AI isn’t allowed. Success depends on your student’s knowledge, judgment, and ability to navigate questions under time pressure. That’s why real preparation, including plenty of practice and thoughtful guidance, is unmatched.

At Flying Colors Test Prep, our one-on-one tutoring focuses on exactly that. Tutors tailor instruction to each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and pacing. Beyond reviewing content, students learn to recognize patterns, manage time, and make confident decisions under pressure.  Work with our instructors always includes a useful blend of strategic and conceptual insights, so that when the student tests, they can be more comfortable and confident in a stressful test-taking environment.

Tutors help uncover the gaps that AI can’t detect and transform preparation and practice into measurable improvement.

AI may provide answers, but it cannot teach judgment, strategy, or confidence. In a world full of shortcuts, personalized instruction remains the true path to ACT and SAT success. If you’d like to explore how one-on-one tutoring or small group prep could support your student, our Education Directors are happy to chat and help create a plan that fits their needs.

Warm regards,
Ron Michalak
President, Flying Colors Test Prep

In recent years, the term “test optional” has become central to how families think about college admissions, in part because the COVID‑19 pandemic disrupted access to testing and led many institutions to relax score requirements. What was widely expected to be a temporary adjustment became a lasting policy that has both puzzled families and reshaped application strategies.

Even as some colleges relaxed formal testing requirements, an increasing number of students and families elected to submit their scores, underscoring the perennial value placed on standardized testing in the admissions process. According to the Common App’s Mid-Season report for the 2024‑25 cycle, the number of applicants reporting standardized test scores grew by approximately 12 percent compared to the previous year, marking a notable uptick in score submission among applicants. Similar to last year, when the number of applicants using test scores also climbed, the biggest growth came among students targeting LESS competitive schools, with admit rates greater than 25%.  (commonapp.org)

Institutional decisions also highlight the continued relevance of testing. Penn, Stanford and Carnegie Mellon University, for instance, are phasing out test optional for students applying to those schools this coming fall. Public universities such as Purdue, Ohio State, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia all require test scores now.  These actions reflect a growing recognition among selective institutions that standardized scores provide valuable context when evaluating students from varied schools and curricula.

Standardized test results, much like Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate scores, offer admissions professionals an additional, objective measure of academic preparedness that complements grades and coursework. While no single element defines a student’s potential, strong test scores can enhance the student’s demonstrated record of success, clarify academic strengths, and support admissions and scholarship decisions in competitive applicant pools.

At Flying Colors, we believe the goal of the admissions process is to help students present the strongest, most complete picture of themselves. Providing admissions counselors with credible evidence of academic capability supports more informed, confident evaluations and broadens the range of opportunities available to students.

Understanding the continued importance of testing naturally raises a question about timing: when is the optimal moment to begin? February presents a unique opportunity to current high school juniors who may be looking ahead to upcoming in-school testing at their high schools or spring national ACTs or SATs.  It is a wonderful time to a student’s academic profile, establish a realistic baseline, and plan next steps with intention rather than urgency. This approach allows students to improve steadily, make informed choices about additional support or tutoring, and approach spring or summer testing with confidence.

As always, Flying Colors’ education directors in Edina, Eden Prairie, Plymouth and St. Paul are ready to talk to you about getting started or getting ready for a second attempt at testing.  And for those families whose students have a learning difference or attention disorder, our LD/ADHD team is available to assist as well.

Please let us know how we can help.

Ron Michalak
President & Founder, Flying Colors Prep

As juniors navigate school, college planning, activities, and life, it’s very common for them to hesitate when it comes to preparing for the ACT or SAT. What looks like procrastination often reflects nervousness, uncertainty, or perceived pressure around standardized tests — and that’s completely normal.

Acknowledging how students feel about testing can make a big difference in how they approach it.

Official guidance from the College Board notes that preparing and practicing for an assessment can reduce test anxiety and increase confidence, not just knowledge — familiarity with content and format helps students feel more calm and capable.¹

Below are the top five reasons juniors delay prep, plus practical ideas to help students start without judgment:

1. Test Anxiety Can Be Real — and Normal

Even the organizations that create these exams recognize that students get nervous. The College Board, in partnership with the Jed Foundation, emphasizes that preparation helps reduce anxiety because it builds familiarity with content, pacing, and test structure — which in turn boosts confidence.²

What families can do:
Normalize anxiety. Let your student know it’s okay to feel nervous — and that starting with small, structured practice can help.

2. The Unknown Feels Bigger Than the Test Itself

Students often hesitate because they don’t know what to expect. One reason practice tests are so valuable is that they let students see the format and timing of the exam before the real thing.

According to ACT, being familiar with the assessment and its instructions tends to make students less anxious and more successful with thoughtful preparation.³

What families can do:
Encourage your student to take one practice test early — even if imperfect — just to demystify the experience. A full-length, low-pressure practice test can help students see what the exam actually looks like and make the process feel more manageable.
👉 Reserve a free ACT/SAT practice test

3. Busy Schedules Lead to “I’ll Start Tomorrow”

Juniors juggle academics, sports, jobs, and college planning. Without a plan, test prep can easily slide down the priority list.

Official guidance for educators points to structured planning and early awareness of timelines to support juniors in staying on track.¹

What families can do:
Help your student map out small, manageable chunks of prep over time so it doesn’t feel like a huge burden.

4. Fear of Feedback Delays Starting

Some students worry that early practice will show weaknesses, and that can feel discouraging. But thoughtful practice isn’t about judgment — it’s about understanding where you are and what to focus on next.

Both ACT and SAT practice resources are built to help students identify strengths and areas for improvement.⁴

What families can do:
Emphasize that early practice is information, not a final verdict — and that improvement comes from clarity, not avoidance.

5. Misunderstanding Prep as “All or Nothing”

Students sometimes think they need to study intensely for weeks before they can begin. Yet organizations like the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) stress that good performance comes from consistent preparation and engagement with material over time, rather than last-minute cramming.⁵

What families can do:
Encourage a balanced approach — regular, incremental practice is far more effective than marathon sessions.

A Supportive Next Step

If you know a junior feeling overwhelmed or stalled, one of the most helpful things they can do is take a full-length practice test in a low-pressure setting.

Seeing their current score and getting feedback makes the path forward clearer — and that clarity often reduces stress and boosts confidence.
👉 Reserve a Free Practice ACT/SAT + Score Consult

Please consider forwarding this post to any families or friends with juniors who might be feeling uncertain — you may help them take that first meaningful step toward success.

Flying Colors Prep

Sources & Links

¹ College Board — SAT Suite of Assessments
Practice, preparation, and confidence
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/practice-preparation

² College Board & Jed Foundation
Reducing test anxiety through preparation
https://jedfoundation.org/college-board-jed-partner-to-create-a-test-anxiety-toolkit/ 

³ ACT
Familiarity with test format and instructions
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation.html

⁴ ACT
Practice tools and score improvement resources
https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/act-online-prep.html

⁵ National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
College advice for students
https://www.nacacnet.org/student/ 

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing the Minneapolis movie premiere of “Her Fight, His Name: The Story of Gwen Carr and Eric Garner” at the Edina Theater. As you may recall, Eric Garner was killed by the NYPD on Staten Island in 2014.  The documentary, which was part of the Minneapolis Film Festival, tells the story of Gwen Carr, Eric’s mother, and her yearslong fight for justice for her son.  While the documentary, which was exceptionally well done, would be remarkable to me in any context, the reason I was there is that the filmmaker was Flying Colors’ very own Jered Everson, part of our elite corps of math and science instructors. 

I remember meeting Jered nearly three years ago, when he met me at Flying Colors’ Edina office.  A graduate of Columbia University, Jered had been working as a healthcare consultant who decided to leave consulting and pursue his passion project, which was this film.  A remarkable math student (he took Calculus BC as an eighth grader), Jered has been able to help countless Flying Colors’ students with all levels of math as well as providing instruction for the ACT and SAT math and science sections.  In his own words, “Beyond a commitment to content mastery, he prioritizes emotional awareness, relationship-building, and a personalized approach in his teaching methodology.”

As the founder of Flying Colors Prep, I am grateful that Jered, a three-time Emmy winner (!!!) who has been a key part of our instructor team since 2022, is just one of nearly 50 extraordinary individuals who make up our unmatched instructor team.  Learn more about Flying Colors instructor team by clicking here.

You can stream Jered’s documentary by clicking here.

Ron Michalak
Founder, Flying Colors Prep

With September’s debut of the new, enhanced ACT on paper, the ACT is fully committing to its shorter exam that makes science optional and eliminates 44 questions from its “classic” exam.  To encourage students to embrace the new format, ACT is piloting a “bring your own device” program at several area high schools, where it will begin to test its ability to offer digital testing on a large scale format. While the digital SAT has already been warmly received by students across the U.S., with SAT test-takers outnumbering ACT test-takers by a 2:1 margin, the digital ACT exam has not been widely available in Minnesota, and many families have reported issues finding test sites with availability. 

In October, Academy of Holy Angels, Minnetonka HS and Sartell HS will offer the “bring your own device” option, though the Holy Angels site is already full.  In December, in addition to Minnetonka and Sartell, Lakeville and Delano High Schools will also offer the digital test.

Does digital ACT testing make sense for your student?  Flying Colors has prepared a chart, below, that compares the ACT’s digital test to the SAT’s digital exam, and can provide some context for parents and test-takers.

Access to digital versions of both the ACT and the SAT has been challenging in Minnesota, so Flying Colors encourages parents and student to plan ahead and register early to ensure access to the exam(s) of your choice.  We are also recommending for students targeting the ACT that they choose to take the test on paper, as there is very little practice content available in a digital format, while a reasonable amount of material is available on paper.  Please click here to register for an ACT, and here to register for an SAT.

Key Takeaways:

• In response to an increasingly challenging landscape, the ACT launched the “enhanced” ACT in April of this year.  The new exam aims to modernize the test and better complete with the all-digital SAT  
• The new test is shorter in length, has fewer questions, makes science an optional section, and is also available in a digital format (which is NOT widely available) 
• Content and question styles remain largely unchanged, but fewer questions mean more weight per question 
• Data from the ACT indicates that scoring between the “legacy” ACT and the “enhanced” ACT should be consistent, meaning that a student scoring a 26 on the legacy ACT will likely score a 26 on the new test.

Over the past month, Flying Colors’ instructors were able to test drive the ACT’s recently released practice tests for the enhanced exam and were pleased to find that the ACT’s content and question style was largely unchanged. Though there were fewer questions overall, the questions themselves, their primary focus, and the material they covered were all very similar to what is currently found on the ACT. 

The biggest differences between the current ACT and the new ACT were more related to proportions of question types. Within the English section, the ACT now has fewer questions focused on rules of grammar and proportionately more “rhetorical skills” questions, which typically deal with the expression of ideas and clarity of language. Math seemed to include more questions focused on algebra I and II, geometry, and statistics and probability. The reading test seemed to be the least changed, as that test continues to offer four passages, though each passage now has only nine related questions versus the traditional ten.  Similarly, science remained largely unchanged, though students now have 40 minutes to answer 40 questions. 

For Flying Colors, all of this suggests that students preparing for the current version of the ACT should be well versed in the types of questions and content observed on the new exam.

Interestingly, it will likely be what test-takers cannot observe that may shape up to be the biggest difference between the two tests.  Unlike the traditional, legacy ACT, which featured a fifth section in which the ACT “tested” questions for future exams, the enhanced ACT will now include up to 10 “experimental” or “field test” questions in a given section that will NOT count, but will be used by the ACT to test question “reliability and validity”. The English test will include 10 such questions, the math section four such questions, reading will have nine and science six.

Given this, students will be able to make far fewer mistakes in order to earn the same score.  The most glaring example of this is in English, where the student’s performance will be measured by just 40 questions (versus the current 75) due to the combination of a reduced number of questions AND the introduction of ten experimental questions.  

Students who have practiced on the legacy ACT should expect to see fewer easier questions on the enhanced ACT, particularly in English and math.  In math, which is the only section of the test  presented in a loose order of difficulty, i.e., from relatively easy to challenging, students should expect to see more challenging questions much sooner, though the loose order of difficulty remains.  

In terms of timing and pace, though the ACT has made a big deal about offering students more time per question, most students will feel much of a difference.  On average, across the test, students will be afforded about 6-7 seconds more per problem (six seconds more per problem in English and math, 14 seconds more per problem in reading, and seven seconds more in science), but most students are not likely to feel any less time constrained when taking the new ACT.

In summary, the ACT’s new enhanced exam has been introduced in an effort to keep pace with the changing world of standardized testing.  The move to add digital testing coupled with making its exam shorter can be seen as the ACT’s effort to evolve its test and to keep up with the SAT. It remains to be seen how students will respond to these changes, how similarly they will score between legacy tests and the new enhanced tests, and if the SAT continues to attract increasing numbers of students to its exam.

Flying Colors will continue to monitor developments in the standardized testing space, and will use this newsletter to keep you apprised.  To subscribe to our newsletter, please click here.