Mindful Solutions Consulting

06/01/2026

Hmmmmm. Big changes afoot..

As my fellow tutor colleague David Blobaum analyzes in this blog: Tulane's changes (renewed emphasis on the SAT/ACT, explicitly mentioning that the school values AP exam scores, and dropping its "why Tulane" essay) might be harbingers of things to come at other universities.

Add to that the UCSD report on unprepared students, the letter from UC professors to the UC Regents urging the UC schools to go back to test-required admissions (at least for STEM majors), and other changes (such as Harvard capping A-grades, etc), and it feels like we might be at a turning point. I am optimistic that we might be.

Thoughts?

https://summitprep.com/blog/changes-to-college-admissions/?fbclid=IwZnRzaASJ2FRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEezZG09r18u8cTFYQj1xMEWjnUynZI0E_D7cdjFBCs1Y2vDEd1V8KPaEp6DkI_aem_zLLJnluOjTCzr69oJi_ZGA

Test-optional is fading. Essays are out. AP scores are in. Here's what's driving the biggest shift in college admissions since Covid.

05/18/2026

For those in the Memphis area—

High-impact 15-Hour Intensive ACT workshop designed to strengthen skills, improve timing, and raise scores across each section of the exam. This five-day intensive combines expert instruction, current ACT strategies, targeted content review, and realistic practice to help students approach test day with greater accuracy, speed, and confidence.

IDEAL FOR—

✅ Students preparing for upcoming ACT test dates.

✅ Students seeking score improvement in one or more sections.

✅ First-time ACT test takers wanting a strong foundation.

✅ Students needing help with timing, pacing, or test anxiety.

✅ College-bound students aiming for competitive scores.

By the end of the workshop, students will leave with stronger content knowledge, improved test-taking strategies, and a clear understanding of how to approach the ACT efficiently and effectively.

🔹 Call or email April Stockley at 985-227-2584 or [email protected] to REGISTER. There are only ten spots for each workshop to ensure personalized feedback.

05/15/2026

Ugh.

The spring school district testing was ACT’s first use of the enhanced format that included field test questions imbedded into the exam that are not supposed to count in scoring.

Previous exams ONLINE for the Saturday tests were already showing a slight discrepancy between paper and online, caught by tutors in my NTPA professional group.

Am I shocked that ACT made some scoring error(s) for this inaugural debut? Not really. We have seen similar issues by SAT and College Board.

What DOES need to be checked is a rescore of ALL spring school/district tests REGARDLESS of paper or online version.

Why?

The scoring scales have proven to be the SAME.

I have multiple test prep students who took both paper and online versions of the spring district exams. When comparing scores for both against Saturday scoring and paper versus online, one glaring item kept popping: READING scores.

Online AND paper district scoring scales:
-8 is a 25.

Regular Saturday exams (Oct, April, December, February): -8 is either a 28 or a 29.
NEVER a 25. Too low.
There is no universe that is statistically a probability.

So not shocked the test is being rescored. HOWEVER— to be fair that scoring is correct, ACT needs to rescore ALL spring tests for any discrepancies in their scoring formulas.
For online AND FOR PAPER.

Hopefully, they do the right thing or some family sues.

Here is the USA Today feature on the scoring mishap. Additional insights are below in the comments.

(Also— if you are using a private tutor who does not even know anything about this and had no idea there was an issue to begin with, you are using someone who knows little about the nee enhanced exam. Stay away.)

nn

The standardized testing issue affected students who took the ACT online in the spring during the school day.

05/13/2026

The following may or may not impact your student. Check your email registered with ACT and check with your MyACT.org account.

05/04/2026

These are definitely the tests you want to be taking!!!

Why? The MAK. You get your Scranton and key back. THEN… you can share the scantron with me to receive a professionally analyzed test report that break down every skill, every question, and exactly what needs to be worked on to increase your next score.

05/04/2026

ACT Registration is now open for the following advanced test dates…

Also— register very soon for any summer ACTs in June and July. Seats are limited over the summer dates and fill up very quickly.

05/04/2026

LOTS of various questions utilizing substitutions on the new ACT math portion.

Oh look, another 👀 Can you solve this one?

05/02/2026

June has a released key and test.

Don’t sit this out if you can help it.

This only happens three times a year (April, June, October) and is extremely helpful to students’ study for future exams.

Dates are fast approaching for registration and seats are generally very limited for summer ACT dates which already fill quickly.

Spots are filling up fast. Save their seat and register today.

04/30/2026

The confusion continues: what do we do with ACT science? Does it count.

That depends… take a look as the author works to find some clarity (and provides data).

And https://www.compassprep.com/new-act-policies/

Will schools require students to take the ACT science section after it goes optional? The answer to this and other relevant ACT questions...