Blog

Is the National Merit Scholarship Worth It? An NJ Tutor’s Honest Take

QUICK ANSWER For a strong New Jersey junior, National Merit is usually worth pursuing. Recognition can unlock full-tuition and large

  • September 8, 2026

Digital PSAT vs SAT: What’s Actually Different in 2026?

QUICK ANSWER The digital PSAT/NMSQT and the digital SAT are nearly identical. Both are section-adaptive tests taken on Bluebook, both

  • September 4, 2026

When to Start PSAT Prep: Sophomore vs Junior Year (NJ 2026)

QUICK ANSWER Only the junior-year PSAT/NMSQT counts for National Merit; the sophomore PSAT 10 is practice. That makes the fall

  • September 1, 2026

PSAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing: How to Raise the Score That Counts Double

QUICK ANSWER On the digital PSAT, the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section is 54 questions in 64 minutes, scored 160

  • August 29, 2026

PSAT to National Merit: What Score Does an NJ Junior Need in 2026?

QUICK ANSWER For the Class of 2026, New Jersey’s National Merit Semifinalist cutoff was a Selection Index of 225, one

  • August 26, 2026

How Long Should a College Essay Be? Common App vs Supplemental Word Counts

QUICK ANSWER The Common Application personal essay must be 250 to 650 words, a limit unchanged since 2015. Most strong

  • August 1, 2026