Plain-English answers to the questions parents of teens ask most, from PSAT scores to test dates to which colleges want what. Written by the Forte College Prep team in Richmond.
If your teen is starting to plan for college testing, you've probably heard the question: SAT or ACT? Both tests have changed a lot in the past few years. The SAT went fully digital, and the ACT got shorter and made its Science section optional. Here's what each test looks like now and how to choose.
"What SAT score does my teen need for UVA?" is one of the most common questions we hear from Richmond parents. The honest answer is that there's no cutoff, but every college publishes the scores of the students it enrolls. Those numbers tell you a lot.
Picking an SAT date sounds simple until you're counting backward from application deadlines, sports seasons, and AP exams. This guide lists every remaining SAT date for the 2026–27 school year and shows which ones make sense for your teen's grade.
