Expert tips, strategies, and insights to help you succeed in academy entrance exams and beyond.
Explore Articles
The VBCPS IB Admissions Entrance Exam at Princess Anne High School tests analytical reasoning and essay writing — and most students walk in without knowing what to expect. This guide covers exactly what is on the exam, who must take it, and how to build a 10-week prep plan before the January test date.
Rangel Young Women's Leadership School admissions is a five-gate process — and most families only prep for one gate. This guide covers every requirement, from STAAR eligibility screening to the on-campus math test, writing assessment, and interview, with a prep timeline built around the November–January Dallas ISD application window.
The HCPS Specialty Center Assessment is a three-hour, three-section test standing between your child and one of Virginia's most selective magnet programs. This guide covers every scored section of the Henrico County Specialty Center test — math, reading, writing, and the CMS-specific data task — with a realistic study timeline and targeted practice strategies. Godwin's Center for Medical Sciences accepts fewer than 1 in 10 applicants, so preparation has to start early and go deep.
The Creighton Prep HSPT is the single most important test your son will take in 8th grade. It is not just an admissions hurdle — it determines whether he earns one of 30 merit scholarships, and it decides which freshman courses he lands in on the first day of class. I've worked with students who walked into this exam underprepared because nobody told them how much the Quantitative Skills section specifically shapes their future at Prep. This guide covers the January exam date, the scholarship competition, honest score benchmarks for Omaha applicants, and exactly how to train for the sections that matter most.
The Governor's STEM Academy at RTC Evaluation Day includes a timed, in-person writing sample scored double-blind — and most 8th graders have never practiced writing under those conditions. This guide explains exactly what happens on Evaluation Day, how the composite score works, and five strategies to sharpen your child's timed writing before the December application deadline.
If your Richmond-area 8th grader is applying to the Center for Engineering at Highland Springs High School, the HCPS Specialty Center Assessment is the first major hurdle — and almost no outside prep exists for it. This guide covers every section of the three-hour test, the CFE interest essay, and exactly how to build a prep plan starting in August.
Franklin Military Academy admissions requires an in-person written essay and oral interview — both scored on the same evaluation day. This guide explains exactly what each component measures, how RPS weighs your child's composite score, and the step-by-step prep plan Richmond families need before the December application deadline.
The Buffalo Public Schools Olmsted & City Honors Admissions/Placement Test determines entry to two of Buffalo's most competitive gifted programs — and most families don't know what's actually on it. This guide covers every section of the test, the full 2026–2027 application timeline, and the most effective prep strategies available for PS 156 Olmsted and City Honors applicants.
Episcopal School of Jacksonville admissions requires the ISEE — but most Jacksonville families prep only for the math sections and overlook the essay that ESJ's committee reads closely. This guide covers ISEE stanine targets, the SSAT fallback, STEM critical thinking prep, and the full ESJ admissions timeline so your family is ready before the January 30 deadline.
Early College High School at Nashville State lets Nashville 8th graders earn a free associate degree in four years — but first they must clear the MNPS combined stanine threshold. This post explains exactly what stanine scores qualify, which tests count, and how to prepare before the January 2027 application window opens.