Master Essay Writing & STEM Critical Thinking

School Prep Guides

June 26, 2026 10 min read

Hunter College High School Entrance Exam 2026-2027: New ISEE Format, STEM Critical Thinking Tips & How to Prepare

The Hunter College High School entrance exam changed significantly in January 2026, adding ISEE-licensed Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics Achievement sections. This guide covers what changed, who qualifies, how the two-stage scoring works, and how to build a 16-week STEM critical thinking and essay prep plan for your 6th grader.

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School Prep Guides

June 26, 2026 9 min read

LAUSD IHP Critical Thinking Skills: What They Are and How to Practice Them

The Mark Twain IHP Interdisciplinary Assessment tests four specific critical thinking and problem-solving skills — and no published practice tests exist for it. This post breaks down each skill with student-facing examples and gives you a concrete prep plan tied to the actual IHP eligibility criteria LAUSD evaluators use.

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School Prep Guides

June 25, 2026 10 min read

How to Get Into HSAS-Lehman in 2026: SHSAT Score Targets, Cutoffs & Prep Plan

The 2025 HSAS-Lehman cutoff was approximately 504 — but with only 104 seats and a computer-adaptive SHSAT format anticipated for 2026, your child needs a sharper target and a smarter prep plan. This guide gives you exact score benchmarks, registration deadlines, and a STEM critical thinking practice strategy built specifically for High School of American Studies admissions.

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School Prep Guides

June 25, 2026 10 min read

How to Get Into Highland School of Technology: EOG Scores, Lottery Requirements & Test Prep Guide (2027)

Highland School of Technology selects just 145 freshmen by lottery — but first, your child must hit NC EOG Level III or higher on both Math and Reading. This guide explains exactly what that means, who qualifies, and how to prepare starting in 7th grade.

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School Prep Guides

June 24, 2026 11 min read

How to Get Into HSMSE in 2026: SHSAT Score Targets, Cutoffs, and STEM Prep Strategy

Getting into the High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at City College means beating a 526+ SHSAT cutoff for roughly 140 seats. This guide covers the 2026 adaptive SHSAT format, HSMSE-specific score targets, and how STEM critical thinking practice raises your composite. If your child is in 7th or 8th grade, the prep decisions you make right now are the ones that matter.

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School Prep Guides

June 24, 2026 10 min read

How to Get Into Carver Engineering and Science: PSSA Scores, TerraNova, and What Philadelphia Parents Need to Know (2026–27)

Getting into George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science starts with one number: your child's PSSA percentile. This guide covers every Carver admissions requirement — test scores, grades, attendance, lottery mechanics, and accepted alternatives for private and homeschool students — in one place.

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School Prep Guides

June 23, 2026 9 min read

How to Prepare for the Carver Center IT/IMP Admissions Assessment (2026-2027 Guide)

The Carver Center IT/IMP admissions assessment has more moving parts than most Baltimore County families expect — a pre-made brochure, an on-site math test, a practical drawing, and a 70-question centralized test with a 30-question Critical Thinking section. This guide covers every component with a concrete prep plan for the January 2026 dates.

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School Prep Guides

June 23, 2026 9 min read

GCISD ASPIRE Academy Test Prep Guide (2026): What Every Parent Needs to Know

GCISD ASPIRE Academy for the Highly Gifted uses a four-component admissions battery — and most families don't know where to start preparing. This guide covers every measure, the 99th-percentile score threshold, key testing deadlines, and the exact practice resources that target ASPIRE's critical and creative thinking component.

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School Prep Guides

June 22, 2026 9 min read

How to Ace the Francis Parker School Student Writing Assessment (ISEE Essay) in 30 Minutes

Francis Parker School requires both the unscored ISEE essay and its own Student Writing Assessment — two timed writing challenges most San Diego applicants underprepare for. This post teaches a 30-minute argument framework, section-by-section ISEE score targets, and a prep timeline built around Parker's February 1 priority deadline.

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School Prep Guides

June 22, 2026 8 min read

Francis W. Parker School Essay Tips: How to Ace the ISEE Writing Section and Student Writing Assessment (2026)

Parker admits only 25–30 new 9th graders each year, and two separate timed writing challenges stand between your child and one of those seats. This post breaks down the unscored ISEE essay, Parker's own Student Writing Assessment, and exactly how to prepare for both.

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