Peter Peng

SAT & ACT Reading: How to Read What You Don’t Understand

I was re-watching one of my favorite movies tonight. Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino. I love the scene where Samuel L. Jackson’s character goes ape-crazy, pulls out his gun, and screams at the man he’s about to execute, “English, mofo. Do you speak it?!” That’s got to be one of the greatest catchphrases in cinema history. Now, it’s understandable that a man with a gun to his head can only manage some incoherent mumbling. But if you’re reading this, then […]

SAT & ACT Reading: How to Read What You Don’t Understand Read More »

What a Harvard/MIT Alum Says About “Your Best Application”

College Admissions

Today’s insight comes from a very special place dear to me heart…Cambridge, Massachusetts! And I’m not saying just that because it’s home to Harvard. I mean…*cough cough* c’mon, there’s a reason I still wear this shirt to this day, right??! Just kidding. The only piece of Brown apparel I’ve ever bought was an umbrella because it was raining hard, and I was trying to be a gentleman to the girl I was bringing to the Senior Gala. Well, that and the $125

What a Harvard/MIT Alum Says About “Your Best Application” Read More »

2X Your Grammar Speed & Accuracy by Anticipating the Answers

SAT Writing, ACT English

Have you been using my Professor X technique for the SAT Reading section? You should. Basically, you predict the answer before you look at the answer choices. This works almost supernaturally well because it allows you to lock in on the right choice without getting distracted by any of the competing choices, each of which are designed to sound appealing. We can use a similar technique for the SAT Writing or ACT English section. Now, being able to implement this

2X Your Grammar Speed & Accuracy by Anticipating the Answers Read More »

First Full-Length New PSAT Math: Post-Mortem

SAT Math

In the last few days, I’ve given you a first look at the new PSAT, the most radical change to the test in about a decade. Today’s post is the last of this series. If you missed anything, check it all out here: Part 1: New PSAT General Impressions Part 2: New PSAT Reading Part 3: New PSAT Writing & Language Part 4: New PSAT Math (this is the current post) Let’s dive right in. Okay, I’m not a math guy

First Full-Length New PSAT Math: Post-Mortem Read More »

First Full-Length PSAT Writing Test: Post-Mortem

SAT Writing

Today, we’re continuing my short series on the recently released official new PSAT, which is slotted to roll out in late 2015. In Part 1, I unveiled my general impressions about the test. In Part 2, I explored the new reading section in-depth. Now, we’re onto Part 3: Writing and Language (basically grammar and rhetoric). This new PSAT section is straight up the ACT English section now! The SAT ripped off the ACT, down to the very format! There may

First Full-Length PSAT Writing Test: Post-Mortem Read More »

How to Eliminate All Grammar Doubt

SAT Writing, ACT English

For humans, speech is an innate ability. It’s really quite amazing how a baby learns to speak. No one teaches an infant, at least not in the way of specific grammar and syntax rules (yet isn’t it strange that the latter is exactly how we learn foreign languages in high school?). A baby just naturally picks language up by being around it, listening without any particular agenda to speech. But beyond a certain phase in our brain development, we lose that

How to Eliminate All Grammar Doubt Read More »