SAT Tips & Admissions News: Week of Oct 19

October 19, 2026

This week’s most-shared SAT strategies — protect-your-routing for the adaptive test, plug-and-check math, and making Desmos do the algebra — plus the week’s college admissions headlines: a new Kaplan survey on test requirements, Columbia closing the book on test-optional, and the 2027–28 FAFSA now open. Every tip below is rewritten from a trending post and checked against how the Digital SAT actually works.

Trending SAT tips

1. Protect your routing: Module 1 decides your ceiling

The Digital SAT is adaptive — how you do in Module 1 decides whether Module 2 is the easier or the harder one, and the hard Module 2 is where the highest score bands live. Trending coaches are calling this “protect your routing”: treat Module 1 like a minefield. Double-check math with Desmos, don’t trust answers that merely “sound right” in Reading & Writing (follow the grammar rules instead), and don’t rush the early section.

Why it works: accuracy early routes you to the questions worth the most. A careless miss in Module 1 can cap your score before Module 2 even starts, and no amount of brilliance later fully recovers it. (Spotted on Instagram, via @mobinsatprep.)

2. Plug the answers back in instead of solving from scratch

When a math question gives you answer choices — even ones containing variables — try testing each choice in the equation rather than working through the algebra. You can also substitute easy numbers like 2 or 10 for a variable to see which choice holds up.

Why it works: the choices are designed so that substitution quickly exposes wrong options, and you sidestep the slip-ups that come with long algebra chains. It’s faster and measurably more accurate for many students. (Spotted on Instagram, via @tori.studyhall.)

3. Let Desmos do the heavy lifting

The built-in Desmos graphing calculator in Bluebook is more powerful than most students use. For equations with unknown constants, type both sides into Desmos and let it solve for you; for number-of-solutions questions, remember the discriminant rule (positive = two real solutions, zero = one, negative = none); for circle equations through several points, enter the points and run a regression to find the coefficients.

Why it works: the calculator is part of the official test interface, so these aren’t hacks — they’re the intended tools. Graphing and regression convert symbolic grunt work into a few clicks with far fewer sign errors. (Spotted on Instagram, via @satwithsoph.)

4. Read the question before the passage

On Reading & Writing, read the question first, then go to the text. You’ll know exactly which claim, line, or data point to hunt for instead of reading the whole passage and then reading it again.

Why it works: SAT passages are short and every question is evidence-based. Question-first reading turns skimming into targeted searching, which saves time and cuts down on the second-guessing that burns minutes. (Spotted on Instagram, via @brainblastsat.)

5. Eliminate like a detective

Top scorers don’t just look for the right answer — they cross out the wrong ones. Trap answers usually have a tell: they’re too extreme, they drift off-topic, or they’re only half-right (true statement, wrong conclusion). Every elimination improves your odds.

Why it works: the SAT deliberately writes choices that look right at a glance. Training yourself to name why each wrong answer is wrong makes the patterns visible, and even on a 50/50 guess you’ve doubled your odds. (Spotted on Instagram, via @brainblastsat.)

6. Log your mistakes by cause, not just by count

When you review a practice test, don’t just count wrong answers — tag each one: content gap, misread question, or time pressure. Then drill the cause. A second full practice test a few days later, followed by focused work on your weakest causes, beats grinding more questions blindly.

Why it works: repeating practice without fixing the underlying cause barely moves scores. One runner-up pattern from trending study plans: baseline mock → fundamentals on your weakest topics → error analysis → timed drills. (Spotted on Instagram, via @shveta_unibridges.)

Admissions & college news

Kaplan: more test-optional schools may bring back score requirements

A Kaplan survey of 212 admissions officers, released October 7, found that 16% of test-optional schools are considering or will definitely reinstate SAT or ACT requirements — roughly double last year’s figure. Sixty-four percent of officers at test-optional schools say a strong score already helps an applicant’s chances, and 90% expect this cycle to be at least as competitive as last year. The takeaway for students: even where scores are “optional,” a good one increasingly isn’t. (CollegeHelpGuide)

Columbia was the last Ivy to end test-optional — now the whole league requires scores

Columbia University announced in June 2026 that it will require SAT or ACT scores starting with the 2027–28 cycle (fall 2028 entry), with a hardship waiver available. It was the last Ivy League school still test-optional, so the reversal completes the league-wide return to testing. A running list checked against schools’ admissions sites in October 2026 counts 72 colleges and university systems requiring the SAT or ACT in some form for students entering fall 2027 — including six of eight Ivies, MIT, Stanford, and all 12 Florida public universities. (Straight News; The College Investor)

ACT data: retesting pays off

The testing organization behind the ACT released analysis showing that about a third of test-takers sat the exam twice, raising their score by an average of 1.1 points. If you’re sitting just below a target band, a funded retake is statistically worth it. (Expert Admissions)

Admissions leaders warn against AI-written supplemental essays

A panel of college admissions leaders recently advised students not to use AI to write supplemental essays. Some staff run submissions through AI detection programs — and because those are unreliable, staff also feed their own prompts into AI generators to learn the telltale language patterns. Write them yourself. (Expert Admissions)

Penn State reviews 47 programs for possible elimination

A university-wide review of 403 associate’s and bachelor’s programs at Penn State has recommended eliminating 47 of them. A faculty senate will review the recommendations, with the provost making the final call. If Penn State is on your list, check that your intended major isn’t affected. (Expert Admissions)

Deadlines to know

• November 7 SAT — regular registration closes October 23 (11:59 p.m. ET); late registration runs to October 27 with an extra fee. (College Board)
• October 3 SAT scores were released October 16 — check your College Board account.
• 2027–28 FAFSA is open now — it launched September 23, a week ahead of the statutory October 1 date. It uses your 2025 tax return; the federal deadline is June 30, 2028, but many colleges and states set priority deadlines as early as January, and some aid is first come, first served. (Student Life Online)

How we pick these

Each week we scan trending SAT posts on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook, ranked by engagement, plus college admissions coverage from the past two to three weeks. We keep only tips that are correct for the Digital SAT and news we can verify with a reputable source — no filler, rumors, or paywalled-only stories. Every tip above is rewritten in our own words; links go to the original posts and reporting so you can check them yourself.