We received this email from a Sparkler who needs some advice on how to study for the SAT and ACT:

I am in eleventh grade and have taken the ACT and SAT at least once each. I did not know until a week or so ago that people studied for these tests! I was always told that you couldn't study for them. (My counselor is not so good and my parents don't know much about this sort of thing.) I have gone onto the respective websites and done practice questions/tests, but I don't know what else I should be doing to prepare. My friend was memorizing formulas and looking at definitions for words and I have a working knowledge of formulas, but should I be committing certain graphs/triangles/formulas/sciencey stuff to memory? My weak points are Science/Math for the ACT and Math on the SAT. Another thing, I am not at liberty to just go out and buy fancy cards and test prep books ( which is what my friend was using). HELP! I just want to go to college!