If you'd like to get in some extra exam practice before sharpening your No. 2 pencil for the real deal, check out the resources at 4Tests.com. The website, which is partners with Barrons Education, features full-length practice exams for both the SAT and the ACT. If you're not interested in completing a full exam, you can customize the test by selecting the sections you wish to include. 4Tests.com also offers free tutorials on SAT-related areas, such as diction and speed reading.

Plan on taking an Advanced Placement test? Brush up on the essentials with 4Tests.com's practice versions of the biology, chemistry, and U.S. history AP tests. Considering graduate school? Choose from LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, or GRE practice tests. You can even study for your PSAT or your GED. Check out the website for the full library of tests and let us know in the comments about other free online resources you've come across!

For more test prep resources, check out the entire Exam Cram archive.

Bummed out by your SAT score? Good news, it's not the end of the world. The College Board, a once formidable institution, has begun to shown cracks in recent years. Critics have attacked the SAT's ability to predict future academic success as well as its overemphasis in college admissions. As a result, there's been a growing number of colleges switching to test-optional admissions requirements, which means that there are more opportunities for students who don't perform well on standardized tests. Though most institutions, including the Ivies, continue to require SAT or ACT scores, many highly regarded liberal arts colleges and private schools have joined the test-optional movement.

The National Center for Fair & Open Testing has a full list of schools that don't require the SAT or ACT. These are just a few we wanted to highlight:

Smith College- This women's college is one of the most respected liberal arts schools in America -- and one of the toughest to get into. Thankfully, they're no longer factoring the SAT into their admissions decisions, so poor test-takers stand a chance at experiencing world-class academics and one-on-one advising at this Northhampton, Massachusetts school. Known for its driven, passionate students, Smith guarantees each undergraduate at least one college-funded internship during their education. You can get a taste of life as a "Smithie" by reading these student blogs.

Pitzer College- One of the seven schools that make up the consortium known as the Claremont Colleges, Pitzer offers small class sizes and individualized attention while the consortium offers students the resources of a large university. An added benefit: students can also take classes or use facilities at the other four undergraduate schools. Known for its interdisciplinary focus and progressive, "alternative" curriculum, Pitzer has strong programs in psychology and media studies.

Wake Forest University- At the most elite of test-optional schools, undergraduates get a free laptop, a free printer, and Division I sports teams. Wake Forest University in North Carolina isn't an Ivy, but it ought to be. Ranked at #28 in the U.S. News and World Report college rankings, Wake Forest offers strong undergraduate programs in pre-med and business and also boasts an impressive study abroad program, in which half of undergraduates participate.

University of Iowa- This Big Ten college has more than athletics to boast about. It's home to 21 top-ten graduate programs (according to the most recent U.S. News and World Report) and the renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop, the first creative writing program of its kind.  A nationally ranked university, this public school also offers one of the best bangs you'll get for your buck in the Midwest.

Bowdoin College- Located in Brunswick, Maine, Bowdoin is a small but noteworthy institution with a commitment to diversity. Despite a modest endowment, it follows a "need-blind" admissions policy and is one of the few schools (among Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and others) with a "no-loans" policy. In 2008, the college announced that it would be replacing all loans with grants and stated that it would meet its students' full demonstrated need for all four years of their education. It's no surprise that the school is one of the most socioeconomically diverse liberal arts schools -- as well as one of the most prestigious.

Thought the SAT was tough? Be grateful you're not in China. Forbes recently translated the essay prompts from China's national college entrance exam, a high-stakes test that could offer students a spot at "a prestigious university or a major with good employment prospects -- or relegate them to staying behind in high school to retake the exam next year." The test comes in two versions (sciences or non-sciences) and covers Chinese, math, and foreign languages. Students choose the version they take based on the track they chose in high school.

The following essay prompts are translated from China's 2009 College Entrance Exam Nationwide:

Essay Prompt 1

The rabbit is the reigning champion sprinter of the small animal sports games, but he can’t swim. One time, the rabbit was chased by the wolf to a river and almost got caught. The Animal Management Bureau wants small animals to develop in a well-rounded way, and sent the rabbit to a swim class. In the same class are the dog, the turtle, the squirrel, among others. The dog and the turtle learned how to swim, adding to their skills. They were very happy. The rabbit and the squirrel spent a long time learning but failed, and they were upset. The instructor, the wild duck, said “My two legs can swim, but your four legs can’t? Sweat makes up 90% of success! Go! Quack, quack!”

The analyst, the frog, let out a big sigh: “The rabbit’s forte is sprinting! Why do we only combat weaknesses but not develop strengths?” The intellectual, the crane, said: “Survival requires more skills than one! The rabbit can’t learn to swim, then he can learn to dig holes! The squirrel can’t learn to swim, then he can learn to climb trees!”

Please select a point of view and make clear your position. Choose your essay style and give your own title. Don’t stray from the provided material and its ideas. Don’t plagiarize.

Additional Essay Prompt For Beijing Test-Takers

There's a song that goes: "I have a pair of invisible wings / that let me fly, give me hope. / I have a pair of invisible wings / that let me fly, fly far away." Using "I have a pair of invisible wings" as your topic, write an essay of no less than 800 words. Select your own literary form, excluding poetry. [The lyrics are from the popular 2006 song, "Invisible Wings," by Taiwanese pop star Angela Chang.]

Wish that preparing for the SAT or ACT didn't require costly books and programs? Here are a few free options online: 

• MajorTests.com, which doesn't require sign-up (no usernames and passwords to remember!), features hundreds of practice questions and answer explanations. You won't be able to take a full-length test on the website, but you'll be able to perfect your strategy. Check out the especially helpful vocabulary lists which are downloadable.
• Test prep publishers also have some free online options. Peterson's offers full-length, timed practice tests, while Princeton Review sends out a "detailed score report analyzing your strengths and weaknesses" after you complete their online demo.
• Number2.com is a free test prep haven with a vocabulary builder, personal progress reports, and tutorials adjustable by skill level.

If you’ve ever dreamed of the SAT or ACT vanishing into thin air, you’ve got your wish . . . sort of. Many colleges and universities who believe that these standardized tests are not the best way to determine a student’s potential have voiced their opinions in a pretty big way: they are removing the SAT and ACT from their application requirements.

If you are a strong student but freak out when it comes to major tests, this is definitely a time to rejoice. In fact, you are the reason that more and more schools are moving towards making the SAT and ACT optional. These schools question the validity of standardized testing in assessing a student’s future success in college. When you think about it, it does make sense—how could a three-hour test possibly sum up all the skills you have learned during years of schooling? Critics of these tests also point out that standardized testing is prejudiced toward minority and economically disadvantaged students. Much has been said about establishing a test that will be a fairer assessment than what is currently in place with the College Board and the ACT.

Stop doing your happy dance for just a moment and check out this list of SAT-optional schools from Fair Test, an organization dedicated to creating fair and effective admissions standards. Pretty impressive, huh? There are dozens of small liberal arts colleges across the country that are shedding the SAT and abstaining from the ACT, but what’s really making people’s tongues wag is the fact that there are also more and more competitive schools that are appearing on the list, such as Bard College, College of the Holy Cross, and Bowdoin College.

Although the list of test-optional schools is getting longer each year, that doesn’t mean that you should burn your SAT or ACT practice books just yet. There are still plenty of schools—including the Ivies—that are not ready to budge on the testing issue. You may find that you’ll still have to take the SAT or ACT, but you’ll only have to submit scores to a few of the schools on your list. It’s enough to take a bit of the nervous edge away, now that you know there are colleges and universities out there that will look at you as a person and not just a verbal or math score.

You may resume your happy dance now.

 Image by dieselbug2007 and used under a Creative Commons license.