Saladin, Hero of Islam Profile

Saladin, Hero of Islam Profile Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria, watched as his men finally breached the walls of Jerusalem and poured into the city full of European Crusaders and their followers. Eighty-eight years earlier, when the Christians had taken the city, they massacred the Muslim and Jewish inhabitants. Raymond of Aguilers boasted, In the Temple and the porch of Solomon, men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins. Saladin, however, was both more merciful and more chivalrous that Europes knights; when he recaptured the city, he ordered his men to spare the Christian non-combatants of Jerusalem. At a time when the nobility of Europe believed that they held a monopoly on chivalry, and on Gods favor, the great Muslim ruler Saladin proved himself more compassionate and courtly than his Christian opponents. More than 800 years later, he is remembered with respect in the west, and revered in the Islamic world. Early Life: In 1138, a baby boy named Yusuf was born to a Kurdish family of Armenian descent living in Tikrit, Iraq. The babys father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub, served as the castellan of Tikrit under the Seljuk administrator Bihruz; there is no record of the boys mothers name or identity. The boy who would become Saladin seemed to have been born under a bad star. At the time of his birth, his hot-blooded uncle Shirkuh killed the commander of the castle guard over a woman, and Bihruz banished the entire family from the city in disgrace. The babys name comes from the Prophet Joseph, an unlucky figure, whose half-brothers sold him into slavery. After their expulsion from Tikrit, the family moved to the Silk Road trading city of Mosul. There, Najm ad-Din Ayyub and Shirkuh served Imad ad-Din Zengi, the famous anti-Crusader ruler and founder of the Zengid Dynasty. Later, Saladin would spend his adolescence in Damascus, Syria, one of the great cities of the Islamic world. The boy reportedly was physically slight, studious and quiet. Saladin Goes to War After attending a military training academy, the 26-year-old Saladin accompanied his uncle Shirkuh on an expedition to restore Fatimid power in Egypt in 1163. Shirkuh successfully reinstalled the Fatimid vizier, Shawar, who then demanded that Shirkuhs troops withdraw. Shirkuh refused; in the ensuing fight, Shawar allied himself with European Crusaders, but Shirkuh, ably assisted by Saladin, managed to defeat the Egyptian and European armies at Bilbays. Shirkuh then withdrew the main body of his army from Egypt, in accordance with a peace treaty. (Amalric and the Crusaders also withdrew, since the ruler of Syria had attacked the Crusader States in Palestine during their absence.) In 1167, Shirkuh and Saladin once again invaded, intent on deposing Shawar. Once again, Shawar called on Amalric for assistance. Shirkuh withdrew from his base in Alexander, leaving Saladin and a small force to defend the city. Besieged, Saladin managed to protect the city and provide for its citizens despite his uncles refusal to attack the surrounding Crusader/Egyptian army from behind. After paying restitution, Saladin left the city to the Crusaders. The following year, Amalric betrayed Shawar and attacked Egypt in his own name, slaughtering the people of Bilbays. He then marched on Cairo. Shirkuh jumped into the fray once again, recruiting the reluctant Saladin to come with him. The 1168 campaign proved decisive; Amalric withdrew from Egypt when he heard that Shirkuh was approaching, but Shirkuh entered Cairo and took control of the city early in 1169. Saladin arrested the vizier Shawar, and Shirkuh had him executed. Taking Egypt Nur al-Din appointed Shirkuh as the new vizier of Egypt. A short time later, however, Shirkuh died after a feast, and Saladin succeeded his uncle as vizier on March 26, 1169. Nur al-Din hoped that together, they could crush the Crusader States that lay between Egypt and Syria. Saladin spent the first two years of his rule consolidating control over Egypt. After uncovering an assassination plot against him among the black Fatimid troops, he disbanded the African units (50,000 troops) and relied instead upon Syrian soldiers. Saladin also brought members of his family into his government, including his father. Although Nur al-Din knew and trusted Saladins father, he viewed this ambitious young vizier with increasing distrust. Meanwhile, Saladin attacked the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, crushed the city of Gaza, and captured the Crusader castle at Eilat as well as the key town of Ayla in 1170. In 1171, he began to march on the famous castle-city of Karak, where he was supposed to join Nur al-Din in attacking the strategic Crusader fortress, but withdrew when his father passed away back in Cairo. Nur al-Din was furious, rightly suspecting that Saladins loyalty to him was in question. Saladin abolished the Fatimid caliphate, taking power over Egypt in his own name as the founder of the Ayubbid Dynasty in 1171, and reimposing Sunni religious worship instead of Fatimid-style Shiism. Capture of Syria In 1173-4, Saladin pushed his borders west into what is now Libya, and southeast as far as Yemen. He also cut back payments to Nur al-Din, his nominal ruler. Frustrated, Nur al-Din decided to invade Egypt and install a more loyal underling as vizier, but he suddenly died early in 1174. Saladin immediately capitalized on Nur al-Dins death by marching to Damascus and taking control of Syria. The Arab and Kurdish citizens of Syria reportedly welcomed him joyfully into their cities. However, the ruler of Aleppo held out and refused to acknowledge Saladin as his sultan. Instead, he appealed to Rashid ad-Din, head of the Assassins, to kill Saladin. Thirteen Assassins stole into Saladins camp, but they were detected and killed. Aleppo refused to accept Ayubbid rule until 1183, nonetheless. Fighting the Assassins In 1175, Saladin declared himself king (malik), and the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad confirmed him as sultan of Egypt and Syria. Saladin thwarted another Assassin attack, waking and catching the knife-mans hand as he stabbed down towards the half-asleep sultan. After this second, and much closer, threat to his life, Saladin became so wary of assassination that he had chalk powder spread around his tent during military campaigns so that any stray footprints would be visible. In August of 1176, Saladin decided to lay siege to the Assassins mountain strongholds. One night during this campaign, he awoke to find a poisoned dagger beside his bed. Stuck to the dagger was a note promising that he would be killed if he did not withdraw. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Saladin not only lifted his siege, but also offered an alliance to the Assassins (in part, to prevent the Crusaders from making their own alliance with them). Attacking Palestine In 1177, the Crusaders broke their truce with Saladin, raiding toward Damascus. Saladin, who was in Cairo at the time, marched with an army of 26,000 into Palestine, taking the city of Ascalon and getting as far as the gates of Jerusalem in November. On November 25, the Crusaders under King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (son of Amalric) surprised Saladin and some of his officers while the vast bulk of their troops were out raiding, however. The European force of just 375 was able to route Saladins men; the sultan narrowly escaped, riding a camel all the way back to Egypt. Undaunted by his embarrassing retreat, Saladin attacked the Crusader city of Homs in the spring of 1178. His army also captured the city of Hama; a frustrated Saladin ordered the beheading of the European knights captured there. The following spring King Baldwin launched what he thought was a surprise retaliatory attack on Syria. Saladin knew he was coming, though, and the Crusaders were soundly thrashed by Ayubbid forces in April of 1179. A few months later, Saladin took the Knights Templar fortress of Chastellet, capturing many famous knights. By the spring of 1180, he was in position to launch a serious attack on the Kingdom of Jerusalem, so King Baldwin sued for peace. Conquest of Iraq In May of 1182, Saladin took half of the Egyptian army and left that part of his kingdom for the last time. His truce with the Zengid dynasty that ruled Mesopotamia expired in September, and Saladin resolved to seize that region. The emir of the Jazira region in northern Mesopotamia invited Saladin to take suzerainty over that area, making his task easier. One by one, other major cities fell: Edessa, Saruj, ar-Raqqah, Karkesiya, and Nusaybin. Saladin repealed taxes in the newly-conquered areas, making him very popular with the local residents. He then moved toward his former hometown of Mosul. However, Saladin was distracted by a chance to finally capture Aleppo, the key to northern Syria. He made a deal with the emir, allowing him to take everything he could carry as he left the city, and paying the emir for what was left behind. With Aleppo finally in his pocket, Saladin once more turned to Mosul. He laid siege to it on November 10, 1182, but was unable to capture the city. Finally, in March of 1186, he made peace with the citys defense forces. March toward Jerusalem Saladin decided that the time was ripe to take on the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In September of 1182, he marched into Christian-held lands across the River Jordan, picking off small numbers of knights along the Nablus road. The Crusaders mustered their largest army ever, but it was still smaller than Saladins, so they merely harassed the Muslim army as it moved toward Ayn Jalut. Finally, Raynald of Chatillon sparked open fighting when he threatened to attack the holy cities of Medina and Mecca. Saladin responded by besieging Raynalds castle, Karak, in 1183 and 1184. Raynald retaliated by attacking pilgrims making the hajj, murdering them and stealing their goods in 1185. Saladin countered by building a navy that attacked Beirut. Despite all of these distractions, Saladin was making gains on his ultimate goal, which was the capture of Jerusalem. By July of 1187, most of the territory was under his control. The Crusader kings decided to mount a last, desperate attack to try and drive Saladin from the kingdom. Battle of Hattin On July 4, 1187, the army of Saladin clashed with the combined army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, under Guy of Lusignan, and the Kingdom of Tripoli, under King Raymond III. It was a smashing victory for Saladin and the Ayubbid army, which nearly wiped out the European knights and captured Raynald of Chatillon and Guy of Lusignan. Saladin personally beheaded Raynald, who had tortured and murdered Muslim pilgrims, and also had cursed the Prophet Muhammad. Guy of Lusignan believed that he would be killed next, but Saladin reassured him by saying, It is not the wont of kings to kill kings, but that man transgressed all bounds, and therefore did I treat his thus. Saladins merciful treatment of the King Consort of Jerusalem helped cement his reputation in the west as a chivalrous warrior. On October 2, 1187, the city of Jerusalem surrendered to Saladins army after a siege. As noted above, Saladin protected the Christian civilians of the city. Although he demanded a low ransom for each Christian, those who could not afford to pay were also allowed to leave the city rather than being enslaved. Low-ranking Christian knights and foot-soldiers were sold into slavery, however. Saladin invited Jewish people to return to Jerusalem once more. They had been murdered or driven out by the Christians eighty years before, but the people of Ashkelon responded, sending a contingent to resettle in the holy city. The Third Crusade Christian Europe was horrified by the news that Jerusalem had fallen back under Muslim control. Europe soon launched the Third Crusade, led by Richard I of England (better known as Richard the Lionheart). In 1189, Richards forces attacked Acre, in what is now northern Israel, and massacred 3,000 Muslim men, women, and children who had been taken prisoner. In retaliation, Saladin executed every Christian soldier his troops encountered for the next two weeks. Richards army defeated Saladins at Arsuf on September 7, 1191. Richard then moved toward Ascalon, but Saladin ordered the city emptied and destroyed. As the dismayed Richard directed his army to march away, Saladins force fell upon them, killing or capturing most of them. Richard would continue to try to retake Jerusalem, but he had only 50 knights and 2,000 foot-soldiers remaining, so he would never succeed. Saladin and Richard the Lionheart grew to respect one another as worthy adversaries. Famously, when Richards horse was killed at Arsuf, Saladin sent him a replacement mount. In 1192, the two agreed to the Treaty of Ramla, which provided that the Muslims would retain control of Jerusalem, but Christian pilgrims would have access to the city. The Crusader Kingdoms were also reduced to a thin sliver of land along the Mediterranean coast. Saladin had prevailed over the Third Crusade. Death of Saladin Richard the Lionheart left the Holy Land early in 1193. A short time later, on March 4, 1193, Saladin died of an unknown fever in his capital at Damascus. Knowing that his time was short, Saladin had donated all of his wealth to the poor  and had no money left even for a funeral. He was buried in a simple mausoleum outside of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Sources Lyons, Malcolm Cameron and D.E.P. Jackson. Saladin: The Politics of the Holy War, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984.Nicolle, David and Peter Dennis. Saladin: The Background, Strategies, Tactics and Battlefield Experiences of the Greatest Commanders of History, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2011.Reston, James Jr. Warriors of God: Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade, New York: Random House, 2002.

How Can You Build the Most Versatile College Application

How Can You Build the Most Versatile College Application SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking at college admissions websites and requirements can be overwhelming. Many colleges have slightly different standardized test and letter of recommendation requirements. Furthermore, some colleges require just one personal statement, while others require multiple essays and short answer responses. It can be a lot to keep track of! So how do you go about preparing your college applications, when colleges seem like they all want slightly different application materials? And how do you make sure you are competitive everywhere you apply? We will explain how to make the most versatile college application. By versatile we mean an application that will allow you to apply competitively to the broadest range of colleges. This guide is suitable for students aiming for the most competitive colleges, but you can also tailor it to your needs if you're applying to local state schools. Maximize Your ACT/SAT Score, But Just Focus on One Test The most efficient way, hour-for-hour, to improve your college admissions chances is to study for the ACT or SAT and get the highest score you can. Your SAT/ACT score is a very important factor in admissions. Having a score above a school's average range greatly improves your odds of admission, but if you are below their admitted student range, your odds go down. So it's important to get the highest possible SAT/ACT score for you, as it will give you flexibility in terms of where you can apply. As an example, here are the middle 50% SAT and ACT ranges for four popular colleges in the Boston area. Middle 50% means these are the ranges of scores in the middle of their accepted applicant pool. This means a score above the middle 50% range puts you in line with the top 25% of their applicants, and a score below it puts you in the bottom 25% and makes you a less likely admit. Harvard SAT Math 740-800 SAT Evidence-Based Reading Writing 720-780 ACT Composite 33-35 ACT English 34-36 ACT Math 31-35 Via Harvard's 2018-2019 Common Data Set Harvard is one of the most competitive colleges in the country. As such, their SAT and ACT ranges can be intimidating. Notice that their middle 50% ranges for the SAT end at 780 or 800, meaning that the top 25% of admits have perfect scores on those sections. To be competitive at Harvard, you need SAT section scores at least in the 700s, but the closer to 800 you are, the better chances you have. Boston College SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650-720 SAT Math 670-770 ACT Composite 31-34 Via Boston College Factbook, 2018-19. Boston College is also a competitive college in the Boston area. While BC isn't quite as competitive as Harvard, you need SAT section scores in the low to mid 700s to be a competitive applicant, while any scores 650 or lower would make your admission less likely. Boston University SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 640-720 SAT Math 660-760 ACT Composite 29-32 ACT English 28-34 ACT Math 27-32 Via Boston University's Common Data Set, 2018-2019. Boston University is a large, top-50 university. Like with BC, SAT section scores in the 600s would put you in line with their middle 50% of admits, while anything lower than 600 would make you less competitive, and anything higher than 760 would make you quite competitive. The main difference in the score profiles between BU and BC is that BU's ACT score range is a bit lower. University of Massachusetts Boston SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 500-610 SAT Math 520-610 ACT Composite 21-27 ACT English 20-30 ACT Math 20-26 Via University of Massachusetts Boston's Common Data Set, 2018-2019. The University of Massachusetts Boston is a public research university. Section scores in the 600s or higher would make you quite competitive, while anything lower than a 500 would put you towards the bottom half of their admitted students. As you can see, the higher your SAT or ACT score is, the more colleges you can apply to competitively. For example, if you had a 1400 on the current SAT, with 700 on each section, Harvard would be a reach, but you would be in line with the admitted students at Boston College and Boston University and competitive at U Mass Boston. But if you had a 1000/1600, with about 500 on each section, you would be in line with admits at U Mass Boston, but the other schools would all be reaches. In short, it's smart to maximize your ACT or SAT score to give yourself the most options when applying to college. But just focus on studying for one test! The vast majority of colleges accept both tests equally, and they don't favor students who have taken both. In fact, if you do worse on one test, that could hurt your chances. Just pick one! It's also much more efficient to focus your time on studying for one test. If you split your time between the two, you'll likely end up doing worse on both than you could have if you had just focused on one. (Wondering which one you should take? Read a detailed comparison of the ACT and SAT, and figure out which test you will do the best on.) As a final note, make sure to take the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay if you want the most versatile application. Not all colleges require the writing sections of the ACT and SAT, but if you want to have the most versatile college application, having the writing version under your belt is important, since some colleges only accept the SAT or the ACT with the optional writing section. Take Two SAT Subject Tests In addition to taking either the SAT or ACT, you can help put together a flexible college application by taking two SAT subject tests. Why? Some colleges (especially selective ones) require or recommend SAT Subject Tests as part of applications. For example, Princeton recommends two SAT Subject Tests. Harvard does not require them, but highly recommends them unless you have extenuating circumstances: "While we recommend that you submit two SAT Subject Tests, you may apply without them if the cost of the tests represents a financial hardship or if you prefer to have your application considered without them." Some colleges don't require SAT Subject Tests, but say they will still consider them as part of applications, like the University of Michigan. And even colleges that don't use SAT Subject Tests for admissions often use SAT Subject scores to place students in first-year classes, especially in language, math, and science. In short, taking two SAT Subject Tests will allow you to apply to schools that require them, but also give you an additional credential anywhere you apply. It will give you more flexibility and the chance to start in more advanced classes your freshman year. Also, make sure you take the two SAT Subject Tests in different subjects. For example, don't take Math I and Math II. If you're interested in engineering programs, try to take one Subject Test in math and one in science. For any other programs, take the two you can do best on. For more on SAT subject tests and which ones to take, read this guide. Extracurricular Activities There is no magic set of extracurricular activities or sports that will make your college application the most impressive. But keep the following rule in mind as you pursue extracurricular activities and put together your college applications: depth over breadth. It's more impressive to be deeply involved with two activities and have leadership roles in both than to be in eight clubs or sports but just participate without getting too involved. You should add to the trophy case, not just the club roster. So if you're reading this as a junior or younger, try to get involved in a few clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities you're passionate about, and go for leadership positions. Also aim to get recognition or awards at the highest level you can- whether that's regional, state, or national. Don't join anything and everything just to be able to say you were in 10 clubs. Focus on a few activities you are passionate about and can make a difference doing. If you're a senior putting together your college applications, list everything you've been involved in, starting with the most important and working your way down. Make sure to highlight any leadership positions, awards, or other accomplishments. And again, emphasize depth over breadth. Don't feel pressured to fill out every available "activities" space. Again, depth matters more than breadth. Make sure for every activity you add, you have something valuable to say about it- an award you won, a leadership position you held, or the effect it had on your academic or personal development. Letters of Recommendation Some colleges don't have very specific guidelines for letters of recommendation (sometimes called teacher evaluations), and some don't require them at all. As an example, the University of Washington really doesn't want any letters. However, it's pretty typical for colleges to require two letters of recommendation. This is especially true at selective colleges. For example, Stanford requires two teacher evaluations. Some colleges have stricter guidelines, and say they want the letters to come from teachers who teach different subjects. MIT says the letters have to come from one math/science teacher and one humanities teacher. So to maximize your application reach, get two letters from teachers in different subjects- a math teacher and an English teacher, for example. Obviously don't send the letters to colleges that don't want them, but if you have those letters ready to go, it will allow you to apply to nearly any college. Also, to make your application most competitive, remember to follow basic letter of recommendation guidelines: choose teachers who taught you recently, ideally junior year, and can speak specifically to your academic strengths. Don't choose a teacher who won't have specific, positive things to say about you. "Halle was a good student and always did her homework" won't cut it. Find a teacher who can say something closer to "Halle's essays were consistently insightful. Her work was of a higher quality than not just this year's students, but of many students I have taught over my career." Should You Get A Third Letter? It's rare for a college to require more than two teacher recommendations. However, some allow for a third letter, which can come from a person who knows you well, like a coach, boss, youth group leader, or instructor from a summer course. For example, the University of Chicago and Brown both accept additional letters if they add extra detail to your application. Don't add a letter just to stuff your admissions file. If you have someone like this in your life who you know will have very good things to say to you and will provide information that your teachers cannot, ask them to write you a third letter. For example, if you took a summer college course and the professor can speak to how well you handled the material, they could write a great recommendation. Or if you have a boss who can talk about your busy schedule and work ethic the way a teacher can't, that provides important extra information to your application. Don't get an extra letter just to have one. Make sure the extra letter is adding additional material to your application. For colleges that allow a third letter of recommendation, getting one can help your chances by giving colleges another chance to get to know you. Don't Blow Off Senior Year A common theme on college admissions websites is that colleges want students who have challenged themselves in high school with rigorous schedules. This is especially true if you are going for top-tier schools. And senior year is no exception! For example, Yale says "senior year is not the time to take a light course load." By the time you reach senior year, you can't go back in time and change your first three years of high school. However, you can make sure your senior year schedule is challenging. Colleges will be looking at your senior year schedule, and it won't look good if you're slacking off. For example, if you take a full schedule with three AP classes junior year, and then have a senior schedule with free periods and no AP classes, that might raise questions, especially at selective colleges you might be applying to. Of course, don't do the opposite and overload yourself- especially since you need time senior year for college apps!- but make sure your senior year schedule doesn't raise any red flags. And if you're reading this as a younger high school student, make sure to take the most challenging schedule available to you at your high school. Challenge yourself with AP or IB classes if they are available. (Read more here about choosing between AP and IB and how many AP classes you should take.) Choose Your Essay Topic Carefully One thing you'll notice as you begin looking at different colleges' applications is that many have extra questions or Common Application supplements that give you the chance to share lots of info about yourself- what you want to study, why you want to go to that particular college, or even things like your favorite movies and books. For example, the University of Chicago is famous for having unique, quirky additional essay questions, like "What's so odd about odd numbers?" or "Were pH an expression of personality, what would your pH be and why?" Columbia University asks you to share your favorite required reading and books you read for pleasure in the past year, as well as publications you read and entertainment (like movies, concerts, exhibits) that you enjoyed the most in the past year. To read any college's supplement, you can search for "[Name of College/University] Supplement" or "[Name of College/University] Essay Questions." If you're using the Common Application or Universal College Application, you can look up colleges you're interested in to see their supplements. However, sometimes colleges don't have a supplement or additional questions, meaning the one part of your application you can let them get to know you is with your personal statement. In other words, your main essay is very important, since in some cases it will be your only chance to show your personality. If there is something you want every college to know about- from an important personal experience to an intellectual passion of yours- that experience should be in your main essay. Even if your main topic perfectly fits a prompt for one college's supplement, you should use it for your main essay instead. This way, even if a college doesn't have a supplement, you will get to present the information most important to you. If colleges do have supplemental questions, you can use them to dive deeper into your essay topic or, even better, share other experiences or passions. What's a Good Essay Topic? There are as many potential personal essay topics as there are students applying. Every student has different experiences and passions that could make a great essay. The key is to write about something that is meaningful and specific to you. Remember that a complete stranger will be reading your application. You want them to come away from your essay feeling like they know you, and what you can bring to their college. For example, if you went through an incredibly challenging personal experience- a family member's illness, an instance of discrimination, an unexpected setback- that could be great material for you essay, especially if it has affected your future goals and interests. Or if you are passionate about a certain topic or subject- from 18th century French history to making your own mobile phone apps- that could also be a great essay topic, as it will show your intellectual depth and give colleges an idea of what you might contribute to them. The key is to write about something that will help tell your story, and help show what you will be pursue in college. Don't choose a topic just because you think it's something colleges will like. For example, if you went on a service trip your junior year but it didn't resonate with you or affect your future goals, don't try and make up a story about how meaningful the trip was to you. It will be more effective to write about something you are actually passionate about. Once you've chosen a topic, ask yourself the following questions to make sure it's a strong choice: Will any other student applying to college this year have an essay like mine? (If you can see several students writing a very similar essay, you should choose a topic more specific to you) If I gave this essay to a complete stranger, would they get a clear sense of my personality just by reading it? Am I writing about something I care about, or did I choose this topic becuase I thought it would look good? If your essay is specific to you, reveals your personality, and allows you to write about something you actually care about, chances are, it's going to be a great essay. Bottom Line: How to Put Together a Winning College App There is a lot that goes into a successful college application, and your chances of admission will vary by the schools you apply to and your set of strengths and weaknesses. But chances of admission aside, these are the steps you can take to put together a college application that will allow you to apply to the broadest range of colleges, from the most selective to your local state schools. #1: Take either the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT, and do as well as you can. #2: Take two SAT Subject Tests. #3: Go for depth over breadth with your extracurriculars. #4: Get two letters of recommendation from teachers in different subjects. Consider getting a third letter if it will add more information to your application. #5: Take a challenging senior year schedule. #6: Choose a personal essay topic that is specific and meaningful to you. What's Next? Speaking of maximizing your ACT and SAT score, get tips from our full-scorer on getting a perfect score on the SAT or on the ACT. Even if you're not aiming for perfect, these principles can help you raise your score to whatever your target is. Also consider our PrepScholar program to get prepared for the SAT or the ACT. Get specific advice on acing the ACT and SAT essays. Learn to raise a low SAT/ACT math score with these tips. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: