College Admissions Help Blog

While the end of the year can be extremely busy for students, high school Juniors have the added strain of prepping for the SATs. If you haven’t registered yet, you should look into doing so for the upcoming June test. I know that June should be a relaxing end to the school year and studying for an SAT test might not be on everyone’s radar; however, getting it out of the way now can save you loads of time next year when you’ll be much busier applying to schools.
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The March 12th SATs are quickly approaching. If you haven’t registered yet, don’t fret! You can register for this test until February 25th, though the cost does go up. There are also two other upcoming test dates:

May 7th, (Register by April 8th)

June 4th, (Register by May 6th)

>>Learn more about the SAT

Or, if you’re looking to take the ACTs, here are the upcoming test dates:

April 9, 2011 (Register by March 4, 2011)

June 11, 2011 (Register by May 6, 2011)

>>Learn more about the ACT

So now that you are hopefully registered for a college entrance test, read on for some helpful tips to take with you.

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The SAT Subject Tests, also known as SAT IIs, are multiple choice standardized tests given on individual subjects. These one-hour timed tests are given in 20 different subjects. Students usually choose which tests to take based on entrance requirements of colleges they are applying to. However, many colleges do not require SAT Subject Tests at all.

On any given administration date a student can take up to three tests. Subjects include literature, U.S. History, mathematics and biology. A complete list of tests can be found here. Each test is scored on a scale of 200 to 800 however some of the tests are scored on a curve so it is impossible to get a 200.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone is spending some quality time with family and friends this week! In the spirit of the holiday, today we are talking about giving back.

High school students often ask me what they can do to make their college applications stand out and what kind of activities colleges like to see. Doing well on standardized tests like the SATs and ACTs is important as is getting good grades, but nowadays college admissions officers like to see applicants who are extremely well rounded. Volunteering and giving back to the community is a huge part of that.

Volunteer work has become a standard at many high schools across the country. Some students have to complete a certain number of community service hours to even graduate. However, even if it is not required every student should do something to give back and make a difference. It is rewarding, it makes you feel good about yourself, and it can help you get in to your first choice school.

The best part of volunteering is that everyone can find something that they like to do.  If you are an animal lover you can volunteer with your local MSPCA. If you are passionate about cancer research you can volunteer with the American Cancer Society. If you want to be a teacher you can volunteer at a local elementary school. There is a need for people with all different talents so find a cause that you can really feel good about helping out.

Volunteering is also extremely helpful when applying for scholarships. There are thousands and thousands of scholarships out there for students who play an active role in helping their community. You can find some of these scholarships on StudentScholarshipSearch.com and through your high school’s guidance department. Many organizations, like churches, even give out scholarships to students who do a lot of volunteer work for them.

So this Thanksgiving I challenge every student to take on a new community service project whether it is required or not. I guarantee that is will give you a lot more to be thankful for.

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Happy Wednesday everyone! This week we are talking about everyone’s favorite subject: standardized tests! Recently I was asked, “what are the differences between the SATs and the ACTs?”  I realized that this is probably a question that a lot of high school students going through the college admissions process have.

The truth is that the SAT and the ACT are very different tests. Typically the ACT is described as a content-based test while the SAT is a test of critical thinking and problem solving.

The SAT is the standard college entrance exam and it consists of three sections; math, reading and writing. The first section is a written essay which takes 25 minutes and the last section is multiple-choice which takes 10 minutes. There are also six 25-minute sections and two 20-minute sections that can appear in any order.

The ACT is an entrance exam that covers English, math, reading and science. There is a multiple choice test for each subject as well as a 30-minute writing test.

The good news is that if you feel like you have strengths in one area or another you can choose which college entrance exam to take. However, it is important to make sure that the schools you are applying to accept the scores of the test you choose to take. No matter which test you plan on taking you should not cram the night before the exam. You should learn about how the test is set up and what the different test-taking strategies are, but you are really being tested on knowledge you have accumulated throughout your high school career. Finally, you should make sure you get a good night sleep before the test and eat a good breakfast the morning of the test so that your mind will be sharp and you will have the energy to get through it!

Scholarship Points Bonus Code: AAKWEEK2

If you are currently a senior in high school and applying to college you are probably well into the process by now. November is a month when deadlines slowly start to creep up and it is important to make sure you have all of your ducks in a row.

Early Decision: If you are planning on applying to a school for early decision or early action your application is probably due soon! Most schools have early decision deadlines in November so if you are planning on some good news around the holidays do not be late with your application. If you are applying to schools with rolling admissions it cannot hurt to get those applications out this month too since decisions are made as applications are received.

College Essay: Put down your pencils, time is almost up! You should be finishing up your college essays this month. You want to make sure you have time to proofread them before your applications go out. Also, it is not a bad idea to have your parents proofread your essays too!

SATs: You still have time to take another round of SATs this month if you are not happy with previous scores. Just make sure to have your scores sent to all the right schools.

Letters of Recommendation: This time of year teachers and coaches get a lot of requests for letters of recommendation. Make sure you have your recommendations lined up and that you will have them in hand in time to include with your applications. Also, make sure to thank the people who write your recommendations.

Finally, make sure you keep your school work on track. It might be hard to think about with everything else that is going on, but you are on the home stretch of your high school career and it is important to finish strong! On the bright side November comes with Thanksgiving break so take time to breath and enjoy yourself!

With the current state of the US economy, the task of financing a college education is increasingly difficult. Because of this, many students are forced to let go of their dreams of attending their number one school. After years of picturing themselves writing for the Harvard Crimson or attending UConn basketball games, senior year comes with a dose of financial reality. This is when many high school students realize that getting into their school of choice will not be a problem, but paying for it will be.

After you have passed the SATs with flying colors, received recommendations from the best teachers at your school, and have acceptance letters in hand, settling for the number two or three school on your list can be heartbreaking. However, if you are set on attending your dream school you can, and should, make it work.

First of all, apply for federal financial aid by completing your FAFSA. The FAFASA is the most important financial aid form you can complete. Without it you will not be eligible for the Stafford loan, PLUS loan or Pell grant. Many students qualify for this type of aid; even student who do not think they will be eligible at all. Visit FAFSAOnline.com to find out more about the FAFSA and apply.

Secondly, if you were accepted to your dream school you must have done a few great things to get there. Because of your achievements, there are thousands and thousands of scholarships out there that you are eligible for. StudentScholarshipSearch.com can help connect you with scholarships you should apply for.

Finally, if you need additional funds after federal financial aid and scholarships apply for private student loans. Private student loans can help you pay for expenses beyond tuition including room and board, and transportation. You can also apply for these loans at any time during the semester if unforeseen expenses come up. PrivateStudentLoans.com can tell you more about your private student loan options and even help you apply.

As juniors and seniors in high school you are probably well on your way to planning your college career. Getting ready for college can be extremely stressful on top of everything else you have to worry about, but luckily most high schools have resources to make the search and apply process a lot easier.

Many high schools host college information nights for juniors and seniors, and their families. Information nights give students and parents a broad overview of the college application process. Guidance counselors are on hand to provide direction and answer questions. Sometimes a school will even bring in a college admissions counselor to lend advice from their perspective. These events are particularly helpful to families who are sending their first child to college, but everyone should consider attending since things change so frequently.

The following is a list of topics that are usually covered at college information nights:

SATs and ACTs: All of your questions about when and where to take the SATs or ACTs will be answered. You will find out what the test dates are, where they are being offered, where to send your scores, what scores you should aim for and how many times you should take a particular test.

Visiting Colleges: You will learn how to schedule college visits and when the best times to visit are. You will find out what questions you should ask when you take a tour and how many schools you should visit to make the right decisions.

The Application Process: College applications are more than just pieces of paper. Someone from the guidance department will outline everything you need to include with your applications from the essay to the application fee.

The College Essay: Someone will go over the basics of writing a college essay. They will cover how to choose a topic, how long the essay should be and who should see your essay before you send it off.

Letters of Recommendation: Most colleges require that you submit letters of recommendation with your application. A guidance counselor will explain who these recommendations should come from, how many you should submit, and what they should say about you and your achievements .

FAFSA and Financial Aid: Financial aid can be the most confusing part of applying to college. Someone from the guidance department will go over when and how to fill out your FAFSA, what kinds of federal student loans and alternative student loans exist, and how to search for scholarships.

If it was up to me I would either toss the SAT out of the college admissions process, devalue its weight, or make it optional across the board. There is nothing standardized about that exam.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe tests are a necessary part of life. When I was trying to land a customer service job several years ago I took a problem solving exam so they could rate my competence. In school you take exams to see how well you learned the material. Tests in those capacities serve as appropriate measuring sticks, but the SAT is a different animal completely. My wife Kerri, to this day, kicks herself about how poorly she scored.

First off you should know that Kerri is an encyclopedia of knowledge and can hold her own on just about any topic. In fact she kinda reminds me of Rainman. So how on earth did she score a rather pedestrian 710 on her SAT? Answer, she froze. She felt the weight of the exam and just couldn’t concentrate. Because of that she did not get into UConn. Is that fair? She was ranked tenth in her class of 275, played softball, cheered, and was on the yearbook committee. That one test really hurt her.

The NFL administers their SAT equivalent with the wonderlic test. Future Hall of Famer Donovan McNabb reportedly scored a 14 (19-21 is said to be average). Steve McNair and Dan Marino scored a 15. By SAT rationale they should not have been allowed into the NFL. They would have got their denial letter in the mail just as Kerri did. But a new leaf may be turning over as a handful of schools are now SAT test-optional.

According to the College Board, which owns the SAT, 45 schools are test-optional. It’s making baby steps, but at least they are stepping in the right direction. For the test-optional mandate to really kick into high gear a major school such as Harvard would need to adopt the policy. It’s a different world today and things have changed so much since the 1920′s when the exam launched.

The SAT was devised in 1926 as a merit-based leveler to replace the old-boys pipeline from prep schools to top colleges. The test was promoting equal opportunity for those students who didn’t come from the best schools. But now many view the SAT as the opposite – as an obstacle to opportunity. There are scoring gaps between different racial and socio-economic groups, and concerns that the test is too coachable.

The SAT probably does have a place. I just wish it wasn’t the first thing that schools looked at. The sum should remain greater than the sum of its parts.

How are you holding up thus far?Getting pressure from Mom & Dad to keep those grades up while adding yet another extra curricular activity to impress some college recruiter?Are you working part-time?Do you feel like the world around you is caving in and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day?

It does get easier, I promise.Once you get settled into a college you’ll be able to take a deep breath, but in the meantime let me help you make sense of the tests you may need to take to get into college (I say may need because each school governs its own admissions criteria).  I find seeing something in writing helps focus me.I see the objective and attack it like Jared at a Subway buffet.Hopefully you’re the same way.Let’s take a look at those various admissions tests.

PSAT: A 2-hour practice exam for the SAT focusing on critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills.

SAT: The nations most widely used admissions test among colleges and universities.Areas of focus are critical reading, mathematics, and writing.This 3 hour and 45 minute exam is administered several times per year.

SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II): Many selective colleges require you take one of 20 one-hour specialized exams.These exams give the student the ability to demonstrate to the college their mastery of a given topic.Many colleges use this exam for admission, or course placement.Most students take these tests at the end of their junior year or beginning of their senior year.

ACT: A 3 hour and 30 minute admissions test focusing on English, math, science, and reading.Add another 30 minutes if you elect to take the writing component.Almost all schools will accept these scores in lieu of the SAT.

Another thing you may want to consider doing is taking AP classes in High School.Advanced Placement courses can earn you college credit or at least get you out of those boring college 101 classes, assuming you score a 4 or 5 on your exam (your grade is based on a 1 to 5 scale).

For those students who don’t test well, like me, the door is not closed on your future by any means.You can still enroll in a two year community college. Community colleges offer an opportunity to pursue higher education to all students who obtained a high school diploma, GED Certificate, or have demonstrated the “Ability to Benefit.” Then, after you make the marks, you can transfer over to a four year school if you so choose.

Take a look at our College Action Plan calendar which guides you from freshman year to senior year. 

Life will present you with many tests along the way.Just always be sure to strive for your personal best.If you can look yourself in the mirror at the end of the day knowing you put your best foot forward you have already passed my friends.