Seth Allen, dean of admission and financial aid at Grinnell College, answers questions from a TODAY producer about what really goes on when admissions officers decide applicants’ fate in this video/article. I am not surprised that a good deal of my own experience and knowledge is mirrored and supported in Mr. Allen’s commentary. A helpful read.
High School Junior January-June Checklist
Spring of Junior year is a crucial time. Getting started on the application and admissions process now is a must-do. Check out this January-June checklist from Marjorie Hansen Schaevitz’s HuffPost blog for a more in depth look at what you should be doing now and over the next five months.
SAT, ACT No Longer Required For Admission To 800 U.S. Colleges And Universities
A growing number of colleges are stepping away from the standardized exams traditionally required of admissions applicants. More than 800 colleges and universities across the country no longer mandate score submissions from SAT or ACT college admissions exams, according to the latest survey by the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, otherwise known as FairTest and a longtime critic of the SAT.
Read more via the HuffPost Education article here.
Affordable SAT Prep Options
From Lynn O’Shaughnessy @CNN Moneywatch:
Studying for the SAT testcan be extremely expensive.
Some private tutors charge $150 or more an hour and it is not uncommon to pay at least $1,000 for an SAT prep course.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune for test prep. Here are five free or nearly free resources that teenagers can use to boost their scores.
The test maker’s website is the only place where a student can practice by taking an official, full-length SAT test and get his/her scores right away. Students can also sign up for daily SAT questions. I recommend that students buy the College Board’s Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd Edition, which is only $12.08 on Amazon.
If your child wants to improve his math SAT scores, head to PWN the SAT. Concerned about how pricey test prep has become, Mark McClenathan, a math tutor in New York, launched this extremely helpful site last year. You may also want to check out McClenathan’s book, PWN the SAT: Math Guide, which has received rave reviews on Amazon.
Believe it or not, this test-prep site was created by a mom of two teenagers who took the SAT at every available testing date (seven times) for an entire year. The mom (or should I call her a masochist?) has loads of SAT tips on her site.
This great site belongs to Erik Jacobsen, a math/physics tutor and PhD in Summit, N.J., whose specialties include preparing students for the math section of the SAT and ACT. You’ll find a tremendous amount of free materials to download for the SAT test including quizzes, formulas and strategies.
Erica Meltzer, who is a test-prep tutor from New York, provides a great deal of information on her website that’s aimed at helping student improve on the reading and writing sections of the SAT. She offers free study guides on her site and if you want more advice, check out her book, The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar.
The Three Biggest Lies in College Admission
Steve Cohen via Forbes provides some excellent insight into three common misperceptions in college admissions. They are:
- Standardized test (SAT and ACT) scores are less and less important.
- Asking for financial aid won’t have an impact on the admission decision; and
- There is a level playing field in college admissions.
Read Steve’s full article here.
September Timeline – Juniors
Junior year fall is a very important time as it pertains to the college search and application process. Get organized and get on track with a few helpful tips from The Choice.
Junior Year Prep
How to spend Junior year preparing for college from Julie and Lindsey Mayfield @ Twice the Advice.
1. Contact the high school counseling office
2. Schedule an SAT or ACT exam
3. Keep grades up
3. Compile a college list
4. Earn AP or junior college credits
5. Meet college admissions representatives
Read the full article here.
August Timeline – Seniors
From Chris Teare @ The Choice:
Do the Summer Reading
Over 30 years, the students I’ve seen get the best results out of the college process are the ones who take care of business one day, one class, one assignment at a time. They’re not flashy; they’re steady. When I coached lacrosse, I said, “Pick up the next groundball.” Little things add up. Stop texting, log off Facebook, turn off your cellphone — and read. Not the SparkNotes. The book.
Pick the Right Courses
Selective colleges often start their review with your transcript, and strength of program is the first criterion of selection. Make sure your final transcript will include four years of the “five basic food groups”: English, math, history, science and foreign language. If you substitute from elsewhere on the curricular menu, select a course of equal or greater rigor in an area that better suits your abilities and interests. Make sure senior year is at least as challenging as junior year.
Keep Testing Under Control
By now, I hope you know whether you like the SAT or ACT better. Focus on the exam that works for you; if you prepare well enough, you’ll be likely to receive your highest score on the first or second attempt. Take your SAT II Subject Tests, if you must, whenever you’ll know as much as you can. Then forget bubble tests. Your scores are what they are. Stressing won’t raise them. Say the Serenity Prayer. Go test-optional. Focus your energy on classes, activities, and applications.
Keep Extra-Curricular Activities in Perspective
Remember that the hyphenate is extra-curricular. Even if you are being recruited for a talent in athletics or the arts, you must find a good deal of time to hone that skill set. You are no good to anyone if you run yourself into the ground by trying to do too much. Breathe. Eat. Sleep. Chill now and then.
Start Your Applications
If you haven’t already done so, create accounts. Use the Common App. Invest increments of time early on: When you have a little time, fill out the simple stuff. When you have a little more, add your activities and work experiences. When you can carve out still more, start drafting your activity paragraph and essay. Start on the supplements. Good writing usually takes time. Accept advice. Show what you have to your counselor or best teacher.
Create a List of College Fits
Shop for value: Figure out the program, size, type, location, personality, and likely final cost of the colleges that best suit you. Then list colleges that you might get into, some that you should get into, and two that you will get into.
Make more decisions up front. Be realistic. Make sure you can cover the cost. I like lists of six colleges. I understand nine. Beyond that, you’re denying reality, deferring decisions, and making the spring harder, via too many rejections or too many offers. Save yourself time, angst, and your parents’ money.
Flumoxed by Failure – or Focused?
Failure, unfortunately, is just part of life. We will not achieve all we set out to in the time frame in which we wish to achieve it, and you know what? It’s OK. Successful people, as this article notes, overcome their unsuccessful moments. Playing a big part in this effort is their attitude and perception; it’s really all about perspective and believing in yourself.
Read This.
As someone who also works in admissions at the grad level, this is a busy time and my posts are, accordingly, lacking. That being said, read this post. Your grades and test scores may get you in the door, but you’re not going to get much further unless you have the essays, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation needed to make your application really pop.
B. Maschal Educational Consulting 