Score At The Top Blog

Topics: Private-School, McKay, Florida School Choice

It’s clear that for a limited set of colleges, the set that a student is likely to assemble as possible application targets, gathering needed information on letters of recommendation requirements isn’t onerous — colleges’ web sites and applications are almost certain to include that information — but it’s far less easy to obtain information on specifically from whom – what “recommenders” – letters of recommendation can come. This blog is going to discuss the one in its title: Do Colleges Accept Letters of Recommendation from 10^th Grade Teachers?

Topics: College Application, Letter of Recommendation

The PSAT is a critical test that highlights how students should begin preparing for the SAT (and ACT!), and beyond that, for college. Understanding your PSAT score and future SAT/ACT scoring potential are key factors in building your college list. We have some suggestions for maximizing your scores and creating an optimal plan to prepare for future tests. During this informative webinar, you’ll learn: 

• How scores and percentiles are calculated 
• Qualifications for the National Merit Scholarship 
• How college really use test scores 
• Suggestions for maximizing your scores 
• An effective testing calendar for junior and senior year

Topics: Test Scores, PSAT, Webinar

More schools than ever in the State University System of Florida are requesting the SSAR (Self-reported Student Academic Record) in lieu of an official transcript as part of the application. This self-reporting process is fairly straightforward: Students create an account with SSAR and, using a copy of their transcript, enter courses, schedules, grades, and course weighting (AP, Honors, etc.). Following submission of a college application, students will link the SSAR to their applications, typically through their applicant portals − or as part of the application itself, depending on the university. Currently, seven SUS schools require the SSAR: FAU, FGCU, FL Poly, FSU, New College, UF, and UNF.

Topics: College Application, SSAR, SUS

Topics: ACT, ACT Changes, Computer Based Testing

We recently published a blog, Twelve Guiding Principles for Creating a Sparkling College Application Personal Statement, that focused strictly on the main essay/personal statement called for in the Common Application and the Coalition Application. While some colleges that accept those two applications don’t require submission of the personal statement as part of the application, most do. And many of the colleges that accept those two applications have additional writing supplements. In this post, we’ll describe some of those supplements and how they can be best approached.

Topics: Application Essays, Supplemental Essays, Personal Statement

By a very wide margin, the single best sources of scholarship money are the colleges themselves. If you’re eligible for a moderate-to-substantial amount of need-based aid, you should look for schools that meet at least 80% of need. If you’re not eligible for much or any need-based aid but will need outside funds to make college affordable, then sources of outside scholarships can be helpful.

Topics: Scholarship

From the “comfort of your own computer,” you’ll follow one of our top test-prep tutors as she guides you through the most effective strategies for PSAT math test questions. You’ll improve your knowledge of the PSAT (and the SAT) by…

Topics: PSAT, Webinar

College application personal statements and application writing supplements are entirely different, have entirely different purposes, and should be approached entirely differently.

Topics: College Admission, College Application, Person Statement

Topics: PSAT, Webinar