What: A recommendation discloses things about student character beyond a student’s academic performance. It is not a recitation of information contained elsewhere in the application or school transcript.
Topics: College Admission, Letter of Recommendation
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In the world of college admission testing, we’re moving steadily towards a future in which testing takes on a very different look. In Part 1 of this blog, we discussed the existing ACT and SAT. Our goal was to help students and their parents make informed decisions when it comes to selecting and preparing for an upcoming exam. Today, part 2, we’ll examine some current trends in testing and consider how they may shape the future. But, first, we’ll take a look at another test that is occasionally used in the admission’s process.
Topics: College Admission, Test-Prep, Subject Test
Read MoreTopics: College Admission, Test-Prep, Subject Test
GPA of 4.5? 1500 on the SAT? Those tell college admissions officers that you’re reasonably bright, perform well in scholastic matters, and can compete for admission with other students who have comparable stats. But that’s all they say about the applicant – they’re data points, devoid, you might say, of personality. In virtually all competitive college admissions situations, those data are simply not enough.
Topics: College Admission, Extracurricular Activities
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It’s back…. The SAT, that is. For the first time in seven years, more students are taking the SAT than the ACT, a surge in popularity attributed to the SAT’s alignment with the Common Core and its last makeover to appear more like the ACT. Indeed, both tests share about 80% of content spanning the four major areas tested (math, science, reading, and writing). However, some key differences remain – as do questions about the importance and relevancy of college admission testing.
Topics: ACT, SAT Test, College Admission, ACT/SAT
Read MoreTopics: ACT, SAT Test, College Admission, ACT/SAT
Here’s one major point that AP exams and SAT Subject Tests share in common: both are products of the College Board (CB), which writes and administers them. There are other similarities, too. Both of them test specific subject knowledge acquired in high school courses – see below for a very important proviso – and performance on each of the tests can affect a student’s planning for college.
Topics: AP Exams, College Admission, Subject Test
Read MoreTopics: AP Exams, College Admission, Subject Test
Many students enter college with the mental and emotional stability of a spinning gyroscope – at least in the short-term. They’re able to maintain good balance even when nudged pretty sharply. Others arrive on campus with the tenuous stability of an egg balanced on end, ready to fall over with potentially messy consequences. Regardless, all undergraduates – all of them – are subject to enormous academic and other pressures that can disrupt equilibrium and exacerbate any latent instabilities. Few are fully prepared to cope with those pressures.
Topics: College Admission, College Choice, Mental Health
Read MoreTopics: College Admission, College Choice, Mental Health
It’s a certainty that the thoroughly unscrupulous, greedy firm that just got caught bribing officials, rigging test results, and fabricating athletic backgrounds in order to get students admitted to selective colleges isn’t the only one engaged in those practices. The concept of “consultant” may draw more than skepticism, but we unflinchingly acknowledge that in our 30+ year history, our college support has been exemplary in every way.
Topics: College Admission, Educational-Consulting
Read MoreTopics: College Admission, Educational-Consulting
Year after year, the same crucial question is posed: “When should I start taking the SAT and ACT?” Our answer: “Early.” If you’ll complete Algebra 2 by the end of your sophomore year, then consider the June* ACT and August SAT at the end of your sophomore year. That leads to the next question:
Topics: College Admission, ACT/SAT, Test-Prep, sophomores
Read MoreTopics: College Admission, ACT/SAT, Test-Prep, sophomores
How does a student “demonstrate interest” in a college? Like revealing any sort of love, it involves more than just a single expression. Something as simple as reading a college’s inquiring email, or clicking on a school’s link can be the first step in revealing that interest. But, that’s merely the tip of the iceberg, and expressing sincere interest nearly always involves more, just like in a relationship with another person.
Topics: College Admission, Educational-Consulting, Demonstrated Interest
Read MoreTopics: College Admission, Educational-Consulting, Demonstrated Interest
The National Association of College Admission Counseling’s 2018 State of College Admissions Report is jam-packed with data, so we’re going simplify matters by focusing on only the information that can or will most directly affect high school students who’ll be first-time college applicants in the immediate or near future.
Topics: College Admission, College Counseling, College Planning, NACAC
Read MoreTopics: College Admission, College Counseling, College Planning, NACAC
