When you apply to college, admission officers look at more than just your grades — they also take note of what you have done outside the classroom. Your extracurricular activities, such as jobs, sports, clubs and volunteer work, give colleges a better sense of who you are and show them what you can bring to their campus community. Remember that college folder you were supposed to be collecting throughout high school? The one stuffed with … [Read more...]
Apply Texas College Essay Prompts for Class of 2020
The Apply Texas application is a common application form for most Texas public universities. It allows students to input their information for several different colleges at once. ApplyTexas college essay prompts for class of 2020 are: Essay A: (NEW)Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today? Essay B: Some students have an identity, an … [Read more...]
What AP Score Do I Need?
Many students who take AP classes and exams are asking this question: Is my AP score good enough? The answer is complicated. AP scores are on a simple 5 point scale, but colleges are allowed to decide for themselves what score is required to get credit. The College Board defines the scores as follows: 5 - Extremely well qualified to receive college credit 4 - Well qualified to receive college credit 3 - Qualified to receive college … [Read more...]
Common Application Essays for Class of 2020
The Common Application is a website that allows over 2 million students to apply to over 480 colleges each year, using one platform. It requires one general Common App essay that is then sent to any colleges using the app. Students chose from seven different prompts to write this one essay, which needs to be between 250 and 650 words. This word length should be sufficient for most students and most topics, but be aware of the application … [Read more...]
Spring To Do List For Juniors
While most seniors are happily done (or almost happily done) with completing and submitting their college applications, now it’s time for juniors to get engaged. Below is a checklist of some of the things that juniors and their families should be thinking about, discussing and doing over the next few months. Start talking! If you haven't already, now is the time to start conversations about the next steps after high school. It is … [Read more...]
National College Fairs Scheduled for 2019
National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) released its list of dates and cities for National College Fairs. These College Fairs are free to the public and designed for information-seeking college-bound students and parents. 2019 National College Fairs: Dallas/ Ft Worth: March 23 Austin: March 26 Houston: March 28 Related Articles: College Fair Tips by eCampusTours Joining the Crowd at a … [Read more...]
PSAT Scores Release Dates
What to Do When Your PSAT Scores Come In Have you gotten your PSAT scores back? Scores from the October 2018 PSAT will be released for different days, depending on the area of the country. Texas and Arizona students should get their scores on December 10, while Florida students will get their scores on December 11. No matter what your scores are, now is not the time to gloat, panic, or feel indifferent. Your scores can give you an insight … [Read more...]
Assured and Automatic Admissions at Texas Colleges
In 1997, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 588 – also known as the Texas Top Ten Percent Law – guaranteeing automatic admission to all state-funded universities for Texas students in the top ten percent of their public high school class. This law was later amended to allow universities to cap their admissions to the Top Ten Percent students as 75% of their freshmen 'seats'. This has allowed University of Texas Austin campus to restrict … [Read more...]
Houston College Search Series
College Search Series will be in the Houston area on June 19, 20, 21, and 25 to speak with high school students about colleges. … [Read more...]
Timeline for Taking the SAT or ACT
The SAT and the ACT are very different college entrance exams and most colleges are now accepting both. This has led to most students taking both the SAT and the ACT tests, although that is not required or suggested by many professionals in the college admissions field. Junior and senior year of high school are already very busy times so planning ahead really helps! When should my child take the SAT or ACT? While it looks like … [Read more...]
