The College Board now offers the PSAT 8/9 to eighth graders and high school freshmen as the first test in a group of tests they call the “SAT Suite of Assessments”. This test is a practice for the PSAT 10 (for 10th graders), the PSAT/NMSQT (for 11th graders) and the SAT (the test for college admissions). For more information directly from the College Board, click here. So, What Is the PSAT 8/9? The PSAT 8/9 is the first test in the College … [Read more...]
3 Things to Know About the 2016-17 Common Application
The 2016-17 Common Application opened on August 1. For those of you eager to get started, here are three key pieces of information to help you begin. And for those of you who aren’t quite ready to give up on summer, don’t worry. These tips will be just as useful in September. Your Account- If you previously created an account, it should rollover. Log in with your email address and password (be sure to write it down!), answer a few … [Read more...]
College Dorm or Apartment?
The choice between living on- or off-campus can be as difficult as choosing which college to attend. Just as you debated the pros and cons of each college campus and how each one best served your academic needs, similar consideration should be given to your housing choice. For incoming freshmen, the choice will probably be made for you; many colleges require first-year students to live on-campus. But if you are a sophomore or … [Read more...]
When Are Admission Decisions Released?
Here's When Colleges Are Releasing Regular Admissions Decisions for the Class of 2016 It’s March and there’s finally a light at the end of the admissions tunnel for anxious high school seniors – colleges will soon start releasing their regular admissions decisions! Here are regular application decision notification dates for current seniors, class of 2016, or soon to be- the Class of 2020. Expect these dates to change as we draw closer to … [Read more...]
Texas A&M Changes Admissions for Class of 2017
Students in the Class of 2017 have dealt with many changes in the past year: FAFSA, a new SAT, a possible Coalition application, and now A&M is changing its admissions for Engineering students. Texas A&M University is introducing an Early Action deadline of October 15 for students wishing to major in Engineering fields. Its regular deadline of December 1 will still stand for all other applicants, although A&M always suggests … [Read more...]
How High School Courses Impact SAT Scores
Every year, high school juniors and seniors take the SAT. More than 1 million students annually across the nation participate and many take it more than once. Many students have been preparing for months after realizing how important high SAT scores are in college admissions and scholarship awards. Others don’t prepare or study much, many believing that it’s an ‘intelligence test’ and can’t be studied for, or that they want to just see how well … [Read more...]
Turning the Tide- A Change in College Admissions?
Parents, teachers, college professionals, and students know the positive and negative effects of college admissions: from the joy of getting acceptances, to the intense pressure in applying, to the unending questions from well-meaning friends and family. Many professionals in the higher education field are also aware of the mental and emotional stress placed on students and the advantage of more affluent students from more well-resourced schools. … [Read more...]
Is College Worth the Investment?
Is that fancy, expensive college degree really worth the cost of several years of tuition, room and board and books? Everyone knows that the cost of education is skyrocketing, but the answer is still YES! Wondering which colleges have the best ROI? Return on investment is the "financial return" from any investment of money, or in this case, the income amount above and beyond what a high school graduate would make. The investment is the cost of … [Read more...]
How To Prepare for the College Interview
Some colleges require an in-person interview with all applicants. Other colleges allow the students to request an interview if desired, and will consider it as part of the admissions file. In both situations, college interviews provide an opportunity to learn more about the college and whether or not the student would be a good fit on the campus. If you are applying to a college that doesn't require, but does allow for, college interviews, you … [Read more...]
Updates for the Common App
Good news from the Common App! Update #1-The system is no longer purging accounts. They used to only allow seniors to create an account after August 1st and then delete those accounts every summer. But NOW, junior students can create an account after Jan 1st, a full year before many college deadlines. NO, you shouldn't submit anything for the first six months, but it will let you poke around, add colleges of interest, see essay and writing … [Read more...]
