Tag: college admissions

The SAT and ACT are taken by millions of college-bound students each year. (See SAT and ACT test-taking results for Dayton area.) While it used to be the case that students in the Midwest may have preferred the ACT and students in the New England area favored the SAT, I’ve noticed that those dichotomies don’t really exist today. It also used to be the case that colleges in certain regions of the country accepted only the ACT, while other colleges were partial to the SAT. That is no longer the case, either. Nearly all colleges today will accept either the SAT or ACT.

The SAT/ACT Choice

What this means for students is that they can submit the test that they choose rather than taking a test only because X college accepts it. Unfortunately, too many students are unaware of this. They, instead, are wasting their time and money to take both the SAT and ACT. Why?

Students can save time, money, and college changes by focusing on the test that is right for them. After all, the SAT is very different from the ACT. Here are several key differences:

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Most students will spend about 6-8 weeks prepping for either test. Whether they prep one-on-one with a tutor, on their own, or in a class, it takes time to review the question types and learn the applicable test-taking strategies.

To Take Both Tests

Both the SAT and ACT tests are offered at different times during the academic year. So we’re talking about prepping for a high stakes test, in addition to staying on top of a high school course load.

Let’s say that you take the December SAT, then test prep should have begun in October. The SAT scores would be returned in January. To prepare for the next ACT test in February means that you would need to start prepping for the ACT soon after the SAT and study through the holiday. The ACT scores would be returned in March. Now you have both results and start comparing the two. How do you determine which is a better score? You can do some comparison by checking your scores against recently admitted students at the colleges on your list. (My students can check in their Student Portal.) That leaves you only a Spring date to retake either test. This again will take a lot more time than you likely have while keeping up with classes. Not to mention that you must do some prep before the next Spring retake.

If the ACT is your better score, then you’ve wasted SAT prep time and money, in addition to the SAT fees. Vice versa if the SAT is your better test.

The solution to taking both SAT and ACT

The solution: Find out whether the SAT or ACT test is right for you upfront. Then focus on getting teh best score on that test. At the end of the day, it will save your time, money, and stress over which one. This can also help you with determining a reasonable college list. When you submit your scores to colleges, you can do so with confidence.

We are now offering the SAT/ACT Comparison Test for students in the Dayton and Cincinnati area. If you’d like to find out if the SAT or ACT is right for you, please register here.

 

High school seniors in the midst of college application seasons are probably wondering . . . “Do I really need to write this “optional” essay? It does say “optional” after all. . . Hmmm

Emory University, for example, includes an “optional” question:

Please write exactly five sentences that best describe you.

Emory is ranked among the top colleges in the country. Its admission rate in 2011-2012 was under 30%.  So . . . do you want to skip this question?

Yes. If you skip this optional question then it will save you that extra hour that you may have spent doing something else that you enjoy. Senior year is already busy enough without responding to extra essay prompts. Besides that, the Emory application also states: “(if you choose not to submit this essay, it will not affect your admission decision).”

Aside: The fact that it states that it “will not affect your admission decision” makes me wonder why is this stated, if it’s understood . . . hmmm. . .

No. When you see the word “optional” think “opportunity” instead. A rule of thumb here may be to consider if responding to this essay prompt will provide an opportunity for you to share new information to complement your application. It really should be new information that doesn’t appear anywhere else in your application portfolio. If your response to this “optional” essay does indeed provide new, insightful, non-redundant information about you, then consider this optional question as an opportunity to confirm why you should be admitted! Happy writing!

 

Graduation rate: 95%

Dartmouth is the smallest of the Ivy League colleges, yet offers a broad curriculum, extensive resources, and a diverse student population that rivals its cohorts. There are about 50 majors that students can choose. The most popular majors are economics, biology, and the government. Interestingly, many Dartmouth alums have legal careers, and the Baker Library has an amazing legal collection (although there’s no law school). Given its remoteness, you wouldn’t know that the student population is as diverse as it is – 35% of students of color, Founded in 1769, Dartmouth became coed in 1972. The Dartmouth campus is tucked away in the middle of New Hampshire on the Vermont border.  The town of Hanover is a quintessential New England town surrounding the Dartmouth campus.

Quick facts about Dartmouth:

Enrollment: 4,200 undergrads; 1,900 grads

Academics: The “Dartmouth Plan” is a flexible, year-round schedule whereby students can choose when they study on campus, off-campus, or take leave. It’s another way of saying that you don’t have to only take summers off (perhaps you’re a Californian who prefers to take a winter quarter leave!). With the Dartmouth Plan, the only required summer living on-campus is after sophomore year.

Social: Numerous opportunities to get involved in cultural, athletic, and service opportunities on campus through the 350+ student groups on campus. Very active Greek life. If you are considering Dartmouth, please read this article on Greek life at Dartmouth (click here for Atlantic article).  It’s a rude awakening to the cruelties of Greek Life, however, do not totally dismiss the campus because of one article.

Financial: Tuition and fees are $55,000 with about 60% of students receiving scholarships.

Check out these campus photos of our visit to Dartmouth:

For more application tips and fun facts about this college of the week, please join us on Facebook. What do you think about this college? Please post your comments below.

A lot has changed over the years in college admissions. Given the rapid pace of change and the increase in the complexity of the process, there are some lingering myths I want to dispel. I speak with parents and students every day (except on Sundays usually) and these top 5 myths are taken from the most common misconceptions:

5. Brand name – The brand name of a college says nothing about your chances of admissions. So what if everyone’s heard of XXXX college? It doesn’t mean that you should apply or not. On the flip side, if no one in your school has heard of such a college, it doesn’t mean that it’s NOT a great college for you!

4. Location – Choosing a college is not about location, location, location, as it is in buying property on the Monopoly board. 🙂 Some students will only apply to colleges within 2 miles of their home; while others only want to apply to colleges in warm places. Whatever the criteria, whether you are happy in college will depend on more than where the college is located.  (Unless, of course, you’re on a remote campus of 5 people stationed in the middle of nowhere…all of you will be miserable.)

3. Numbers game – Contrary to popular belief, you are more than your SAT score or GPA. Students with high scores are surprised when they don’t get accepted. Students with average test scores are even more surprised when they DO get accepted. There are recommendations, essays, school reports, and other supplements that play a role in college admissions these days. The colleges that surprise many students are the ones who accept students for their potential, not just their numbers.

2. Same ol’, same ol’– Sorry parents, but if you applied to college 20 years ago, it’s not the same application process anymore.  It’s not even the same college anymore. Not to scare you, but the process is a bit more complex and time-consuming than it was back then. It’s even changed in the past 5-7 years.

#1 – There’s only one college for me – I love this one . . . there are over 3,500 colleges in the US. Really? There’s only one college that fits you? Rest assured . . . there are numerous colleges that are a great fit for you. Whether you want a small college or big, spirited campus; Kosher meals or sausage 4 times a day; rural or urban; pre-career track or philosophy major . . . . the list goes on. Each of these offerings has a range of selectivity as well, i.e. some college may accept over 70% of applicants. So let’s have some fun, please write in the one college that interests you and we’ll take a crack at posting comparable campuses.

I can’t wait to hear from you!