Back in October, we talked about the top three factors that college admissions officers look for: your grades, course rigor, and your SAT or ACT scores.
We’ve received a lot of questions about SAT and ACT scores this test season. To help answer some of these questions and provide guidance, we made a video just for you. Ben covers some important information about SAT and ACT scores. He also shares an infographic that you can download below. Enjoy the video!
Video Transcript
Hi, guys. Welcome back to another 宝博体育 Education video. Today we’re talking about some important questions about SAT and ACT scores.
But first, don’t forget to go to c2education.com and register for one of our summer boot camps. From SAT and ACT test prep to accelerated study programs in any subject, we have an option to suit your needs to get ahead this summer. Go to c2education.com/summer for details.
Ok, back to today’s topic. So… Let’s start with the obvious question…
Why are SAT and ACT scores so important?
It shouldn’t surprise you that SAT and ACT scores are important. In fact, colleges rank these test scores as a top three factor in admission decisions, right up there with grades and what classes you take.
But why do admissions officers care so much about SAT and ACT scores?
Put yourself in their shoes for a minute. You’ve got thousands and thousands of applications to review.
These students go to all different kinds of high schools in different parts of the country with all different kinds of grading systems and different course levels. How do you compare a 97 in 10th Grade Honors English at one high school to a 90 in a gifted 10th grade Composition class from another school? It’s a pretty hard task.
SAT and ACT scores, on the other hand, are the same no matter where you’re from, what school you go to, or when you take it. A 1500 on the SAT is a 1500 on the SAT.
For some students, this is a good thing. If you’re a B student but you always rock standardized tests, your high test scores can help you out when you apply to college. But keep in mind, just because you have great grades, that doesn’t mean you can get a low score. And for those students who get great grades but get queasy when thinking about bubble sheets, there’s still some good news: If you prepare in advance, you can get a great score.
In fact, testing is its own beast, so how you do in school doesn’t necessarily show how you’ll do on the SAT or ACT. The skills that make you a great student don’t necessarily make you great test-taker, and vice versa. So, let’s think about that. The same painstaking attention to detail that helps you ace your math assignments may not actually help you finish the math section on the SAT in time.
Here are a couple things to keep in mind as you get ready for your SAT or ACT test date.
Number one. Test prep is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t prepare for the SAT or the ACT in just a couple days, or even weeks. The most successful test-takers spend months preparing. You want to do everything you can to make these scores help you get into your dream school.
Number two. You should always start by taking a practice test. You won’t really know how you’ll do on the SAT or ACT until you go through one – and you definitely don’t want your trial run, or worse, your first time, to be on an official test day. Taking a practice test helps you know where you are, so you can figure out how to get the score you need.
So what score do you need to get into college? To get started, we put together a great infographic that shows what scores you need to be considered by the top schools in the country. Just click on the link in the description below and check it out!
If you found this video helpful, be sure to give it a thumbs up. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more great videos on study tips, test prep and college admissions advice.
And don’t forget to go to c2education.com and subscribe to our newsletter. That way we can keep you up to date on any new tools, resources, and events that will help you on your journey to your dream college.
Thanks for watching!
Click on the image to download the infographic.
4 Reasons to Take the ACT in September
TEST PREPWith the lazy days of summer drawing to a close, it’s time to look ahead to a new school year – new classes, a new college admissions season, and a new round of test dates. And what better way to mark the end of summer than to wake up early on a Saturday morning to spend about three hours taking a test? True, taking the September ACT probably isn’t how you want to spend one of your first weekends after school starts. But there are four very good reasons to register for the September ACT:
Putting Summer Test Prep to Use
If you did any ACT prep over the summer, you might as well put that newfound knowledge to good use. Why wait until October or December to take the ACT when your summer prep is still fresh in your mind now? With any luck, you’ll hit your goal score in September and you can put the ACT behind you.
Ideal First ACT for Juniors
For juniors, the September test date is a great time to take a first official ACT. Taking the ACT now gives you a good idea of how much prep you’ll need to do in order to hit your score goals before college application season next year. If you start prepping now, you might be able to hit that score goal in the spring, allowing you to focus on bigger things during the summer and fall of your senior year.
Potential Final Test Date for Seniors
Seniors who haven’t already hit their score goals have little time remaining to finalize their ACT scores before college applications are due. Their only options are the September, October, and possibly December test dates. By taking the September ACT, seniors ensure that they have time to take the ACT once more if they need to in order to finalize their ACT scores.
Test Before You Get too Busy
Even in school systems where school started in August, the school year usually doesn’t get into full swing until after the September ACT test date has passed. Take the ACT now, before you have to start prepping for midterms or juggling too many extracurricular commitments to have time for testing.
If you plan to register for the September ACT, be sure to to give yourself plenty of time for ACT prep. This isn’t a test you should cram for – solid test prep is a marathon, not a sprint.
On the Bright Side: Doing My Summer Reading Assignment
ON THE BRIGHT SIDEWe get it: Summer reading assignments aren’t the most enjoyable part of summer break. Even if it’s a book you might otherwise be interested in reading, being told that you have to read it sucks all the fun out of it. We can’t exactly make your summer reading assignment the highlight of your summer. We can help take some of the pain out of your summer reading assignment. Read on for some of our tips.
If you have a choice, give it some real thought.
A lot of teachers give you a list of books to choose from. When that happens, you should make the most of it. Look at summaries for each book and choose one that is at least a little bit interesting to you. Nothing makes a reading assignment more boring than having to read something that you find to be mind-numbingly dull. DON’T just pick the shortest book because you think it’ll be easier and faster to get through. The shortest book may have fewer pages, but that doesn’t mean it’ll hold your attention or that it’s an easy read. After all, Kafka’s Metamorphosis is only about 100 pages long, but it’s a deep (and kind of dark) read.
Make your summer reading social.
Your whole class is in the same boat. It’s probably a safe bet that a lot of them haven’t gotten their summer reading out of the way either. Misery loves company, so why not start an impromptu book club? You can slog through the reading together AND get a deeper understanding of the material through discussion. (Incorporate junk food and commiserating about the looming end of summer break.)
Read directions.
Some teachers just want you to be ready to discuss the book when class starts. Others want daily reading journals. Yours might want a twenty-five-page thesis on how the protagonist symbolizes modern consumerism. (Probably not that last one.)
You don’t want to get halfway through the book only to discover that you should have been writing summaries of each chapter or identifying vocabulary words. Make sure you read the directions before you start so that you only have to read the book once.
Make a plan.
For starters, leave yourself enough time to reasonably read the book without having to stay up all night before the first day of school. If you read 300 pages in one night, you’re not going to remember any of it. You’ll have stayed up all night with nothing to show for it but bags under your eyes. Instead, give yourself at least a week or two to get through the book. Figure out how many pages or chapters you need to read each day, and set aside time every day to nothing but read those pages or chapters. Treat your reading time like an appointment you can’t break. This way, you tackle the book in digestible chunks.
Read the actual book.
Reading SparkNotes is not the same thing as reading the book. Think of it this way: Do you ever read a recap after you finish watching an episode of a particularly complex television show? The recap points out details you might not have caught or offers an analysis you hadn’t thought of. You wouldn’t just read a bunch of episode recaps instead of watching the episodes. You read the recaps to supplement watching the episodes.
SparkNotes is nothing but a recap. If you read SparkNotes instead of the book, you might save yourself some time, but you won’t fully understand the book. You’ll also have sucked out any possible enjoyment you might have gotten from reading.
Give yourself a palate cleanse.
Once you’ve finished slogging through your assigned reading, remind yourself that reading is actually an enjoyable activity by reading something you think is fun. Whether that means rereading Harry Potter or tackling some hefty nonfiction doesn’t matter – what matters is that you read.
And if you’re among those who do not find reading to be enjoyable, then we’re flattered that you’ve read this entire article despite not liking to read. We won’t bore you with a litany of statistics demonstrating the importance of strong literacy skills, both in the classroom and in the workplace. We’ll just say this: Reading is probably the most fundamental skill that you can build to ensure future success, and we’d love to help you build that skill.
Good luck with your summer reading assignments!
Why You Should Take the August SAT
SAT, TEST PREPThe August SAT offers a lot of benefits that other test dates don’t. If you’re considering taking the August SAT, be sure to stay mindful of the registration deadline. It can sneak up on you as summer break flies by.
Why take advantage of the August SAT? Read on to learn who benefits most from this test date and who should avoid the August test.
Rising Seniors Who Haven’t Finalized Test Scores
Rising seniors have a lot to worry about as school starts: a heavy load of AP classes, leadership roles in clubs and teams, college essays, and everything else that goes into college application season. With all of that stress, the last thing seniors should do is wait until October – the height of college application season – to finalize SAT scores.
Any rising senior who still needs a boost to SAT scores should take advantage of the August SAT to get testing out of the way before the demands of school and the application process hit in full force.
Seniors Applying Early Decision or Early Action
The August SAT offers one last chance to boost SAT test scores for early applications. While some schools might have early deadlines that are just late enough for the October test date to hit the cutoff, it’s not worth the added stress to wait until the last possible moment to take the final SAT. Instead, any student applying to college early should take advantage of the August SAT for that last chance to see a score boost.
Rising Juniors Getting a Jump Start
The most dedicated rising juniors might consider taking the August SAT as their first official test date. This offers a chance for some real practice before the PSAT/NMSQT, allows the student to get the first test date out of the way before school demands start in earnest, and takes advantage of summer SAT prep.
Who SHOULDN’T Take the August SAT?
The August SAT is not the best test date for all students – in fact, there are some students who should avoid the August SAT in favor of later test dates.
Any Student Who Didn’t Prep Over Summer
The biggest advantage of the August SAT is that it allows students to maximize summer SAT prep. Instead of prepping over summer and forgetting everything before the October test date, students can take the test while the material is still fresh in their minds. Students who don’t use the summer for test prep should probably wait to take the SAT after they’ve done a good bit of SAT prep, possibly in the winter or spring.
Rising Sophomores
Some students start their SAT test prep early – and that’s great! – but even sophomores that have already started their SAT prep would be better off waiting to take the SAT. First, a lot of the material on the SAT won’t be covered until 10th or 11th grade math classes, so it’s better to wait until you’ve got a firmer math foundation to work with. Second, colleges generally prefer to see SAT or ACT scores that are more recent – usually spring of Junior year or fall of Senior year – so even if you managed to reach your goal score on this first test date, you’d likely still be better off retaking the test closer to application season.
Learn more about the pros and cons of certain SAT test dates by visiting a local 宝博体育 Education center for a college roadmap session!
Choosing a College: Safety, Target, and Reach Schools
COLLEGE ADMISSIONSChoosing a college isn’t just a matter of asking yourself where you want to go to school. Sure, in movies and on TV, high school students have that one dream college in mind. Think Rory Gilmore, whose childhood bedroom was covered in Harvard pendants and posters. But how can you make sure that your college application season has a happy ending even if you don’t get into that one dream college?
First, some fun college application facts:
However many colleges you apply to, the most important thing is to apply to a range of safety, target, and reach schools.
Safety Schools
Safety schools aren’t nearly as fun to talk about as dream schools, but they’re important! Everyone needs to apply to safety schools.
The simplest definition of a safety school is a school where you’re almost definitely going to get in. Because safety schools are easier to get into, people tend to think they’re bad schools – not true! There are plenty of colleges that have relatively high admission rates but still have great reputations. For example, Virginia Tech is a top-rated engineering school with a 71% acceptance rate, Auburn University is one of the top colleges in the southeast and has an acceptance rate of 81%, and Purdue University ranks 53rd in the nation and has a 56% admission rate.
When choosing safety schools, look for colleges that share traits with your dream college. For example, maybe your dream is to go to Columbia University – consider some other colleges in the New York City area, such as NYU, Cooper Union, Rutgers, or Fordham. You’d still get the experience of living and studying in New York City at a college that’s a bit easier to get into. Or perhaps your dream is to go study engineering at MIT – consider some other highly regarded engineering schools like Virginia Tech or Purdue.
To ensure that choosing a college has a happy ending for you, apply to at least two safety schools. This way, you’ll have options in case you aren’t accepted at the colleges you’d rather attend – and options are always a good thing.
Target Schools
Target schools also lack the romance of dream schools. A target school is a school where you’re “on target” for admission – your academic profile falls somewhere in the middle of the median for the school, so you’ve got about a 50/50 shot at admission. One caveat, though – schools with low admission rates (below about 20%) aren’t target schools even if your academic profile matches with the school. When the admission rate is that low, getting in is a gamble no matter how strong your academic profile might be.
When choosing colleges to apply to, try to include at least two or three target schools. With luck (and a great application), you’ll get into all of your target schools, but applying to several of them increases your odds of having a range of options to choose from.
Reach Schools
Here’s where the romance lies – reach schools are typically dream schools, selective colleges that you can only hope you’ll get into. A reach school is any school that is super selective (admission rate below around 20%) and/or requires an academic profile that’s a little higher than what you’ve got. There’s certainly hope that you’ll get in, especially if you have a really awesome essay and an impressive resume. Apply to as many reach schools as you want! There’s nothing wrong with playing the reach school field. Just make sure that you’ve got a range of safety and target schools as backups, just in case.
If you need help getting started, you can receive a free college advising session from 宝博体育. Just reach out to your local 宝博体育 center to schedule a time.
Getting into the College Essay Mindset
COLLEGE ADMISSIONSIt’s not a great idea to just sit down and start writing your college application essays. These essays are unlike any other writing assignment you’ve tackled before. You’ve got to get into the right mindset… the college essay mindset. You’re not writing a persuasive essay or a short story – you’re writing a personal narrative. More than that – you’re writing a personal narrative specifically designed to both demonstrate your true personality and present you in the best light possible.
This is no easy task, but we’re here to help.
Consider the Prompts Carefully
College essay prompts are really broad, but they still offer parameters for your essay. Sometimes students pick a topic first and then try to find a way to make it fit the prompt – this usually results in a less than impressive essay. It’s much better to let the prompt, well, prompt the essay.
Brainstorm Thoroughly
Picking the right topic is half the battle. Too many students try to think of some truly dramatic, life-altering event, but that’s virtually impossible for the vast majority of students; instead, many of these students wind up with essays the treat relatively common events with excessive drama. Instead, focus on finding a topic that’s meaningful to you. Your meaningful moment doesn’t have to be huge; sometimes the best topics are pretty mundane. Check out some of our favorite college essay examples.
Be Honest – But Not Too Honest
Do. Not. Lie.
But sometimes honesty isn’t the best policy. The college essay is not the ideal confessional. Some students admit to things that shouldn’t be highlighted in the college essay. For example, students sometimes use the essay as a place to explain a bad grade or to highlight overcoming a particular immaturity, but this merely highlights a negative rather than accentuating a positive.
Writing is Rewriting
Plan on rewriting your essay several times. You’ll need to go back and review and rewrite your essay again and again in order to perfect your writing. Get input from trusted readers – teachers, tutors, and counselors. Just when you think you’ve written the best essay possible, put it away for a couple of days – and then read it again to see if it’s really as good as it could be.
Get Inspiration from Other Essays
Check out other successful essays from Johns Hopkins University, Tufts University, and MIT. A search of the web will turn up plenty of other good examples to inspire you.
Find Support Throughout the Process
College essay writing is hard. Don’t do it alone. Check out our top college essay tips and then head to your local 宝博体育 Education center for college essay help!
College Admissions Testing: Which Tests to Take When
COLLEGE ADMISSIONSAre you ready for college admissions testing? There are literally dozens of standardized tests available to college-bound students, all of them with confusing-sounding acronyms. It can be pretty tough to figure out which tests you need to take, which tests you should take, and which tests you can skip. We’re here to help.
Needed Tests
For the majority of college-bound students, there’s really only one test that you’ll NEED to take: the SAT or ACT. There are plenty of schools that have gone test optional where you might be able to submit other materials (usually other test scores). Most top-ranked four-year colleges still require that students submit either the SAT or the ACT.
Always check the testing requirements at the schools where you’re applying to. Many schools require additional test scores, and you need to be prepared.
Recommended Tests
Students intending to apply to selective colleges should go beyond the SAT and the ACT to include AP exams or IB exams in their college admissions timeline.
Great Practice
And then there are the tests that offer some really valuable practice. These tests include the PSAT 8/9, the PSAT 10, and the PSAT/NMSQT. In addition to valuable practice, the PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship. Only the top 1% of test-takers receive this prestigious award. For students who qualify, competition in the National Merit Scholarship program can be a big bonus on a college application.
When to Test
Once you figure out which tests to take, you need to figure out when to take them.
8th/9th and 10th graders take the PSAT 8/9 and PSAT 10 respectively. Juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT in October that year.
Students take the AP exams each May after finishing the corresponding course.
Students can take the ACT or SAT on any test date, but it’s best to wait until spring of junior year. Colleges want to see scores that are fairly recent and waiting ensures max scores. Taking the test for the first time in spring of junior year also allows you several chances to retake the test before college applications are due in late fall or winter.
Plan for the college admissions test
Prepping for any one of these tests is a marathon, not a sprint. Students should plan to spend anywhere from four weeks to more than three months on test prep in order to maximize their scores. Check out the table below for a quick reference guide on college admission tests.
On the Bright Side: My Spring Semester Was NOT GOOD
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE“My spring semester is done! The school year is finally over! Yay!”
Your celebration might be somewhat less celebratory if your spring semester wasn’t great. Maybe your spring report card was downright depressing; maybe you entered AP exam season totally under-prepared; or maybe the entire semester was Just. Too. Hard.
Summer is a great time to take a breather and regroup. We’ve got some summer tips to help you make sure that your next school year goes better than this one!
Review Your Upcoming Course Schedule
For a lot of students, the semester can really stink if the course load is just too heavy. There’s a lot of pressure to take umpteen bajillion AP classes every semester because, hey, that’s what colleges want, right? It’s true that top colleges expect students to take a full load of rigorous courses. But overloading yourself can have repercussions. If your grades suffer, you have no life, and you forget what the inside of your eyelids look like, it isn’t going to do you any good in the long run.
Your course load should be about balance. You need to find the right balance between rigorous AP courses, maintaining high grades, and still having a life that includes adequate sleep. Striking this balance can sometimes require a bit of trial and error. If last semester was awful because you overloaded on AP courses, that was your trial and error. Don’t make the same mistake this fall.
Prepare for Tough Classes Ahead of Time
AP classes are undeniably difficult, but they certainly aren’t impossible, especially if you prepare ahead of time. The most successful AP students are those who take advantage of the summer to review for those upcoming AP classes. You can do this on your own with the help of a good AP prep book, or you can come to 宝博体育 Education where we’ve developed our Summer Boot Camp, a four-week intensive review of an upcoming AP subject. If you start the school year ahead, it’s a lot easier to keep up throughout the rest of the class.
Get Test Prep Out of the Way
Balancing tough classes, good grades, extracurricular activities, social obligations, and sleep is hard enough. Now throw SAT or ACT prep into the mix. Get your SAT or ACT prep out of the way during the summer. That way you have one less thing to worry about during the school year. Plenty of students do their own test prep, and we’ve got plenty of advice to help you design your own SAT or ACT prep program at home. If you think you need more structure, visit your local 宝博体育 Education center to design a fully customized program or inquire about our Summer SAT Camps or our Summer ACT Camps. These summer boot camps are 4-week intensive test prep programs designed to help you maximize your scores in a short period of time.
Plan Ahead
A good school year requires a good plan. By planning ahead, you can make sure to set realistic goals for each step of your high school career so that you can earn admission at your dream college. We’ll be releasing some great resources to help you plan out each semester. Be sure to sign up for the 宝博体育 newsletter so you know when they’re available. Our local 宝博体育 Education centers off free one-hour college planning sessions to help you build a customized strategic path to college.
宝博体育 Education Urbana now open in Frederick
CENTERS宝博体育 Education Urbana is now open! Our newest center in Frederick, MD is now open and ready to provide students with the expert help they need to succeed! For over 20 years, we’ve been working with students on their journey towards attending the school of their dreams. We’re bringing our test prep, tutoring, and college admissions counseling services to the Urbana community to produce the great results tens of thousands of our students see across the country.
宝博体育 Education Urbana Stands Out from the Rest
What sets 宝博体育 Education apart from other tutoring centers? You’ll be impressed.
Start Today with 宝博体育
At 宝博体育 Education, we offer K-12 tutoring programs; test prep for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP exams; and college counseling services. We’re here to help get you into the school of your dreams. Our expert tutors are ready to create a custom study plan for you, so stop by 宝博体育 Education of Urbana located in The Villages of Urbana on John Simmons St. today, or call us.
Your SAT and ACT Scores, and College Admissions
COLLEGE ADMISSIONSBack in October, we talked about the top three factors that college admissions officers look for: your grades, course rigor, and your SAT or ACT scores.
We’ve received a lot of questions about SAT and ACT scores this test season. To help answer some of these questions and provide guidance, we made a video just for you. Ben covers some important information about SAT and ACT scores. He also shares an infographic that you can download below. Enjoy the video!
Video Transcript
Hi, guys. Welcome back to another 宝博体育 Education video. Today we’re talking about some important questions about SAT and ACT scores.
But first, don’t forget to go to c2education.com and register for one of our summer boot camps. From SAT and ACT test prep to accelerated study programs in any subject, we have an option to suit your needs to get ahead this summer. Go to c2education.com/summer for details.
Ok, back to today’s topic. So… Let’s start with the obvious question…
Why are SAT and ACT scores so important?
It shouldn’t surprise you that SAT and ACT scores are important. In fact, colleges rank these test scores as a top three factor in admission decisions, right up there with grades and what classes you take.
But why do admissions officers care so much about SAT and ACT scores?
Put yourself in their shoes for a minute. You’ve got thousands and thousands of applications to review.
These students go to all different kinds of high schools in different parts of the country with all different kinds of grading systems and different course levels. How do you compare a 97 in 10th Grade Honors English at one high school to a 90 in a gifted 10th grade Composition class from another school? It’s a pretty hard task.
SAT and ACT scores, on the other hand, are the same no matter where you’re from, what school you go to, or when you take it. A 1500 on the SAT is a 1500 on the SAT.
For some students, this is a good thing. If you’re a B student but you always rock standardized tests, your high test scores can help you out when you apply to college. But keep in mind, just because you have great grades, that doesn’t mean you can get a low score. And for those students who get great grades but get queasy when thinking about bubble sheets, there’s still some good news: If you prepare in advance, you can get a great score.
In fact, testing is its own beast, so how you do in school doesn’t necessarily show how you’ll do on the SAT or ACT. The skills that make you a great student don’t necessarily make you great test-taker, and vice versa. So, let’s think about that. The same painstaking attention to detail that helps you ace your math assignments may not actually help you finish the math section on the SAT in time.
Here are a couple things to keep in mind as you get ready for your SAT or ACT test date.
Number one. Test prep is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t prepare for the SAT or the ACT in just a couple days, or even weeks. The most successful test-takers spend months preparing. You want to do everything you can to make these scores help you get into your dream school.
Number two. You should always start by taking a practice test. You won’t really know how you’ll do on the SAT or ACT until you go through one – and you definitely don’t want your trial run, or worse, your first time, to be on an official test day. Taking a practice test helps you know where you are, so you can figure out how to get the score you need.
So what score do you need to get into college? To get started, we put together a great infographic that shows what scores you need to be considered by the top schools in the country. Just click on the link in the description below and check it out!
If you found this video helpful, be sure to give it a thumbs up. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more great videos on study tips, test prep and college admissions advice.
And don’t forget to go to c2education.com and subscribe to our newsletter. That way we can keep you up to date on any new tools, resources, and events that will help you on your journey to your dream college.
Thanks for watching!
Click on the image to download the infographic.