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Q
When should I take the SATs?
When is an ideal time to take the SATs?
A
Answer - posted 2006-02-27
Students should aim to take the SAT by the end of their Junior year. That way, you have time to take it again if you would like to try and improve your score before sending in your college applications. Test scores can vary between sittings, so if you feel you had a bad day or you could have studied more, you should give it another try.
There is no defined threshold or range of SAT scores that colleges require. To determine your target range, you can look at the score ranges that many colleges publish for their applicant pool and their entering class. Remember that while the SAT is an important part of the college application, admissions officers will view your score in the context of your other achievements. Your SAT score will not make or break you.
Q
What is the PSAT and when do I take it?
What is the PSAT/NMSQT and when do I take it?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The best time to take the PSAT is the end of your sophomore year or beginning of your junior year.
The PSAT gives you practice for the SAT and helps you determine how you might score on the real thing. Having an idea of your score range can help focus your studying. It’s also helpful to do well on the PSAT because a high score qualifies you for different scholarships and awards, and puts your name on college mailing lists. However, if you don’t do as well as you would like on the PSAT, don’t worry. You still have time to study and do your best on the SAT.
Visit the College Board's website for a list of awards and scholarships that are available through the PSAT.
Q
Free SAT prep?
What are some online resources that offer free SAT prep?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
Many of the SAT prep courses available cost a lot of money. This can make it difficult for low-income students to be as prepared as their peers for the SAT and other standardized tests. However, free resources do exist:
Number2.com
Test Prep Review
College PowerPrep
FreeSAT1Prep.com
Yahoo! Education
We highly recommend studying for the SAT, as studying helps students significantly improve their test scores. At Quest, we have found that our students have been able to increase their SAT scores by 50 – 200 points by studying diligently.
Q
How do I stand out academically?
How can I distinguish myself in a pool of countless others who are in my SAT and GPA range?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
Your GPA and SAT scores are important parts of your application, but you can also distinguish yourself through your extra-academic pursuits. For an application reader, learning about your achievements as a musician, debater, community volunteer, athlete, or student leader can help you stand out in a pool of other excellent students. It also provides a human side, a window into what motivates you and what perspectives you would contribute to the college’s student body.
By getting involved in sports, clubs, student government, the arts, and other activities, you can enjoy yourself, develop your talents, and also build up a record of involvement that strengthens your college application. An impressive activities list demonstrates leadership, commitment, and passion for the activities the student chooses. First, select activities that you truly enjoy. You want to spend your time outside the classroom doing something that inspires you. Second, holding a leadership position such as a team captain, president, or committee chair shows that you are an active participant. And lastly, application reviewers may also look for continuity in at least one extracurricular – sticking with an activity over a period of time helps show your commitment.
Many students help support their families by working, or have a job simply to earn extra cash. Your job most certainly counts as an extracurricular. Having a job demonstrates initiative, especially if you are able to find meaningful work that helps you explore your career or academic interests. If your job is mainly for earning cash and doesn’t have much academic or community service value, you might consider balancing it out by becoming involved in community service or school activities.
Q
Does community service help?
I’m involved in community and school service. How can this help me in the college admissions process?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
Contributing to your community can certainly enhance your application, as colleges and scholarships often look favorably on service-minded students. It can also provide you with new skills, friendships, and perspectives, and become a highly rewarding outlet for your energy. Just like choosing any extracurricular, if you decide to pursue community service, you should choose the type of service that you enjoy most. Whether you spend your time tutoring, working with the elderly, doing environmental advocacy, or pursuing any number of other activities, the important thing is to demonstrate your sincere and consistent commitment to the project.
Another way that community involvement can benefit you is by providing an avenue to get to know your city council members and other community leaders. These individuals can be excellent sources of advice, and can also provide recommendation letters and even scholarship opportunities. Local community service clubs like the Lions or Kiwanis often have scholarship funds available for community-minded students. Some also hold speech or essay contests – you can find out about these from your school counselor, the websites of local clubs, or even by attending one of their meetings.
Be sure to stay organized and document your hours and activities as you perform community service. Ask a supervisor or community partner to sign off on your hours for community service. This helps during application time when you need to remember dates and hours (or if your high school has a community service requirement for graduation).
Q
How can I help others?
I’m interested in helping others, but I don’t know where to start! Are there resources available that can help find service opportunities?
Q
What should I do in my summers?
Spending one’s summer in a productive manner is looked favorably upon by colleges. What sorts of activities should I be involved in during my summers?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
While summer is a time to enjoy yourself and relax, it is also a great opportunity to explore areas of interest, gain experience, and stay on top of any college deadlines you might have.
One excellent option is to take a class or two at a local community college. Taking college classes gives you exposure to subject areas that your high school curriculum may not include, or to more advanced studies than your high school offers. You can also take classes that will help you during your college career. If you are interested in engineering, for example, you can take introductory engineering classes and gain new skills, sample what college is like for an engineering major, and even get a head start on your college requirements. High school students can take care of college prerequisites by taking community college classes or AP’s, so once you get to college, you have more time to take other interesting courses.
Another valuable summer activity is preparing for tests like the SAT or ACT. Test prep classes are a great way to study, but if they do not work with your schedule or are not offered in your area, go to your local library or bookstore and take home a few test prep books. If you are self-motivated and can study effectively on your own, using books, online programs, or CD-ROMs available from Kaplan, Princeton Review, and various other test prep companies can save you and your family the high cost of attending a prep course. Read through the books, take notes, and do as many practice problems as you can. You should take a number of timed, full-length exams in a quiet setting – try to simulate the testing room as best you can. One of the most important things in preparing for these tests is to familiarize yourself with the format. The more practice tests you take, the more comfortable you will become taking the exam.
Volunteering your time to serve your community is another great summer activity. In addition to enhancing your college application, community service can be extremely rewarding for you and those you help. Talk to your school counselor or contact local community service organizations such as the Rotary or Lions Club to learn about opportunities in your area. Demonstrating a commitment to public service can help you shine in the eyes of college admissions officers while also helping you gain valuable skills and allowing you to touch the lives of others.
One final suggestion is to use part of your summer to explore your career interests and learn from professionals in your local community. Finding a mentor that works in a field that interests you can help you learn what kind of training, work environment, and lifestyle are involved in a career in that field. People love working with motivated students and will often go out of their way to help you. Asking people questions about their work, and even working side by side with them in an internship or job shadowing program will help you develop your own career goals. As an added bonus, if you work closely with a mentor, he or she may be willing to write a recommendation letter for you when it comes time to apply to college.
Q
Where do I start my college search?
Where do I start my college search?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
Consider the characteristics that you want in the college you attend. These might include the area of the country or proximity to your family, the climate, a rural versus urban setting, the size of the school, a liberal arts college versus a research university, and the availability of financial aid. Prestige is an important concern for many students, but be sure to consider elements other than name recognition. You should strive to choose a setting where you will be happy and able to thrive for four or more years.
Some effective ways to find out about specific schools are visiting college websites and taking their virtual tours, joining their mailing lists, even requesting a few applications to see what types of questions have been asked of past applicants. Find out about the composition of the student body, including the number of students and the diversity of the school. You might also be able to find out the breakdown by major, area of the country students come from, participation in sports, the arts, or religious life, and the presence of different activities on campus. These characteristics, more than average SAT scores or GPA, provide you with a picture of the atmosphere on campus.
There are many books that provide you with this type of information as well a real look at campus life – an objective alternative to the colleges’ pamphlets and websites.
Q
Questions when looking for colleges
What are some preliminary questions I should be asking myself in the college search?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-27
Location – You might want to be close to home or in a new setting, in a rural area or a bustling city, with easy access to cultural centers or outdoors adventures.
Weather – Warm weather can be very attractive to some, and others may want to enjoy fall foliage and winter snows.
Size – Big universities offer a plethora of resources and opportunities if you seek them out proactively, while smaller campuses can feel friendlier and provide more tailored advising.
Curriculum and Research Opportunities – Some students seek a small-class-size, liberal arts experience, while others want exposure to leading research centers at large universities.
Cost - Remember that there are many resources available to help you pay for college, so don’t let a high price tag dissuade you from applying to your dream school.
For information about virtually every U.S. college visit the Princeton Review website
The Princeton Review also provides a free service called the
Counselor-o-matic that takes your preferences and spits out a bunch of colleges that meet your criteria.
Q
How do I narrow my college search?
With so many schools to choose from, how can I narrow my search to a handful of colleges that fit my preferences and are also realistic choices for me?
A
Answer - posted 2006-02-27
There are many web sites that use search techniques to match your characteristics with schools that might fit you.
Princetonreview.com is a great source of information about virtually every college in the United States. It also has a tool called Counselor-o-Matic, an advanced search engine that combines your academic and extracurricular history (screens 1-3) with your preferences (screens 4-8) to help you find the right college. It takes into consideration important preferences such as academics, majors and degrees, size, student body, cost and financial aid, location, and religious affiliation to give you a list of schools you might want to research further. Though you wouldn’t want to depend completely on this list to include or exclude any colleges you might consider, it will give you a good starting point for your search.
Another useful site is Collegedata.com, an online college counselor with a similar college matching service. It provides a college search engine that allows you to look up colleges by name or find colleges that match your preferences for location, cost, size, entrance statistics and difficulty. It also has a tool that calculates your admissions chances at each college. You enter your information, such as GPA, SAT scores, and extracurriculars, and the calculator tells you which colleges are good bets, maybes, or likely out of reach. CollegeData does this by comparing your information with data from recent admissions rounds. You can modify your qualifications to see what it might take to strengthen your chances. Like any other web site, it gives you an idea of how competitive various colleges are, but you should not assume any assessment it provides is the final answer. When you actually apply to colleges, the readers will also consider your essays, recommendation letters, and additional factors that the web search engines cannot consider.
Q
Good colleges for international students
What are some good colleges for low-income, international students?
A
Answer - posted 2006-02-27
The following selective schools offer need-blind admission to all international students unless otherwise mentioned. This list was updated as of August 2005. Though it is not comprehensive, it may be useful as a starting point.
Yale University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Princeton University
Columbia University
Harvard University
Syracuse University
University of Pennsylvania
New York University
Williams College
Hamilton College
Bowdoin College (Canadian students only)
Q
Will freshmen year’s grades matter?
I had some trouble adjusting in my freshmen year, and as a result, my grades suffered heavily. Will freshmen year’s grades be a large factor in the college admissions process?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-24
Many students are under the mistaken impression that colleges do not consider applicants’ freshman year grades. In fact, every year counts. Admissions officers will see grades from all years of high school, and weigh them in their decision about whether to offer you a place in their incoming class. Grades give them an indication of your work ethic and your ability to succeed in an academic environment, so the ideal transcript is one that demonstrates academic excellence in rigorous classes from freshmen to senior year.
However, if you had a particularly difficult time adjusting to freshman year, admissions officers may look favorably on a record that shows marked improvement. Getting high grades throughout sophomore and junior year can only help your chances.
One additional caveat can apply if you faced highly adverse personal circumstances during one term, and your grades during that term suffered as a result. If this applies to you, you should explain these circumstances in your college application. Rather than an excuse for earning lower-than-perfect grades, this is an approach that lets you share a difficult, personal explanation for why your performance was not up to your usual standards. Examples of reasons students may give include a death in their immediate family or a serious illness.
Q
What is a “rigorous” course load?
What exactly is a “rigorous” course load?
A
Answer - posted 2006-02-24
A rigorous course load does not necessarily mean taking every AP and Honors course that your school offers. If you feel you can thrive with a course load that is all AP and Honors (or IB if that is what your school offers), then perhaps this is the best path for you. However, many excellent students take just two or three AP classes at a time. It is definitely a good idea to take AP (or Honors or IB) classes, since among other things, their extra weighting can bring up your GPA, and they can count for college credit if you do well on the AP exams.
The idea that underlies colleges’ emphasis on AP and advanced classes is that talented, motivated students who will succeed in college often seek academic challenges, and take the most rigorous courses available to them in high school. If you feel your high school does not offer sufficiently rigorous material, you may consider taking some classes at a local community college.
Q
Do AP's benefit my chance for admission?
Do colleges look favorably upon Advanced Placement classes and if so, would taking them increase my chances of getting into a good college?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-24
Honors, AP, and IB Classes: Colleges expect high-caliber students to be taking advanced classes by their junior year of high school. If your school offers advanced classes in the 9th and 10th grades as well, taking these can certainly make you a stronger applicant.
Taking advanced classes shows that you are motivated and interested in challenging yourself. It also demonstrates your potential to perform well in college classes. If you can earn A’s and score well on an AP test, say in physics, this indicates to admissions officers that you can perform equally well in college physics. Even if you have straight A’s in a series of non-advanced classes, this may not give college admissions officers a reliable metric of your ability to succeed in college.
Q
What are the basic college requirements?
How many years of English, Mathematics, History, Science and Foreign Language are required by top colleges?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-24
Here are the basic courses Universities are requiring:
English - Four years, with significant emphasis on writing and literature. The stronger a student's preparation in English, the better the student's chance for success in whatever field of study he or she pursues.
Mathematics - Four years, with significant emphasis on fundamental mathematical skills (algebra; trigonometry; plane, solid, and analytic geometry). The strongest possible grounding in math is especially desirable for students interested in scientific and technical fields. Most top colleges will look for students to have taken at least Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II (or their equivalents). Many also prefer that students take Trigonometry and Calculus, though these may not be required.
History/Social Studies - Three or more years, including a year of American History. Such courses should include the writing of essays.
Science - Three or more years of laboratory science. For those with a preliminary academic interest in science or engineering, the strongest possible preparation in science is desirable. A well-rounded science course load, such as at least one course in each of biology, physics, and chemistry, is recommended.
Foreign Language - Three or more years of one foreign language is preferable. The study of a foreign language ought to include the development of four basic skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension. It is better to have taken one foreign language in depth rather than introductory courses in two different languages. In addition, many colleges have a language proficiency requirement in order to graduate. If you become proficient in a language in high school, then you can often place out of that requirement in college by scoring well on the SAT II or AP exam in that language.
Q
How many is too many AP's?
A common question that we have had in the past is “at what point am I taking too many AP’s? What if taking X amount of AP courses will allow me to get lower grades overall than if I took Y classes (where Y is less than X)?”
A
Answer - posted 2006-02-24
The answer to this sort of question really depends on many other factors. Consider the fact that AP courses are intended to be college level courses. If you do well on an AP course, it gives a college an indicator of how well you will do in a college level course. Showing a college that you are taking AP courses at the end of your high school career is also showing them that you are segueing your academic workload to the college level smoothly. There are three scenarios that will help you answer this question. Select the scenario that fits you best.
Scenario 1: I have never taken an AP course before or very few.
If you have never taken AP courses and are entering your junior year, you will want to strongly consider taking as many AP classes as you can accommodate in your schedule and that is exemplary of the sort of college for which you are wishing to apply. For example, you wouldn’t stress yourself and take 7 AP courses if you wish to go to private college that does not have that sort of competitive focus. If you wish to attend one of the nation’s top ten colleges, then you will have to distinguish yourself.
Do also note that taking on AP courses will change your time management needs. You will need to develop skills outside of the classroom that will allow to manage your time effectively to make the most of your AP classes. Therefore, going from zero AP classes to 7 over two semesters is an easy way to overwhelm yourself and do poorly in all of your classes. Ease your transition into AP courses.
Scenario 2: I have lower standardized test scores than I would like.
Let’s face the statistical truth that students of low-income and students that are part of ethnic minorities tend to score lower on SAT and ACT tests. This isn’t a statement on intelligence, but more of a statement on cultural inequities in standardized testing. If you feel that your test scores are lower than you’d like but would like to show a college that you can deal with challenging work loads, then take a few AP courses to compensate. Don’t skimp on taking classes and take as many as you can handle. Make sure you keep your AP classes within A’s and B’s. If you can’t get and A or a B, then you may have bitten off more than you can chew.
Scenario 3: I have taken many AP’s and am in the top 5% of my class.
If this is you, then you have considerably more freedom in your AP class load selection. You can not fret about taking every AP course available. Although this may limit your class standing, it may save your sanity and allow to have some perspective. Your academic life can more than just classes and you may want to take or participate in some extra-curricular courses or activities for some breadth and variety. If you have the room to do so, do.
Q
Where can I register for PSAT or SAT?
Where can I register for the PSAT, SAT I and SAT IIs?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-24
You register for the PSAT and SAT at the College Board website. If you haven’t created an account at this website, it is recommended that you do so soon because you will be utilizing it often in the college process.
Q
My school doesn’t offer AP courses.
What if my school doesn’t offer AP courses?
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Answer - posted 2006-02-24
A good question and one that is common in schools that are underserved. In this case, you may want to look at your local community college for the answer. You may be able to take supplementary courses that can count for college credit later. If you have not nearby community college, then you should make a special note of your situation in your application. Make sure your admission’s officers know that you did your best to challenge yourself.
Q
What if my grades are less than A's?
What if my grades are less than satisfactory (i.e. short of straight A's)?
A
Answer - posted 2006-02-24
Of course, straight A’s would be ideal but don’t kill yourself because you got one or two B’s ( I don’t recommend getting too many C’s but a C will not annihilate your chances of getting into a top ranked university). REMEMBER: Getting good grades is important but not the only factor in whether or not you get into a good school.
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