The first SAT was given in 1926. Want to try it?
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/Document-Deep-Dive-What-Was-on-the-First-SAT-202748151.html
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Changing times
I no longer update this blog regularly, but kept it online as many of the articles are still relevant. However, once a college counselor, always a college counselor, so I will occasionally post links to articles I think college students and their families will find interesting.
Here's one such article: written for Time Magazine by Fareed Zakaria. The article describes how the financial constraints facing state colleges and universities are changing admission demographics. It's bad news for those students who will need financial assistance in order to attend their chosen colleges and universities.
Monday, January 16, 2012
A FAFSA FAQ
Seniors, it's time again to consider the annual rite-of-passage called the FAFSA. Most people find filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid about as much fun as filling out another federal form known as the 1040. It's also confusing for many, but unless you are independently wealthy, it's something you will need to do not only this year, but every year you attend college.
Why fill out the FAFSA? The FAFSA is the starting point for all kinds of federal financial aid, including the Pell and other grants, work/study, and loans that generally offer lower interest rates than you could attain elsewhere. It is also required to receive many merit scholarships.
Why do it now? Some grants have a limited pool of money and are offered on a "first come/first served" basis. The earlier you file, the better your chances are of receiving all funds that you might be eligible to receive. I generally advise students to file the FAFSA before Valentine's Day each year. It's OK to estimate earnings if you don't have all your W-4 documentation now; you can amend the FAFSA later based on your exact earnings.
Why bother? I'm sure my family makes too much money to qualify. Besides, I expect scholarships to cover the cost of my college education. Sadly, the majority of students and parents overestimate the amount of money they'll obtain from scholarships and underestimate the amount they can obtain from financial aid. Like the lottery, "you can't win if you don't play", and applying is the only way you will know for sure. Even if you aren't eligible for grants, you may be eligible for subsidized or low-interest loans. And, as mentioned above, many if not most merit-based scholarships require that students complete the FAFSA before the money is disbursed.
How do I get started? Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov Be careful when using search engines to find the FAFSA site; there are many for-profit sites with FAFSA in their names that charge a fee. Remember, the first "F" in FAFSA stands for "free"; you do not have to pay to file the FAFSA and if a site is asking for money, you're not on the right site. The first step will be to obtain a FAFSA PIN number, which will allow you to electronically sign your form, and access it online later. Then follow the step-by-step directions as you complete the form online. There are pop-up helps and hints as you answer each question, and the site also has a very good topical help section.
What's next? Once submitted, you'll receive a confirmation email. You can also use your PIN to check the status of your FAFSA as it is being processed. After processing is complete, you'll receive an email with a link to access your online Student Aid Report, which details your financial aid package at each school you listed on your FAFSA- how much you are eligible to receive in grants, work/study, and loans. Brace yourself, because the largest chunk of aid will most likely come in the form of loans. Many times the information on the SAR is helpful as you make your final college decision, because College A might offer a better financial aid package (meaning more in grants and scholarships, less in loans) than College B. Once you commit to a particular college, you will have the option to accept or decline each component of the financial aid package. For example, you can accept the grants, scholarships, and work/study aid and decline all or part of the loan aid.
That's a brief overview. For more information, browse the help section of the FAFSA site or the FAFSA section of Finaid.org. Now, get to work on it! Don't procrastinate; the money you save may be your own.
Why fill out the FAFSA? The FAFSA is the starting point for all kinds of federal financial aid, including the Pell and other grants, work/study, and loans that generally offer lower interest rates than you could attain elsewhere. It is also required to receive many merit scholarships.
Why do it now? Some grants have a limited pool of money and are offered on a "first come/first served" basis. The earlier you file, the better your chances are of receiving all funds that you might be eligible to receive. I generally advise students to file the FAFSA before Valentine's Day each year. It's OK to estimate earnings if you don't have all your W-4 documentation now; you can amend the FAFSA later based on your exact earnings.
Why bother? I'm sure my family makes too much money to qualify. Besides, I expect scholarships to cover the cost of my college education. Sadly, the majority of students and parents overestimate the amount of money they'll obtain from scholarships and underestimate the amount they can obtain from financial aid. Like the lottery, "you can't win if you don't play", and applying is the only way you will know for sure. Even if you aren't eligible for grants, you may be eligible for subsidized or low-interest loans. And, as mentioned above, many if not most merit-based scholarships require that students complete the FAFSA before the money is disbursed.
How do I get started? Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov Be careful when using search engines to find the FAFSA site; there are many for-profit sites with FAFSA in their names that charge a fee. Remember, the first "F" in FAFSA stands for "free"; you do not have to pay to file the FAFSA and if a site is asking for money, you're not on the right site. The first step will be to obtain a FAFSA PIN number, which will allow you to electronically sign your form, and access it online later. Then follow the step-by-step directions as you complete the form online. There are pop-up helps and hints as you answer each question, and the site also has a very good topical help section.
What's next? Once submitted, you'll receive a confirmation email. You can also use your PIN to check the status of your FAFSA as it is being processed. After processing is complete, you'll receive an email with a link to access your online Student Aid Report, which details your financial aid package at each school you listed on your FAFSA- how much you are eligible to receive in grants, work/study, and loans. Brace yourself, because the largest chunk of aid will most likely come in the form of loans. Many times the information on the SAR is helpful as you make your final college decision, because College A might offer a better financial aid package (meaning more in grants and scholarships, less in loans) than College B. Once you commit to a particular college, you will have the option to accept or decline each component of the financial aid package. For example, you can accept the grants, scholarships, and work/study aid and decline all or part of the loan aid.
That's a brief overview. For more information, browse the help section of the FAFSA site or the FAFSA section of Finaid.org. Now, get to work on it! Don't procrastinate; the money you save may be your own.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Your Sophomore Year: Now You Have Your Feet Wet
Congratulations, you’re a sophomore now! (As an aside, did you know that the word “sophomore” comes from two Greek words meaning “wise fool”? Hopefully, you can look back on your first year of high school with pride, knowing that you did your best. You know your way around campus now and you know what to expect in terms of academic rigor. You’ve gotten involved with a sport, club, or activity that interests you and that you enjoy. And you’ve learned a thing or two about organization, time management, and study skills. What’s next?
Continue to take the most challenging classes you can handle. Too many students fall for the trap of worshiping at the idol of the 4.0 GPA. Generally speaking, it is better to get a grade of “B” in an honors class than a grade of “A” in a regular class. First, colleges like to see that you have challenged yourself and are not afraid of hard work. Second, students who take honors classes generally perform better on college admissions tests. This general rule applies to B grades, not all grades, because grades do matter. Again very generally speaking, a “C” grade in an honors class should be considered a yellow flag. If you’re not studying very much, try putting in more effort. If you are putting in several hours a night studying and earning Cs, you may want to consider signing up for a regular rather than an honors class next year.
Consider taking the PLAN (pre ACT) and PSAT if they are available at your school. The PLAN is a good choice for many college bound sophomores because in addition to giving you a predicted ACT score, it contains an interest inventory that may help you decide upon a college major. The PLAN is designed and normed for sophomores. The PSAT (pre SAT) is designed and qualifying test.
If you’ve participated in many different extracurricular activities as a way to find out which ones are most meaningful to you, now is the time to start narrowing down your choices. When it comes down to your college resume, “deep” involvement in a few things looks better than “shallow” involvement in many things. And you’ll probably have more fun, too!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Fall Tips for College Bound Juniors
The junior year is a busy time for college-bound students, and many students find that it is another "step up" in difficulty from the previous two years. It's also an important year. Since most students apply to colleges in the fall of the senior year, the transcripts colleges will be evaluating as they make admission and scholarship decisions will only include grades through this year. Juniors also should take several standardized tests this year which may play an important role in the college admission process. Here are some "things to do" during this busy and crucial year.
First, you should plan to take the PSAT (pre SAT) in the fall. The PSAT is also used as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, and you only get one chance to take it each year. The test is given in high schools on one Tuesday and one Saturday in October each year; the dates are set by CollegeBoard and each high school must choose either the Tuesday or the Saturday testing date. This year, test dates are October 12 and October 15. Check with your guidance counselor for your school's test date and deadline to sign up. If your school does not offer the PSAT or you have a conflict on its test date, try calling other high schools in your area to see if they have space available. You should prepare for the PSAT before taking it; at a minimum you should work through the practice book provided by College Board. More intense prep books containing several practice tests are available at major bookstores. Click here to read more information about the PSAT on the College Board website.
Plan to take the SAT and/or ACT in the spring. Most colleges will accept either test, but if you can afford the time and the money, it's better to take both. Because the tests differ in several ways, you may do better on one than the other. Colleges will take your best score, so why not give yourself two chances rather than one? Unlike the PSAT, you do not sign up for these tests at your high school; you sign up online on the College Board and ACT websites, and there are several testing dates for each. You select your testing date, location, and pay online. Again, you should prepare for these tests before taking them so that you are familiar with the format and timing of each section. ACT and College Board have a great deal of helpful information on their websites, or you can buy a practice book at major bookstores.
Now, about those grades. Try to earn the very best grades you can in the most challenging classes you can handle. This is particularly important if you got off to a less-than-desirable academic start in high school. Often, an upward trend in your grades can mitigate somewhat lower grades in say, the first semester of your freshman year. It's also a balancing act. You want to challenge yourself, but you don't want to take so many difficult classes that your grades suffer. Many students take their first AP or IB classes as juniors, and some are shocked by the difficulty of these classes. They are probably harder than classes you have taken so far, even honors classes, and this is something you should expect. After all, you are doing college-level work and may be rewarded with college credit if you do well on the end-of-course exams! In general, I think it is better to earn a "B" in a more difficult class than an "A" in an easier class, but if you are making too many "C" grades, it may be time to reconsider the difficulty of your class selections. There are always exceptions to any general rule, so you should discuss your specific circumstances and goals with your guidance counselor.
As if studying and taking standardized tests weren't enough to do this year, you should also evaluate your extracurricular portfolio. This is especially true if you are seeking admission to a more competitive college, or are hoping to be awarded a scholarship. Although grades and test scores are the most important factors for most college admission offices, your activities outside of school are also important. There is no such thing as a list of "best activities" that are guaranteed to get you into the college of your choice, and you don't have to be involved in everything. Your best choices will usually be the things you truly enjoy doing and do well. (If they serve to make the world a better place, and are related to your planned field of study, so much the better!) Again, these are very general suggestions and I'd encourage you to discuss your specific choices with your guidance counselor.
Finally, junior year is the time to seriously investigate possible colleges and narrow down your choices. You can do a lot of your research online- check the list of links to the right as a starting place- but there is no substitute for making an actual in-person visit to the colleges you are considering. Talk to your parents, teachers, friends and acquaintances. Ask them where they went to college and what they liked and didn't like about it. There are also books that many of my students have found helpful, including Rugg's Recommendations, Colleges that Change Lives, and Looking Beyond the Ivy League, along with many others. Spend an afternoon at a bookstore and skim through a few of them.
Sounds like a lot? It is, but it's manageable if you start planning now, and you'll be much better prepared, have less stress and more choices once senior year rolls around!
First, you should plan to take the PSAT (pre SAT) in the fall. The PSAT is also used as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, and you only get one chance to take it each year. The test is given in high schools on one Tuesday and one Saturday in October each year; the dates are set by CollegeBoard and each high school must choose either the Tuesday or the Saturday testing date. This year, test dates are October 12 and October 15. Check with your guidance counselor for your school's test date and deadline to sign up. If your school does not offer the PSAT or you have a conflict on its test date, try calling other high schools in your area to see if they have space available. You should prepare for the PSAT before taking it; at a minimum you should work through the practice book provided by College Board. More intense prep books containing several practice tests are available at major bookstores. Click here to read more information about the PSAT on the College Board website.
Plan to take the SAT and/or ACT in the spring. Most colleges will accept either test, but if you can afford the time and the money, it's better to take both. Because the tests differ in several ways, you may do better on one than the other. Colleges will take your best score, so why not give yourself two chances rather than one? Unlike the PSAT, you do not sign up for these tests at your high school; you sign up online on the College Board and ACT websites, and there are several testing dates for each. You select your testing date, location, and pay online. Again, you should prepare for these tests before taking them so that you are familiar with the format and timing of each section. ACT and College Board have a great deal of helpful information on their websites, or you can buy a practice book at major bookstores.
Now, about those grades. Try to earn the very best grades you can in the most challenging classes you can handle. This is particularly important if you got off to a less-than-desirable academic start in high school. Often, an upward trend in your grades can mitigate somewhat lower grades in say, the first semester of your freshman year. It's also a balancing act. You want to challenge yourself, but you don't want to take so many difficult classes that your grades suffer. Many students take their first AP or IB classes as juniors, and some are shocked by the difficulty of these classes. They are probably harder than classes you have taken so far, even honors classes, and this is something you should expect. After all, you are doing college-level work and may be rewarded with college credit if you do well on the end-of-course exams! In general, I think it is better to earn a "B" in a more difficult class than an "A" in an easier class, but if you are making too many "C" grades, it may be time to reconsider the difficulty of your class selections. There are always exceptions to any general rule, so you should discuss your specific circumstances and goals with your guidance counselor.
As if studying and taking standardized tests weren't enough to do this year, you should also evaluate your extracurricular portfolio. This is especially true if you are seeking admission to a more competitive college, or are hoping to be awarded a scholarship. Although grades and test scores are the most important factors for most college admission offices, your activities outside of school are also important. There is no such thing as a list of "best activities" that are guaranteed to get you into the college of your choice, and you don't have to be involved in everything. Your best choices will usually be the things you truly enjoy doing and do well. (If they serve to make the world a better place, and are related to your planned field of study, so much the better!) Again, these are very general suggestions and I'd encourage you to discuss your specific choices with your guidance counselor.
Finally, junior year is the time to seriously investigate possible colleges and narrow down your choices. You can do a lot of your research online- check the list of links to the right as a starting place- but there is no substitute for making an actual in-person visit to the colleges you are considering. Talk to your parents, teachers, friends and acquaintances. Ask them where they went to college and what they liked and didn't like about it. There are also books that many of my students have found helpful, including Rugg's Recommendations, Colleges that Change Lives, and Looking Beyond the Ivy League, along with many others. Spend an afternoon at a bookstore and skim through a few of them.
Sounds like a lot? It is, but it's manageable if you start planning now, and you'll be much better prepared, have less stress and more choices once senior year rolls around!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Back to school tips for college bound seniors
I hope you have had a restful and productive summer and are ready to begin a new school year! Here are a few things seniors should think about as the semester begins:
You will want to schedule a meeting with your counselor early in the semester to verify that you are "on track" for graduation and for meeting the college admission requirements for the college or colleges of your choice. It is better to find out about any problems now, when there is still time to correct them and add a class to your schedule if necessary. Admission requirements can generally be found on college websites. You can find a link to an index of college websites on the resource list at the right of this page, or you can just try googling "(name of college) admission requirements". In institutions where admissions and/or scholarship assistance is competitive, it is always better to go beyond the minimum requirements. Colleges want to see that you have challenged yourself, not just done what is necessary to "get by". A good guide is to aim for four credits in each of the "five solids"...math, science, English, social studies, and foreign language. (Hint: Don't walk into the guidance office the first day of school and expect that your counselor will have time for a detailed conversation about your college prospects. Counselors tend to be very busy the first week of school with scheduling issues, new enrollments, etc. You'll be better off waiting until the second week of school to ask for an appointment!)
College bound seniors should have taken the SAT and/or ACT during the spring of the junior year. If you did not, you should sign up ASAP for the earliest possible fall test date. If you were not satisfied with your spring test scores, you may sign up to retest. Sign up online at www.collegeboard.com for the SAT or www.actstudent.org for the ACT.
You should also begin to think about how you will pay for college. Parents and students need to have a serious talk and honestly discuss how much the parents will be able to help. Do not make the mistake of assuming that because you are a good student, you will get scholarships that will pay for everything. Unfortunately, "full ride" scholarships have always been pretty rare and even more difficult to get in today's economy. Have "the talk", and then begin to research all possible options early this fall. It won't hurt to sign up for a scholarship search service (as long as there is no fee for doing so- scam alert!) but don't count on finding a lot of money through one of these. Most students get most of their funding from the colleges themselves. Check the financial aid page of colleges you are considering; sometimes they have a separate scholarship application and sometimes you are considered for scholarships as a part of the admissions application. Another good place to check is your school guidance office or website; most will have a book or online listing of scholarships. Look through these on a regular basis, and apply for any and all for which you meet the qualifications. Your best bets are local scholarships, or those that will otherwise draw a fairly limited pool of applicants. National scholarships with fairly broad criteria (3.0 GPA) are probably a waste of your time as the applicant pool is so large. You can also check with your parent's employers, or with religious or community organizations to which you or your parents belong. Wherever you start looking, start looking and applying early, and continue the process throughout the fall. If you're serious about looking for scholarships, one book I would recommend is Ben Kaplan's "How to Go to College (Almost) For Free".
You will want to schedule a meeting with your counselor early in the semester to verify that you are "on track" for graduation and for meeting the college admission requirements for the college or colleges of your choice. It is better to find out about any problems now, when there is still time to correct them and add a class to your schedule if necessary. Admission requirements can generally be found on college websites. You can find a link to an index of college websites on the resource list at the right of this page, or you can just try googling "(name of college) admission requirements". In institutions where admissions and/or scholarship assistance is competitive, it is always better to go beyond the minimum requirements. Colleges want to see that you have challenged yourself, not just done what is necessary to "get by". A good guide is to aim for four credits in each of the "five solids"...math, science, English, social studies, and foreign language. (Hint: Don't walk into the guidance office the first day of school and expect that your counselor will have time for a detailed conversation about your college prospects. Counselors tend to be very busy the first week of school with scheduling issues, new enrollments, etc. You'll be better off waiting until the second week of school to ask for an appointment!)
College bound seniors should have taken the SAT and/or ACT during the spring of the junior year. If you did not, you should sign up ASAP for the earliest possible fall test date. If you were not satisfied with your spring test scores, you may sign up to retest. Sign up online at www.collegeboard.com for the SAT or www.actstudent.org for the ACT.
You should also begin to think about how you will pay for college. Parents and students need to have a serious talk and honestly discuss how much the parents will be able to help. Do not make the mistake of assuming that because you are a good student, you will get scholarships that will pay for everything. Unfortunately, "full ride" scholarships have always been pretty rare and even more difficult to get in today's economy. Have "the talk", and then begin to research all possible options early this fall. It won't hurt to sign up for a scholarship search service (as long as there is no fee for doing so- scam alert!) but don't count on finding a lot of money through one of these. Most students get most of their funding from the colleges themselves. Check the financial aid page of colleges you are considering; sometimes they have a separate scholarship application and sometimes you are considered for scholarships as a part of the admissions application. Another good place to check is your school guidance office or website; most will have a book or online listing of scholarships. Look through these on a regular basis, and apply for any and all for which you meet the qualifications. Your best bets are local scholarships, or those that will otherwise draw a fairly limited pool of applicants. National scholarships with fairly broad criteria (3.0 GPA) are probably a waste of your time as the applicant pool is so large. You can also check with your parent's employers, or with religious or community organizations to which you or your parents belong. Wherever you start looking, start looking and applying early, and continue the process throughout the fall. If you're serious about looking for scholarships, one book I would recommend is Ben Kaplan's "How to Go to College (Almost) For Free".
Monday, April 25, 2011
EyerCollegeGuidance: Making the Most of Your Summer
EyerCollegeGuidance: Making the Most of Your Summer:
School will soon be out for the summer. Yes, you want to relax, “de-stress”, and enjoy your time, but if you are a college bound student, you shouldn’t spend it all sleeping until noon and playing video games. I originally posted these tips for a productive summer last May. If you missed that post, or need a refresher, here it is!
School will soon be out for the summer. Yes, you want to relax, “de-stress”, and enjoy your time, but if you are a college bound student, you shouldn’t spend it all sleeping until noon and playing video games. I originally posted these tips for a productive summer last May. If you missed that post, or need a refresher, here it is!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)