That last summer before senior year is a great one–full of excitement, expectation, and possibility. It’s the summer before your last year of high school, and your last “real” summer before college. Even though it’s a magical time, though, you still need to be planning ahead, particularly if applying to college is on the horizon. […]
The Don’ts of SAT and ACT Prep (Part 1)
Don’t take the SAT or ACT cold Yesterday I had a phone call from the mom of a rising-junior. “I just want him to take the SAT this fall to see how he does. Then we’ll decide how much study he needs.” Hey, while you’re at it, why don’t you have him submit a rough […]
Paying for College 101: The CSS Curve Ball
If you have been keeping up with our prior posts, you now understand the importance of properly positioning your assets when you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You should now understand how the student and parent’s income(s) and assets affect the FAFSA calculation and how these calculations dictate the Estimated Family […]
Paying for College 101: When Your Hard Work Works Against You
The point of working hard and saving for college shouldn’t be having your efforts work against you, yet that is exactly what can happen when you diligently work and save without understanding how the FAFSA works. In a previous post, I described how the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is impacted by your income and where […]
Using SAT Books for PSAT Prep
I had a call from a parent of a sophomore last week who was worried about the lack of PSAT materials available at his local book store. “Why are there so many SAT books and so few PSAT books?” he asked. As far as I’m concerned, there shouldn’t be any PSAT manuals on the book […]
Deciphering Your Financial Aid Award Letter with an Infographic
I stumbled across this excellent infographic breaking down the big (and small) points of a financial aid award letter, and thought it was definitely worth sharing. With college decision and financial aid letters looming on the horizon, it’s a good idea to get familiar with exactly what will be on that letter, and what it […]
Using College to Help You Figure Out a Career Path
Even if you already have a good idea about the career path you want to follow after you graduate from college, deciding which steps you need take to make it happen can be a pretty intense experience. There are so many things to consider: Which classes you should take, the major you should declare, the […]
ACT and SAT Tips and Tricks: Incomplete Comparisons
Comparisons errors occur on both the ACT English Test and the SAT Writing and Language Test. When you find a comparison in a passage on one of these tests, ensure that the two items being compared are alike; it’s acceptable to compare an apple to an orange but it’s likely questionable to compare a green […]
How is the SAT Essay Scored?
Although most SAT test-takers have a good grasp of how the overall test is scored (you get a score out of 2400 points, with each of the three sections earning a score between 200 and 800), many don’t really know how the SAT essay is scored. Here’s the deal.
How to Assess Your SAT Strengths and Weaknesses
I’m not perfect. Don’t tell my mom or my kids that, but it’s true. I have flaws. I make mistakes. I even make mistakes at work (let’s keep my boss out of this conversation, too). One work mistake I have made in the past is in assuming that my students understand how to evaluate themselves. […]