In the battle between SAT scores and GPA, many students wonder which matters most to your college application. Though many college admissions departments say your GPA delivers the biggest punch, these same admissions officers are secretly showing scorecards that declare the SAT the winner of the match. So why the secrecy and denial surrounding the […]
College Admissions: Computing your GPA
Applying to college? You’re likely hearing a lot of talk about your GPA and how much it matters in the college admissions process. Your GPA is your grade-point average. It indicates your overall performance in school, i.e., your grades. Your GPA is a calculation of your letter or percentage grades and is a number from […]
How to Tell if Your GPA is Inflated
On ACT and SAT score release days, there’s a phone call that never fails. A distraught student or student’s parent is on the other line, distraught and confused. Why did they, with a 4.5 GPA, receive an 18 on the ACT? Teachers and administrators may be quick to jump on the test anxiety bandwagon. They […]
3 Common Myths About College Admissions
When applying to college, you’ll inevitably run into myths and misconceptions. From what schools look for, to the importance of participating in every extracurricular possible, to who should write Recommendation Letters. All of them have a story attached to it. One of the most important things you can do to get ready to apply to […]
Letter Grades, Percentages, and GPAs
If you’re applying to college, you’ll hear a lot of talk about your GPA, and how much it matters in the college admissions process. Many students find the topic confusing: How come it’s a number from 0.0 to 4.0? What if my school gives out grades as percentages from 0 to 100? What if my school […]
Inflated GPAs: When Test Scores and Grades Collide
On the day SAT scores are released, I wait for the one phone call that never fails: that from a distraught parent who cannot understand why her daughter with a 4.5 GPA received a 1350 on the SAT. Teachers and administrators at her daughter’s school may be quick to jump on the test anxiety bandwagon, […]
How to Beat Senioritis and Make Your Last Year of High School Count
Ah, Senior Year. You’ve waited for it, pined for it, ached for it—and now it’s almost here! That last year before you go off to college; those last few months before you get to be on your own. Understandably, it will feel like it drags on forever. And ever. After a while, you may lose […]