Many of our readers alerted us on the Wake Forest policy to make standardized tests optional. We’d like to get your feedback on the issue, so send us a line and we’ll post your comments. Here’s the original story New Admissions Policy.
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One of our students asked, “What should I do to prepare my college applications during the summer?” Another reader pondered, “I’m not sure what my student should be doing this summer, could you help?”
Well, we’ve developed a top 10 list for test prep, college admissions counseling and college applications during the summer before your senior year. The list also should help students before they apply to colleges:
(1)
Obtain college applications:
Print off all of the college applications from every school you’re interested in. Even if you’re using the common application, it’s good to know which documents each school requires.
(2)
Arrange your college visits:
The summer is a great time to travel to colleges and narrow down your college choices based on what the schools look and feel like. College visits will solve this dilemma.
(3)
Contact the admissions offices:
If you have questions about applying to an individual school, use the summer to call the admissions offices and make sure you know their requirements.
(4)
Work on your college essays:
Whether for the common app or for the school’s individual application, college essays can be tough. This is particularly true because they’re usually very broad and require you to get as much information as possible into 500 words or less.
(5)
Organize your documents:
If you don’t already have a resume or “brag sheet”, use the summer to develop them. In addition, get all of your test scores (PSAT, SAT, ACT) and transcripts from your school. These will be very helpful when you develop your college list.
(6)
Volunteer:
If you’re not already involved in some community groups or non-profit organizations, the summer is a perfect time to start. Volunteer with the local YMCA or Big Brother / Big Sister’s Club. Also, because this is the prime presidential season, you can volunteer for one of the major Presidential campaigns. Whatever you do, work hard and make good contacts.
(7)
Read!
This summer you should do all assigned summer reading. But go one step further: read magazines like The Economist and publications like the Wall Street Journal. Reading these periodicals will keep your mind fresh and prepared not just for high school, but for college.
(8)
Stay active:
If you’re involved in sports, keep it up. The exercise and activity will no doubt help you concentrate in the fall. And if you’re an athlete hoping to get recruited, maintaining your fitness is crucial.
(9)
Take summer classes:
Whether you’re in a big or small city, there’s a good chance the local colleges offer summer enrichment courses- you could even take some college courses for credit- like Creative Writing, Chemistry or Math. These courses will keep your mind fresh. And we offer SAT and ACT courses.
to help you get higher scores.
(10)
Prepare for the SAT / ACT:
If you haven’t already taken the SAT, it’s important to spend the summer preparing for these standardized tests. Spend at least one hour a night on a new chapter on the SAT or ACT.
We hope this list of top 10 summer activities helps you get ready for the all-important transition from high school to college. If you need college admissions counseling, contact us today to get started.
Ross Blankenship, Education expert and Founder, Top Test Prep
There are an increasing number of college admissions consultants discussing the benefits of applying to college from either a public or private high school. Further, many parents and students want to know whether going to a private high school will give them a greater advantage in the admissions cycle. So we’ll discuss the benefits of applying from either public or private schools.
Applying to College From Public High Schools:
There’s a greater chance that you might “stand out” more with higher SAT and ACT scores.
Most admissions offices have statistics of matriculated students from any given high school. These show the performance of students from any high school at their college. In fact, many high school admissions offices provide SAT and ACT medians from their respective school. So, if you score way higher or lower, it could be seen more or less favorably. If a recent study by the Center on Education Policy concluding that students score slightly higher on SAT Verbal / Math from public schools is correct, then you might stand out with a higher score.
You are more likely to be the only one applying to a “Top” College
Because some public high schools are more worried about students attending high school at all, if you’re one of the few students applying to an Ivy League School or to another “Top 50″ college (based on U.S. News and World Report), admissions officers will make note of this fact. Often times students recall of X student of 300 total from Y public high school getting into Harvard. In some cases, this is true. But work on increasing your scores and improving your essays, and then apply to college. Don’t worry about the fact that you have to apply from a public school.
Applying to College From Private High Schools:
Many private schools have greater resources.
Simply put: because many private schools charge tuition and don’t rely on state and local taxes to survive, private high schools can channel more resources into college counseling and other things like computer technology. So if you’re going to a private school use the resources wisely. And our admissions consultants help both public and private school students, regardless.
There’s a better chance you can speak with current and former students at top schools.
Because there are more students from private schools at the top colleges, your private school is more likely to put you in touch with a current student who can help facilitate a campus tour or discussion with the admissions office. In addition, these contacts will help you find out what school is a good fit for you. So find out what graduates went to your choice schools and contact them.
So now you know…
Overall, it is doubtful that an admissions office will think more or less favorably of your application whether at a public or private school; the most important thing is to create an application that shows you contributed to your high school (public or private) and will do the same in college.
Remember, the key to applying to colleges is making sure that you develop a strong theme in your admissions application that shows you stood out of the crowd, regardless of whether you went to a public or private high school. Don’t worry about whether you’re currently at a public or private school, the SAT and ACT create enough objective criteria to evaluate your applications that this fact becomes irrelevant.
Ross Blankenship, Education Expert and Founder of Top Test Prep
(800) 501-Prep
We’ve had many students ask us what colleges have the best engineering and science programs. Using a weighted average of faculty resources, technology grants, class size, and student ratings, we have developed the following list to help guide students and parents in the process of college counseling. The list provides a concise summary of these top engineering and tech programs. For more information, contact Top Test Prep directly.
(1) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA
Cal Tech is the top ranked tech savvy college. The school is packed with great professors and has a niche in the California technology industry, including Google and Yahoo. Cal Tech is highly recommended if you’re interested in entering Silicon Valley and have a knack for inventing new technologies. Their undergraduate program is one of the best for students interested in individual research projects with professors and Cal Tech is a key part of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Some key specialties: Natural Sciences, Biotechnology, Space Sciences
Famous alumni: Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel Corporation; Charles Francis Richter, creator of the Richter Magnitude Scale;
SAT range for incoming students: 2200-2350
Acceptance rate: 17%
(2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
MIT is a great school with unique resources for its students. If you’re interested in graduating with the famed MIT degree, and want to be immersed in high quality education, every day, then this is a great place to be. With more Nobel prizes than one could count in an hour, they define excellence in engineering. Their high alumni giving suggest generations of families are happy with their educational choice. MIT probably has the highest name recognition worldwide amongst scholars and students.
Some key specialties: Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace Engineering
Famous alumni: Col. Buzz Aldrin, NASA Astronaut; IM Pei, world-renowned designer and architect; Robert Metcalfe, inventor of Ethernet and founder, 3COM;
SAT range for incoming students: 2070-2340
Acceptance rate: 13%
(3) Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Cornell is one of the few colleges with engineering research programs that allow students to work directly under renowned professors. With faculty like Bill Nye (the science guy) and Steven Squyres of the NASA Mars Rover program, you will have the opportunity to learn from the best. Be prepared to work harder at Cornell than you would at most colleges. Cornell’s unique engineering science facilities include newly built Duffield Hall, which represents the university’s next high-tech step.
Some key specialties: Engineering Physics, Nanotechnology, Biomedical Sciences
Famous alumni: Steven Squyres, principal science investigator for the Mars rovers; William F. Friedman, founder of the study of cybernetics;
SAT range for incoming students: 1940-2240
Acceptance rate: 24%
(4) Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Founded originally as Carnegie Technical Schools in 1900 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the school is primarily known for its science and research. Carnegie Mellon hosts the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. In addition, they host the Robotics Institute (RI), a division of the School of Computer Science. Overall, its solid reputation amongst scholars and education journals is a reason why students should look to this school.
Some key specialties: Computer Science, Software Engineering
Famous alumni: James Gosling, creator of the Java programming language; Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems; Vinod Khosla, billionaire venture capitalist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems;
SAT range for incoming students: 1940-2235
Acceptance rate: 34%
(5) University of Texas, Austin, TX
Considered to be one of the Public Ivies in America, the University of Texas has fantastic resources for their students. As a public university, it spends almost 50 percent of their engineering budget on sponsored research. UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering enrolled 67 new National Merit Scholars in 2006-2007, the university’s largest proportion of new National Merit Scholars. UT Austin enrolls the third highest National merit scholars nationally. Plus, Texas is a great state with awesome weather and friendly people. Definitely keep UT-Austin in mind when applying to college.
Some key specialties: Petroleum Engineering, Computer Engineering
Famous alumni: Michael Dell, Founder and CEO of Dell Computers; Rex Tillerson, Exxon Mobil Corp. chairman and CEO.
SAT range for incoming students: 1680-2055
Acceptance rate: 49%*
*Note that this admissions rate will be affected by Texas’s top ten percent law, which guarantees graduating Texas high school seniors in the top 10% of their class admission to any public Texas university
Brought to you by Top Test Prep and the Education Expert, Ross Blankenship
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