The College Board, which administers the SAT and Advanced Placement(AP) exams, posed questions to 1,507 students who finished high school in 2010 to see how they were doing a year later. Almost half of the students stated that they wish they had taken more difficult writing, math, and science courses. An overwhelming majority of students who did take AP or International Baccalaureate courses-39 percent of those surveyed- felt the challenge was worth it. The inadequate preparation for college was illustrated by the 54 percent of graduates who observed that their freshman year courses were more difficult than expected. A quarter of freshmen were compelled to take remedial courses during their first year. About one in seven students did not make it through the year. The wisdom of taking AP and international baccalaureate courses in high school is borne out by the survey results. Taking more challenging courses not only will help you gain admission to the your top choice school, but will also make you feel more fulfilled after graduating high school.

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David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep. Top Test Prep is an elite private tutoring and test preparation company that helps students gain admission to the best private schools (K-12), colleges and graduate schools. For more information, call (800) 501-Prep.

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A just released Pew Research Center Survey highlights a growing gender gap on how female and male college graduates view their college experience. Selective survey results follow.

Is A College Education Money Well Spent?
50% of women say yes versus 37% of men

Did College Help You Mature and Grow As a Person?
74% of women say yes versus 64% of men

Did College Increase Your Knowledge and Help You Grow Intellectually?
81% of women said it was very useful in this regard versus 67% of men

Conclusion
Disparate gender attitudes on higher education are manifested in a growing disparity in college completion rates. As of 2010, 36 percent of women 25 to 29 years of age had achieved a bachelor’s degree whereas 28 percent of men in this age bracket had done so, a gap which has increased since 1992. In an era in which a college education is increasingly a precondition for a middle class life-style, the repercussions of this discrepancy are far-reaching for family stability and national prosperity.

David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep which offers tutoring and test preparation with admission experts who help you gain admission to your top schools. Call 800-501-7737 or visit TopTestPrep.com today to learn more.

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Here are the Universities and Colleges With Highest and Lowest Costs (Tuition + Room + Board = Total Cost)

The US Department of Education has released its list of institutions of higher learning with the highest and lowest costs. The figures were compiled for the 2009-2010 academic year and include tuition, room, and board. State budget cuts and increasing requests for financial aid have contributed to escalating costs. The average cost nationally for public not for profit universities with four year programs or above was $6,397. The average cost for private not for profit colleges with four year programs or above was $21,324. Institutions and their costs follow.

Public Institutions With Highest Costs

Penn State University, Main Campus (PA) $14,416
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus $14,154
University of Vermont $13,554
St. Mary’s College of Maryland $13,234
New Jersey Institute of Technology $12,856

Public Institutions With Lowest Costs
Haskell Indian Nations University (KS) $430
Dine College (Arizona) $805
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus $1,320
Brazosport College (TX) $1,542
University of Puerto Rico in Ponce $1,815

Private Institutions With Highest Costs

Bates College (ME) $51,300
Connecticut College $51,115
Middlebury College (VT) $50,780
Union College (NY) $50,439
Colby College (ME) $50,320
Private Institutions With Lowest Costs
Webb Institute (NY) $ 0
Berea College (KY) $876
Sinte Gleska University (SD) $1,574
Magnolia Bible College (MS) 1,740
Turtle Mountain Community College (ND) $2,000
______

While cost is a factor in the considerations of many families when deliberating on college options, it should be noted that the most costly institutions of higher learning are often among the strongest academically according to educational experts. They also often offer the best financial aid packages.

David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep which offers tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools. For information on college application and college admissions counseling, go to our site: TopTestPrep.com or call (800) 501-Prep.

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How to Start Your College Search before applying to colleges…

It’s hot outside and you’re hanging out with friends, perhaps taking some courses and working before heading back to school in the fall. It is also a great time, however, to invest in your future and start the ball rolling on your college search. Whether you’re entering high school, a rising sophomore or junior, or even heading into your senior year, a few basic steps can get you headed in the right direction. Where do you start?

Step one: Make a College Wish List

Start off by brainstorming about what you want in a college. Questions you should address in include the following.

• What are my academic interests, strengths, and possible majors?
• What extra-curricular activities are important to me?
• What region and climate would I like to spend my college years in?
• What size school would I be comfortable with, and do I want an urban or small town environment?
• What cost can my family afford? A discussion with your parents about financial aid or loan needs is necessary at this point.

Step Two: Talk to Alumni of these colleges

Get feedback from relatives and family friends on their college experiences. What school did they attend and what did they like or not like about that institution? Note that this feedback is just part of the process because most colleges have changed dramatically since your parents and their friends graduated.

Step Three: Identify these colleges and gather information

Access into free services such as the College Board’s “Student Search Service” and “College Search” to identify schools which meet your academic and non-academic guidelines. US News and World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” issue which lists schools by state and category is also worth ordering or picking up at a local book-store. Pay close attention to the school attributes featured in US News and World Report including acceptance standards, undergraduate academic reputation, and student retention rates. You need to get a sense of your admissions prospects and how undergraduates fare. You can then explore college web-sites and request information from college admissions offices.

Step Four: Narrow down college list and plan college visits

Once you have a grasp of what colleges are out there and what they offer you can start narrowing down your list to schools where you would be competitive in the application process and schools where you have a high probability of being admitted. Arrange visits with your family to as many of these schools as possible during your junior year or early in the fall of your senior year where you can get a feel for the setting and student life. This is an opportunity to set up an interview at schools which encourage it. Look into arranging visits to departments you are interested in where you can pose questions to faculty members or school representatives about class size and their success in placing students in graduate programs and jobs.

Conclusion

Summer is short and you need to recharge your batteries for the academic year ahead. It is also an ideal time to get a head start on a college search, which will play a crucial role in your future. This time could make getting into college, much easier for you.

*****

David Dickson is on the college admissions counseling team at Top Test Prep. Top Test Prep provides expert private tutoring and admissions experts for students applying to K-12, college and grad schools. Call (800) 501-Prep to learn more.

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I just read an article titled "Rethinking Advanced Placement" in the New York Times by Christopher Drew.  As I read the article, I immediately thought of two significant ideas that will spring forth from the new AP Exams  - unmentioned as they were.

First, the new AP Exams will have a significant impact on college admissions.  Admissions offices can expect more students that will take the Biology and US history AP Examinations.  As an applicant to top schools, students often try to fill their college apps with as many AP exams as possible.  With more students taking these two exams with the new standards, we're likely to see fewer students who can distinguish themselves by scoring highly on these exams.  I expect further that the AP Exam score average will climb higher from the current "mean score of 2.63" back above the 3.0+ mark.  This is an unbelievably high (and statistically significant) number.

Second, the new AP exam standards will change how introductory courses are taught in many universities.  With more conceptually-based AP exams in Bio/History, college courses are likely to tailor their own curricula in the same way.   What this means for future Bio and History majors, remains unclear – though it is likely that future medical school and law school applicants (to which these majors most often apply) will re-think how they study and prepare for these exams as well.  I would venture that major changes in curricula for these subjects will take many years as most changes do in University level curricula.  

Overall, I applaud the re-thinking of the AP Exam standards, and remain curious as to what the impact of the standards will have on both college admissions and future course curricula.  I do recommend the article which you can find here…

New York Times "AP Exam" Article 

This article was written by Chairman of Top Test Prep, and education expert, Ross Blankenship. 

To learn more about Top Test Prep's programs call (800) 501-7737 or go to Top Test Prep.

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Here’s a helpful information for students taking the SAT exam, ACT exam or if you’re trying to determine the difference between the two tests (SAT vs. ACT).

You can print this poster.

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In the next few posts, I’m going to cover some basic information on how students can best prepare for the SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT, SSAT and several more. The College Board’s SAT test is released and administered roughly six times per year, and students often use a combination of test prep books, tutoring, and self-study to be prepared for the exam. No matter your method, there are some basic tips you can follow to be best prepared on test day.

SAT Test Strategies:

(1) Practice under timed, actual conditions. By simulating the test environment, you will be better prepared on test day. What this means is that if the SAT exam will be held on a Saturday at 9am, then you should take every practice test at the same exact time. You should also follow the exact instructions on the test and take only the amount of time allowed for your breaks. Often times students prepare for the SAT by taking random sections of the test at odd hours of the week. This disorganized approach won’t help you on test day. Every time you take a test, it must be under the exact conditions – time, day of the week and a quiet location.

(2) Focus on fewer questions. Students are perplexed when I tell them this. There’s a belief by many students that quantity will out measure quality when prepare for the SAT. Yes, you should still try thousands of SAT questions – but when you go through and grade them – pick a few from each section to focus on for during your remaining preparation. So do 2000 to 3000 SAT practice problems, but pick 5 to 10% of these – between 100 to 300 – from all of the combined questions, and focus on them for the rest of your SAT preparation time. These questions will no doubt be similar to those that will appear on the actual SAT exam.

(3) Set a solid study schedule. I can’t emphasize this enough! If you are preparing for the SAT and you don’t have a study schedule that balances all of your work, school, and extracurricular activities, you’ll likely lose focus and your long-term vision of improving your test scores. Your study schedule should include at least 15 to 20 hours per week of actual SAT preparation. You need to treat your SAT prep as if it were a part-time job. Too often I hear students say they’re too busy, or just don’t have enough time to get your scores up. The bottom line is…you do have time. Any high school student can prepare – no matter the number of AP courses, extracurriculars, other jobs – there’s no excuse. Set a solid study schedule, and stick to it!

*****

This article about “How to Prepare for the SAT” was written by President and Founder of Top Test Prep, Ross Blankenship. Top Test Prep provides test preparation and private tutoring for the SSAT, ISEE, SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT and more. Ross Blankenship is also an admissions expert and educational expert who helps students get into top schools.

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We’ve had many questions about whether students should re-take the SAT or ACT after receiving their scores back. Perhaps they were a bit disappointed with their SAT or ACT exam results.

There are a few things to consider:
(1) Where does your SAT or ACT score fit within the range of schools you’re applying?
-For example, if you’re more than 2 points off on the middle ACT range or 100 points off the SAT range of your choice school, you may want to re-take the exam. After all, it would only benefit you with the new SAT score reporting rules to re-take the exam with less fear that the schools will see a lower test score. There’s nothing to lose in re-trying on these exams.

(2) What’s your current GPA?
-Sometimes schools place more emphasis on high school performance than on SAT and ACT scores. Overall, however, the colleges still use the SAT and ACT as an objective measure of your future performance. Thus, your GPA does matter but the test scores usually count for more. If your GPA and SAT scores don’t match in terms of academic performance (example: a student with a 4.0 GPA and 1800 on the SAT), you might want to consider writing an admissions essay to describe your overall test performance and what you tried to do despite your SAT or ACT exam results.

(3) Consider private tutoring or home tutoring…
-If you’ve tried the large class sizes of a test prep company, perhaps it’s time to try private tutoring or in-home tutoring from Top Test Prep. After all, we’ll show you ways to improve your SAT and ACT exam scores, while customizing an SAT study schedule or ACT study schedule for you.

We’re here to help you with your SAT and ACT exams, with our private tutoring and admissions consulting. Call us today at (800) 501-PREP or go to our main test prep and private tutoring website, www.TopTestPrep.com.

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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.

You can email support@toptestprep.com and be sure to include your name and location.

(800) 501-PREP

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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

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