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Top Tweets Tuesday – Issue #16

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This is Issue #16 of our Top Tweets Tuesday series where we share the top college prep tweets we’ve come across to make planning for college just a little bit easier. Whether you’re just starting high school or you’re on your 15th campus tour this year, we hope we can offer a little insight and reassurance on your college-bound journey.


As many of you are preparing to make a decision about where you will attend college, keep this in mind: you are choosing your home for the next 4+ years! Don’t feel pressure to change yourself to fit the college, pick the one that will allow you to thrive as the awesome individual that you are!

Still trying to perfect those essays? Here are 10 Dos and Don’ts to follow for a more competitive essay. Hopefully the opening hook of this paragraph was enough to get you to click the link below to learn more 🙂

Have you asked yourself: does this school WANT me to send them my resume? Obviously, resumes are a common attachment to any college or scholarship application, but make sure they want your resume first (e.g. it’s listed in the required application materials, it’s optional or they recommend attaching one). If it’s optional, now you need to ask yourself: will attaching my resume add value to my application. Read the full post below to find out!

This month, we are all about planning and organizing for college-prep. If you need a little help setting your college-prep goals, here are some great ideas broken down by grade. 

Happy Tuesday! See you next week!

 

The post Top Tweets Tuesday – Issue #16 appeared first on ScholarPrep.


Looking for an advantage for college and scholarships?

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Who doesn’t want a little competitive advantage for college acceptance and winning scholarships? With the average student graduating college with more debt each year ($37,172 in 2016), the pressure is on families to do anything they can to reduce the financial burden of higher education.

We’re here to tell you that there is a way – planning and organization.

If you’ve ever googled the phrase “how to prepare for college” then you know, there is a ton of information out there on what parents and students should be doing to prepare for college. The hard part is knowing how to do it and then, of course, actually doing it. This post will introduce you to a system that will help you set goals and track the information that you will need to fill out college and scholarship applications.

START PLANNING FRESHMAN YEAR

High school officially begins as soon as a student graduates from 8th grade; anything they do after that day can be included on their high school resume for college and scholarship applications. Therefore, freshman year of high school is the perfect time to start planning for college, even if it seems like college is so far away.

NOTE: Some students are now taking high school credits earlier than their freshman year of high school. Depending on your child’s classes in 8th grade, you may need to start planning earlier than others.

A little planning each month over four years will make the transition to college less stressful and overwhelming – for students and parents.

At the same time, high school juniors and seniors can still take advantage of the time they have left by identifying areas where they need to improve, setting goals and organizing their information before they sit down to fill out applications. If you do start planning a little late, ask teachers, parents, employers, community leaders and even friends to help you recall what you have done during your high school career. It is amazing the things that are often forgotten that should be included on an application.

AVOID THE OBSTACLES MOST STUDENTS FACE

First, you need to know that there are two major obstacles for students when competing for scholarships and college acceptance.

The first obstacle students must overcome is having all of their high school experiences and information from four years of high school written down and organized. Writing everything down will ensure that you don’t have an overwhelming experience when filling out applications.

If you don’t do this, you’ll sit down as a senior and look at the applications for the first time and say, “what have I done for the last 4 years?” Imagine yourself as a senior trying to remember that time you volunteered your freshman year… What was the date? How many hours were you there? It takes so much extra time to go back and try to account for all of the little details.

The key then is to collect this information as you go – track and organize the details of your activities a little bit at a time. The more organized your information is, the less time it takes to fill out applications. The less time it takes to fill out applications, the more likely you are to apply and you can apply for more scholarships with the time you saved.

FACT: Small local scholarships often go un-awarded because not a single student applied.

The second obstacle is knowing what information you even need to be tracking – what you need to do to get the scholarship, program acceptance, internship, fellowship, or job. Typically, students never see a college or scholarship application until they sit down to fill one out; however, by this time it is too late to create a competitive application. Planning in advance is the only way to make sure you will look competitive on paper and avoid regret. By the time you are applying, it is too late to prepare.

Of course, there is no way to know in high school what the perfect choices are to prepare for college, but what you don’t want is to reach your senior year and realize you should have taken the ACT test one more time, or that a scholarship you want (or need) is going to someone with more volunteer hours.

The only way to ensure that students don’t miss out on opportunities is through proper planning and preparation.

MAKE A MONTHLY COMMITMENT TO PLANNING

Let’s talk more about how this system works. The most important part is making a monthly commitment to planning for college. Just a few minutes a month can make a significant difference in how prepared you are and it will reduce the amount of time and stress involved in the long run. It is essential that students and a committed adult (parent/guardian/teacher/counselor/consultant) schedule a time to meet each month to document the previous month’s activities.

TIP: Set a reminder on a calendar or your phone to ensure you meet every month.  

This monthly meeting is the time to set and review goals. For example, if you committed to joining two clubs your sophomore year, you need to be reminded near the beginning of that school year. Perhaps you can also pursue an officer position to get some leadership experience. It will become apparent after a few monthly meetings which areas need more attention. This monthly meeting will also keep you on track for important events, such as scheduling ACT/SAT tests. Most importantly, meeting on a monthly basis will allow you to record all the details of your activities.

So, how do you go about tracking and organizing all of the information you will need when senior year rolls around?

USE A SCHOLARPREP ORGANIZER

The ScholarPrep Organizer is the ultimate college planner for families on the college-bound journey and here’s why…

Getting organized is the first step to helping students prepare for college. This essential step will ensure that their college or scholarship applications are complete – that nothing is forgotten or missed. The best way to do this is with a physical organizer. Even though we live in a digital world, the most effective way to keep a monthly commitment to planning is to have that physical component. Applications will require physical copies of letters of recommendation, resumes, cover letters, and other application documents. On top of that, research shows that writing down your commitments and goals by hand will help you accomplish them. The ScholarPrep Organizer is the only solution out there that addresses those two obstacle that students inevitably face senior year.

The ScholarPrep Organizer is the tool that parents will keep on their desk at home as a physical reminder to sit down with their student each month to do a little planning and goal setting. It helps students set goals, track their progress and organize all of the information they will need to get accepted into college and get the scholarships they need to pay for their education.

The ScholarPrep Organizer covers every section that a student will encounter on a college or scholarship application:

  • Academics and Testing
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Community Involvement
  • Leadership Experience
  • Honors and Awards
  • Work Experience
  • Resumes
  • Essays and Statements
  • Letters of Recommendation

Each section of the ScholarPrep Organizer contains helpful hints, tips, examples of entries and timely reminders! This isn’t just another book you have to read. Your ScholarPrep Organizer will walk you through the process of preparing for college, while also providing you tons of valuable information. We have already set up the perfect organizational system for you; just plug in your information.

Every aspect of the ScholarPrep Organizer was carefully designed with students and parents in mind. The ScholarPrep Organizer is a comprehensive organizational tool to ensure students are prepared for college, which means no more worrying that your child won’t be able to attend the college of their choice because you can’t afford it!

Here are some of the great features of the ScholarPrep Organizer that will give you an advantage as you prepare for college and scholarship applications.

Monthly Log

Using the Monthly Log at the beginning of the book is key to setting goals and tracking information before it’s forgotten. Students will be most successful if they commit to going through their Organizer once a month. Be sure to log the date of each monthly session.

Storage Pockets

Most sections of the organizer contain a handy storage pocket for easy access to important documents. Tracking and saving hard copies of test scores, letters of recommendation, or community service verification letters in their corresponding sections will save you time when you need them for your applications.

Quick Tips

Reading over the quick tips in each section is a great way to jog your memory when trying to recall what you need to record from the last month. This is also the easiest way to create or update your goals and to-do list for the upcoming month or brainstorm possible opportunities that match your interests.

Tracking and Organization

Tracking all of your information from four years of high school will be less overwhelming if done a little bit each month rather than right before applications are due. Each section of the ScholarPrep Organizer includes tracking pages where you can organize every detail of your high school experience.

Order your Organizer to gain advantage for college acceptance and winning scholarships.

Needing even more help? Want someone to hold your hand through the process so you know you haven’t missed a single thing? Enroll in our College and Scholarship Planning Essentials course designed for parents and students.

During the month of January, get 10% off your Organizer or the Course by using the promo code NEWYEAR10. Start the new year off right by getting organized and setting your student up for college success!

The post Looking for an advantage for college and scholarships? appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Resource Feature: College Essay Organizer

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Our College-Prep Resource Feature series gives parents and students an opportunity to learn about a valuable resource available to them on their college-bound journey. Once or twice a month, we choose a new resource that we have found valuable. Many of the resources we feature are free, while others cost – we always try to include some kind of discount when we share these type of resources! 


Resource: College Essay Organizer

What’s the purpose of College Essay Organizer? 

The purpose of College Essay Organizer is to streamline the college essay process instantly providing all of the essay questions for any selected colleges and delivering a personalized plan for writing the fewest essays that work for all your questions.

What’s the story behind College Essay Organizer?

The idea for College Essay Organizer was an outgrowth of two companies based in New York City that have distinguished themselves as leaders in the tutoring and college prep world. Daniel, founder of Metro Academic Prep, and Scott, founder of A-List, met through a common student years ago and joined forces with College Essay Organizer. Their shared hope was to create an easy-to-use online tool to streamline the college essay and admissions process for students worldwide as they prepare for one of the biggest challenges of their lives.

How does it work?

You can create a free account, select your colleges, and view your required questions. There is an optional upgraded account, which allows you to see all essay questions including program-specific and scholarship questions, as well as your personalized Essay RoadMap.

Why is using College Essay Organizer so important?

College essays are the most stressful part of the application process, and a student applying to competitive schools may have 20 or more essays to write.

What’s the benefit?

This benefits students who do not want to miss any essay questions, and want to minimize the time they spend tracking down and organizing essay questions so that they can spend their time writing quality essays.

When should someone start using College Essay Organizer?

Students usually create an account the spring of their junior year, though some prefer to begin earlier or later depending on their list of schools and motivation.

What problem does this solve?

College essays are numerous and difficult to find. Students often assume they are all in the Common App, but that is far from the truth. College Essay Organizer instantly provides them all reducing stress and jumpstarting the essay-writing process.

Do you have any tips or tricks to share with families on the college-bound journey?

Our blog has plenty of information on the application process, but the main message is to stay calm and work hard, and while there may be disappointments, things will ultimately fall into place. There’s a lot of misplaced importance on the name of a college, but it’s not the college that will make a person, it’s the person who needs to make college into the experience that he or she wants.

Anything else we should know about College Essay Organizer?

It’s free to get started! There is also a special discount for reading this post 🙂 Use promo code scholarprep for 25% OFF when you upgrade!

The post Resource Feature: College Essay Organizer appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Parents of Juniors: Help Your Child Get a Jump Start on the College Essay

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This is a guest blog post written by our friends at Wow Writing Workshop  the leading expert on the college application essay. Wow offers free resources for parents and students,  essay coaching and review services for students, training for professionals, and strategic business communications consulting. They speak at local, regional and industry conferences, and are authors of a popular new ebook, How to Write an Effective College Application Essay – The Inside Scoop for ParentsWe encourage you to learn more about Wow, and check out the original post


Whether you will be sending your first or last child to college next fall, or the following year, it’s a great time to start thinking about the application essay, which is often the most stressful part of the entire journey to college.

Why start now? It’s never too early to prepare your child for college; you are in a good position to get the process moving in the right direction.

Why start with the essay?  At its core, the college essay (personal statement, supplemental essay, personal insight question) is all about reflection. An effective essay showcases a personality trait that is meaningful to the student through a story that is reflective and rounds out the application package.

Given the increasingly competitive landscape of college admissions,  getting into the most selective colleges is not guaranteed to any student, no matter how high grades and test scores might be, or how impressive the outside activities are. A student could stand out in the crowded field  with a college essay that shows real insight into any type of life experience. The essay might be your child’s best shot at getting into their dream schools beyond the grades, test scores and extracurricular activities.

Parents Know Best

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else. Now is the time to use your inside knowledge to give your son or daughter an advantage in this process in a way that doesn’t seem so daunting. You are more ready than you may know. In fact, you’ve been preparing for this journey since your son or daughter was born. We’ll show you how to engage your child in an ongoing conversation that encourages reflection, and brings you into the  college essay process without overstepping your role.

5 Tips to Help Your Child Reflect

Ready to start?

Think of yourself as a cheerleader, but not the coach. Be encouraging, but not critical.

Ask your child one question: “What do you want colleges to know about you beyond test scores, grades and extracurricular activities?”

Most students have trouble answering this question. Prod, but do it gently. Ask open-ended questions to avoid ‘yes,’ ‘no’ or ‘I don’t know’ answers. The answer to this question is the key to reflection.

  1. What are your child’s best traits? Is he funny? Is she serious? Compassionate? A voracious reader? Resourceful? Studious? Point out the traits you recognize, and then ask how your child views himself. Keep the conversation moving.
  2. Think characteristics, not accomplishments. Telling your child you have noticed how hard she works in everything she does is a good start. Pointing out the time she scored the winning goal is not.
  3. Praise, but don’t nag.
  4. Be positive.
  5. Stay calm. Remember to breathe.

This is an opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation about your child’s self-perception. You might be pleasantly surprised at the valuable insight you will discover when you point out your child’s positive characteristics.

When you are done with this exercise, your child will be ready to brainstorm for college essay topics.

At Wow, students who come into the process knowing how to reflect are better prepared to answer essay prompts with stories that are genuine and show the type of insight admissions directors say they wish they saw more often.

The post Parents of Juniors: Help Your Child Get a Jump Start on the College Essay appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Where to begin prepping for college

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The who, what, when, where and why of preparing for college can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Parents often struggle to support and challenge their student, but this is the first step to set them up for success. Successfully transitioning into college and the workplace will be much easier if you don’t take the easiest road during high school.

WHEN should I begin?

The WHEN is simple…between 8th and 9th grade is when you should seriously begin tracking information. You will be less overwhelmed with college preparation if tracking begins the summer after 8th grade rather than done over a few months or weeks your senior year.

Tips for getting started:

  • Monthly commitments to tracking and planning between the student and a committed adult will ease the stress of maintaining accurate records. Make sure to save certificates, pictures or other documentation as they are received.
  • If you’re a little late to the game, just remember it’s better late than never! Ask teachers, parents, employers, community leaders and even friends to help you recall past information.

Bonus Tip: Set reminders to discuss each section of the college readiness organizer (see below). Discuss what’s been completed as well as goals to add for each section.

HOW should I begin?

Proper preparation and planning is the only way to make sure you will be able to create impressive applications and avoid regret. By the time you are applying, it is too late to prepare.

Create (and maintain) an organization system:

  • Create your own structured system or use the ScholarPrep Organizer to record all documentation needed for college and scholarship applications.
  • Utilize a calendar system, paper or electronic, to ensure all deadlines are met.

Bonus Tip: Save all documents, medals, trophies, and pictures that demonstrate your success and achievements. Store these in the ScholarPrep Organizer, folders, a small tub or box, and electronically on the computer so they are not damaged.

WHAT should I track?

When you start prepping for college, it’s important to know what information you should be tracking for applications. Here are some sections you will encounter on a college or scholarship application and some tips for planning.

Academics:

Academics carry a heavy weight in determining college acceptance and scholarship awards.

  • Sign up for challenging courses including pre-AP, AP, and dual credit when possible. Challenging courses not only prepare you for college-level courses and workplace rigor, but often give you a higher GPA and lead to a better class rank.
  • Time management and study habits play a vital role in success with academics.
  • Keep track of your GPA and class rank. Maintain a good GPA and continuously work to improve it as college entrance relies heavily on GPA and class rank.
  • Standardized tests (ACT & SAT) carry a significant amount of weight in determining college acceptance & scholarship awards.

Bonus Tip: The ACT/SAT should be taken each year of high school. Set a score goal and have your testing completed by December of your senior year.

Extracurricular Activities:

Find extracurricular activities at school and/or within the community that align with your interests or that can lead to job skills.

  • Quality over quantity. Don’t join and then not be an active, engaged member. Be dedicated to your passions.
  • Volunteer work is as important as a job and extracurricular activities if you’re engaged and gaining skills, leadership opportunities, and possible networking connections.
  • Try to find three organizations to volunteer with to show you’re committed to your community and the act of volunteering, not just an organization or group of individuals.
  • You do not need a prestigious job to demonstrate your work ethic and dedication. All work experience can be beneficial.
  • Scholarship committees are NOT merely looking for the applicant with the best grades and highest test scores; they are looking for well-rounded individuals.

Bonus Tip: Keep track of the activities, position held, dates of participation, hours per week, and projects initiated, planned, or managed as they occur. It’s difficult when trying to remember details months or years after you participate.

Leadership Experience:

Seek out and/or create leadership opportunities in your areas of interest. Take on roles even if they don’t come with a fancy title.

  • Participation in sports and clubs at school can lead to many leadership opportunities.
  • Sample leadership positions include captain of a team, student government positions, committee chairs, club officers, and shift leader.
  • The samples are not the limit. There are many opportunities and some are not defined. Do not limit yourself to defined leadership roles; find situations that require someone to step up and be that person.
  • Get creative and be the solution to a problem by taking the leadership role.

Bonus Tip: College scholarship review boards often look for individuals with leadership qualities. Students who can lead are considered motivated, confident, and problem-solvers. Record and save any documentation that recognizes your leadership roles.

WHEN should I talk about finances?

Begin planning EARLY for the financial cost of a college education because the costs should not deter anyone from attending college.

Tips for starting the conversation:

  • Use the financial aid forecaster to determine possible financial needs.
  • Learn about the different forms of financial aid a student can receive from the government and the college you want to attend.
  • Add financial aid deadlines to your calendar to ensure you have the opportunity to gain all funds possible.

Bonus Tip: Financial aid is like a big pot of money, and it’s first come first serve. The earlier you fill out the FAFSA the better.

Ready to get started?

College preparation should start between 8th-9th grade. Maintaining a structured, organized system for tracking and planning is key to avoiding a stressful senior year trying to recall information needed for college and scholarship applications.

What have you done to start prepping for your post-secondary education? Are you maintaining a college readiness organizer? Let us know in the comments below where you are on your journey to a successful future!

Want a printable checklist of tasks for each year of high school?

The post Where to begin prepping for college appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Expert Interview: Suzanne Shaffer

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Our College-Prep Expert Interview series gives parents and students an opportunity to meet an expert who can help them on their college-bound journey. We ask each expert how they got into the business of college-prep, why their work is so important and to share their biggest tips and tricks!


Expert: Suzanne Shaffer

Company: Parents Countdown to College Coach

Location: Dallas, Texas

Catchphrase: Preparation prevents panic.

Why we interviewed Suzanne: She helps parents navigate the college maze by providing expert help and encouragement. Suzanne is the definition of a college-prep expert – she has been in the business for many years and has some great advice and insight to provide any family on the college-bound journey!


How long have you been working in the college-prep world?

Professionally since 2006; but personally with my own children and others since 1999.

How did you get into this work?

My daughter wanted to attend college. I myself had never been. So I did the leg work, learned about applying and scholarships, and helped her get into her dream college. This was before the widespread use of the internet. I spend many hours at the library.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through your experience?

There is help available everywhere. All you have to do is know where to look and ask. Never assume you know the answer—go to the experts and don’t listen to other parent advice.

Why is your work so important?

I have a passion for helping parents like myself. Parents who can’t afford an expensive college counselor. Parents who, like me, are helping their students get into their dream college.

Who is your typical client?

Parents of college-bound teens seeking answers to all sorts of college prep questions.

What have you found your clients struggle with the most?

Understanding how financial aid works, how colleges dole out the money, and how to muddle through all the forms and documents required in the college application process.

What is the most important piece of advice you give them?

Always file the FAFSA and make scholarships a priority. Don’t let your student graduate with debt. Have the money talk early before senior year and determine what you can/will pay.

Do you have any tips or tricks to share with families on the college-bound journey?

Use social media to ask expert advice. Don’t be afraid to ask them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google. They are more than willing to help and are happy to share their expertise.

What is your favorite college-prep resource?

First, it’s my Parent Crash Course. This walks parents through the entire process from freshman year to the first year of college. After that, I love college prep blogs. They offer good advice and guidance for parents.

What is one thing that makes what you do unique?

I’m a do-it-yourself parent. I help parents who can’t afford expensive college counseling. I was one of them and I know how hard it is to justify paying thousands of dollars when you’re struggling to save for tuition.

What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?

I like spending time with my grandchildren. They keep me young.

Anything else we should know?

Be a wise consumer. Weed through all the information and make a financial decision that best fits your family. With all the resources available, there is no reason to walk through this process uninformed.

The post Expert Interview: Suzanne Shaffer appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Choosing Senior Year Classes

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This is a guest blog post written by our friend at Exceptionally Emily. Emily is a current college freshman who strives to simplify the college application process for students and their parents by sharing her advice and admissions experiences. We encourage you to learn more about Exceptionally Emily and check out the original post


Underclassmen are picking their courses for next year at my school this week…it finally hit me that I won’t be back here next year!! It’s definitely bittersweet.

A lot of my junior friends are having trouble choosing senior year classes. Is it better to have a hard schedule or to relax a little bit because of college applications? Should they take AP courses or should they take classes related to their major? These were all questions that I had last year, and after completing the first semester of senior year, I’m able to answer them.

Take Classes That Will Challenge You

There is a misconception floating around that colleges don’t see your first semester grades when making admissions decisions. This is false. Unless you’re applying Early Decision or Early Action, then the university will see your first semester grades. Either way, you have to report what courses you’re enrolled in for senior year on the Common Application. As with any other year of high school, you should take classes that will challenge you over classes that are an easy A. Colleges will be impressed to see that you are keeping up your hard work.

Take a Class in a Subject You’re Interested In

At this point in your high school career, you should have a few empty slots in your schedule. If you think you want to go into science, take an extra biology or chemistry course! If math is your thing, think about signing up for statistics or computer science. This will show college that you’re really invested in your area of study and that you’ve begun to explore possible majors.

Take a Fun Class!

Senior year isn’t all serious. It is your last year, after all! Take that class that you’ve wanted to take since freshman year. I took Advanced Health at my school this year; it was extremely easy but has been my favorite class of high school so far. It’s nice to have a break in your schedule to just relax as well.

Be Wary of Free Periods and Study Halls

It can be so tempting to want to shorten your day or have an extra study hall. Unless you have a job where you start working before school lets out or have an extracurricular activity that takes up an insane amount of your time, I would urge you to reconsider this option. It goes back to the first piece of advice- you want to challenge yourself as much as possible senior year. Even taking an easy, fun class will look better to colleges than having a free period.

Good luck with choosing senior year classes!!

The post Choosing Senior Year Classes appeared first on ScholarPrep.

7 ways to use technology to prepare for college

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Utilizing a physical planner like the ScholarPrep Organizer is the most effective method to staying organized and committed to maintaining records and staying on top of college planning. However, we live in a digital age and the many technologies and online resources available should also be used for successful college planning. Smartphones, cloud storage, computers, tablets, and hardware such as a printer and scanner will all be useful.

Here are 7 of our BEST tips for using technology to help you save time and energy as you search for and submit college and scholarship applications. 

1. Keep track of scholarship requirements with a spreadsheet

Scholarship applications are ALL different. They will all have different deadlines, different requirements and different attachments. This can be overwhelming and it can be easy to miss something. Using a spreadsheet for keeping track of the details will help you stay organized and ensure your applications are complete and submitted on time!

We have created this Scholarship Tracking Spreadsheet to help you get started – just enter your name and email below and we will send it straight to your inbox!

2. Create a personal website

Including a link to your personal website on college or scholarship applications could give you the edge you need to stand out against thousands of other students. Creating a personal website gives you the opportunity to show your personality and expand on certain aspects of your character and involvement. Think of this as a digital resume. 

A word of caution: make sure your website is professional and appropriate, you don’t want this strategy to backfire.

3. Sign up for a free professional email address with gmail

When students start filling out scholarship applications, it is absolutely essential that they have a professional email address. Typically, this would be something like FirstName.LastName@example.com. This is the email you will want to use for everything college and scholarship related. If you use gmail to create this email address, using our next tips will be even easier. 

4. Utilize Google drive for storing application materials

Create folders for each section of the ScholarPrep Organizer to store resources, digital copies, and any other documents necessary, i.e. community involvement, leadership experience, awards and honors, etc…

You can also use Google Docs to create a resume, cover letter, and write scholarship essays. Organize these into folders for easy access later.

Upload pictures of awards such as trophies or ribbons, scan in copies of certificates or newspaper clippings, and/or pictures of you completing volunteer work or extracurricular activities, then save these in the appropriate folders.

PRO TIP: Google has partnered with hundreds of programs to make your life easier. For example, if you need to email several documents in one email as a PDF, you can do it directly through google drive for FREE! You can also save a Google Doc or any other type of file as a PDF for FREE!

5. Save a digital copy of EVERY scholarship application you submit (including the application materials)

Create a folder in your Google Drive for completed applications. You can even create subfolders to organize the applications based on topic or focus.

Create a folder strictly for essays. When you start a new application, go “essay shopping” in this folder to see if you’ve already written something that will work for the application, or with a few tweaks.

BONUS TIP: You can “share” google drive folders or documents with others without emailing or printing. You have the option of allowing others to be able to just view, comment, or edit the document. This will make proofreading easier and more efficient.

6. Take advantage of all of the college-prep apps available

There’s an app for (almost) everything. Here is a list of a few of the apps/softwares/websites we’ve come across that can help you on your college-bound journey:

  • Google Drive: Organize all your documents
    • Google Docs
    • Google Sheets
    • Google Calendar
  • Scanner Pro: Scan in documents from your smartphone straight to your google drive
  • Wunderlist: Create to-do lists
  • PathSource Career, Job, School & College Search
  • ACT Up – ACT Test Prep and Tutoring
  • SAT Prep by Ready4
  • Scholly Scholarship Database
  • myHomework Student Planner: Stay on top of assignments

BONUS TIP: Create a “College Readiness” folder on your smartphone or tablet to keep all of these apps and links to websites organized.

7. Use online resources for college planning advice

Check out college planning blogs, websites, and Pinterest boards to find tips on the following and more:

BONUS TIP: Stay up-to-date on common requirements for applications and essays by reading blogs and tips written in the last year.

Your ScholarPrep Organizer provides you with a physical reminder for college readiness while the digital age offers resources to assist you in maintaining records and documents needed for a successful college readiness journey.

What digital resources have you utilized? We’d love to hear what “go to” website or app has led to your college success.

The post 7 ways to use technology to prepare for college appeared first on ScholarPrep.


Resource Feature: The College Checklist Podcast

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Our College-Prep Resource Feature series gives parents and students an opportunity to learn about a valuable resource available to them on their college-bound journey. Once or twice a month, we choose a new resource that we have found valuable. Many of the resources we feature are free, while others cost – we always try to include some kind of discount when we share these type of resources! 


Resource: The College Checklist Podcast   


What’s the purpose of The College Checklist Podcast? 

The goal of The College Checklist Podcast is to share excellent, free advice about getting into college, paying for college, and succeeding in college and career from a multitude of expert sources.

What’s the story behind The College Checklist Podcast?

As a test prep tutor I found that I was working with students who had access to incredible college admissions resources. They attended excellent schools with remarkably low student to counselor ratios. Their families had hired expensive private counselors to supplement their already ample in-school guidance. Many also had older siblings who had recently and successfully gone through the college admissions process.

And, for all of those amazing resources and experiences at their disposal, I was being asked college admissions questions during ACT or SAT tutoring sessions. The fear of doing something wrong on the path to college is something that affects most college-bound families. It’s pervasive and causes so much stress – even when your family has the resources to hire expensive outside help.

When I started Higher Scores Test Prep, the goal was to make my premium test prep available at a more affordable price by going online. In addition to making quality test prep more affordable for families, I also wanted to ensure that college-bound families weren’t able to pay for access to incredible college resources would have a trusted, free resource to guide them.

Thus, The College Checklist was born!

How does it work?

If you already listen to podcasts, it’s as easy as queuing up another show in your app and pushing play.

If you’re new to podcasts, think of them as Netflix for radio. It’s on-demand audio that you can take to the gym, on the go, or listen to from your computer.

To get started, head to CollegeChecklistPodcast.com and download the episode guide. In the guide, I have all of the episodes I’ve recorded so far (nearly 100!) listed and broken down by topic so you can jump to a subject you’re most interested in. Or, if you prefer, you can head to episode 1 and listen all the way through. It’s totally up to you!

Why is listening to The College Checklist Podcast so important?

There is a lot of information about college admissions and financial aid available on the internet, but most of it is in written form. That means you have to carve out time to give it your full, undivided attention – something that’s really hard to do in our already busy lives.

With the College Checklist Podcast, it’s powerful to hear a wide array of college experts speak on the subject of college admissions in audio form because you’re getting a more well-rounded view of the process and you can take it on the go.

The podcast allows you to easily turn your gym, car, or kitchen into a classroom – for free! How amazing is that?

What’s the benefit?

I created it with the parents of college-bound students in mind; however, I’ve found a lot of in-school counselors are using it as continuing education for themselves as well as a way to supplement the guidance they give.

For counselors, instead of having to repeat themselves over and over on a given topic in a one-to-one fashion, they can share an episode in an email blast to provide a primer on the subject for all families in their school and then spend their time answering the nuanced questions about the topic.

When should someone start listening to The College Checklist Podcast?

I firmly believe that knowledge is power. Get started ASAP – even if your student is a middle school student.

So much has changed in college admissions even since I applied in 2003. It’s a dynamic process and it’s never too early to get a lay of the land.This is especially important for families who want to pay less for college. There is a lot of free money out there, but taking the long view allows you to maximize your financial opportunities.

What problem does this solve?

While you can learn the information shared on the show in different formats, listening to someone explain the various topics we cover changes the dynamic. Blog posts can be researched and written by a novice; however, you can hear someone’s expertise and sincerity in their voice. It allays fear and helps us internalize the information more which is helpful in this noisy space.

Do you have any tips or tricks to share with families on the college-bound journey?

Before you focus on the how, focus on the why.

There are a lot to-dos on the road to college, but, if students are not connected to why they’re exerting enormous effort to complete those myriad to-dos, motivation will quickly wane.

“I want to go to college” is an incomplete goal. Why do you want to go to college? To what end?

Acceptance to college marks a starting gate, not a finish line. By focusing first on the goals beyond college – fulfilling work, ideal lifestyle, and desired accomplishments – students are able to connect with why they’re going through these pains in the first place. College is a huge investment of time and money. Make sure it’s the right fit for your student before making that investment. If students aren’t leading the charge towards college, it’s time to step back and assess what the long-term goals are.

Anything else we should know about The College Checklist Podcast?

I’d recommend that you get started with one of my favorite episodes – Learn From Our College Search Mistakes (Episode 45). In this episode, my dad joins me and we talk about all the things we’ve learned that we did wrong from our favorite episodes.

It’s a good jumping off point that will eradicate myths and a great sampling of what the show has to offer to help you decide which episode to listen to next!


The information in this college prep resource feature was provided by  Lauren Gaggioli, Founder of Higher Scores Test Prep & Host of The College Checklist Podcast. Thank you, Lauren!


DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase one of the products linked, I’ll receive a small commission. You will NOT be charged any additional fees if purchasing through an affiliate link. 

The post Resource Feature: The College Checklist Podcast appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Why I am Obsessed with the Pomodoro Technique

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This is a guest blog post written by our friend Amanda, also known as The Happy Arkansan. She strives to help millennial women thrive in college, in life, and online. We encourage you to learn more about The Happy Arkansan and check out the original post!


I have been struggling forever to find a study method that works best for me. I am a young(er) person (if you count 23 as young) who has grown up in the age of Twitter and short sound bites. This has extremely impacted my study habits and I have finally found a technique that really makes me productive. Below is why I am obsessed with the Pomodoro Technique, and why you need to adopt this study method right now. I have written a lot of great study tips posts in the past, but I think that this method is truly going to help so many students.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is essentially a flexible time management system. This time management system essentially says: You have to spend a set amount of time focused on a task. Once you get through that time, you can take a small break.

In the most basic pomodoro session you do this:

  • 25 minutes dedicated to a task
  • 5 minutes on a break
  • 25 minutes dedicated to a task
  • 5 minutes on a break
  • 25 minutes dedicated to a task
  • 5 minutes on a break
  • 25 minutes dedicated to a task
  • 15-30 minutes on a break

The key word here is dedicated. You set your timer, you do your task. You don’t take a break within your dedicated time to check Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram or clear your desk. You do all of that before you start your pomodoros. Then once you set that 25 minute timer, you are completely dedicated to that task.

What do you need to use this technique?

You need very little to actually use this technique. Essentially you only need three things.

A TASK

Having a task in mind before you press go on your timer is essential in my eyes. Yes, you could figure out your task after the first timer, but that just cuts out on the initial pomodoros power in my opinion. I say, start each pomodoro with a task in mind so that way you know what you want to accomplish. 

  • Want to read a book for the entire pomodoro? Have your book out before you start your pomodoro and have it on the page you want to start reading on. 
  • Want to write a blog post for the entire pomodoro? Have your blog post idea already on your mind, and your blog software already open to write the blog before you start your pomodoro.
  • Want to edit a video for the entire pomodoro? Have your video editing software already open and the video in the software before you start your pomodoro.

You get the gist. Having your task already open and ready to go before you start your timer is essential. You don’t want anything to slow you down once you start that pomodoro timer.

A TIMER

Next, you obviously need a timer. Some people say that you actually want the ticking sound in the background––and that may work for you, but it wouldn’t work for me. I like to work in silence or with very low rain drop sounds going on in the background. I get very distracted by simple things. I don’t want anything in the background happening that makes my brain focus or have to process anything else besides bodily functions and the task I am currently working on. If my brain didn’t have to remember to work my body, I’d let that go too.

I currently use the timer on my iPhone to denote my pomdoros. It’s quite simple to use the Clock app for this. There are a number of pomodoro apps out there, but I honestly don’t feel the need to get them or purchase them. I start a timer on my iPhone, then I turn my iPhone screen side down so the notifications that come up on my phone during the pomodoro session don’t bother me.

DISCIPLINE TO KEEP GOING THROUGH POMODOROS

Lastly, having the discipline to get through multiple pomdoros is also important. There may be some days when you can only get through 1 or 2 pomodoros, but the method works best the more pomodoro sessions you can get through. It also works best when you limit those small breaks to a small number. Don’t work for 25 minutes and give yourself a 25 minute break, that won’t accomplish anything at all. Use the Pomodoro Technique the way that it was intended.

Why am I obsessed with the Pomodoro Technique?

Lastly, I am going to share with you the reasons that I am obsessed with the Pomodoro Technique, I promised you this in the title after all.

1. IT’S FLEXIBLE

Okay, there are simply some tasks that I hate with a passion and I need to do in 25 minute increments. One of those tasks is reading academic articles–if I did this for more than 25 minutes at a time, I’d probably go mad. On the other hand, there are some task that I can do for 30-45 minutes without a break. Is there is a Mindy Kaling book you said? I can read that all day. I can write blogs for a pretty lengthy amount of time too. So when I am doing a task that I enjoy doing, I add more minutes to my pomodoro timer. When it’s a task that I hate doing (or am really bad at staying focused on while doing) I use a lower time on my pomodoro timer. I suggest having your timer set anywhere from 25-45 minutes depending on the task at hand.

2. IT KEEPS ME FOCUSED

The purpose of the Pomodoro Technique is to stop unnecessary multi-taksing. With each pomodoro, you start with a task in mind. Whether that is to write a newsletter or write part of your college essay––you have a task that you want to accomplish. In the past I have tricked myself into believing that I am a good multi-tasker, but I am just not a good multi-tasker. If my brain has to focus on two tasks, one task is going to get done a lot better than the other task––it’s just how my brain works.

The Pomodoro Technique awards people for focusing on one task at a time. It makes you pick a task and devote yourself to that task for the duration of the pomodoro. This batches things in your brain and allows you to put all of your energy into a similar task for a set amount of time straight. No cycling through a million tasks. You keep yourself focused this way.

3. IT LET’S ME HAVE BREAKS

I don’t know about you, but I love breaks. I love being able to sit down my work, admire the work that I have done, and most of all take my Beyoncé dance breaks. Who doesn’t love taking a quick break and dancing it out to Queen Bey? These breaks a great for my productivity and they allow me to get my Instagram/Snapchat filters out of the way. 

A lot of study techniques just say, “Hey, why don’t you work, and top that off with a little more work?” I love that the Pomodoro Technique builds not only small breaks but big breaks into your time management rotation. It works wonders in my opinion.

Take my word, and then some

Here are some awesome bloggers who are talking about their own experience with the Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique: How & Why You Should Start Using It by Bloom, Hustle, Grow

Why You Should Use A Pomodoro Timer For Studying by Perspeculor

The Pomodoro Technique: Getting Started by The Pomodoro Technique

Final thoughts

So there you have it folks, the time management technique that will help you get through your next school year. I am throwing all of my love and admiration behind the Pomodoro Technique. It is such a great time management tool and it has helped me do everything from reading to writing in a better way. 

Have you tried the Pomodoro Technique? Did it work for you as well as it worked for me?

The post Why I am Obsessed with the Pomodoro Technique appeared first on ScholarPrep.

How to keep up with college-prep deadlines

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Keeping up with deadlines for college applications, standardized tests, financial aid, and scholarships are imperative. Deadlines are not suggestions. In school, students may get a slap on the wrist or a small penalty to their grade for missing a homework assignment due date. This is not the case when it comes to college-related deadlines; they are in place for a reason and should not to be challenged.

4 Quick Tips for Meeting Deadlines

  1. Set a faux-deadline. Even if you are diligent about keeping up with deadlines, things can come up. If you set a fake deadline a week or two earlier, this will give you a buffer for unexpected delays or issues.
  2. Use whatever system works best for you. If it is easiest for you to keep up with tasks and deadlines by using a paper planner or wall calendar, use that method for everything college related. If a digital system with calendar reminders works better, then enter all of your deadlines and tasks into your digital calendar.
  3. Make a monthly commitment to planning for college. Each month, sit down to go over your ScholarPrep Organizer. Look at your monthly tasks and deadlines and review your progress. Meeting on a monthly basis will ensure that you are on track and that nothing is forgotten or missed.
  4. Break everything down into steps, each with their own deadline. This will give you enough time for each step to be completed well before the final deadline. College and scholarship applications will require letters of recommendation, test scores, and other information you need to request from school officials or teachers. Build each of these tasks into the process.

BONUS TIP: Don’t try to tackle it all two weeks before the deadline. Breaking down the requirements into manageable steps will make the process less stressful and will help you feel in control of the situation.

Standardized Tests

  • Testing dates are set a year in advance. Determine your availability and register for the exams ahead of time.
  • Begin no later than the fall of your junior year to ensure opportunities of retesting if you haven’t met your score goal. Test results normally take 4 weeks so take that into account as you are completing applications that require your test scores. Give yourself plenty of time before they are needed for a deadline.
  • Tests need to be taken no later than December of your senior year to meet most college application deadlines. However, if you plan on applying early or trying to win scholarships, you need to have your test scores much earlier.

BONUS TIP: Start taking the ACT/SAT as soon as possible, giving yourself ample time to obtain the score you desire.

College Application Deadlines

  • Early Action: Some colleges send acceptance letters as early as December if students complete their application by November 1.
  • Regular Decision: Most schools have a January 1 or 15 deadline for the college application, letting students know acceptance by March or April.
  • Rolling Admissions: Some colleges don’t have one set deadline. These schools open applications up in the fall and have a final date in the spring. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but applying early in the year means learning your status earlier. This is helpful if you’re not admitted to your top choice(s) and need to apply elsewhere.

BONUS TIP: Most college applications will require a personal essay. Start working on this before your senior year rolls around. Having it ready at the beginning of your senior year will give you an advantage for scholarships and it will be one less thing to worry about during application season. The essay should be viewed and edited by a teacher, another adult and/or peers to check for spelling, grammar, and content.

Scholarship Deadlines

  • Deadlines will vary.
  • Keep track of scholarship deadlines and details using our Scholarship Tracking Spreadsheet below.
  • Set reminders on your phone for a week or two before the deadline.

Get our FREE Scholarship Tracking Spreadsheet:

BONUS TIP: Many scholarships go unawarded because people do not apply for them. Don’t let missing a deadline keep you from winning free money for your college education!

Financial Aid

  • EVERYONE should complete the FAFSA, even if you don’t think you will qualify for aid. Filing the FAFSA is often a requirement for scholarship applications. They want to see that you are exhausting all of your options.
  • The FAFSA becomes available on October 1. Complete it as soon as possible once it becomes available.
  • The FAFSA site tells you which tax year to use when you file.

BONUS TIP: Federal financial aid is like a big pot of money and is first come, first serve. Even if you are very deserving of grant money, the longer you wait to submit the FAFSA, the less funds you will receive. Be diligent and complete the FAFSA ASAP!

Letters of Recommendation 

  • You can begin requesting general letters of recommendation as early as you want. Many times, these can be saved and attached to applications in the future. Even if you won’t need the letter for awhile, it is helpful to ask while the person has a recent memory of you. This will make it easier for them to write you a great letter. You can always go back to them and ask for an updated letter.
  • Offer a resume or tips to your recommenders to make writing the letter less of a hassle. Telling them what the letter is for and what you want them to mention in the letter is helpful and it will ensure a higher quality recommendation.
  • Request the letters at least one month in advance – earlier if possible. The adults in your life are busy and may not have time to sit down and write one immediately. This cushion will ensure you get the letter before the application deadline.

BONUS TIP: When someone writes you a letter of recommendation. Have them send you a digital copy of the letter (word document). Then, when you need an updated version, you can provide them with the original!

Meeting deadlines for applications, financial aid and scholarships is an essential part of preparing for life after high school. Taking this part of the process seriously will ensure that you don’t miss out on opportunities – after all, this is your future we are talking about! Making a monthly commitment to planning, using your ScholarPrep Organizer, setting reminders and even tricking yourself by creating fake deadlines will help you stay on top of all the tasks that need to be completed.

Have you written all of your deadlines down? What is your organizational method for keeping up with the various deadlines? Comment below. We would love to hear from you!

COLLEGE PREP DEADLINES PINTEREST

The post How to keep up with college-prep deadlines appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Expert Interview: Frances Wong

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Our College-Prep Expert Interview series gives parents and students an opportunity to meet an expert who can help them on their college-bound journey. We ask each expert how they got into the business of college-prep, why their work is so important and to share their biggest tips and tricks!


Frances headshotExpert: Frances Wong

Company: AdmitSee

Location: San Francisco

Catchphrase: If you’re going through hell, keep going. – Winston Churchill

Why we interviewed Frances: She works at AdmitSee, a startup demystifying college admissions with real application examples, essays and trends. Their searchable database of successful college applications helps students approach the process more holistically and find colleges that are the best fit for them. 


How long have you been working in the college-prep world?

I’ve been at AdmitSee for a little over 2 years, but I’ve been involved in the college-prep world starting freshman year of college. I used to work at a test prep center in Hong Kong, so I’ve seen first hand what a difficult process it is for domestic and international students.

How did you get into this work?

It came quite naturally to me. The majority of my experience has been in education, and the college admissions field is one I can relate to the most. My personal application process made such a mark that I’ve always been very active in helping others with their application essays, or going back to my high school to give advice to incoming applicants.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through your experience?

The college application process is always going to be stressful. While there are so many new resources out there, including AdmitSee, that make the process more transparent and easier for the applicant, the stress component will always linger.

Why is your work so important?

Because I believe everyone who wants to pursue higher education should be able to access admissions information to help him or her succeed. The application process right now is advantageous to those who can pay upwards of $10,000 for a consultant, and even more internationally. There need to be more reliable, trusted and affordable options for students to turn to when they are looking for more information to apply to the college of their choice.

Who is your typical client?

High school students who want to apply to college. For freshmen and sophomores in high school, we have the data insights for them to start discovering the colleges they may want to apply to, and explore the different extracurricular activities they can get involved in to demonstrate their interests and passions.

For juniors and seniors, our data insights can take them a step further to analyze the admissions trends at the schools they are interested in, and find out how they can set themselves apart from other applicants. Students can even see how they compare with their GPA and SAT/ACT against students who have been accepted, rejected and waitlisted. But that’s not all. They can even click through each data point to see the respective student applications to see how their test scores fit into their full application.

Finally, students can find inspiration with their college application essay with the thousands of examples on our site. Whether it’s for the common application or a supplemental essay, we have examples that can help you out.

What have you found your clients struggle with the most?

Not knowing where to start with their personal statement, and how they compare with other applicants. With college application essays, they can be so personal and because of that, so different from the essays students typically write in school. They struggle with knowing what is too personal to talk about and what isn’t. Is it okay to talk about depression? Is it too much to talk about my family’s financial troubles? It’s not only giving students references on how to write their personal statement, but giving the confidence to do so.

Getting accepted to college is no longer just about good test scores, or a good essay. It’s a combination of different elements of the application. Because of that, they want to know how they compare holistically against students just like themselves, not just test scores and extracurricular but also by home state and ethnicity.

What is the most important piece of advice you give them?

Apply to colleges that are right for you. AdmitSee’s platform doesn’t only share the application materials of each student, but also the advice each student has about applying to college and the college they currently attend. Find out if the student culture is right for you, if they have the classes you want to take, the social life you could get used to and the internship opportunities you want to apply for. It’s easy to fall into the trap of just applying to the brand name schools because they are more widely talked about it, so do your research!

Do you have any tips or tricks to share with families on the college-bound journey?

The college application process involves the entire family, not just the student. For parents, sit down with your college applicant and have an honest conversation about the financials of going to college. It’s heartbreaking for students to turn down their dream school because they aren’t able to afford it. Be upfront about it, so applying to scholarships and financial aid can be factored into the college-bound journey.

Finally, communication is key. Every college applicant wants to take into account what their parents think, but the final decision is going to stay with the applicant, and parents have to respect that. Remember, they are the ones going to college after all.

What is your favorite college-prep resource?

AdmitSee!

What is one thing that makes what you do unique?

We are crowdsourcing data from successful college applicants to help future applicants. While reading successful essays have always been around (I still remember my copy of the “50 successful Harvard Essays”), there has never been an opportunity to see a full college application. I mean, how are students expected to put one together without seeing one in full? When you put together your resume, you’re likely to do that with a template in front of you. This gives applicants a framework to work with, making the process a lot easier and they know what to expect.

What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?

Hiking and running! Living in San Francisco, we have access to so many great running and hiking spots. It really helps you keep in shape and free your mind for 1 hour+ after a long day/week at work.

Anything else we should know?

You can use the promo code SCHOLARPREP for a $10 credit on your AdmitSee account!

The post Expert Interview: Frances Wong appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Resource Feature: Magoosh ACT & SAT Prep

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Our College-Prep Resource Feature series gives parents and students an opportunity to learn about a valuable resource available to them on their college-bound journey. Once or twice a month, we choose a new resource that we have found valuable. Many of the resources we feature are free, while others cost – we always try to include some kind of discount when we share these type of resources! DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase one of the products linked, I’ll receive a small commission. You will NOT be charged any additional fees if purchasing through an affiliate link. 

Resource: Magoosh ACT & SAT Prep

Magoosh Logo
What’s the purpose of Magoosh? 

Our mission is simple: create products that give students everywhere access to enjoyable, affordable, and quality test prep.

What’s the story behind Magoosh?

Our CEO, Bhavin Parikh, is on a mission to change the way people learn and how they think about learning. He wondered why students should have to put up with exorbitant prices for boring test prep classes and books that might not even work. His answer: Magoosh! With Magoosh ACT and SAT prep, students can prep smart, go far, and enjoy the ride!

How does it work?

Magoosh is online test prep for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, SAT, ACT, TOEFL and Praxis. We offer study tools for desktop and mobile so that students can learn at their own pace, wherever they are, for a fraction of the cost of traditional test prep.

Why is using Magoosh so important?

We believe our products are fixing a broken test prep industry!

Who benefits?

Students everywhere.

When should someone start using Magoosh?

Students should begin using Magoosh when they are Juniors or Seniors in high school, to prepare for the ACT or SAT (or both!).

What problem does this solve?

Magoosh makes test prep enjoyable! It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live. With Magoosh, you’ll have access to affordable, enjoyable, quality test prep.

Do you have any tips or tricks to share with families on the college-bound journey?

Our tip: take advantage of the plethora of free resources available! Our high school blog features free study guides, ebooks, and lots of study tips. There’s no reason for students or parents to feel alone in this journey!

Anything else we should know about Magoosh?

Lots more! That’s why you should check Magoosh out for yourself. Start by checking out our blog resources, and signing up for our free 7-day email course!

You can also sign up for a FREE 1 Week Trial for ACT or SAT prep:

The post Resource Feature: Magoosh ACT & SAT Prep appeared first on ScholarPrep.

When should you take the ACT?

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This is a guest blog post written by our friends at Higher Scores Test Prep, a family-owned and operated company. They are dedicated to treating each of their clients as a member of their own family. They know how important these exams are to a student’s future and are honored when families choose to prepare for the ACT & SAT with them. We encourage you to learn more about Higher Scores Test PrepDISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase one of the products linked, we’ll receive a small commission. You will NOT be charged any additional fees if purchasing through an affiliate link. 


When you take the ACT depends on a few factors. Answer 3 questions to create a low-stress ACT testing plan today!If you are the parent of a college-bound high school student, you know that figuring out when to take the ACT can be a tough task. Trying to fit in ACT prep too can be next to impossible.

Students are so busy these days. It’s hard to fit everything in, but I’ll share 3 big questions that will guide you towards the best, low-stress testing options for your student.

By the end of this article, you will know exactly when your student should first take his or her first ACT that is strategically chosen for massive success.


When should you take the ACT?

There are a lot of different philosophies on what time is the best time for students to take the ACT.

Historically, most high school student the spring of their junior year. And, while the tradition has held somewhat, most families realize that their students have a lot of flexibility when it comes to testing.

In fact, there are six ACT test dates you can choose from each year and students can begin testing as early as 8th grade – although, I definitely don’t recommend getting started that early!

Since it’s completely up to individual families to decide when their student should take the ACT, what should you take into account to ensure that your family makes the best, low-stress decisions so your student can get his or her higher ACT scores as quickly as possible and with as little stress as possible?

Let’s begin with the end in mind!

What’s the ultimate goal?

The goal for most families that I work with is to have scores that will help their students get into college and earn cash for college too.

In order to free up time the summer before senior year so students can get a jump on their applications for colleges and scholarships, I like every student to have prepared for and taken 2 back-to-back ACTs so they’ll have scores they’re proud of in hand while filling out applications.

Higher Scores’ Golden Rule of Testing:

Students should prepare for and take 2 official ACT or SAT exams no later than June of their junior year.

Why should you take the ACT on 2 back-to-back test dates?

I believe students should take back-to-back test dates after they prepare for the ACT so they have 2 chances to do their best work on the exam and to do it before they forget what they learned in prep.

ACT prep has to be a high-octane, full focus affair. Students can’t dawdle through it. There’s too much to learn. And, once they’ve invested that time, energy, and focus, it’s imperative that they put it to maximum use.

The first official ACT experience should come right on the heels of a prep course wrapping up.

Breaks between prep and test day diminish students’ results. Your family shouldn’t invest in test prep and only give your student 1 chance to put it to good use. That puts too much pressure on the student when he or she only has 1 make-or-break chance to do well.

One Chance = Stress = Lower ACT Scores

By registering for back-to-back test dates (for instance, the September and October ACT), students can fully prepare for the first ACT. Once they’re done, they can take a short break while they wait for their scores to roll in. After assessing their first test day performance, they can dive in for another week or two of brush-up prep before they take their next ACT.

By testing back-to-back, students won’t have waited so long that they’ve forgotten everything they learned. That said, they’ll also have a little distance from intense prep which can revitalize motivation and help students see the test more clearly the second time around.

You may opt to test a 3rd or 4th time later on. That’s more than welcome; however, you’ll have achieved most of your score improvement over a 3 or 4 months interval rather than over 6 months or a year.

Anything above the initial push is refinement and nuanced work, rather than the initial heavy lifting.

This is why I give my ACT Complete Package students full access to the course for 18-months. They can come back to brush up any time they need to at no extra charge.


3 Guiding Questions

So, now that we’re clear on how many exams students should take and the deadline by which they should take them in order to reduce stress, how do you decide when to test?

There are 3 questions that I ask all of my prospective families as I help them determine the perfect, low-stress testing timeline for their student.

  1. What level math is your student studying?
  2. What does your family’s calendar look like?
  3. What grade is your student in?

Let’s dive in…

1. What level math are is your student studying?

The ACT covers up everything from arithmetic to precalculus in the math portion of the exam. Knowing what level math your student is currently studying can help me quickly determine whether or not you should wait to complete more coursework or begin prepping right away.

Ideally, I like students to be at least halfway through Algebra 2 before they take the ACT.

Remember the Golden Rule, though. The most important thing is that students take 2 exams by June of their junior year.

If your student won’t be in or completely through Algebra 2 by then, he or she will still need to take the ACT before the end of the school year.

2. What does your family’s calendar look like?

Does your child play a fall sport? Is he or she involved in the spring musical? Do they volunteer on a seasonal basis with a favorite organization? Will they be taking AP or IB exams in the spring?

The reason testing and test prep has such a bad reputation is that families don’t realize how flexible it can be. Test prep doesn’t have to overlap with your student’s busy season if you plan well.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you consider your schedule…

Test prep takes more time than testing itself.

When planning which ACT test date to take, back up 8-12 weeks from the actual date. What does your student’s schedule look like before the test date?

So often, we focus on the test date itself, but – ideally – that’s the finish line. The marathon started 2-3 months earlier when your family came together to choose a test prep strategy.

Keep this in mind as you plan your way forward.

Siblings’ activities and family events may impact your testing student’s schedule.

Once I worked with a tutoring student who wasn’t involved in a spring activity, but his sister was travelling for national competitions and he went along. The problem was that the family forgot to consider the sister’s schedule when planning his test prep.

Working around her competition calendar made his prep schedule very hectic.

That was one of the experiences that convinced me it was time to create a test prep program that was flexible and mobile – which is why I founded Higher Scores Test Prep.

That said, if students are going to be travelling for a sibling’s or family events, you should consider that before committing to a test date.

Spring ACT test dates are terribly stressful for AP and IB students.

Is your student taking 2 or 3 AP or IB exams in the spring? If so, he or she should avoid taking the ACT in April and June.

I love testing (yes, really – #dontjudge) and the idea of APs, IBs, and ACTs all in the same month makes me panicky.

If your child in accelerated classes, chances are he or she can get started with testing a lot earlier than spring of his or her junior year. If that’s the case, do so.

Your family’s stress level will be so much lower in the spring if you do.

3. What grade is your student in?

It may surprise you that this is the last question I ask. The reason I wait is because it is actually least important in the grand scheme of things.

Students’ ACT scores are valid for 5 years from the date of testing. That means, if your student’s academics (math in particular) are ready, he or she could test as an 8th grader and be done with testing before heading to high school.

I wouldn’t recommend testing in 8th grade, but it’s a possibility.

I believe the ideal window for testing opens in winter of sophomore year and closes in fall of senior year.

That’s why students have access to my ACT Complete Package prep course for 18 months. I know some students are going to take advantage of that early start, which is great. But, if they want to dive back in during the fall of their senior year to add an extra point or two once they’ve finalized their college list, they have the flexibility to do so.

After all, 1 extra ACT point can translate to thousands of dollars in merit aid! 

As your family is deciding when your student should take the ACT, consider where he or she is in this optimum window of winter of sophomore year to fall of senior year.

Keeping the first 2 questions in mind, your student should plan to take the ACT as early as possible within this range.

Your student may be a great candidate for spring of junior year. Maybe fall of junior year is better because of his or her commitments in the spring. Or maybe, just maybe, he or she can get started as early as second semester sophomore year.

Keep in mind that there is no right answer. There is an answer that best fits your schedule.

As the wise knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade advised Indy: Choose wisely!

Once you’ve decided the season you’ll take the test in, put the actual ACT test dates side-by-side with your calendar and make 100% sure that there are no conflicts.

If there aren’t any conflicts, congratulations! You’re set to test!

The post When should you take the ACT? appeared first on ScholarPrep.

SAT vs ACT

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Standardized tests are a significant factor in college admissions and winning scholarships. Determining whether you should take the ACT or SAT can be mind boggling and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! For some students, taking both exams can be beneficial, but that’s not always necessary. It’s important to check your potential college’s requirements and determine which may be needed. Some universities accept both, while others accept only one.

Students are encouraged to make a test prep plan early in high school, including a goal to take the exam multiple times and complete the final test no later than December of their senior year (but ideally earlier). Taking the exams multiple times allows students to feel more comfortable with the exam. Being more comfortable means getting the desired results and getting into the college of their choice, while possibly having courses waived and earning merit-based scholarships!

What do the SAT & ACT have in common?

  • There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
  • Sections covered include: reading, writing/language(SAT)/English (ACT), math, and an optional essay.
  • Math section covers arithmetic, Algebra I & II, Geometry, and Trigonometry.
  • You will be at the testing site for 4-5 hours which includes break times.
  • Since they are standardized tests, they provide a direct comparison to other students; therefore, it’s important to obtain the best score possible.

Bonus Tip: Make a standardized testing plan early in your high school career to ensure you get the scores you want for your college applications. Mark your calendar and get registered in advance!

ACT

  • The ACT is offered six times per year: February, April, June, September, October, and December.
  • Registration is required 5-6 weeks in advance.
  • Questions are random in difficulty.
  • This exam requires students to interpret data and trends.
  • Calculators can be used on all sections of math; however, formulas are not given.
  • Math sections are all multiple choice.
  • Reading levels are 9th-12th grade.
  • Reading passages are long: 700-900 words each.
  • The essay portion requires the student to evaluate, analyze and defend an argument.

Bonus Tip: The ACT is a good test for those who can work at a quick pace and are fast readers.

SAT

  • The SAT is offered seven times per year: March or April, May, June, August (new in 2017), October, November, and December.
  • Registration is required 4 weeks in advance.
  • Questions get more difficult deeper into the section of questions.
  • A calculator cannot be used on all math sections; therefore, a student must be good at mental math.
  • Data analysis is also tested in the math sections.
  • Formulas are given for the math sections.
  • Reading levels are 11th grade through collegiate.
  • Reading passages are somewhat long: 500-750 words.
  • The essay portion requires comprehension and does not require the student to form an opinion or make an argument.

Bonus Tip: The SAT is good for students who are not fast readers but can read between the lines and find tricky questions.

Test Sections Broken Down

  ACT SAT
Reading 4 passages

35 min.

40 questions

5 passages

65 minutes

52 questions

English (ACT) Writing/Language (SAT) 45 minutes

75 questions

35 minutes

44 questions

Math 60 minutes

60 questions

80 minutes

58 questions

Science 35 minutes

40 questions

 
Essay 40 minutes 50 minutes
Total Time (not including breaks) 2 hours  55 minutes

3 hours 40 minutes (w/ essay)

3 hours

3 hours 50 minutes (w/ essay)

Did You Know? Some higher education institutions wave classes based on standardized test scores. For example, if you score high in English, your freshman level English requirement may be waived due to you proving you have already mastered the requirements.

Costs of Exams

  ACT SAT
No Essay $42.50 $45.00
With Essay $58.50 $57.00
Late Fees $27.50 $28.00
Standby Fees $51.00 $46.00
International

(outside of the USA/Canada)

$51.00 $35.00-$53.00
Test Date or Center Change $25.00 $28.00
Additional Score Reports $12.00                   $12.00

Bonus Tip: Both tests have fee waivers available through your counseling office. If the costs are a burden to you and your family, visit with your counselor. Cost should not keep you from reaching your dream of attending a postsecondary institution.

Utilize the Academics and Testing section of your ScholarPrep Organizer to plan out your testing dates, record scores, and get organized for the college entry requirement. It’s always best to get all your ducks in a row and plan ahead of time! The exams will take an entire Saturday morning, so make sure you don’t have any conflicts when you sign up.

Do you have a game plan when it comes to the SAT or ACT? Have you written all the registration deadlines and tests dates down? Which test do you prefer? Tell us which one(s) you’re signed up for this year!

 

The post SAT vs ACT appeared first on ScholarPrep.


Raise money for ANY cause

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With all of the opportunities that exist for students to get involved – there is an increasing need for groups and organizations to hold fundraisers to support student engagement. Unfortunately, we only need so many candles, chocolate bars, suckers, rolls of wrapping paper and stacks of magazines. 

Being heavily involved in student clubs and sports in high school, I remember how often we would fundraise.

“I was always asking friends and family members to buy magazine subscriptions, chocolate bars, wacky flavored suckers, or coupon books.”

Fundraisers with a purpose

Wouldn’t it be nice if these fundraisers had a purpose in addition to supporting your student’s activities?

What if a fundraiser could make college more accessible, help students earn the scholarships they need to pay for their education, AND raise money for your cause?

As a way to help families prepare for college, while also supporting students in their extracurricular activities, we are now offering a ScholarPrep Fundraiser Program. 

This is a great way for any group or organization to raise money, while at the same time, giving families access to valuable college-prep resources at a discount!

ScholarPrep Fundraiser Program

Here are the basic details about the program:

25 % Discount

Anyone who purchases a ScholarPrep product using your special promo code will receive 25% OFF their entire purchase!

HALF the Proceeds

You will receive half of the proceeds from every sale made using your unique promo code!

  • Example: Organizers
    • Let’s say someone buys the $55 ScholarPrep Portfolio Organizer:
      • They would receive 25% OFF for a total cost of $41.25 (they save $13.75)
      • You would earn half of the price they pay = $20.63
      • If you sell 10 of these Organizers, you would earn $206.30!
  • Example: Online Course
    • Let’s say someone buys the $247 Essentials Course Bundle:
      • They would receive 25% OFF for a total cost of $185.25 (they save $61.75)
      • You would earn half of the price they pay = $92.63
      • If 10 people enroll in the course, you would earn $926.30!

How does it work?

You will receive a unique promo code so that we can track the sales of Organizers and the course. You will most likely have a combination of sales of both products, depending on how you promote your fundraiser.

We take care of shipping all of the products you sell as part of your fundraiser! All you have to do is promote the products and share your unique promo code. Customers will order directly from our website and we will ship their ScholarPrep Organizer directly to them. 

Interested in learning more? Check out our Fundraiser Information Packet or submit a Fundraiser Application today!

Inside the Fundraiser Information Packet, you’ll learn:

  • why you’ll be excited to promote this fundraiser
  • all about the products families can purchase
  • what parents and experts have to say about ScholarPrep
  • and how to get started!

By working with you, your student, your school, or your organization we can help students achieve their dream of attending college, reduce the burden of higher education and support student activities!


ScholarPrep is a tracking and organizational system that prepares families for the college and scholarship application process. Our ScholarPrep Organizers encourage students to start planning for their future as soon as they begin their freshman year of high school by setting goals, getting organized and tracking their progress.

“The Freshman classes at Forsyth High School have been provided the ScholarPrep Organizers each of the past three years. These books have proven to be a valuable tool for parents and students alike as they navigate the road towards post-secondary education. The organizers are easy to use, succinct in their instructions, and provide a tangible one-stop-shop for all of the various elements necessary for college admission. I highly recommend this product!” 

– Christian Meier, Principal at Forsyth High School

Raise money and help families prepare for college Raise money for a cause and help families prepare for college

The post Raise money for ANY cause appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Cracking Myths about the SAT and ACT: What’s True and What’s False?

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This is a guest blog post written by our friends at ArborBridge. Located in Los Angeles, ArborBridge prepares students anywhere in the world for SAT/ACT success with a world-class tutoring experience that combines a scientifically-designed curriculum, elite tutors, and cutting-edge technology. We encourage you to learn more about ArborBridge and check out the original post!


You may have heard some rumors about college admission tests here and there. As is the nature of rumors, it’s hard to tell what is true and what is not. Don’t always believe what you hear! The test prep experts at ArborBridge are here to investigate some of the most common myths about the SAT and ACT.

test-myths-1

IS IT TRUE?

No! Now, more than ever, the two tests are very similar. In particular, the Math sections on the SAT and ACT are almost identical content-wise—both exams cover math topics up to trigonometry and pre-calculus. Furthermore, the ACT English section and SAT Writing section essentially mimic one another, as both feature grammar-based questions in the context of a passage. And students are all rejoicing now that the SAT doesn’t have those ominous sentence-completion questions anymore. Plus, the Essay section is now optional on both tests.

Still, it’s good to know what’s different on each test. Download our free SAT vs. ACT comparison guide here and learn about the key differences between them.

test-myths-2

IS IT TRUE?

No! We recommend students take a diagnostic of each exam to see which one better fits your strengths as a student. Then, focus your energy on one exam and conquer it.

Which test should you take? Check out our quick quiz here and find out!

test-myths-3

IS IT TRUE?

Yes! This is not a myth. Unless the PSAT or a diagnostic SAT fares significantly better for you, the ACT is a safer bet.

Why? A few reasons:

  1. Even though the redesigned SAT made its debut months ago, we’re still making sense of what the new numbers mean in comparison to the old test and ACT scores (which have not changed at all).
  2. Very few official exams have been released, meaning there is less practice material for students.
  3. There appears to be a significant PSAT score inflation, indicating that the data collected by the College Board may be off and even more changes will possibly come down the road. Students may also get a false sense of how good they are at the new SAT (i.e. feeling like they have a better shot at certain colleges or universities than they actually do).
  4. It hasn’t exactly been easy sailing for the College Board since the new SAT was released. They have been compromised by a flurry of cheating and security scandals. Plus, the gap between the ACT and College Board has widened since the ACT announced they would not accept the SAT Score Converter App created by the College Board. The list goes on.
  5. The ACT underwent very minimal changes in the past year, making prep more reliable and effective.

test-myths-4

IS IT TRUE?

No! The ACT is accepted by all universities in the United States and is valued equally by admissions committees.

test-myths-5

IS IT TRUE?

No! While practice tests will help students familiarize themselves with the exam itself, success—especially for high-scoring students—is dependent on mastery of both content and strategy. The key is to identify your weaknesses with a diagnostic exam, then use targeted practice to improve in these areas. Practice is important but is most effective if you are practicing correctly!

test-myths-6

IS IT TRUE?

No! Multiple studies have shown that a student’s GPA remains the most valid element in college applications. Only when combined with other factors does the SAT or ACT become a better predictor of student success.

test-myths-7

IS IT TRUE?

No! A slight subset of students take fall or spring tests, but not enough to shift scoring. As long as you take the test at a time that is best for your individual schedule and needs, you should be good to go.

test-myths-8

IS IT TRUE?

No! There is no concrete proof that getting approved for accommodations is harder for the ACT than it is for the SAT. However, to be safe, it’s good practice to request accommodations from both tests and weigh which option is best for the student.

The post Cracking Myths about the SAT and ACT: What’s True and What’s False? appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Worried about test prep breaking the bank?

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Preparing for the ACT and SAT is an important part of the college prep process. While this can be stressful, planning in advance will make it easier on students (and parents). You may be overwhelmed by all of the test prep materials and resources available and the price tags can sometimes be shocking! Luckily, the Internet and smartphone app stores are full of FREE resources to help prep for the big test day(s).

We have compiled this list of free resources just for you! Take advantage of practice tests, answer daily questions, and have a little fun on the apps while getting ready for the test that will open doors to the college of your choice!

Online Resources

Free Official SAT & ACT Practice Exams via PowerSource

  • 4 official ACT exams with answers at the end
  • 1 8th-9th grade practice exam
  • ACT Practice Questions
  • ACT Question of the Day
  • 7 official SAT exams with answers, explanations and sample essay questions (no scoring guide available)
  • SAT Practice Questions
  • SAT Question of the Day

Bonus Tip: Download a FREE ebook to help you master 700 of the most commonly occurring SAT words here.

ACT Free Study Guide

This guide offers everything to prepare you for your test day so you fully prepared without any surprises, other than the “real” questions of course.

  • A general preparation explanation and strategies for the ACT exams
  • What to expect on test day
  • How to take practice exams
  • Practice multiple-choice exams
  • Practice writing exam
  • Explanation of how to score the multiple-choice and writing exams
  • Sample answer document

Did You Know? The ACT offers a “Test Day Checklist” here to ensure you have all the documents, supplies, permitted drinks and snacks with you the day of the test. The SAT also has a guide on what to expect with the type of questions you will see on test day. Click here to see more details.

PrepFactory

  • FREE SAT & ACT PREP
  • Guided, interactive and accessible resource with games if you don’t have a lot of time to sit and practice
  • Practice tests are available and include step-by-step breakdowns of each question
  • Customized study paths to help monitor progress
    • Take prequiz to get study path
    • Get strategy badge to know how to take the SAT/ACT
  • No guarantee scores will increase since it is 100% self-guided

Bonus Tip: This website provides notes and tips for the content covered before each section. It provides a great refresher and opportunity to take notes if you’re a visual note taker to help study.

Free Apps

  • Khan Academy
    • Android or Apple devices
    • Specific SAT prep
    • General videos to help on subjects of both ACT/SAT
    • Sample standardized tests
  • Magoosh ACT Flash Cards
    • Created by ACT experts to ensure you study the most commonly tested concepts
    • 216 flashcards on English, Math and Science concepts
    • Optimized for web, iPhone and Android
    • Spaced Repetition Technique (SRT) to help you focus on the concepts you are struggling with the most
  • Magoosh SAT Flash Cards
    • Improve your vocabulary with SAT flashcards
    • Master the 350 most important SAT words
    • Optimized for web, iPhone and Android
  • Magoosh ACT Lessons
    • Engaging and effective video Lectures by ACT experts.
    • 80+ lessons on English, Math, Science and Writing
    • Lessons on fundamental and advanced topics
    • Study on the go using your iPhone or Android
    • Thousands of students have improved their score with Magoosh
  • Daily Practice for the New SAT from the College Board 
    • Sharpen your skills by answering a daily question and receiving immediate feedback
    • Exclusive, official reading, writing and language, or math questions
    • Hints offered if you need assistance
    • Explanations offered to assist learning from mistakes

Bonus Tip: Downloading all the apps can seem overwhelming. Create a folder on your smartphone or tablet to keep all test prep apps in one spot.

Next steps…

  1. Make a plan and create a reminder on your phone’s calendar or in your daily planner to review for the exam. Standardized tests play a key role in your future so it’s important to work to get the best score possible.
  2. The last two sections of your ScholarPrep Organizer can be used to create a checklist of sites you visited, utilized, liked, didn’t like and apps you downloaded but deleted if you felt they weren’t helpful for you. Take notes. Stay organized. Prepare for the big test day!

Have you utilized any of these resources? Which ones do you prefer? Do you use other free resources that you think we need to add to our list? Let us know!

The post Worried about test prep breaking the bank? appeared first on ScholarPrep.

How Should Student Athletes Tackle SAT/ACT Test Prep?

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Private Prep is a premier education services company based in Bethesda and throughout the U.S. They provide individually customized tutoring for standardized test prep, college admissions consulting, academic school support (Kindergarten through College-level), and executive functioning and learning differences support. Our coaches are experienced and passionate educators who are committed to helping students not only improve their performance and academic opportunities, but also to build confidence that lasts a lifetime. We encourage you to learn more about Private Prep!


High school students who play sports for one or more seasons throughout the school year face additional hurdles when prepping for a college entrance exam.

Yet, student athletes are often very organized, productive, and disciplined when it comes to time management, and therefore respond well to a structured timeline and plan. The key is a personalized approach.

Some students will thrive with a compact, intensive test prep program during an off season, while others succeed better if test preparation is extended over a longer stretch of time, overlapping with the sports season.

Here’s the play by play on how students who are on in-school or club sports teams can knock test prep out of the park.

Plan in Advance

During sophomore year, think about which sports you intend to play during junior and senior years and what months will be your busiest in terms of practice and games. Try to do the heavy lifting of test prep in the season beforehand.

The goal is to reduce pressure and stress associated with test prep and test-taking given the student’s outside obligations.

Take proctored practice exams on Saturdays and Sundays on days that you don’t have a game, and be sure to keep your grades up while focusing on your sport and test prep.

Examples…

  • If you play basketball in winter, start test prep in September, continue tutoring and practice tests throughout the fall and focus on taking the real test by December.
  • If you play volleyball in the fall, you may want to hold off on starting test prep until the end of October, start tutoring towards the end of the season, and plan for the April test.

Keep in mind that the summer is a good time to start writing college essay drafts to reduce the purpose during fall of senior year.

Know You’re in Familiar Territory

While they may appear to have nothing to do with each other, test prep is actually very much like sports.

The job of an athlete is to improve and maintain three key areas of performance:

  • Fitness | Skills | Mindset

To perform well on an exam, students must address:

  • Academic Fundamentals | Strategies | Mental Preparation

In fact, many test prep strategies relate to breathing, focus, and the mind-body connection, all of which are essential for athletes to perform at their best in a game.

Take Your Cues from the Field

Show Up to Practice — Like drills on the field, practice tests and test prep homework can help hone skills that you will use on game day. If you are doing a test prep class or working with a tutor, try to not to skip sessions and always be prepared with materials. 

Practice How You Play — Do homework at home in a quiet setting, concentrating as fully as possible, using your pacing watch, calculator, pencils, etc., emulating the real experience of test day as much as possible. 

Get help from an (academic) coach. Test prep educators provide support and guidance in the form of motivation, strategy, technique, execution, and learning how to stay calm under pressure.

The post How Should Student Athletes Tackle SAT/ACT Test Prep? appeared first on ScholarPrep.

Test Tips & Strategies: Part 1 of 2

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How to Prepare + ACT Tips

Walking in “blind” to an important exam such as the SAT and ACT can be the worst feeling in the world. It’s always best to know test taking tips and strategies for the specific exam you will be taking.  

This two-part series will help you prepare for test day and give you specific tips and strategies to do your best on the ACT and SAT.

How to Prepare for the Big Day

  • Leading up to the test:
    • Make a study plan
    • Manage your stress and anxiety
    • Stick to a sleep schedule
  • The night before the test:
    • Pack your bag
    • Pack the right snacks
    • Pick out the right clothes
    • Plan your route
    • Go off the grid
    • Eat a consistent diet
    • Take some time to relax
  • The morning of the test:
    • Get pumped up
    • Feed the machine
    • Get the juices flowing
    • Show up early
    • Get in the zone
    • Celebrate

To help you do your best on test day, we have created a Test Day Planning Guide detailing all of the steps above.

Test Day Planning Guide

DOWNLOAD THE TEST DAY PLANNING GUIDE

ACT Test Tips

ACT English Tips

  • The most common types of questions you need to study will include:
    • Verb-subject relationship
    • Pronouns
    • Incorrect use of idioms or awkward verbosity
    • Adjectives and adverbs
    • Sentence structures
    • Punctuation
    • Conjunctions

Bonus Tip: There will be a “no change” answer that can be used 30-40% of the answers. So, if it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.

ACT Math

  • The breakdown of math questions include:
    • 33 Algebra
      • 14 Pre-Algebra: math terms and manipulation of fractions and decimals
      • 15 Beginner Algebra: linear equations, ratios, percentages, inequalities and averages
      • 9 Intermediate Algebra: exponents, stimulus equations, quadratic equations, roots
    • 23 Geometry
      • 14 planes questions: angles, length, triangles, quadrilaterals, circles, perimeters and area
      • 9 coordinate questions: distance, midpoint, slope, parallelograms, perpendicular lines, point of intersection, and graphing
    • 4 Trigonometry
      • Graphing
      • Trigonometry identities
      • Basic sine, cosine, and tangent functions
  • If there isn’t a visual given with a question and you are a visual learner, draw one to help solve the problem.
  • Much of the exam is math reasoning and not necessarily performing the calculations.
  • When solving for a variable, use the middle number in the multiple choice and work your way up or down.
  • Learn important formulas. This exam does not provide you with formulas.
  • The TI 83 is the most used calculator for this exam. If you do NOT have one accessible, make sure your calculator can complete the following functions to be useful for the exam.
    • Positive and negative numbers
    • Fractions and exponents
    • Change linear equations into y=mx+b form
    • Parenthesis
    • Graph simple functions
    • Convert decimals to fractions and vice versa
  • You CANNOT use TI 89, TI 92, or TI Inspires on the exam.

Bonus Tip: Know your strengths and weaknesses. Spend time studying for your weaknesses based on the breakdown of types of questions listed above.

ACT Reading

  • Read the questions first.
  • Topics in the 800-word (give or take) reading passages will include:
    • Prose/fiction
    • Social sciences
    • Humanities
    • Natural science
  • Read the passage that’s easier for you to understand first.
  • Make notes in the book as you read to help connect the dots within the passage. The notes will make it easier to answer questions without re-reading the entire passage.
  • Reading the entire paragraph gives more context for unknown words than just reading the specific sentence a question is asking about.
  • Questions will be over what is directly stated and what is implied within the text.
  • Skim the passages to determine the main idea.
    • Read the introduction, conclusion and the first and last sentence of each paragraph.

Bonus Tip: The Princeton Review offers tips more reading strategies on answering the 10 questions per passage here.

ACT Science

  • Focus on measurement, relationships with variables and trends.
  • Figure out the irrelevant information and mark it out. Don’t waste time on it.
  • Don’t get caught up on useless information and terminology. Most of the visuals will answer your questions without needing to understand the jargon given.

Bonus Tip: Most of the questions are NOT a test of scientific facts but whether you can look up and synthesize information from visuals and the passages.

ACT Essay

  • A good essay consists of five paragraphs, including a strong introduction and conclusion with 3 supporting paragraphs.
    • Be sure to have no less than 2 supporting paragraphs.
  • The essay readers are NOT fact checking. Therefore, if you need to get creative and make up statistics and facts to support your answers, do it – as long as it is plausible!

Bonus Tip: For more practice on essay prompts, the Princeton Review offers practice and tips for the essay portion here.

Make sure you review the tips and the bonus links in order to feel well prepared for the exam. You will feel much more confident knowing what to expect before you arrive for the exam. The day of the exam, relax, do your best, and walk out of there knowing you did all you could to prepare for one of the most important exams you have taken thus far.

Check out part 2 of this series next week where we will share Test Taking Strategies + SAT Tips!

What is your test prep routine? What do you do the night before to do your best? Tell us in the comments!

The post Test Tips & Strategies: Part 1 of 2 appeared first on ScholarPrep.

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