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@college-bounded
The List
Send a message in a bottle.
Run up an escalator the wrong way.
Make an origami crane.
Learn how to tell when someone likes you (and when they don’t)
Keep a dream diary.
Touch these creatures. <— I am guessing the book comes with pictures?
Prepare yourself for fame.
Learn to...
Hey look I've crossed out some more things on this list.
simplyclick answered your question: What are some of the topics you guys are interested in?
locations, clubs!
That depends on your school! At schools with a party scene, there is usually "Thirsty Thursday" which kicks off the weekend, and clubs/parties Thursday-Saturday night. The school I was at in CT had a different club that was popular different nights of the week, and college nights, or themed nights, so meet a few people in the party scene and learn if your school is more of a house party type of school (I'd be wary of dorm parties because of RAs) or a club type. And become a fan of each club on facebook for free/discounted cover charge options.
But still keep your grades first! You can definitely party, get homework done, and sleep enough if you manage time well! I drank at least 3 times a week, went to all my classes all the time, and managed all A's. It's possible. Remember you're going into debt for your education and it's not worth the social life to flunk out of college.
meerameeraoffthewall answered your question: What are some of the topics you guys are interested in?
whether or not most colleges will be okay with taking SAT scores off a transcript! (even if they prefer an official copy)
Most will NOT take them off a transcript, even if it is an official transcript from your high school. I have never heard of a college accepting them from a transcript, you have to request one be sent to the college through collegeboard.
experthelp answered your question: What are some of the topics you guys are interested in?
Are more kids looking into vocational / technical educational options in this tough economy?
That is a question of personal interest, I'd say. Depends on your career goals. Obviously whichever you choose, an education is crucial in this economy.
Here is an article weighing the differences of the two if you're interested.
What are some of the topics you guys are interested in?
Ask us questions or reply to this and we will post the answer to the best of our ability.
For those who just moved in or are going to soon,
participate in activities your school has to offer! I met some of the greatest people at my former university because of the trips, and they were fun. If you don't know anyone, talk to people, nobody knows anyone freshman year for the most part and you'll find a few people you click with! The easiest time to make friends is at the beginning before everyone settles into their group of friends, because then you may feel out of the circle.
-Britt
What would be a good amount of colleges to apply too? I really only have 3 colleges that I'm definitely going to apply.
Some say 8, some say 6. I applied to 9. Make sure that you have one or two backups that you're absolutely sure will admit you. The rest can be a mix of "match" schools (ones you're fairly sure about) and "reach" schools (pretty far off).
Make absolutely sure that you are excited about each college you're applying to, including your backups. Don't apply to a school you're not sure about or don't like. If you don't think you have enough information, contact the admissions office. Ask for students who might be able to answer questions, e-mail faculty, do whatever you need to do to learn more about that college.
We apologize for the recent lack of posts. Many of us, myself included, are in the process of moving to college.
Ben
How common do schools superscore SAT and ACT scores? And for the ones that do, do you know if they only look at the superscore or do they also consider the highest composite?
It's hard to generalize about superscoring. That said, I will proceed to generalize about it.
It seems that colleges more often superscore the SAT than the ACT. But first, a short explanation of superscoring...
[Superscoring is the practice of pulling the highest score in each SECTION of the test, and creating an independent composite score.
For example: Student X took the SAT in June and received a 600 in Math, 570 in Reading, and 690 in Writing for a total score of 1860 in that sitting. He retook the test in September and received a 620 in Math, 520 in Reading, and 720 in Writing for a composite score of 1860 for the second sitting. If a college superscored the SAT, then student X's composite would be 1910.]
Here's an outside blog post that explains superscoring in the context of the ACT, and also includes a list of colleges that superscored the ACT in 2008. If you do use this list, make sure to contact or reasearch each college you're interested in to confirm that their policy has not changed.
As for the SAT, the College Board publishes this PDF, which includes an exhaustive list of colleges and their score policies. While this information is published directly by the College Board, it is still a good idea to confirm score policies on a college's website or through e-mail contact.
I'm not 100% on the second part of your question. As I understand it, the highest composite would be your superscore, and the superscore would take precedent over any single sitting.
I do know that taking the SAT more than a three times is generally considered frivolous.
On that note, students rarely improve upon a 2nd SAT sitting (statistically speaking). The College Board includes with your scores the average improvement of students in your score range taking the SAT a 2nd and 3rd time. This information can give you insight into the value of retaking the SAT.
Sorry for the delay!
-Ben
I did not get the reply of my last question in this very section!
Hello Anon. I am very sorry for the delay! I have a couple questions waiting to be answered but we're all busy packing for college and such! Please be patient and hang in there!
-Dulce
I know this might sound awkward, but I'm really nervous for senior year and all the applying! I'm an alright student, my SAT score on the first try was 1840, and I'm an officer in two clubs and active in around four. But my GPA is around a 3.4 - 3.5, and there's mostly B's with a couple C's. I want to go to a small private university, but I'm really scared that those C's, which were in my freshman and sophomore year, will really deter them from accepting me. Is my GPA going to discourage colleges from accepting me?
I was sort of in that situation myself really, and I'm now looking forward to attending a small private school. Don't be discouraged to believe that just because a school is a private school that their standards are too unattainable. Your goal is to let them know you want to attend, and you need to make yourself shine in order to be accepted. They don't all want the top students in the country, but they do look for outstanding individuals. Do not let your grades define you. Wow them with essays, your extracurriculars, and letters of recommendations from your favorite teachers.
Also, you're entering your senior year, take this chance to improve yourself! You have one more semester to show colleges your ability to succeed. That sounded cheesy. Anyway, really, dedicate yourself this semester, and let the colleges know that you value your education despite the C's you've gotten in the passed. Explain other ways in which you excel. If you make them see other sides of you besides what your transcript reflects, they will. But also, if they see an great improvement on your transcript (like, you pulling out lots of A's this coming semester) that will look very good for you. One thing I love about small, private colleges is that they do look at the applications very carefully, and if they see a difference in the grades, they take note of that. That could also be a bad thing because if you start to slump in your last years, they'll notice that too. One thing I've always kept in mind during my senior year is that colleges believe that a student's senior year in high school will reflect their first year in college.
So really, relax. The colleges you want to apply to will care more about your essays than your grades. Grades are important, but they do not stand alone when colleges decide whether or not to accept you. Keep your grades up this year, and kick ass on your essays. Also make sure to look at all the possible private colleges you could apply to. I found colleges by looking at the U.S. News college rankings. It's intimidating to see the top ten, but remember that all of the colleges on there are exceptional, but not all require you to have a 4.0.
Hope this helps.
-- Katherine
P.S. Your SAT score was better than mine, so don't worry about that. Private colleges are paying less attention to SAT scores now.
Which should I take? Math level 1 or 2?I'm good enough to score really well on the math level 1 test but what would colleges like Columbia and Yale think about that? My precalc teacher was really bad and failed to teach us matrices, three dimensional topics, and conic sections. If I opt out to take the math level 2 instead, which prep books would you recommend?
I chose to take Math 2 and recommended the same to my friends because 1. It demonstrates initiative. (whether or not this is true I'm not really sure, but it seems logical...)
2. Chances are, it will be on math that you are more fresh on, even if you don't feel like your Pre-Calc class was that good.
3. General rule of better having a B at a challenging thing than an A on an easy one. (Essentially the same as the first one..)I'm assuming you've found the study guides on the College Board (all of them are here in this book). Review the Math 2 questions on the SAT site and take practice tests to check your proficiency. Also, SparkNotes has a Math 2 Book and "Test Center" which I found helpful. The account you have to create to use the test center is free, and tracks your progress in the practice tests.
I would recommend buying the SAT book if you are going to buy a book at all, although I didn't use one for the subject tests. You would also save money by getting all the tests, and maybe get some clues as to which tests would be best for you since they're all in there.
On that note, I recommend taking three subject tests, even if you only need two. I've heard that Columbia in particular (an many other schools) only consider your top two scores, although that isn't confirmed. It's wayyyy easier to sit three tests in a row instead of waiting months in between, and the year I took them (June 2010) they were only around $10-$15 if you decide to take another one on the day of. Remember, it's super easy to drop or add subject tests, because the proctor pretty much just says "do one of the tests, now do another one, now do another one." You'll be billed later for the extra tests. (Make sure you verify this with your specific proctor.)
Thanks for writing in, and happy testing!!
-Ben
Hey, I love your blog!I'm just curious; Does taking the SAT three times look bad on an application? The first time I took it was the beginning of my Junior year and got a 1680. The next one, I got a 1950 and I'm hoping for a 2180 for Columbia.And also, as you can tell, I really hate standardized tests. If I chose not to send my AP scores but, rather, my SAT subject scores, does that look bad too?Thanks :)
Actually that doesn't look bad at all! It shows growth and determination to present the best of yourself. Although I don't believe that SAT and standardized tests show any sort of indication of "intelligence", they are a great way to show that sense of growth.
For example, someone can take the SAT once and nail a 2380 or something but that only showed that they knew how to test. On the other hand, someone like you that showed constant growth over 3 tests, shows how you probably worked hard to get to that 2180; a trait that colleges want to see in students.
As for not sending your AP scores, I think you should. Especially if you passed your tests, showing you went on to take the AP tests shows that you were in those AP classes for the long haul and actually learned something from them by doing the final challenge of the AP exam. Also, in conjunction with your SAT Subject Tests, you can really impress colleges by showing that you continue to challenge your knowledge of subjects by taking these "specialized" exams. Go for it and send them all!
Good luck with Columbia! Thanks for the support!
-Dulce
I'm the anon who asked about the AP classes. Thank you sooo much, you really helped a lot!! And thank you for making this blog :)
Well thanks for all the support! Please tell your friends about us!
-Dulce
Alright I want to know if there's anything I can do to save my transcript.. I go to an alternative high school that does credits instead of grades, so if you do less than average in a class you may get .4 instead of a .5 full credit, while regular high schools will get letter grades, but the full .5 credit regardless. I am about to be a senior, I took the SAT and got roughly 1600, am taking it again in the fall, hoping to boost 200 pts. I've never been outgoing at school or joined many clubs, just 1 that I stuck with 3 years, and continuing to do for sr. year. My grades are purely average, only done what was needed to get by each semester. I won't have stellar extra currics or even a list of over-acheiver classes. I'm actually, just average, or below. What can I do in a last minute attempt with 1 month of summer and senior year coming up? Do I do a heavy course load (I'm taking 2 comm college classes fall semester), do I volunteer a ton more, do more in school extra currics? I also feel like I've had no defining moment in my life..
"I've never been outgoing at school or joined many clubs, just 1 that I stuck with 3 years, and continuing to do for sr. year."
This was the most important thing you have under your belt at this point. Although you see yourself as "average" and with no defining qualitites, everyone has them; you just need to learn how to highlight them. Here, I see that you have some sort of passion that you have dedicated your whole high school career to. Take this passion and talk about how it has defined your life and why you decided to dedicate so much time to. In college applications, it is not always quantity when it comes to EC's but the impact that a few have had on your outlook on life and as a student. So take this advice and really work on your essays. Have several people read them and really make sure you are satisfied with them that they show your personality and passion.
It would be nice to add one or two more EC's your senior year to show that you have turned your ideals around and have decided that you really do want to go to college and become "well-rounded". But choose wisely and only if you really have interest in these new EC's. Same goes for taking on a heavier workload your senior year. Take what you think you can handle, but make sure to challenge yourself more and actually work hard for that full credit. Since you don't exactly have "grades", colleges will take into account that you still challenged yourself!
As for your transcript, I must be honest and say that even though it is too late for your grades, use this sudden change in wanting to do well as the "defining moment" in your life and run with it. Why the sudden change? How has affected your attitudes toward college and life? Has it changed you as a person? Is the change transient or long-lasting?
All in all, focus on painting yourself in your essays and showing the student and person you really are. Not everyone is an "over-achiever" but everyone is unique.
Good luck and I hope this helps!
-D
I'm taking a few AP's for my senior year. I know that I can make A's in the honor classes, but I still chose to take the AP level. If I make lower grades in these classes, will colleges look down upon me. Will low grades in AP classes hinder me from getting into a good school?
Colleges prefer to see students challenge themselves rather than seeing them take the easy way out. Seeing you take AP and get B's instead of the guaranteed A in the lower class really stands out to admissions officers. They see that you are ready to take on the challenge of college and are actually preparing for it!
But remember, always aim for the B's and A's even in AP classes because they also want to see you succeed after being challenged and that you can can handle challenges as a student and in life. So, "low grades" are not the best route on your transcripts, but then again, define "low grades". Don't take on a work load that you know you can't handle, go into AP classes believing you can suceed and knowing that all the work is worth it in the end. All you need is dedication and the will to achieve what you want to achieve.
Good luck and I hope this helps!
-D
Is there a way that I can find out the essay options for the UC and Cal State apps before they are open?Thank You!
see here
-Dulce
When during the applications process do interviews take place? (roughly)
Interviews actually take place anytime of the school year for most schools, right on campus. Alumni interviews (for students that are not in the area and want/need a phone interview or a local interview) take place after the application deadline or a month or so before it.
All in all, each school differs so make sure to just ask or check the school's website!
Thanks for the question!
-D
