When applying to competitive colleges, every aspect of your application is carefully scrutinized. We’ve interviewed several admission officers during the pandemic and asked them what they look for in students. All said the same thing: They are looking for students who step up and make a difference (even a small one) in their community.
Read MoreTopics: College Applications, college tips, college questions, college advice, college admissions process, college admissions essay, college resume, extracurriculars
The SAT reading comprehension section can often be a time crunch for many students. This video demonstrates a systematic approach to quickly reading and analyzing a passage in order to answer questions.
Read MoreTopics: ACT/SAT, High School Test Taking, study skills, college education, college tips, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, ACT prep, sat reading, sat prep, college student, SAT reading comprehension
No matter how many times your parents have repeated it to you, it never quite sinks in – If you fail to plan you plan to fail. While this feels a bit dramatic, in a test like the SAT or ACT it is important to realize that preparation can have a significant benefit on your score and on opportunities that stem from this such as college admission and scholarships. While many students have performed well in high school, standardized admissions tests can be a limiting factor because students often fall into a few common traps, such as the idea that being a good student translates directly into a high performing standardized test taker. While this may be true for some students, it often is not the case. College admissions exams often require knowledge on how to study for and take a standardized exam. The best way to overcome this hurdle is by creating a study schedule and planning for test day ahead of time.
Read MoreTopics: ACT/SAT, High School Test Taking, study skills, college education, college tips, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, ACT prep, sat prep, college student
Students who decide to take the SAT Chemistry subject test generally feel that they are well suited for the test because they are doing well in the high school chemistry course they are taking at their high school. What I have found though is that they may not be aware of the specialized preparation that is needed in order to get a top score on the exam beyond their study for the course they are taking at school. There are several reasons for the need for specialized preparation for the exam. This article explains what those are and what the student can do to be better prepared for the test.
Read MoreTopics: High School Test Taking, study skills, ap test prep, ap classes, college education, college tips, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, chemistry, college student, AP tutoring, sat chemistry test, chemistry subject test
Plenty of students take AP courses as a way to prove to colleges that they are capable of handling exactly the sort of work that universities demand of students. However, while taking the courses themselves is often quite important in admissions decisions at American universities, the scores often matter more for the purpose of getting advanced credit. Therefore, for many students, the difference between a 4 and a 5, depending on the university that he or she ultimately ends up attending, is not that vast.
Read MoreTopics: High School Test Taking, study skills, ap test prep, ap classes, college education, college tips, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, college student, AP tutoring, study abroad
In our last blog post on this topic, we explored why today’s high school students must be so productive in high school. Getting good grades isn’t quite enough anymore. You need to show a variety of interests and ideally achieve leadership positions outside the classroom to maximize your chances of admission to a top college. We offered a six-step process to being more productive in high school:
Read MoreTopics: study skills, college education, college tips, undergraduate student common questions, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, college student
Most students know they need to be productive, because getting into an excellent college requires much more than good grades nowadays. It now requires a well written application highlighting many interests and accomplishments, including a high GPA.
Read MoreTopics: study skills, college education, college tips, undergraduate student common questions, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, college student
When I was a freshman advisor at Duke, most of my advice dealt with issues such as feeling overwhelmed academically, struggling to make friends and figuring out majors and careers. Looking back, however, one issue that I never discussed with my advisees but wished I had was how to make the most of a meeting. I know what you’re thinking: Huh? What do meetings have anything to do with being a college freshman? Allow me to explain.
Topics: study skills, college education, college tuition, college tips, undergraduate student common questions, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, college student
Are you working and taking college classes at the same time? If so, you probably already know how challenging it can be. But don’t worry. Even with limited time, you can succeed at both school and work. In the next few minutes, you’re going to learn 11 easy steps to follow to help you draw the best out of yourself in both settings. Since you’re a busy student, I’m sure you don’t have any time to waste. So, let’s get started!
Topics: study skills, college education, college tuition, college tips, undergraduate student common questions, college freshman advice, college questions, college advice, college student
Some might suggest that the most daunting aspect of college is making friends. Out of thousands of young adults, somehow you have to find a group of like-minded people to spend your time with. I mean, who wants to be alone throughout all four years of college? Chances are, you’ll be happier the more connections you make. It’s like high school all over again, except with a larger pool to weed through.
Read MoreTopics: undergraduate student common questions, college freshman advice, college questions, college freshman questions, new student FAQs
