How to write The Common Application Essay Intro

How to write The Common Application Essay Intro

How long will your student’s application be looked at? Fifteen minutes, tops. Maybe as little as eight minutes. Considering there is demographic data, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and activities to contend with, too, what about the essay? How long does that get? Try two, maybe up to five minutes.

Two to five minutes. Students will agonize for two to five months over something that will be read in two to five minutes. Granted, it will often be read by multiple people at each college. And it will be read at each college your student applies to. But still… two to five minutes.

Should your student take the SAT or ACT? Wrap Up

Should your student take the SAT or ACT? Wrap Up

Again, I always like to err on the side of being overprepared. It’s better to have the SAT or ACT score and not need it, than to need the score and not have it. And in general, more data points are better than fewer data points when it comes to admissions. But standardized testing has undergone a lot of change since 2019, not least of which include the digital SAT and this new world of test-optional admissions policies.

Should your student submit their SAT or ACT score to all of their colleges?

Should your student submit their SAT or ACT score to all of their colleges?

With the test optional landscape having flourished since 2020, the question of when or if to submit your SAT or ACT scores to colleges has been asked time and again. Generally speaking, colleges that have opted to go test optional have seen the number of applications increase as students with less-than-stellar test scores perhaps feel they have a better chance of admission without scores than with them. The other reality is that some colleges are looking to increase their statistics for ranking purposes, as higher rankings improve application numbers, so having a higher SAT or ACT score can be a definite plus from the admissions office’s perspective. But does applying without a test score signal that you scored poorly on the SAT or ACT? Not necessarily.

When Should Your Student Take The SAT or ACT

When Should Your Student Take The SAT or ACT

Having your student prepare for the SAT or ACT too early can cause problems. You’re likely to run out of quality test prep materials well before your student is ready to take the exam. And if you push up your student’s exam date before they have finished Algebra II, and before they’ve read enough and are mature enough to handle the SAT and ACT Reading, then you’re likely to cause frustration and stress for everyone involved.