Lessons Learned- College Admissions- If you had to do it all again.....

[Anonymous]

Do kids these days need to take the ACT and the SAT? Is there a difference? Which is more widely accepted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do kids these days need to take the ACT and the SAT? Is there a difference? Which is more widely accepted?

Schools went test optional because of Covid, but most still accept scores (and some may go back to requiring them in the future. The tests are slightly different (https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/act-vs-sat-how-to-decide-which-test-to-take), so it can be good to try practice tests (or actual tests) to see which they prefer for submitting scores. They are equally accepted.

[Anonymous]

Not have wasted money on expensive college counselor. My research was more useful.

As others said, fewer reaches. Already has good number of matches and safeties. Less stress and disappointment to have fewer reaches. I also would out less pressure on ECs.

With 13 yo still at home, am hoping the system will be less crazy for her. Glad that colleges are reducing emphasis on SATs and ACTs (even though son rocked them). It is just way too much pressure on youth.

If we have learned anything during this pandemic, it should be that the mental health of our youth is incredibly important. And, fragile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I had to do it all over again, I'd tell my kids to look at schools where they think they'll fit in socially and make good friends. I wouldn't focus on majors during the application process (since their interests changed dramatically in college) or prestige.

I'd also take a closer look at what the school can offer the student. One of my children went to a school that's "prestigious" in the DMV but is poor as dirt. There is money for a certain activity, but beyond that, there's not much going on in terms of speakers, campus events, etc. Even the available course list each semester is pretty lackluster and repetitive. So while my kid went to a more "prestigious" school, it certainly wasn't a very enjoyable experience for them.

They should focus on the major (not prestige). What if someone wants to be a nurse or teacher and goes to a school without that program? Then this person will have to transfer out or graduate with a bachelor's degree and then go back to school (waste more time). Some programs like engineering have a set curriculum that you need to begin at freshman year or else you are going to spend more time in college. I think it is important to find the right fit but to disregard academic programs is not good advice. Some kids may change their minds while others won't. It is far easier to switch from a professional program into a liberal arts major (since almost all schools offer regular majors like Math, Bio, History, Sociology, etc) than it is to go the other way since many schools may not have a nursing program or an education program.

[Anonymous]

A shockingly low hanging fruit for juniors who have good SAT scores is the National Merit Scholarship commendation. Anything over 1500 SAT can easily get you to become a commended scholar for NMS.

Register for the "Alternate route to PSAT" as soon as your kid is in 11th grade and registration is open (in Sept). This will allow your kid to use their best SAT score as a proxy for PSAT. If your kid manages to take the actual PSAT then of course PSAT scores will be counted for NMS, but if for any reason they miss taking the PSAT, they can simply use their best SAT scores for PSAT. Best is that this is whole process after registration is pretty much on auto-pilot. Only thing you gotta do is send the free score for your best SAT to the NMS folks (code 0085).

What is interesting is that this strategy has many clear advantages over simply taking the PSAT at school
- more flexibility of timing, availability and exam centers.
- you have to only take only one SAT exam. It substitutes for both the PSAT and for the 'proof' SAT
- it has no disadvantage of limited number of spots for NMS per state.
- many more SAT dates are available than the one PSAT date
- you certainly have more time to study for SAT if going for the alternate route
- filling one simple application form to register for alternate route to PSAT can convert your good SAT scores into a NMS commendation and NMS semi-finalist without any other effort but sending your score to the NMS organization.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A shockingly low hanging fruit for juniors who have good SAT scores is the National Merit Scholarship commendation. Anything over 1500 SAT can easily get you to become a commended scholar for NMS.

Register for the "Alternate route to PSAT" as soon as your kid is in 11th grade and registration is open (in Sept). This will allow your kid to use their best SAT score as a proxy for PSAT. If your kid manages to take the actual PSAT then of course PSAT scores will be counted for NMS, but if for any reason they miss taking the PSAT, they can simply use their best SAT scores for PSAT. Best is that this is whole process after registration is pretty much on auto-pilot. Only thing you gotta do is send the free score for your best SAT to the NMS folks (code 0085).

What is interesting is that this strategy has many clear advantages over simply taking the PSAT at school
- more flexibility of timing, availability and exam centers.
- you have to only take only one SAT exam. It substitutes for both the PSAT and for the 'proof' SAT
- it has no disadvantage of limited number of spots for NMS per state.
- many more SAT dates are available than the one PSAT date
- you certainly have more time to study for SAT if going for the alternate route
- filling one simple application form to register for alternate route to PSAT can convert your good SAT scores into a NMS commendation and NMS semi-finalist without any other effort but sending your score to the NMS organization.

Ugh. I wish I had known this! My DC took the August and September SAT and AC T. 1580 and 35. Kind of bombed the PSAT in the fall — was burned out and didn’t think it mattered.

[Anonymous]

Above poster is a bit misleading because rules were loosened due to COVID. Pre-COVID, you had to have a legitimate reason for missing the PSAT as the road to NMS. Experts believe the NMS process will return to pre-COVID rules. Alternate entry down not mean you just blow by the PSAT; otherwise everyone would do that because it’s the easier path by far given the multiple sittings of SAT.

[Anonymous]

Don’t waste an ED on a big reach. Make it a place your kid likes and is happy to go to, a slight reach so they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment if they get in. If they don’t, make ED2 a target school and hopefully be done with the whole process.

My DC is on a bunch of waitlists and it is a soul-sucking experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Silly summer programs. Yale Young Global Scholars. Waste of time/money.

Interesting. I've heard that the summer program can help if the kid is interested in the school and is qualified to attend. Maybe less @ Ivies, but more likely with schools at the rungs below. Hogwash?

[Anonymous]

TASP is the only one I can think of that is a near-guarantee of elite acceptances. And, it’s free of charge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TASP is the only one I can think of that is a near-guarantee of elite acceptances. And, it’s free of charge.

Wow - this looks cool

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A shockingly low hanging fruit for juniors who have good SAT scores is the National Merit Scholarship commendation. Anything over 1500 SAT can easily get you to become a commended scholar for NMS.

Register for the "Alternate route to PSAT" as soon as your kid is in 11th grade and registration is open (in Sept). This will allow your kid to use their best SAT score as a proxy for PSAT. If your kid manages to take the actual PSAT then of course PSAT scores will be counted for NMS, but if for any reason they miss taking the PSAT, they can simply use their best SAT scores for PSAT. Best is that this is whole process after registration is pretty much on auto-pilot. Only thing you gotta do is send the free score for your best SAT to the NMS folks (code 0085).

What is interesting is that this strategy has many clear advantages over simply taking the PSAT at school
- more flexibility of timing, availability and exam centers.
- you have to only take only one SAT exam. It substitutes for both the PSAT and for the 'proof' SAT
- it has no disadvantage of limited number of spots for NMS per state.
- many more SAT dates are available than the one PSAT date
- you certainly have more time to study for SAT if going for the alternate route
- filling one simple application form to register for alternate route to PSAT can convert your good SAT scores into a NMS commendation and NMS semi-finalist without any other effort but sending your score to the NMS organization.

I thought that was only for this year due to Covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A shockingly low hanging fruit for juniors who have good SAT scores is the National Merit Scholarship commendation. Anything over 1500 SAT can easily get you to become a commended scholar for NMS.

Register for the "Alternate route to PSAT" as soon as your kid is in 11th grade and registration is open (in Sept). This will allow your kid to use their best SAT score as a proxy for PSAT. If your kid manages to take the actual PSAT then of course PSAT scores will be counted for NMS, but if for any reason they miss taking the PSAT, they can simply use their best SAT scores for PSAT. Best is that this is whole process after registration is pretty much on auto-pilot. Only thing you gotta do is send the free score for your best SAT to the NMS folks (code 0085).

What is interesting is that this strategy has many clear advantages over simply taking the PSAT at school
- more flexibility of timing, availability and exam centers.
- you have to only take only one SAT exam. It substitutes for both the PSAT and for the 'proof' SAT
- it has no disadvantage of limited number of spots for NMS per state.
- many more SAT dates are available than the one PSAT date
- you certainly have more time to study for SAT if going for the alternate route
- filling one simple application form to register for alternate route to PSAT can convert your good SAT scores into a NMS commendation and NMS semi-finalist without any other effort but sending your score to the NMS organization.

I thought that was only for this year due to Covid.

No. Some kind of alternate route to PSAT is always available to accomodate for major illness and other kinds of extenuating circumstances. This year this was just made more widely available and well publicized due to COVID. Just like the January date was added in addition to the October date to accomodate for COVID. Also, this year, it was very straightforward to register for the alternate route.

It is quite possible that this will be also be widely available next year. I won't be surprised that they will add in a lot more paperwork also so that people don't game it...but SAT, PSAT, ACT...the whole testing industry needs to survive the pandemic, especially since colleges are not needing test scores. In anycase, expect your school counselors to drop the ball on this one.