Now that the spring testing season is finally over, we’re moving into summer application season.  Deciding on a finalized list of schools and filling out applications are complicated enough, so adding new terminology to that already blazing fire of confusion is probably the last thing you want.  I’m going to discuss 2 of the hot button words from last year’s (and most likely this year’s) application season: Score Choice and Superscoring!

Score Choice

Last year, the College Board introduced the option for Score Choice for all students taking the SAT and SAT II exams.  Score choice gives students the opportunity to pick and choose the specific test dates for which they want to submit their SAT scores.  For example, if a student took an SAT in January, March, and May, but only wants to submit her scores from January and May, she CAN!  Similarly with SAT II exams, students can pick scores from individual exams to submit.  (*Students can sit for a maximum of 3 SAT II exams on any given test date.)  For example, if a student took the US History, Math Level 1, and Physics in June and then took the Math Level 1 again in addition to the Literature in October, she can pick US History, Physics, and Math Level 1 (October) to submit to her colleges and they’ll never know her scores from the other exams OR that she even took them.

HOWEVER (and this is a big however), individual colleges have their own policies about Score Choice and how they will use the scores that you submit.  For instance, some schools require that you send ALL scores from ALL test dates while other schools have embraced the score choice policy.  Before banking on using Score Choice, you’re going to want to check the policies of the schools you’re considering here.

The ACT has always been a Score Choice test and you can take the test as many times as you want and then can pick the specific test dates for which you want to send scores.  The great news about the ACT is that schools are now allowing you to superscore it!

But what IS Superscoring?

Superscoring

Superscoring is when you take the highest score from each section of an exam.  For example if you took the SAT twice and your scores were as follows:

January: Reading-540, Math-670, Writing-610

March: Reading-620, Math-580, Writing-620

You would then take the highest SECTION scores to make your superscore:

Reading: 620, Math-670, Writing-620

This is EXTREMELY beneficial for students because it allows them to focus on specific sections for each test date.  Schools never allowed students to superscore the ACT, but just approved it last year when the policy was added to the Common App.  Some schools, however, DO NOT allow you to superscore, so you’ll want to check the above link for specific school policies on the issue.

Best of luck on this Saturday’s ACT!  Write in with any of your other questions about the wonderful world of standardized tests and college apps.

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and while for most people it signifies the unofficial start to summer, for high school juniors (and their families) it is the official last weekend before the last SAT of this school year (and thus a super important study weekend).  A lot of families will end up staying home for the weekend to allow their junior to maximize his or her time studying, but some just can’t let their Memorial Day plans go.  Soooo if you’re one of the lucky juniors who gets to study while on vaca with the fam, here are some tips to actually getting stuff done.

1.  Make an itinerary for the weekend

~I know that summer means easy living and lollygagging so an itinerary might seem a bit-anti summertime, but it will really help you get in some time study time.  For instance, if you know you’re spending the afternoon at a BBQ and will be there until after dinner, then you need to plan to wake up and get a ton of studying done in the morning.  Or if you know you want to play tennis and go to the beach in one day, you should plan on doing a little studying at lunch and then spend the night studying before and after dinner.

2.  Bring notecards

~You know you’re not going to want to lug around heavy textbooks while traveling, so this is the time to bring your study guides and notecards.  Notecards are great for the times that you’re traveling in a car because you can have another family member quiz you.  The have them make separate piles of the topics you know and the topics you don’t know.

3.  Don’t aim to accomplish too much.

~Everyone always has big plans of getting tons accomplished on vacations, but for some stranggggeee reason those plans never materialize.  When you’re away, you’re not going to want to seclude yourself from the group to study at all times of the day and night, so you’re never going to be able to accomplish everything you hoped.  So set your sites small!  And do a TON of prep work in advance.

4.  Don’t you DARE try to take a practice exam/do problems at the beach (or outside).

~This is a bad mistake.  For starters, it’ll probably be slightly windy, so you’ll be struggling to hold your papers down.  There will be cuties walking by and people trying to talk to you so forget about timing yourself.  Sunshine and sweat will undoubtedly turn into a ridiculously large number of careless errors.  Instead, do the test in the morning (or before you go) and plan to do reading/highlighting while outside.

5.  Do problem sets/tests in the AM and review/read/study in the PM.

~If you’re trying to get an accurate score on your practice exams, you want to take them when you’re fresh (not weary after a day of fun in the sun), so you should just plan on banging it out as soon as you wake up, enjoy the day, and the review it at night.

I hope you all have a glorious Memorial Day weekend wherever you might be spending it…..let me know how the studying goes.

I’m writing this post on the first utterly fantastic spring/summer day in NYC, and while I’m inside working, the quick trips outside just put an instantaneous smile on my face.  However, this past weekend was not so dandy.  If you’re anywhere near New York (or weather.com), you’ll know that we’ve been having the worst spring imaginable with colder than normal temperatures and RAIN, which makes doing anything just that much more tedious.  Now, I’ve been away every weekend since late April for work and various travel plans, so I really feel like a chicken with my head cut off most of the time between packing and unpacking, adjusting to time zones, and trying to stay healthy on the road.  This past weekend, on my way out of the city, it began to DOWNPOUR just as I walked out of my building, so I waited for 15 minutes for a cab to run an errand before heading to my car.  Then walking out of the store, I waited/walked 25 minutes in search of a cab in a continuous downpour, awkwardly toting 4 bags, a tennis racquet, and an umbrella….until I finally see a cab with its light on, so I left my bags alone for a second to go grab the door, and then WHACK! my bags fell 3 inches deep into a dirty city water puddle and someone stole my cab.  No one bothered to help me, nada!  I felt like giving up (and crying) to say the least, which is the sentiment I’ve been getting from most of my students these days.

Junior year is definitely a b*tch of a year (to put it bluntly).  Between AP exams, tons of state exams, the SAT, ACT, SAT II exams, finals, and probably an important activity, job, or sport taking up a big chunk of your time, I can only imagine (especially because I felt this way a short 12 years ago) the impending feeling of just saying screw it and giving up.  BUT you CANNOT do that.  Seriously.  I know how much it sucks right now for you guys especially on nice days like today when all you want to be doing is hanging outside with your friends, but I want you to take a moment to think about the big picture.

Most of you will be finished with school within a month, at most, and then you’ll have an entire summer to frolick in the sunshine and play in someone’s pool, but these next few weeks are SO CRUCIAL you have no idea.  You all know you want to go to a great school, and you don’t want a couple of weeks of studying to hold you back from getting into your dream school.  These tests are the most important tests in terms of you college applications, so it is absolutely imperative that you just suck it up and push on through.  Here are some tips to getting through these next couple of weeks:

1.  Find someone to talk to who REALLY motivates you and can break things down for you when they’re getting overwhelming.

2.  Take Friday night off…..after a crazy week of studying, you need a night to just kick it with your friends.  You deserve it.

3.  Buy a massive whiteboard and make a big chart.  The column headings should be the 6 days of the week (assuming you’re taking Fridays off) and then the rows should be your different subjects.  You should set a study goal for each night.

4.  Get a study guide from your teacher and divide it by the number of days you have to study so that you’re not stuck cramming the night before the test (and then add it to the whiteboard from #3).

5. Set a reward for yourself.  Do something nice for yourself after all your finals are done to reward yourself for pushing through!!!

I know how much this really sucks (I felt the same way when I was in high school), and felt like throwing in the towel last weekend, but after my call, I realized that I just needed to take a breath and after a 40 minute walk/subway ride/walk, it felt great to finally get in my car and karaoke all the way out to Long Island (clearly my reward   What are some of your tips/horror stories for getting through finals?  I’d love to hear from you…..

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about whether students should take the Math Level 1 or Level 2 SAT II exam this year and figured it might be an interesting topic for many of you since the math is one of the most popular SAT II exams.  For starters, both tests are much more subject-based that the SAT and test students on topics they are learning in school.  The level 2 exam is a bit more challenging that the level 1 exam and usually is recommended for students in a pre-Calculus course.  HOWEVER (and this is a big however), the Level 2 exam has a MUCH MUCH MUCH easier grading curve than the Level 1 exam.  Essentially you can leave several questions blank (or get some questions wrong) and still get a perfect score on the exam.  Because of this cushion, a lot of students will actually perform better on the Level 2 exam than the Level 1 exam.

How do you know though?

All Edge students take an initial diagnostic exam in both Level 1 and 2.  If a student is scoring about even or only slightly higher on one exam versus the other, we recommend that they opt for the Level 2 because of the more favorable scoring table.  If on the other hand, a student is scoring much higher on the Level 1 exam, then we realize that Level 2 is just a bit too advanced and opt for the Level 1 exam.

In terms of the other exams (and some of the myths surrounding them):

1.  Prepping for the AP US History exam does NOT fully prepare you for the SAT II in American History.  You will need to supplement your prep (and should DEFINITELY take a practice exam).  This year the tests are back-to-back (AP is on Friday, May 6 and SAT II is Saturday, May 7.  This is nice so you won’t have to review and memorize all of the facts twice, but DEFINITELY make sure you are doing practice tests for both.

2.  Take the language exams WITH listening.  They are not given at all test dates so make sure that you double check when they are offered.  A common time to take the tests with listening is in November (especially for international students).

3.  REVIEW YOUR LITERARY TERMS for the Literature test.  This exam has a much greater emphasis on literary terms and devices than any other exam, so make sure you know them.  AND review poetry!

4.  The majority of students find the Molecular section of the Biology SAT II easier than the Ecology, but make sure you know which one you are taking before you go into the test.

5.  The Chemistry and Physics exams are A LOT harder than any Honors final, so even if you are getting high 90s on all of your tests in an Honors class throughout the year, you might be scoring in the high 500s on the SAT II.  Don’t get discouraged!

Hopefully these are helpful tips for the SAT IIs.  Most of you will be taking them either in a few weeks in May or in June, so you better get started prepping for them.  Comment with any specific questions you might have about any of the tests.

If you’ve signed up to take a few SAT IIs in June, you’re probably wondering how to prepare for them when you’re already busy studying for APs and school exams. When I was in high school, a few of my teachers told me that my exams would provide adequate preparation for my SAT II tests since there was so much overlap in material. Unfortunately, this is only partly true. Sure, practicing math problems doesn’t hurt when you’re gearing up for a math test, but you still need to do some SAT II – specific studying.

The first step is to go to a bookstore and buy (preferably Official Collegeboard) books. Then, take a diagnostic test for each subject. Be aware of the time, but don’t make it a priority just yet. For now, focus on accuracy and get a feel for the types of questions you might encounter. If anything, familiarity with the test format will eliminate anxiety and help you work more quickly on the actual test day.

If you’re currently taking calculus, you’ll probably be too prepared for the Math I and II C tests; ironically, this can be a disadvantage. One of my students this year was a brilliant mathematician who was breezing through BC calculus as a junior. When it came to SAT prep, however, she struggled quite a bit. Often, she’d approach a problem in an overly complicated way, worrying about limits and derivatives, and would fail to see that the question simply required addition. Make sure you get reacquainted with geometry, algebra, trigonometry and even D=rt. Make sure you can do fractions, percents, ratios and reverse FOILing in your head. Trust me, you’ve probably forgotten more than you realize, and revisiting some of the more elementary concepts will help you interpret the SAT test language more efficiently.

If you’re an AP Lit student aiming to take the SAT II Literature, brush up on your literary terms. If English is your strength, you may think that the Literature SAT II offers a great opportunity to score an 800. You’re probably right, but you still need to prepare. I know countless students who have lost unnecessary points simply because they didn’t know the terms in the answer choices. Can you identify a heroic couplet? How about examples of Metonymy, Anastrophe or Synecdoche? Your English class might prepare you for the analytical questions, but you’ll be expected to demonstrate much more for that coveted 800.

Once you’ve done a bit of review, take a second diagnostic test and time yourself. I know you’re probably exhausted right now, but putting in a little extra effort means you probably won’t have to retake anything in the fall!

On another note, Jess and I will be launching “Fielding questions Fridays,” so if you have anything to say or want to make any topic requests for our blogs, either email me (Ashley@edgeincollegeprep.com) or post a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Best of luck as you finish up the school year!

Recently, I ran into some family friends who have a 16-year old daughter. They told me that they were going to go out, buy an SAT test prep book by a certain well known company, and learn all the “tricks” to mastering standardized tests. I vehemently argued against this common, yet misguided approach. Here are some little tidbits of wisdom I’ve picked up over the years (in list form, since everybody likes lists.)

1. There are no “tricks” to achieving a high SAT score. Yes, there are definitely some very helpful strategies, and yes, you absolutely can improve your score by familiarizing yourself with the types of questions you’ll encounter. Unfortunately, though, there is no quick fix. This past year, I spent months working with a very bright student who mastered the material (and pacing) so well over the course of our sessions that I was sure she was destined for a score in the highest percentile. However, on our last day together, I asked whether she had any last-minute questions; she, of course, wanted to know when I was going to give her the “secrets” to the test. This happens every year: even students who put in the work think there’s an easier way. As is (most often) the case in life, you don’t get something for nothing, and a combination of helpful techniques, expert guidance and self-discipline is the only foolproof “secret.”
2. Not all SAT prep books have your best interests in mind. Think about it – if a company is writing its own tests, then it’s definitely going to create questions that require the “exclusive” techniques they endorse. In fact, in an effort to simply have a branded set of steps, several companies even dish out inefficient, counter-intuitive advice that will not help you reach your full potential.
3. The only reliable way to get comfortable with SAT questions is to practice with the Official College Board tests. The material is authentic, and it’s easier to see the patterns of repeated concepts and similar questions. You know you have a quality SAT tutor if he or she only uses the College Board guide, jumps directly to the practice tests in the back, and shows you how to approach each type of problem. An even better tutor will have covered his or her “blue book” with duct tape because the cover will be falling off from constant use. I’ve mentioned before that the SAT is a familiarity test rather than a reasoning test, and sure, you can kind of get to know a person by only hanging out with his friends, but wouldn’t it be better to spend time with the person himself?

Have a wonderful week!

Holiday break is just about to start and while it is the perfect time to relax and take a break from work and studying, it is also an excellent time to get a jumpstart on test prep for the SAT, ACT, and SAT IIs. Below are the top 5 things you can be doing this break (if you’re a high school junior):

1. Meet with an instructor to review your PSAT results

This will not only give you a better idea of your weakest areas, but will also give you information on why you got certain questions wrong and how your PSAT score translates into an SAT score.

2. Take a practice ACT exam.

This will give you an idea of which test is more suitable for you. If your score on one test (the PSAT or ACT) is drastically higher than the other, you should probably consider focusing your studies on just one exam.

3. Make a testing timetable and register for your tests.

It is a great idea to decided when you’re going to take your SAT and/or ACT now and register for them in advance so you don’t have to worry about being a standby or late registration fees.

4. Start looking at schools.

Now is a great time to start researching schools in various books to get a sense of the type of students at each school. Then when you’ve decided which schools you like, you can make plans to visit these schools during the spring.

5. Chat with your friends who were seniors last year who are home on break.

This will give you great insight into what they like about school and what they don’t. If their school sounds appealing, you might want to ask them if you can come visit in the spring.

Enjoy the holidays!

The application process to US universities can be a rather intricate one for US students; for Europeans applying to US universities, it can seem like a completely daunting, and utterly foreign experience. The application and the selection criteria of US universities is so vastly different from those of European universities that it does not even help to do a European application. Because of this, the earlier a student decides that applying to US universities is a remote possibility, the better.

Extra Curriculars/Activities
Unlike their European counterparts, US universities place considerable emphasis on extra-curricular activities and community service. Whereas a European university mainly focuses on a student’s scores and academic pursuits, US universities look at the whole package; it is not uncommon for selective universities in the States to reject applicants with perfect SAT scores and top marks in their schools who have no extra-curricular activities. US schools are looking for well-rounded students with captivating interests to create a unique campus community. As such, it is really important for European students to start pursuing interests and projects that reflect their passions early on in the high school careers. US schools give much more weight to activities that students have pursued for several years than to a laundry list of activities that a student joined in his last two years of high school to “pad his CV.” Schools want to see an ongoing interest in something, whether it’s music, sports, or volunteer work. For example, a student interested in politics might want to join clubs like the Law Club, Mock Trial team, or Debate Team and might participate in his school’s Model UN conference. He might also consider volunteering for an election or for a specific political party and then could consider doing a work experience with an MP or other government official.

Academics
The education system at European high schools is very different from the Us system in that students select about three specific subjects on which to focus. European students’ educational experience is highly specialized by the time they complete high school. A student can be a science expert, taking only Biolgoy, Chemistry, and Physics or could specialize in the social sciences by taking Geography, Economics, and History. US students, on the other hand, are exposed to all subjects throughout high school and have a very broad knowledge of all subjects. This is not a problem for European students in most cases. However, an area of particular concern has been on SAT II exams. Many US universities require students to take two SAT II exams in addition to the regular SAT. SAT II exams, unlike the SAT, which is a logical reasoning exam, test students on different subject areas. The specific subjects available are Math Level 1 & 2, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Literature, US History, World History, and most languages. For a student pursuing social sciences, there are not many options for SAT II exams because the World History exam focuses on Latin America, Asia, and the United States, in addition to European history. When selecting a course of study, it is always a good idea to keep these ideas in the back of your mind because certain subjects lend themselves to specific SAT II exams.

As US universities become more competitive, more are requiring additional tests other than the SAT. All universities are accepting the SAT and ACT interchangeably now, but some schools are requiring SAT II exams and a lot are “strongly suggesting” several AP exams, when applicable. For some of you, the SAT II might be somewhat of a foreign test since most schools didn’t require it. To clarify, the SAT II exams are subject tests that are knowledge-based rather than logical reasoning-based like the SAT.

There are a variety of different subjects available for SAT IIs, including Math Level 1 & 2, Literature, US History, World History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and several languages. Most schools will require either two or three if they require them at all. It is always a good idea to take the exam either immediately after completing a school course in the given subject (June exam) or immediately after the summer after completing the course (October exam). For students who missed the June exam date, the October test date is a great time to finalize all of the SAT IIs.

Selecting the Right Test
You want to choose tests that showcase your academic strengths and interests. For example, if you plan to apply as a Pre-Med student, you might want to take a Science and a Math exam; however, ultimately you want to take the tests on which you will score the highest. In general, most students opt to take one Math test, but selecting the appropriate test is important. The Level 2 test is significantly harder than the Level 1 and requires basic Pre-Calculus knowledge, whereas the Level 1 is predominantly focused on trigonometry and linear geometry. An important thing to remember, though, is that the scoring table on the Level 2 test is much more favorable than the Level 1 test in that you can get 2-5 questions wrong and still get a perfect score, while your score on the Level 1 test drops significantly with just one question wrong.

The other tests are pretty straightforward in terms of the subject matter, but there are some nuances you should know. The World History tests knowledge of Ancient civilizations, Chinese, and South American cultures in additional to European history, so AP European History students should definitely supplement their studies. In terms of the Science tests, the Physics tends to be the hardest for most students and the Chemistry is significantly harder than most general chemistry final exams, so it’s best for either Honors or AP Chemistry students. The Biology test has two options: Ecology or Molecular. The Molecular option is much easier for most students as most high school biology courses spend more time on the Molecular subject matter than on the ecological.

Other than that, it’s never too early to start taking these, so if you finish a Trigonometry course in ninth grade, don’t be afraid to take them early.