There are a few ways to answer this question. The general advice we give is that you should take as many tests as you can in the subjects you excel in. If you feel comfortable you should take at least one humanities SAT II and one STEM SAT II. Of course there are always students who take two humanities or two STEM tests and still gain admission to top tier schools, but generally it’s a good idea to have one of each.
Why You Shouldn’t Apply to all the Ivy League Schools
The 20 Best Summer Engineering Programs
Attending a summer program in Engineering can help the colleges you’re applying to understand you’re serious about engineering. Many students apply to college with no prior experience, so a summer program can give you a leg up. It’s important to remember that participating in a summer program at a school won’t necessarily increase your chance of getting into that particular school. But succeeding in a program at a top university demonstrates a work ethic and drive, which will certainly set you apart from your competition.
Reasons for Getting Rejected from Safety Schools
Last year we had a student named Scott who was objectively incredible. He had a 2200 on the SATs, 700+ on multiple SAT2s, maximized his extra curricular activities, and had an A GPA. He had his sights set on some very competitive schools, but he knew he had to have a few safeties, including Tulane, just in case. Not only was he supremely qualified but his mom went to Tulane and still helped out at the school with alumni relations. Much to his surprise, Scott was rejected from Tulane Early Action.
What to do if you get Deferred
Many students apply early decision to a school because “they want to be done” with the college admissions process or they believe it will increase their chances of getting in. Despite the higher admit rates afforded by early decision, the majority of seniors will still be rejected or deferred. It’s important to remember that a deferral is not a rejection. If the school really didn’t want you, they would have simply rejected you. The majority of seniors who apply early will not get in; for example, 6173 students applied for the Harvard class of 2020. Only 918 students were admitted, while 4,673 were deferred or rejected.
Engineering Extracurricular Classes for Students in New York
Decoding the Early Decision Acceptance Rate Jump for Ivy League Schools
6 Tips to Ace your College Interviews
Get your Regular Decision Applications Ready
We know it feels great to finally have submitted the bulk of your applications, but just in case you don’t get accepted to wherever you applied early, we suggest starting your regular decision applications. We recommend starting the next round of applications sooner rather than later because although applying early will help you in the process, a lot of students will end up getting deferred. This means they must apply elsewhere in case they are eventually rejected during regular decision.
A Letter to our Students who have just Submitted their First Applications
Five Major Tips for Editing your College Essay
Editing is a necessary skill to ensure your essay is coherent and also communicates enough about you. A lot of students get stuck on the idea of telling the admissions officers exactly what they think they want to hear, which can lead to their submission of an essay that realistically says nothing unique. By revising your essay, you can see how and where your narrative fails. This allows you to fix your essay’s flaws and submit a version of the essay that best reflects who you are.
The 19 Questions you Need to Ask When Visiting a College
You’ve spent countless hours deciding where you might want to go to college, and now you’re finally seeing the campus with your own eyes. This is perhaps the most valuable opportunity you’ll have to really get to know a school- so don’t waste it. Instead of leaving with only the information given to you by your tour-guide-- likely a sales pitch about the amazing facilities and trees and $5 million dollar gym-- find some students who aren’t working for the school, and get their opinions. And remember, you already know the best parts of the university. Colleges spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on marketing. So as un-fun as it is, try to also get a sense of the worst qualities of a school- what factors would deter you from going somewhere?
Show, Don’t Tell: How to Write a College Admission Essay
In English class, you learn what it means to write a good hook. The hook is the part of your writing that reels the reader in and keeps them interested in reading further. With the college essay, the hook is just a means to a beginning. While writing, your focus is on making every part of your essay just as intriguing as the next. Your audience is an admissions officer that is trying to figure out whether or not you’re the student they want at their school. Therefore, you can’t just focus on an amazing hook and then leave the rest of the essay feeling dull and boring.
How to Schedule an Interview for College
Most colleges offer some kind of interview as part of the application process. These are conducted in a variety of ways; some are on campus with an admissions officer, some are in your local coffee shop with an alumni, some are via Skype. These interviews tend to be relatively informal and offer the admissions office a chance to get to know your personality. An interview will probably not make or break your chances of getting in, but it can add one more dimension to your application, and ensure that you’re not a psychopath.
How to Write the Best Supplemental Essays for College
When you sit down to write your college supplements, you might struggle with having to talk about yourself. Some people can easily write hundreds of words about all of their accomplishments and “unique” characteristics, but others find writing about themselves to be uncomfortable. Since your goal in writing the supplements is to convey your qualifications and achievements in a way that is not off putting to the reader, we’ve made a list of tips that will help you to successfully accomplish this task.
Reducing Stress During College Application Season
You’ve worked hard in high school. You spent hours studying, you sacrificed sleep for sports practice, and you even managed to find time to volunteer. Now you’ve finally found a school where you can imagine yourself spending the next four years, and it has a 9% acceptance rate. How would you feel if you told your friend, who maybe has a slightly higher SAT score, that you’re going to apply there early, only to have them reconsider their own choice, apply to your school, and get in instead of you? This, unfortunately, is not some outrageous nightmare.
Should I Make a Resume for College Applications?
At the start of high school you probably walked through the club fair and signed up for more clubs than you could ever possibly manage. Now, as you apply to college, you’re probably only a member of about half of them. You’ve stayed in these clubs because they piqued your interest and clearly relate to what you’re passionate about. The reason that the college admissions committee wants to know what you’ve spent your time doing in high school is because your engagement speaks to your character. If you’ve been going home everyday directly after school ends and doing nothing, they see that you’re not engaged in your community. But, if you’ve been volunteering as a tutor or raising money for a local charity, then that gives them insight into your personality.
What Questions Should I Ask on a College Tour?
When Jane first stepped foot on the campus of the school she would ultimately attend, she fell in love. It looked the way she imagined college should look: ivy-covered buildings, students sprawled out on the lawn, historic looking statues. She found the information session with the Dean of Admissions comprehensive, providing a glimpse into the academic and social scenes of the school.
Do’s and Don’ts of Applying Early Decision to College
DO: Consider all of your options. It’s common to overlook schools when considering where to apply ED because you feel the pressure of only being able to choose one school. When you’re considering applying ED, be sure to actually imagine yourself at the school because your potential admission is binding.
When Should I Take SAT Subject Tests?
It was her summer going into senior year and Jillian was making her college list. She considered location, school spirit, which programs best fit her intended major, and whether or not they were on the common app, but it never crossed her mind to see if they required SAT subject tests, or SAT IIs. Jillian started filling out her apps and decided to apply to Cornell early decision. Jillian loved the idea of being in Ithaca and really pictured herself going to Cornell. When she was perusing the requirements, Jillian realized that she needed to send two SAT II scores to the admissions office. This seemed like it would be an easy task, but Jillian realized that the subjects she would have wanted to take exams for were on topics she had covered years ago.