Demystifying Standardized Testing 2014

Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to attend 'Demystifying Standardized Testing' last night. I hope the information was useful toward better understanding college admission tests.

One thing we, for some reason, always run out of time to cover is the fact that there ARE testing optional colleges where ACT and SAT scores are not required to be submitted in order to attend. These include highly selective schools like Bowdoin and Connecticut College, so if a student ends up not being satisfied with their test scores and feels that their transcript alone puts them in a better light, testing optional schools are always available to consider. For a full list of testing optional schools, go to www.fairtest.org.

But, if you are going to take and submit standardized tests, how does it work? I recommend students explore BOTH the SAT and the ACT. This comparison will allow you to discover if you are naturally more skilled on one exam. Then you should take that exam two times to maximize your score. Data indicates that taking the exam more than two times does not lead to a score increase.

A lot of energy is sometimes spent worrying about sending the scores and using score choice. Neither of these things is worth much time, in my opinion. Just send everything everywhere and your life will be easier. If you have an extreme outlier that you are able to suppress and it makes you feel better, go ahead and do that. But most of these schools have computer systems that automatically super score for the reader, so losing your mind deciding if it is ok for a school to see your 680 in math is a whole lot of stress for not a lot of gain.

All schools will welcome both the ACT and SAT, so it is in your best interest to take the exam that you can score highest on. For a comparison of the scores on these two tests, see this chart.

For more information about how the SAT and ACT differ, see this webpage.

There was also a question during the meeting that I spoke to the parent afterwards and got clarification that that I'd like to share here. The question that was intended to be asked was: in what range should a student be testing on the SAT I to be a viable candidate at colleges that require SAT Subject Tests. I would say that the best candidates at highly selective colleges have a 700 or above on each section of both the SAT and the Subject Tests. That is definitely just a ball park, so plenty of students are admitted with a 690 or a 650 or even less than that on one section, but the majority of admitted students will be starting with a 2000+ on the SAT. 

I'm excited for next Tuesday, when I will be having the Junior College Kick Off for 11th grade students on Tuesday afternoon. After that, junior meetings will begin and the Class of 2015 will be in the thick of it!

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Join me to Demystify Standardized Tests!

 
Tomorrow night (Thursday, January 23), ElRo will host our annual PTA meeting on the topic of standardized college admission tests. I strongly encourage all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade families to come learn more about this topic. It is, without a doubt, the topic that I get the most questions on throughout the year and this session is designed to give basic information about what the tests are, how they are used, how they are unique, and what the recommended timeline is for signing up for the exams. Kaplan will be joining us to present this information -- note this presentation is not specifically about Kaplan test prep, so if you want information about their methods or signing up for their services you will need to contact them separately.

The PTA meeting will begin at 6:00 with the standardized test presentation slated to follow (estimated start time 6:20).

I hope to see you there!

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The time to file the FAFSA is now

2014 is here and for seniors this means that you should be completing your FAFSA in order to be considered for Financial Aid. If you want to pay full sticker price for college, you can stop reading right now. If you don't, you need to use this month to be VERY thoughtful about meeting each and every deadline associated with financial aid at your colleges. Remember when I recommended applying to 10 schools or less? A reason why is that it is difficult to keep 12 or 15 or 18 financial aid policies straight. It is your responsibility to research and understand the financial aid requirements at the colleges where you applied. Don't be left in the future regretting that you didn't know the CSS was due or thinking the FAFSA deadline was the 15th when it was really the 1st.

Remember - NEVER pay a company hundreds or thousands of dollars to complete the FAFSA for you. And the real authentic FAFSA website ends in .gov not .com or .net. You should not use the FAFSA links that are ads at the top of your google search. Your personal financial information is required for this form, only complete it on a secure platform. This should go without saying, but I also do not recommend working on this via your phone, the small screen is not suited for this task.

The link below is posted on the government's website about common FAFSA mistakes - check it out and happy filing! They also mention that the IRS data retrieval tool will go live in early February. As a reminder, this is NOT the year to file an extension, get those 2013 tax returns completed as soon as you have all of the documents you need!

https://www.ed.gov/blog/2014/01/7-common-fafsa-mistakes/

PSAT Results are in!

I'm happy to share that the 2013 PSAT results are in! Yesterday, all 11th grade students got their scores back along with their testing booklet. Tomorrow (Friday) the 10th grade students will be getting their scores back in English class. If you are a parent or guardian of a 10th or 11th grade student and your child did not show you their score report, use Saturday as a day to go over this paperwork together.

What are the basics to know about the PSAT?

-- The PSAT is just for practice. Colleges cannot see PSAT scores. The only thing the PSAT even remotely counts for is the National Merit Scholarship Competition, a relatively small scholarship that is very prestigious but not particularly generous. Each year, ElRo typically has one to three NM finalists, but by and large the PSAT is more for practice than it is for this scholarship.
-- The PSAT is out of 240 points. If you add a 0 to the end of your score, you get the converted equivalent SAT score. Each section is out of 80 and corresponds to the 800 point section on the real SAT.
-- The scores are normed. Very few people get a low low score and very few people get a high high score. The national average is about a 150 - meaning half of the country gets above 150 and half gets below 150.
-- You are encouraged to compare your PSAT score to a practice ACT (which you can take via virtually any test prep company for free, even if you missed your chance at signing up for the practice ACT here at ElRo this Saturday). By comparing your natural ability on the ACT and SAT, you can determine which exam you should take in the spring of your junior year.
-- Once you decide the test you are taking (recommended to make this decision by the last week in December), you must register for the exams via either www.actstudent.org or www.collegeboard.com. The test registration is just like buying an online ticket to a concert - there are limited seats at every venue, if you have a preference for the site you want, you should register as soon as possible.
-- If you are qualify for free/reduced lunch, you should see me for a fee waiver. You can take the test two times for free.
-- If you are a junior and want to take a group SAT prep class, Kaplan will be offering two classes in our building in preparation for the March SAT. To register for the Kaplan class go to:  http://kaplanatschool.com/eleanorrooseveltny
   If you need a scholarship to be able to pay for the Kaplan class, contact Robin Kaufman at  robin.kaufman@kaplan.com

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FAFSA Information Night

The annual FAFSA information night with certified financial planner Anthony Becker will take place this Thursday, December 5, at 6:00 pm in the Michael Stolz Auditorium at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Any senior (and their parent/guardian) who plans to submit a FAFSA in January to apply for financial aid for college should attend this meeting. It is also STRONGLY recommended that any junior family interested in financial aid attend so they can get a preview of the types of questions they will be asked a year from now when they apply for financial aid.

See you there!

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What to Expect from the College Process - Summary

Thank you to everyone who attended the 'What to Expect from the College Process" PTA meeting last night! I wish I could have kept talking for another hour, there is so much to say! The main message I wanted to get across is that the beauty of the college process is that while it might be very long and it might be labor intensive it doesn't have to be stressful. A large chunk of the process is extremely transparent. Especially with how many resources are available online, there is very little guessing involved in terms of what is required to apply, what the statistics are of the admitted classes, and what the timeline is for students.

My biggest suggestion for parents/guardians is to remember that children of any age look to their parents for cues about how to react to situations. If a parent or guardian approaches the college process with stress and anxiety, there is a 90% chance that the student will approach the process with stress and anxiety. If every conversation a parent/guardian has with a student is laced with pressure about being admitted to college, it isn't surprising when the student develops intense fear and anxiety about the admissions process. On the other hand, when the adults at home can be calm and honor the strengths of their student the college process can turn into a wonderful experience full of really meaningful memories.

The websites and resources I mentioned last night were:

1) The ElRo College Office website
2) The Elro Weekly Calendar - Found on the ERHS homepage under 'News and Announcements'
3) The calendar listing of college visits that take place at ElRo each fall
4) The College Office Handbook - given in hard copy in the spring of Junior Year, but available any time for download via the ElRo College Office website on the Juniors or Parent tab
5) This blog!
6) Naviance Family Connection -- every student will get their private account the spring of their junior year, but anyone can log in earlier as a guest - email me for the password (please include the name of your child if you are a parent/guardian)
7) The College Board website
8) The ACT Website
9) College Reality Check for net cost estimates -- be warned this site is NOT accurate for out of state public colleges, as the cost will come up as the average cost for most students and most students will be getting the in-state tuition rate. It is accurate for all NY colleges though as well as all private colleges.
10) NYC College Line

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What To Expect From the College Process

Are you the parent/guardian of a 9th, 10th, or 11th grade student? If so, I encourage you to join me Thursday, November 21 for the 'What to Expect from the College Process' Q&A PTA meeting. The PTA meeting begins at 6:00 pm and will be in the auditorium. Come ready to ask questions! Students are also welcome to attend.

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Sign Up for the Practice ACT at ElRo!

 











If you are in the 10th or 11th grade, now is your chance to sign up for a free practice ACT with Kaplan being held at ElRo on Saturday, December 7th from 9 am to 1 pm. This practice exam is recommended for all students so they can compare their results from the PSAT to this practice ACT to help determine what exam they are naturally better on. You can then decide which exam to prep for and take that real exam two time starting in the spring of your junior year. Just like dog people and cat people, some people naturally prefer one type of pet to the other. If you don't try both tests at least once, you'll never know where your natural aptitude lies. If you score equally well on both, you can then just pick the exam you like better.

The link to register for the December 7th practice ACT at ElRo is: http://bit.ly/ElROACT

The deadline to register is December 1. 

If you cannot participate in this ElRo based practice test, never fear! You can take a free practice ACT and virtually ANY test prep company. Just go to the company website or call their number to inquire. For example, see offerings through Kaplan , Revolution Prep, or Princeton Review. 

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Boo! It is the scariest day of all . . .

 . . . . November 1!

We've talked all year, and I'll say it again, the glitches with the Common App are going to cause stress. But do your best not to be scared. The vast majority of schools have been extremely flexible and have shared they too are being affected by the issues so students will not be held responsible for the issues that are out of their control.

So, where should you be doing right now?

1) If you are applying to CUNY or SUNY those apps should be either already submitted or well on their way to being submitted in the next 2-3 weeks. Same really goes for public schools that are out of state. Why wait?

2) If you are applying to other schools with early action or early decision deadlines, those should also already be submitted or well on their way to being submitted.

3) If you have schools that require a CSS profile in November, that is of the utmost importance. That site is not being affected by glitches and to my knowledge those deadlines remain firm. You must check the individual college's financial aid website to see if they have a CSS deadline this fall. If you don't see a deadline (or if you don't see the CSS mentioned at all) then it is not required. I don't have the list of colleges that require this form memorize. You shouldn't either because it is published right there at your fingertips and you can look it up.

4) Teacher letters are my fun issue to worry about. Not yours. As long as your Naviance account has the accurate name of the college and round of admission listed you do not need to do anything else.

5) Thank you to the vast majority of you that have heeded my warning about the Common App letter of rec limits. But, some of you are taking it too far and opting to send zero letters schools that will allow 1 or 2. You are welcome to use your judgement, but if you have letters that are allowed to be sent go ahead and send them. The only thing to be careful of is to not exceed the maximum.

6) I continue to be shocked at the alarming number of seniors that have not been on college visits. It is November of your senior year and you are about to invest between $5,000 and $50,000+ in a college experience. You don't have time to go take a tour on a Saturday? Sorry, I don't buy it. Get out there and make tour reservations. Next Tuesday you don't have school, would be a smart time to visit a school if you need to.

7) Go Red Sox!

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Nov 1 is knocking on our door!

 The first big wave of deadlines is upon us, as November 1 is next Friday! But now is not the time to stress - remember, every single part of this process has detailed instructions available so nothing should leave you guessing. Have questions about Financial Aid? That is what Financial Aid portions of college websites are for. Common App giving you trouble? Check the Known Issues page to learn if your problem is already in the queue to be fixed. Here are some tips for this final week of October - let Halloween be the scariest part of the season, not college apps!

1) I've already sent this out to every senior and senior parent/guardian, but I'll remind you again. If you are applying EA or ED somewhere, be sure to check their Financial Aid instructions (on their school specific website) to see if a CSS Profile is due. The CSS Profile (more info here) is a Financial Aid packaging tool used by some schools and it is often due in November if you are an EA/ED applicant. If you want to be considered for Financial Aid, get this completed on time! Not every school asks for the CSS profile, so you'll need to double check for yourself to see if it is needed. You now start to see why I don't recommend applying to more than 10 schools . . . .

2) Deadlines are guidelines for the latest something can be completed, but they shouldn't be a sign to you that you need to wait that long to get something done. Even if you are applying Regular Decision with a January deadline, you should absolutely be polishing your essay now. With that said, some schools are being flexible with their deadlines due to the Common App shenanigans. This is a happy benefit of the new launch, not something to rely on or use as a crutch.

3) If a student is applying Early Decision via the Common App, the parent/guardian must digitally 'sign' their ED agreement. The place to do this is sent to you via email, but unfortunately the Common App does not have the link the is embedded in the email identified as a hyperlink. Don't let this fool you, use your cursor to find the hidden link so you can complete the online signature. That will then allow me to complete the counselor portion on time.

4) Deadlines are for students at 99.9% of colleges. I cannot force your teachers to get their letters done earlier than they are due. Heck, I can't even force them to get their letters done when they are late! Don't let yourself get stressed about the parts of this process you can't control. Be happy with your essay. Triple check your Common App. Verify that you spelled things correctly and that you are working hard in your senior classes. Don't stress over the school documents. I get to do that ;) Just be sure your Naviance account is up to date and the correct rounds of admission are listed.

5) Many of you re-tested for the October SAT. You are getting your scores back this week. You should order your score reports immediately when they are available. It can take weeks for the score to get to the college, they are prepared for that, but you should not let any days go to waste. You can (and should) also go ahead and send your scores to any school where you know they eventually need to go, even if you haven't applied yet. Do not be tempted to rush your scores. This is a con by the Common App to squeeze even more money out of you. Just send them regular. Rushing them costs more and just means they will arrive on paper and sit in a mail room until a human opens them. Sending them regular, they will be transmitted electronically.

6) The Common App essay can be edited twice after it is submitted for future schools that you submit to, but I don't recommend that you submit a draft that you aren't happy with. I get the sense, based on the volume of questions, that some of you are planning to just get something down on paper for your EA schools and then keep revising your essay for the schools you are applying to Regular. Why are you doing this?? Use time management to plan ahead and get things ready for all schools. Yes, if you find an error and can correct it for subsequent applications, be my guest and fix it. But to send a "rougher draft" to some EA schools and a "final draft" to other RD schools is not encouraged. I get it, you can keep refining and refining for weeks, but write your essay, edit it, and call it a day. There are always supplemental essays to obsess over. . . . .

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