All in Preparing for College
I gained some new insights this year that I want to share with all of you. Let’s start with a high GPA is more important than AP courses for most students. My number one mistake with my oldest was holding him to a high level of academic rigor in subjects that weren’t his strength. It took me too long to realize that, and his grades early in high school suffered as a result. While Yale, Cal Tech, and Haverford will want to see the highest rigor in courses across the board (along with As), not every school will, and getting Cs and Ds instead of As and Bs will make life much harder for the college applicant.
Sophomores, you have completed the first half of high school and are headed for big things in the coming months and years, including preparing for college applications. This is your moment to plan the next two years. Here is what I advise you to keep top of mind as you plan your spring and summer:
Updated March 2024: You have done your homework, studied, learned your pacing, and practiced your strategies. True confidence comes from preparation, and you have earned that. Second, take care of your body as well as your mind. In the week before the test…
Learn what to focus on your junior year in order of importance.
What you do as freshmen & sophomores will influence these 5 parts of the college application… 1) High school courses (choice, level of difficulty, and grades), 2) Test prep (SAT, ACT, and AP/IB), 3) Activities in and out of school, including work and service, 4) Relationships with teachers and mentors, 5) College research
The SAT is going digital for the school year 2023-2024, and our CTK test prep tutors have been trying out the new software and planning for how to help students adapt to the digital format. Read on for answers to all your questions about the new digital PSAT and SAT; how to still take the SAT on paper; and whether you should take the SAT, ACT, or just go test optional.
Students who have been strong readers and writers are sometimes surprised to find that their previous coursework has not entirely prepared them for the kinds of texts they will be expected to understand in upper-level coursework, decoding SAT, ACT, and AP passages, college-level history, literature, writing, and yes, even science courses.
It’s the end of your junior year and we know all you can think about right now are final exams and keeping your grades up, but when you pick your head up from your studies, take a moment to make sure you are on track for college admissions. Before the year ends, make sure you meet with counselor to ensure you have done what you need and understand how you will coordinate the college application process with your counselor in the fall. Next, you’ll want to request letters of recommendations from teachers in person.
Junior year is when the proverbial rubber hits the road. You may be taking more AP classes, moving up the ranks in your sport, and learning to run a meeting as a club officer. This blog covers my five tips for juniors. From whether to take the SAT/ACT, to what courses to choose… This blog is for you.
