Author: Editor

Math competitions are a fantastic extracurricular activity for high school students. Math competitions help students improve their math skills, earn scholarships, and stand out as college applicants.  If you are interested in getting into high school math competitions but aren’t sure where to begin, this article is for you. We’ll give you all the details on 13 math competitions for high school students, including the eligibility requirements and cash prize opportunities for each competition.  We’ll also briefly explain how to decide which math competition is right for you and how math competitions can help you shine as a college applicant. So let’s get started!     How to Use This List We know that different students have unique reasons for wanting to participate in high school math...

No matter how stellar your transcript, no matter how mastered your extracurricular activities, no matter how lyrical your essay—no application is complete without your SAT scores. So how do you make sure your SAT scores are sent properly, at the right time, and with only the scores you are most proud of? Read on for our best advice on the decisions you'll be faced with and what to do in case something goes wrong. (more…)

No college application is complete without test scores. But sending scores to colleges doesn't have to be a confusing and frustrating process! Read this article to understand all the options for sending out your ACT scores, to get help with the many decisions you will have to make, and to know what to do if you run into problems. I'll describe the basic process of how to send ACT scores, how to take full advantage of the ACT's individual score reporting, when to send scores, and how to make sure your scores don't get lost. At the same time, I'll go through the pros and cons of every option and suggest a recommended course of action.   How to Send Your ACT Scores: 2 Methods You can send your ACT scores either when you take the test or any time after you get your scores.   Method 1: Us...

Just like many parts of the college application process, taking the SAT (and even using your SAT scores) comes with an assortment of fees. Here, I'll break down every possible SAT registration cost and score fee. We'll go over strategies for saving as much money as possible on the SAT.   Registration Costs for the SAT (Updated for 2022-2023) Registration charges are unfortunately mandatory if you are planning on taking the SAT. Registration-related fees, or add-ons that can bump up your costs, aren't required of test-takers. These extra services could be useful in special circumstances, even though you'll end up shelling out a few extra bucks. It costs $60 to register for the SAT. (As a reminder, the SAT with Essay stopped being offered during normal testing as of June 2021.) And here's ...

Applying early action to colleges can have a lot of benefits: you'll get your applications out of the way faster, you'll get your decisions faster, and you may have a slightly better chance of getting admitted.  But can you apply early action to multiple schools? The answer gets a bit complicated! However, in this guide, we'll explain everything you need to know about early action and walk you through how to take advantage of early action and its benefits.   What Is Early Action? Early action is an admission plan offered by some colleges. As the name indicates, when you apply early action, you apply by an earlier deadline (often November 1) and receive an admissions decision earlier (often mid-December).  If you apply regular decision, the deadline is typically in early January, and you ...

A totally normal (but totally frustrating!) part of getting ready for college is college application stress. Statistics show that 76% of students feel high levels of stress about the college application process…so if you’re feeling overwhelmed by college applications, you aren’t alone! The good news is that there are steps you can take to prepare for the college application process, including having some stress management tactics at the ready. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know for effective college application stress management, including:  Answering the question, “Why are college applications so stressful?” Explaining four reasons why college applications are so stressful Providing a college application schedule to help manage stress Listing five tips for managing...

“And as with any investment, but especially with college savings plans, it’s always best to begin putting aside money as soon as you can.” This tagline from U.S. News says it all. It doesn’t matter what you put your money into to save for college — starting as early as possible is universally the best decision you can make. But, when exactly should your financial plan begin for funding college? Ideally, it’s best to start when you’re thinking about having children. However, it’s most likely that more than a few years have passed since that time in your family’s life. So, let’s turn our thoughts from when to where. Here are my top 11 suggestions for the best places to save money for college tuition. How To Save Money For College Tuition – The Top 11 Places 1. Section 529 College Savings Pl...

Did you get a provisional offer of admission from your dream college? What does provisional admission mean, and what do you need to do next? And have you been accepted or not? Provisional admission can be confusing for students and parents to navigate, but we're here to explain the process as well as the steps you need to take to get that official admissions letter.   What Is Provisional Admission? If you receive a provisional offer of admission, what does that actually mean? A provisional admission means that you'll be admitted to the school provided you complete a certain set of requirements (these will be spelled out for you when you receive the provisional admission). The requirements are often one or more classes you need to complete (often earning a certain letter grade in them) or...

June 15, 2022 We applaud a rising Stanford freshman for shining a light on the importance of education in the Indian American community (photo credit: King of Hearts). Are you the child of immigrants from India? Do your parents’ friends go up to you at Costco and ask where you’ll be applying to college? Do you regularly Google the US News & World Report college rankings? If so, know that you’re not alone. Like many other young Indian Americans, your parents value education as they believe an elite American university will be your ticket to the American Dream. And your parents are not wrong. As we’ve shown time and again on the pages of this college admissions blog, attending an Ivy League or other high...