College Planning

Applying to college usually means writing some essays, asking for letters of recommendation, and submitting your transcripts. But what about the ACT and SAT? Is the ACT required for college? The answer is, not necessarily! In this guide, we explain what test-optional colleges are and give you the complete list of 1,000+ colleges that don't require ACT scores from applicants. We also offer a few tips for what to do with these ACT-optional college lists. Note: for a list of schools temporarily not requiring test scores due to COVID-19, read this article instead. Otherwise, read on to see which schools are always test-optional, test-flexible, or test-blind.   Is the ACT Required for College? Not Necessarily First off, is the ACT required for college in the United States? Or not? Though ...

Did you miss the registration deadline for the SAT test date you wanted? Don't fear—you still might have a chance to take the test if you get on the waitlist. In this article, we give you instructions on how to register for the SAT waitlist, followed by some advice on whether it's the right choice for you. (more…)

Not all admissions processes are created equal. One major point of difference among colleges these days is how admissions officers consider your SAT scores. More and more schools are de-emphasizing SAT scores as part of your application with test-optional and test-flexible policies. Some colleges has even eliminated SAT scores completely! There are now more than 1,000 accredited, bachelor-degree granting institutions that have changed their approaches to standardized test scores. Keep in mind that the majority of colleges, especially the more prestigious schools, do still require (and strongly consider) SAT scores. Let's take a look at the different score policies and the schools that no longer require applicants to submit their SAT scores for admission. Schools Temporarily Going Test O...

Want to be an engineering major in college? A great way to set yourself up for success before you even begin your freshman year is to do an engineering internship or camp as a high school student. However, summer engineering internships for high school students can be tough to find. That's where we come in! We've compiled a list of the 14 best engineering opportunities for high schoolers, including some that pay you to participate!   How Can High School Students Learn About Engineering Careers? If you're interested in a career in engineering, there are multiple ways you can get more knowledge and experience in the field before even graduating high school. Below are the three best ways high school students can get engineering experience.   Job Shadowing Job shadowing is where you spend a ...

If you’re a high school student who’s interested in becoming a lawyer, you can actually start preparing for your future career now by participating in high school law internships and other law-focused programs.  High school law internships, summer programs, and law volunteer opportunities for high school students all allow you to explore legal careers before you ever even get to college. We’ll explain everything you need to know about these programs, including: The types of law programs available to high school students  Real-life examples of law programs for high school students Tips for including your law experience on college applications  Keep reading to learn more!      What Programs and Law Internships for High School Students Are Out There? When it comes to opportunities to exp...

July 27, 2022 An op-ed writer for The New York Post makes a ridiculous argument against the merits of Affirmative Action. In an op-ed for The New York Post, a conservative-leaning daily newspaper, a writer argues that our nation’s elite colleges essentially have a moral imperative to end Affirmative Action so various under-qualified underrepresented minority students who earn admission don’t have to struggle to succeed academically once they matriculate. It’s an argument we, of course, find absolutely preposterous. But, hey, while we don’t agree with this argument one bit, we believe in sharing diverse perspectives on all topics related to college admissions, including the controversial topic of Affirmativ...

Looking for the 2023 AP exam dates? We have the complete 2023 AP test dates as well as advice for getting through the busy May exam season. Keep reading to stay on top of your 2022-2023 study schedule and to get tips for dealing with the stress of endless AP tests! (more…)

Which college majors are, on average, the smartest? Philosophy majors, followed by physics and astronomy, economics and math majors, score the most standard deviations above the mean on the GRE. Which college majors make the most money midcareer (who have not earned a graduate or professional degree)? Economics, engineering and math majors rank highest, followed, yes, by philosophy majors. Which college majors experience the fastest salary growth? Philosophy majors, naturally, trailed by math, econ, poli sci and, believe it or not, art history majors. As Matthew Yglesias, the widely read economics and policy blogger and journalist with a Harvard B.A. in philosophy, has observed, a philosophy degree signals intelligence, which is why leading tech firms like Google often hire philosophy majo...

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...