- Understand admission factors
- Learn about the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
- Explore college options
- Develop a financial plan
College opportunities exist for everyone. These four steps can help simplify the planning process:
There are four basic steps in the college planning process:
- Understand admission factors
- Learn about the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
- Explore college options
- Develop a financial plan
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Understand Admission Factors
What Colleges Consider
The first part of planning for college is understanding what factors colleges consider when looking at a student profile.
- Primary Factors
- Quality/Rigor of Academic Courses
- Academic Performance/ Grades
- Test Scores (SAT, SAT Subject Tests, AP ® , etc.)
- Additional Factors
- Extracurricular Activities
- Essay(s)
- Letters of Recommendation
- Demonstrated Interest
The first part of planning for college is understanding what factors colleges consider when looking at a student profile. These factors are broken down into two categories: primary and additional.
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Understand Admission Factors
Grades & Course Work
Your high school academic record is one of the most important factors in college admission. Colleges will look at a few aspects:
- Course selection : Challenge yourself with a rigorous course load and high-level classes, including AP or honors courses.
- Grades : Every year counts, starting with freshman year.
- GPA trends : Keep improving through every grade.
- Class rank (if offered by your high school).
- Positive recommendations from educators and mentors
- Personal statement and essay(s) demonstrating writing ability and self-expression
- A “demonstrated interest” that shows your enthusiasm for the colleges to which you’re applying
- Extracurricular activities, including participation in sports, performing/visual arts, volunteering, etc.
- Community involvement, part-time work or internship
- Interview (if applicable)
- It tests the same things taught every day in high school classrooms — reading, writing and math.
- It’s the most widely used college entrance exam.
- Almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.
- A combination of grades and SAT scores is the best predictor of a student’s future success in college.
- Three sections: critical reading, mathematics and writing
- Length: 3 hours, 45 minutes (including three breaks)
- Score range: 200–800 per section, 600–2400 overall
- Question types:
- Critical Reading — Sentence Completions, Reading Passages
- Mathematics — Algebra, Geometry, Statistics and Probability
- Writing — Essay, Identifying Errors, Improving Grammar and Usage
The SAT contains several different question types, including a student-produced essay, multiple-choice questions and student-produced responses. The SAT will focus on three main subject areas:
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Learn About the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
Getting Ready for the SAT
- Select challenging high school courses.
- Read widely and write extensively, both in and out of school.
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT as a sophomore or junior.
- Become familiar with SAT question types, format and directions.
- Take advantage of free College Board resources at sat.collegeboard.com.
The best way to get ready for the test is to do well in school, study hard and become familiar with the test and the testing environment. There are no tricks or shortcuts to improving your performance.
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Learn About the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
A Little Practice Goes a Long Way
- Research is clear that cramming and short-term test prep aren’t effective substitutes for hard work in school.
- To feel comfortable and confident on test day, it’s a good idea to be familiar with the test format and question types.
- Like anything else in life, a little practice never hurts.
When studying for the SAT, a little practice goes a long way. Commercial, short-term test-prep courses are expensive and often promise more than they can deliver.
It’s a good idea to be familiar with the test format and question types.
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Learn About the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
About SAT Subject Tests
SAT Subject Tests allow you to showcase your accomplishments and interest in subjects in which you do well. They provide a more complete story about your academic abilities and distinguish you in the admission process.
- Certain schools require or recommend them as part of the admission process.
- Placement out of beginner classes allows you to focus on more interesting/in-depth classes and satisfy basic requirements for certain majors prior to attending college.
- College advisers use them to help you pick course subjects and levels.
- Now that you know what colleges �are looking for, it’s time to put them to the test.
For placement and advising
SAT Subject Tests allow you to showcase your accomplishments and interest in subjects in which you do well. They provide a more complete story about your academic abilities and distinguish you in the admission process.
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Learn About the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
Myth vs. Reality
Myth: The SAT is a logic test designed to trick students.
Reality: The SAT does not test logic abilities or IQ. SAT questions are based on high school subjects, and students who do well in the classroom are often the same ones who do well on the test.
Myth: The SAT is the most important factor in admission.
Reality: The SAT is just one of many factors. Although grades and �SAT scores are important, colleges look at and value other things, too.
There is a lot of misinformation floating around about the SAT. You may have heard some of these myths about the SAT, but the truth is this: The SAT is a fair assessment that colleges use to measure what students know and what they know they can do.
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Explore College Options
Which colleges are right for you?
Now that you know what colleges are looking for, it’s time to put them to the test.
Which colleges are right for you?
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Explore College Options
What to Consider
Size and diversity of student body
Campus life — athletics, activities, housing
Graduation and retention rates
Financial aid and scholarship opportunities
Above all, think about where you will be the most happy and successful in your college life.
Your high school academic record is one of the most important factors in college admission. Colleges will look at a few aspects:
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Understand Admission Factors
Other factors to consider include:
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Learn About the SAT and SAT Subject Tests
The SAT measures what you know and how well you apply that knowledge.
The SAT is a primary factor in college admission. Though, as you saw previously, not the only factor. Although high school grades are a very useful indicator of how students will perform in college, there is great variation in grading standards across high schools. Educators trust the SAT as a useful part of the college application process.
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Learn About the SAT and SAT Subject Tests