What Does Test-Optional Really Mean?

By |2020-11-08T23:37:54+00:00September, 9, 2020|College Admissions, College Admissions and COVID-19, College Admissions Tests|

For this year's high school seniors, taking the SAT and ACT has proven to be even more challenging than expected.  Beyond the difficulty of the tests themselves, the cancelation of multiple test dates in the spring and summer has added to students' anxiety.  Some seniors took these tests for the [...]

How College and College Admissions Might Change in the Next Decade

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00January, 14, 2020|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, Paying for College|

Since the New Year, several articles have been published that have reflected on the accuracy of predictions for the year 2020, while others have speculated on what will happen in the coming year and decade, in areas ranging from politics to fashion to technology. College and college admissions are another [...]

University of California System Sued Over Use of ACT/SAT Scores

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00December, 31, 2019|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests|

In a recent blog post on the role of standardized test scores in the college admissions process, I mentioned that a group of  organizations had threatened to sue the University of California system due to its requirement that applicants submit ACT/SAT scores.  Earlier this month, those groups did, in fact, [...]

The Role of Standardized Tests in College Admissions

By |2020-08-24T15:52:24+00:00November, 12, 2019|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, College Applications, College Preparation|

For many students, one of the most significant stressors in the college admissions process is preparing for and taking the ACT and/or SAT.  Across the country, parents pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for test prep classes and private tutors, and students spend hours upon hours studying for these [...]

Colorado College Becomes More Accessible

By |2020-08-24T15:52:24+00:00September, 3, 2019|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, Financial Aid, Paying for College|

In late August, Colorado College (CC) announced two policy changes that are likely to make the private liberal arts college accessible to more students, especially those who live in Colorado. First, CC has joined the growing ranks of test-optional colleges, meaning students no longer have to submit ACT or SAT scores [...]

Save Money by Self-Reporting Your Test Scores

By |2020-08-24T15:52:25+00:00October, 30, 2018|College Admissions Tests, College Applications|

The costs involved in applying to college can quickly add up: first, there are the application fees, which can range from $50-$90 per college (unless you're applying to one of a small number of schools that don't charge an application fee).  If you're applying to a performing arts program that [...]

Cheating on the SAT: Who’s at Fault?

By |2020-08-24T15:52:25+00:00September, 13, 2018|College Admissions Tests|

In late August, a Florida man whose daughter took the August 25 SAT filed a class-action lawsuit against the College Board, the company that owns the SAT.  As reported in The Washington Post, the lawsuit "alleges that the College Board breached its 'fiduciary duty by recycling old exam questions, including [...]

Will UChicago’s Decision to Go Test-Optional Start a Trend?

By |2020-08-24T15:52:26+00:00July, 3, 2018|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, College Applications|

On June 14, the University of Chicago made headlines by announcing its decision to become test-optional.  As explained in this blog post, a college that is test-optional does not require its applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores.  According to The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, there are [...]

Can AP/IB/Dual Enrollment Classes Save You Money?

By |2020-08-24T15:52:28+00:00November, 7, 2017|College Admissions Tests, College Preparation|

Many high school students take advanced classes to challenge themselves, prepare for college, and become more competitive in the college admissions process.  Depending on what is available at their high school, students might take Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or dual-enrollment classes (classes offered in partnership with a local [...]

College Options for Students Who Don’t Test Well

By |2020-08-24T15:52:32+00:00March, 14, 2017|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, College Applications, College Research|

For many students, one of the most dreaded parts of the college admissions process is taking college entrance exams.  The ACT and SAT are the most popular such exams, and there is a great deal of hype around preparing for and taking these tests.  Parents often spend hundreds or even thousands of [...]

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