Hey sophomores and first-year students: Advice for 2024!

As you near the latter half of the school year, here are a few topics to keep in mind and to work on going forward.

1.     Course selection for next year:

Over the next two months, you will most likely meet with your school counselor. You will talk through your remaining required courses and how best to complete them before the end of senior year.

For sophomores, as you move into your upperclassmen years, you will have more selection and electives to chose from. Read your high school course catalog and programs of study before choosing junior year courses.

 Trying to determine if you should take a CP, Honors or AP level course? A good indicator is to determine if you are struggling at the current course level. If you are receiving a ‘B’ or better, you are most likely at the right level. If you are struggling, it may be good to speak with your school counselor to move into a better fit next year. And if you are sailing through and are bored, try a higher-level course next year.

2. This leads me to say to each and every one of you to make sure and ask questions if you are struggling in a course. The only person who will regret not taking ownership of their studies is yourself.

 Time management and taking ownership of understanding course content is the student’s responsibility. Make sure to stay on top of both of these items by using a planner or app, meeting with teachers during after school hours, during lunchtime or during ‘drop’ class sessions to make sure you understand what will be asked of you on the next test or quiz. 

3.     Standardized Tests: If you have taken the PSAT already, you may want to take a practice ACT next in order to assess which test you will focus on preparing for. Students should not take both but should choose and prep for one of them. Two attempts at a test is the maximum. Typically, students take one of the tests twice. There are practice tests on www.suzannelagemann.com/helpfulinks and they are free!

4.     Summer Plans: Are you traveling, working, or attending camp during the summer months? It’s time to start to think about applying to jobs, registering for camps and discussing with your parents what you would like to do over the summer break.

Hey high school juniors! It’s 2024! It’s your year to apply to college. Here are my tips and advice just for you….

This is your year to apply to college. Here is a short list of items to either keep working on or to get started on.

 1.     Junior year grades and activities: This year is the most important for your grades and activities. If your transcript shows an improvement in your grades during 11th grade, it will be looked upon highly. Keep up your studies.

2. Time management and taking ownership of understanding course content is the student’s responsibility. Make sure to stay on top of both of these items by using a planner or app, meeting with teachers before or after school hours, lunchtime or during ‘drop’ class sessions to make sure you understand what will be asked of you on the next test or quiz.

3. ASK QUESTIONS if you are struggling in a course. Show initiative. It builds character and good interpersonal skills too.

4.     In April or May, you will need to ask 2 teachers for letters of recommendation.

a.     Ask in person

b.     Say thank you

c.      Share with them why you are asking

d.     Ask a teacher that has had you in their class preferably during junior or sophomore year(s).

5.     Standardized Tests: Do you know which test you are taking? SAT or ACT? Create a plan on when to take it and either take a prep class or hire a tutor to help you prepare. Test strategy is KEY to succeeding on either test. (And by all means, do not register for the June ACT if your Junior Prom is the night before.)

6.     Also plan time to visit campuses and research schools with your parents. Spring break is a great time in April as colleges are still in session. Many offer open houses on the weekends too.

7. Follow colleges’ TikTok, Instagram and Twitter (X) accounts. You will learn a lot about the school through their social media accounts!

8.     Summer plans: Working, going to camp, going on a big vacation? Regardless, please plan on writing your common app essay during the summer months. You will not regret this.  

What do you do if you are deferred from the early action or early decision round of admission?

When a student gets deferred from either applying early decision or early action, your application gets moved to regular decision. If you applied early decision and your application gets moved to regular decision, your admission is no longer binding.

You are still in the running for admission. There are many reasons why a student’s application may be deferred to regular admission. The admissions committee may want to see the student’s mid-semester grades, review most recent standardized test scores, or compare the applicant to the regular decision applicant pool.

I highly recommend that you write a letter of continued interest (LOCI) if the school is your first choice and if the accept a LOCI. This will communicate to the college that you are set to attend if granted admission. You should also express a deep interest in the college. Describe your visit to the college, mention a club or activity you would get involved in upon matriculating, discuss your intended major or delve into an area of study you’d like to pursue while attending this university. Make sure you clearly state that you will attend if granted admission to the college or university so there is no doubt that you will attend.

Today’s Achievement Culture Problem and Solution(s)…

Jennifer Breheny Wallace’s recently published book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture becomes toxic and what to do about it really hit home for both personally and professionally. I have been working with teens for 25 years and I currently have three teens of my own; one in college and two still in high school. The pressure is real. Parenting today is different from thirty-to-forty years ago. Parents today feel a sense to be more involved, hands-on and to be on top of their children’s activities and achievement both in-and-out of the classroom. 

This starts at an early age but when I meet with families of teenagers, I often learn of how much this pressure has affected them. The anxiety has been developing for decades and parents have been feeling it grow. With the development of globalization and hypercompetition, parents feel they need to be involved in every step of their child’s development and achievement to prepare them for their future. Parents link their success to their child’s achievements which in turn puts pressure and causes anxiety. 

What can parents do to help their teen feel less anxious, more confident and happy? 

Here are some tips:

1. Tell your teen that they matter. They are special just the way they are and no matter how high their achievement goes, they are special none-the-less. Mattering, according to Breheny Wallace, is the most important action a parent can take to help their teen feel loved and build self-esteem. 

2. Minimize Criticism: I always tell my students that the most important voice they listen to is their ‘inner-voice’. How parents talk to their children helps develop that inner-voice. Speak with supportive words. 

3. Add Value: Make time to ask your teen how their day was? Ask about a small moment, not just how was a test or quiz which can make the teen feel that achievement is the only thing that matters to the parent. 

4. Self-Care: Make sure to take care of yourself. You will not be able to be a loving, supportive parent if you do not take care of yourself first. 

5. Seek help when needed: Today’s Generation Z is comfortable seeking help when they feel they need it. Don’t be a barrier to that as older generations are typically not accustomed to seeking professional help as easily. Mental health problems need to be addressed immdiately.

What is a Bachelor’s Degree and what is the difference between a B.A. and a B.S.?

While working with my students during their junior year of high school I always make it a point to define what is a Bachelor’s Degree and what is the difference bewteen a B.A. and B.S. degree so they understand just what the undergraduate degree is all about. Most students do not know the defnition so it’s very helpful to start there.

So let’s define the basics of the Bachelor’s Degree:

A Bachelor’s Degree is the degree you earn from matriculating at a 4-year instiution. This college or university grants this degree when you typcially accure 120 credits.

The term bachelor stems from the Latin word baccalarius, referring to people of low rank in the feudal hierarchy, but it was later used to refer to students who had passed the baccalaureate exam and were thus in the second stage of their studies. During the Middle Ages, the bachelor’s degree was merely a stage in the education process, rather than a qualification such as master and doctor, which were already common at the time. This phase entailed the study of grammar, rhetoric, and logic during a period of three to four years, which ended with examinations.

What’s the difference between a B.A. and a B.S.?

A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is a four year degree that emphasizes coursework in a major such as literature, history, social sciences or world languages. While a B.A. is not devoid of math and science (depending on general education course requirements, too), it most likely has less required courses in this area.

A Bachelor of Science (B.S,) is a four year degree that focuses on coursework in more STEM related fields such as engineering, nursing, science, math and technology. Many B.S. courses require lab work as well so their courses require more class and lab/field time. Some B.S. programs have a more lock-step curriculum so you need to enter the program at the beginning of your first year to complete it.

Some universisties offer a B.A. and B.S. in the same field. For exmaple, the Univesrity of Colorado-Boulder offers both tracks in computer science. If a student wants to become an engineer, the B.S. would be the better option but the B.A. is better for students interested in web design and writing for websitses, etc.

There are many options out there so make sure to read what are the differences at each school and what are the course offeriengs per degree.

How to make the most of a College Rep meeting at your high school….

During the fall months, many college admission officers are out traveling from high school to high school meeting with students to discuss their college. These officers are making the rounds in a designated area of the country. This admissions rep may very well be the person(s) who reviews your application when you apply.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when attending a college rep visit:

1. Shake their hand. Introduce yourself and say hello. It’s a great way to practice your professional skills and adults remember students who go the extra mile.

2. Listen and take notes while the College Rep is giving his summary about the school. You won’t remember everything that is said and you can look back on what was told to you later on.

3. Ask a question or two. Ask about whether or not you must declare a major on your application and if so can you switch your major upon matriculating? Or what about housing? Is it guranteed all four years or do students live off campus after freshman year?

4. Do not look at your phone during the meeting. Silence it and don’t snap or text while in the meeting.

5. Say thank you and get their business card. You can email them after the meeting and thank them for coming to your high school.

College Fair Tips….

Fall is a busy season for taking standardized tests, visiting a college campus or two and for attending your high school college fair.

 Attending a Fall College Fair is one of the best first steps in your college search.

 Here are a few tips to consider.

 1.   All high school students should take the time to attend. I’ve been asked if it’s ‘really worth it’ for an underclassmen to attend. Yes, it is.

2.   Upon arrival, pick up a map of the fair and look to visit the tables for schools you may have already identified.

3.   Introduce yourself to the college representative. That’s right, shake the rep’s hand and say hello. It’s great practice to talk with adults informally but in a respectful manner.

4.   If you have any specific interest, make sure to ask about them such as study abroad options or a certain major you are looking to pursue.

5.   Do not specifically ask what is your ‘chance for admission’ but ask what is the range in GPA, test scores and personal qualities the school is looking for in applicants.

6.   Visit two or three schools for which you have never heard of. This is a great way to expand your thoughts about where to attend and to learn of different types of schools: private universities, small liberal arts colleges, public and state universities, etc.

7.   Make sure to have your QR code scanned by every table you stop at. That way, the college can contact you in the future and you can ask questions going forward.

Have fun. Attending is a fun and exciting time to see what colleges and universities are out there!

What is Direct Admission?

If you have a high school junior or senior they might have recently received an email from a direct admit school, saying they were admitted without applying. Direct admit is a relatively new process in college admissions where a student receives admission without going through the traditional application and standardized testing process. The student receives an email with an acceptance letter which usually also includes financial aid information as well. It’s a similar process to getting pre-approved for a credit card or loan.

There are a few programs that curently use direct admission including the Common Application (Common App) and Concourse.

Concourse requires a fee ($75) that can be waived but students create a profile which must be certified by a teacher, guidance counselor or another school representative. The profile needs to contain information such as GPA, college interests, test scores and location. Then Concourse will ‘match’ the student with universities that fit their criteria.

The Common App started a direct admit program a few years ago and continually add more and more schools to the program each year. Students who completed their Common App profile but did not submit had their information sent to participating schools. Six schools participated in the Common App direct admit program in 2021 and 14 did so in 2022 and it’s growing each year.

This information is constantly changing so check out the program you are interested in to find out more details!

How to prepare for the new digital SAT in 2024!

Students will take the new digital SAT at official testing locations on individual laptops, tablets or other devices. But they will need to have downloaded an app called Bluebook to take the exam. It consists of a graphing calculator and annotation tool and you must have the app set up before test day.

1. You can download Bluebook the app needed to take the exam on your device. Go to the College Board website to download it now: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/digital-practice-preparation

2. Two weeks before the test: Take a full-length practice test in Bluebook.

3. Five days before the test day: Complete exam setup in Bluebook and get your admission ticket.

4. On the test day: Arrive on time (early). Check your admission ticket

How to prepare? Some students prep with a tutoring service, either one-on-one, small group or possbly on-line. Some use Khan Academy which is a great free online website that can help you prepare for the exam, too. Preparing for the exam will ensure that you use your time wisely and know the style and structure of the exam. If you need any tips on how to prepare, please reach out.

Want to know how the new digital SAT will be scored? Check out my blog on “the new digital SAT uses adaptive scoring-here is how it works!”

The new digital SAT uses adaptive scoring- here is how it works!

The digital SAT is organized using a multistage testing adaptive testing (MST) system that aims to provide a more efficient and accurate assessment of a student's skills and knowledge. MST is a type of computerized testing that adapts to a student's ability level, presenting questions that are more or less difficult based on their responses. This approach allows for a more personalized and tailored testing experience, ultimately resulting in a more precise evaluation of a student's performance.

In the digital SAT, the MST system is implemented across two equal-length sections, each consisting of two modules of questions. Both sections have two modules of both Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. Each section is dvided into two modules has equal amount of time and the same amount of questions. (See chart below)

Additionally, each module is separately timed, with students having a specific amount of time to complete the questions within each module of that section.

Depending on how you do in the first module will determine if you move on to an easier or more difficult module for the second and last module of that section.

The College Board still combines your scaled scores from reading & writing and math for a maximum total number of 1600 points. (Combined score range of 400-1600)

You are not penalized for answering a question incorrectly. Your raw score represents the number of correct answeres on a specific section of the SAT.