Category Archives: SAT Tests

“Direct Admissions” Trend Could Give Students a Welcome Option

The financial fallout from the pandemic lockdown, along with declining birth rates, could benefit top students by giving them a streamlined application process and college scholarships. Called “direct admissions,” the process allows admissions officers to review the electronic profiles of high school students and contact those deemed to be an ideal match with the particular college and/or scholarship. It can also be a great opportunity to alert students to smaller and/or lesser-known schools that they may never have heard of, but which might be a good match and fit.

Currently 162 colleges and universities are accepting students through direct admissions. Online platforms such as Concourse and Sage Scholars help facilitate the process, and the Common Application is also sharing student profiles with a number of colleges. These include prestigious large colleges like George Mason University, with more than 35,000 students, as well as lesser-known colleges like the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,385.

This is helpful to liberal arts colleges that are having a hard time attracting students. The offers of financial aid are also beneficial because too often families just look at the “sticker price” (which few pay).

If a college reaches out to a student with a direct admission offer, she or he should be flattered, and research the college and available financial aid. The more colleges a student is exposed to, the better, and the more likely it is students will find a good fit. After all, there are more than 4,000 colleges in the U.S., so students should consider a whole group of schools, not just a few.

While elite and Ivy League universities aren’t likely to adopt direct admissions, it has taken off in some parts of the country – even among lesser known but highly regarded schools. For example, 17^th ranked^*Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN plans to shift all applications to direct admissions, using the Common App and a Minnesota state program.

Robert Heineman, a retired political science professor at Alfred University in New York, was quoted in a Washington Times article as noting that the process is cheaper than traditional applications, which benefits schools struggling to financially recover from COVID lockdowns. Indeed, many smaller colleges are on the brink of closing due to lower enrollments. Students and families need to do their homework to ensure that the colleges they apply to are solvent.

Direct admissions also benefits colleges because declining birth rates have also decreased the pools of qualified students. According to the Pew Trust,^** fertility rates were down 15% in 2020 from the decade ending in 2010,

The only caveat with direct admissions is that colleges contact the student – students can’t request to be admitted through that process. However, if a student feels a college is a good addition to their college list, I’d encourage them to apply.

*U.S. News & World Report again named Augsburg one of the Best Regional Universities in the Midwest in 2022. This year, Augsburg is No. 17 on the list. Augsburg is also ranked fourth for best undergraduate teaching, eighth for social mobility, and ninth among most innovative schools.

**Ten states experienced reductions exceeding 20%. Mostly Western states led the way in incurring the most dramatic long-term fertility rate declines, despite often experiencing strong population gains overall, due largely to migration.

FREE Upcoming College Essentials Workshops

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Join us to learn little-known secrets of paying for college, college funding, and essential college information to skyrocket your student’s school year at several FREE upcoming events!

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 7 – 8:30 pm

First, I will join Michael Russell of the College Funding Coach to bring you an information-packed session designed to prepare you for what you need to know to plan your student’s college career.

This in-person session will be at The [email protected], 118 Academy St., Fort Mill, SC 29715.

You’ll learn:

• Why parents should start thinking about college when their students are in middle school.

• Why it’s essential to have a plan for every year of H.S. and what college admissions officers value.

• Advice on PSAT, SAT and ACT tests.

• How to make the college dream a reality…and still retire one day!

The speakers and topics will be the same as for the July 12 webinar.

Register today! It’s FREE and the first 10 registrants will receive a copy of my book: College Admissions Simplified: A Guide for the College-Bound!

There is plenty of free parking available at The [email protected]

Register today HERE.

Wednesday, Aug. 24, 12 – 1 p.m. Lunch & Learn

This is also In-person event at The [email protected], 118 Academy St., Fort Mill, SC 29715

At this Lunch & Learn I will discuss:

Why parents should start thinking about college when their students are in middle school.
Why it’s essential to have a plan for every year of H.S. and what college admissions officers value.
Advice on PSAT, SAT and ACT tests.
Insights on the FAFSA, grants & financial aid.
Register today! It’s FREE and the first 10 registrants will receive a copy of my above book.

Register today HERE.

For questions about any of these events, contact me at [email protected]. 803-487-9777.

I look forward to seeing you!

Read About Why Every Year in H.S. Counts!

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Here are excerpts from an interesting and interactive conversation I had with Jennifer Plym and Cheryl Taylor of Charlotte Smarty Pants about preparing for college admissions while your student(s) is in high school:

We discussed when families should start thinking about college. I advised that parents start thinking about college – or some other form of post-high school education – when their students are in middle school. They should think about how they’re going to pay for college, and create a college mindset for their student.

Have a plan for every year

By high school, have a plan and let your child stretch academically. If a student is talented in math, let her take an AP math class. If it doesn’t work out, then she can step back.

Our conversation emphasized that every year in high school it important. College Admissions officers are looking for trends. They want to see that a kid is improving each year, and that they are challenging themselves with increasingly difficult courses.

I also gave advice on PSAT tests – they should be a guide for students to identify areas where they need more help and work. Although about 2,000 colleges are test-optional (including Wake Forest), students should take both the ACT and SAT tests. Some students do better on one or the other, and that’s the one they should submit.

We also discussed finding a college that’s a good fit, and how kids views of college size, how far they want to be from home, etc. change as they go through high school.

If you have questions, contact me at [email protected]!

Test-Optional Policies in Practice

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People tend to perceive “test-optional” as meaning that if a student opts to submit SAT scores to a college, they’ll be a factor in admission. However, if a student chooses not to submit scores, that fact won’t disqualify her or him from fair and equal consideration.

But what does test-optional really mean?

Consider this scenario: Applicant A chooses to submit test scores to a college because his scores exceed the average SAT scores of the college’s last freshman class, a metric published every year. His scores will be weighed as a factor in his admissions decision. Applicant B chooses not to submit SAT scores. All other things being equal, Applicant A will be admitted ahead of Applicant B.

This reality would be denied by a college’s administrators, who resent even being asked about their test-optional practices. However, as an applicant, you’re well advised to ignore them on this matter. Put in the work to score as high as possible on the SAT or ACT. If your scores are average or better at a college you want to apply to, then submit them.

The majority of applicants to top-tier colleges get it. Most of them submit test scores to test-optional schools. For example, 76 percent of the Early Decision applicants to the University of Pennsylvania’s Class of 2025 this past fall chose to submit scores even though they weren’t required to do so.

There are reasons why college administrators obfuscate regarding test-optional practices. They want to encourage the submission of as many applications as possible, including those from students who don’t score well on tests. The more applications that a college receives, the lower their admission rate will be. The lower its admission rate, the higher a college rises in the rankings of U.S. News & World Reports and other publications. This helps to increase revenue by raising tuition. Colleges may operate on a not-for-profit basis, but they’re still businesses.

There’s another way that test-optional policies improve a college’s ranking. The policies are presented by colleges as a helping hand to those who don’t test well or can’t afford assistance to prepare. Although it is both of these things, it’s also a way for a college to raise average test scores. If scores are optional, it follows that only applicants with high scores will submit them. This results in significantly higher average freshman SAT and ACT scores than in the past. Average test scores are used as a key metric in the algorithms of the rankings publishers.

A New Paradigm: Test-Blind Policies

Evidence that a college’s administration has truly rejected the use of standardized tests as predictors of academic success is when they announce a test-blind admissions policy. Test-blind colleges don’t accept SAT or ACT scores from applicants even if they’re submitted. At this time, only a few schools are test-blind but, significantly, the list includes the University of California System, Caltech, and MIT.

Sarah Lawrence College was test-blind but converted to test-optional because U.S. News & World Report wouldn’t rank their school at all without test scores. However, the publication has announced that it will begin to rank test-blind colleges in 2021. Their new policy is likely to encourage more colleges to join the trend toward test-blind admissions.

Learn How to Conquer College in the Coronavirus Era

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The college admissions process has become increasingly more complex in the past decade. But the quarantine orders caused by the COVID-19 have added a whole new level of stress and uncertainty.

But the situation may also offer some opportunities if you know how to take advantage of them!

Join me for my “Conquer College” Zoom Summer Camps to learn what you need to:

Get into competitive SAT/ACT testing slots
How you may be able to renegotiate your financial aid, or for the class of 2021, how to get the best possible financing.
How to tackle the dreaded college essay. We’ll discuss how to find the right topic and how to structure it so it reflects who you are and why you would be a great addition to the campus community. Dr. Klaar will edit and send comments post-seminar.
You’ll also complete the Common Application and your resume!
Klaar will also give you tips on virtual college visits, how to research potential colleges and how to maintain your activity resume during lockdown.

Dates: June 16 – 18, 1 – 4:30 p.m. each day, with a break from 2:30 – 3 p.m.

Cost: $300

Dr. Klaar has lowered the price by nearly 50% to help families who may be struggling during this difficult time.

The camp is limited to 10 students so that Dr. Klaar can provide individual attention to each student.

To reserve your spot, visit Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conquer-college-in-the-coronavirus-era-tickets-105134263412

[email protected], www.cklaar.com 803-487-9777

Charlotte Klaar, PhD is a Certified Educational Planner with 25-plus years of experience. She is recognized as one of the nation’s top college consultants and has led hundreds of students to college success! Dr. Klaar works with students nationwide and in St. Thomas through Zoom, Google Hangouts and Skype.

Co-sponsored by Loom Coworking, Gallery and Event Space http://loomcoworking.com/.

FREE Zoom session: College admissions in the coronavirus era

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Join Charlotte Klaar, PhD, for a free Zoom session on college admissions during the pandemic lockdown on Thursday, May 28 at 12 noon. Dr. Klaar will discuss:

1. SAT/ACT Testing changes due to Covid-19
2. Possible college scenarios for the Fall 0f 2020.
3. How this affects the class of 2020 in terms of financial aid renegotiation, waitlist movement, and deferrals.
4. How it affects the class of 2021: visits that can’t happen, testing that was cancelled, maintaining the activity resume during lockdown.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-webinar-on-college-admissions-changes-with-the-coronavirus-tickets-105799773972

For questions, please contact Charlotte Klaar, PhD, at [email protected], 803-487-9777.

The College List is an indispensable tool for success in college admissions. This is the set of target colleges that are exceptionally well suited to you as an individual and to which you’ll apply in senior year.

A key consideration in developing your College List is the number of schools that should be on the final version. While there is no “right” number, we advise that the majority of students should apply to nine colleges. Less than nine doesn’t spread your risk sufficiently and more than nine risks dissipating your effort. If application fees are an issue, many colleges allow you to apply without paying a fee.

Set the Requirements for Your List

The first step in building your College List is to establish the criteria against which you’ll compare colleges. You choose and prioritize your own criteria to suit yourself. They may include such factors as the size of the student body, faculty-to-student ratio, affordability, core curriculum, academic reputation, majors, degrees granted, geographic location, local community, campus setting, campus amenities, social life, work-study programs, ROTC options, college abroad opportunities, and mentorship programs.

Most students weigh affordability and academic reputation most heavily.

Next, assess how well colleges match your criteria. Start with a list of all of the colleges that interest you. Assuming this is a long list, you’ll need to reduce it to a more manageable size through research. With a list of about 15 schools, you can discuss their pros and cons with guidance counselors, admissions consultants, family, friends, and students and alumni of the colleges.

Among the resources available for your research are college websites and course catalogs, shared databases like the Common Data Set (CDS), magazine rankings and the databases that support them, college guidebooks such as the Fiske Guide and Peterson’s, governmental resources like the College Scoreboard, high school guidance resources like Naviance Scatter Diagrams, and certified independent educational consultants like Klaar College Consulting.

The best way to assess the colleges still on the list is to visit them. Take campus tours, set up admissions interviews, and meet with students and faculty in your major. Staying overnight in a dorm and interacting informally with students will yield more useful information than any other research. The positive or negative vibes you get may be strong enough for you to reexamine your entire list.

Create Three Tiers of Target Schools

A common approach to developing a College List is to divide it into these three tiers: 1.) Colleges to which you will almost certainly be admitted, 2.) Colleges to which you will probably be admitted, and 3.) Colleges that you aspire to attend but where you have a slim chance of admission.

At Klaar College Consulting, we refer to the three tiers as Likely, Target, and Reach. They’re distinguished by their academic requirements for admission. You’ll measure your GPA, test scores, and other variables such as class rank against the comparative data for colleges; the academic records of applicants who were accepted last year.

This data is available from a range of sources, but most readily from the Common Data Set, CDS, for each college. The CDS provides substantial detail and breaks down all admissions-related data elements such as freshmen GPA and test scores into percentiles so you can see where your record would place you among previously successful applicants.

Here’s an overview of the tiers:

Likely

A Likely school is one where your academic record falls comfortably above the average GPA and test scores of the last class admitted. You should feel confident that you’ll be admitted to your three Likely schools. You should select Likely schools that you’d be happy to attend if your Target and Reach schools don’t admit you, or you decide not to attend any that do.

Target

A Target school is one where your academic record falls at about the average level of last year’s freshmen. It’s reasonable to anticipate admission to your three Target schools. However, there’s an immeasurable risk inherent in the variability of the volume and quality of applications from year to year.

Reach

Your three Reach schools are ones that you aspire to attend and where you have at least a possibility of admission. Your academic record places you at the lower end of the average of last year’s successful applicants, but not so low as to eliminate you from consideration.

As is true in all three tiers, but especially with Reach schools, your chances of acceptance are much improved if you possess a strong non-academic hook, that is, a highly developed talent or skill that enables you to satisfy an existing need that has been identified by a college. In addition, the degree to which you demonstrate interest in attending the college is also important. Essays, extracurricular activities, and interviews are three additional non-academic ways to distinguish yourself.

Early Application Programs: Early Decision, Early Action, Restricted Early Action and Single-Choice Early Action

The process of identifying the colleges that best fit you, and narrowing them down to three in each tier, is difficult and time-consuming. Adding to the complexity is the need to consider Early Admission programs.

Early Application programs vary widely in their terms and options. Your chance of acceptance by certain colleges is improved significantly if you participate in their Early program. If you choose to apply early to colleges, you’ll know if you were accepted before the deadline for submitting applications for the Regular Decision cycle. Obviously, you won’t need to submit any more applications if you choose to accept a binding Early Decision offer. In case your dream doesn’t come true, you should have all the other applications ready to submit when the bad news comes.

Summary

The arduous College List process is well worth the effort if it helps you to achieve the desired outcome — acceptance at one or more of your best-fit colleges. Klaar College Consulting has years of experience in assisting students in building effective College Lists. We stay well informed by following college news, attending professional association events, and interacting with fellow experts. We also attend college fairs, visit campuses, and speak with college administrators. Klaar College Consulting is your top choice for guidance in building a College List that suits your personal set of qualifications, needs, and preferences.

SAT or ACT: Which is Best for You?

For several decades, taking the SAT or ACT exam has been a rite of passage for college-bound high school students. As a student, you understand the need to perform well on the exams because your score is among the factors that determine whether you’ll be admitted to the colleges of your choice. Your scores, along with GPA and class rank, comprise your academic record — the dominant factor in admissions.

Because most institutions accept both SAT and ACT scores, there’s no reason to prefer one exam to the other. This leaves the choice up to you. Selecting the right one matters in your college admission plan.

Circumstances That May Affect Your Choice

The two exams are very similar but they do have differences. Before we consider them, let’s review a few circumstances that may make your choice easier.

Test-Optional – Over 1,000 institutions have adopted test–optional policies under which you don’t need to submit exam scores to a college unless you choose to. However, Klaar College Consulting recommends that you take one of the exams even if it isn’t necessary. Then, compare your score to the previous freshman classes of each college that interests you. If your score might help you gain admission at some of them, then submit it to those schools.
State Requirements – There are 21 states (see Table A, below) that require 11^th graders to take the SAT or ACT to assess academic progress. State education administrators observed that juniors were studying for so many standardized tests that it inhibited their ability to learn their coursework. Since many students were taking the SAT or ACT for college admission, the states decided to use them for assessment instead of another exam. We advise students in states that administer the ACT for assessment to take the ACT for score improvement if necessary. Likewise for students in SAT states.

Table A, below, lists the states that administer the SAT or ACT to juniors for academic assessment purposes:

Table A: States That Use SAT or ACT for Assessment

SAT	ACT
Colorado	Alabama
Connecticut	Hawaii
Delaware	Kentucky
District of Columbia	Mississippi
Illinois	Montana
Maine	Nebraska
Michigan	Nevada
New Hampshire	North Carolina
Rhode Island	Utah
West Virginia	Wisconsin
	Wyoming

Take Both Exams – There are students who take both exams and then submit their best scores. This is an extreme measure but perhaps not as extreme as you may think. As mentioned above, the exams are similar and, for the most part, studying for one is studying for the other. There are those exceptional students who can study for both exams without impacting their GPA, but the great majority of students are advised to stick with one exam.

Key Differences Between the Exams

Math:

1. The SAT has a 20-question section in which you aren’t allowed to use a calculator. The answers are to be derived by reasoning. The ACT allows a calculator on all Math questions.

2. The ACT has more questions about geometry than the SAT. The ACT also has a few questions in other areas that the SAT doesn’t, such as logarithms, matrices, and trigonometry.

3. The SAT provides you with math formulas but the ACT doesn’t. If you take the ACT, you need to memorize formulas that may be on the test.

4. On the ACT, Math accounts for one-fourth of your total score. On the SAT, Math accounts for half of your total score.

5. The tests differ in the number of answers provided for multiple-choice questions. ACT Math gives you five possible answers. SAT Math gives you four.

6. The ACT Math questions are all multiple choice. The SAT is mostly multiple choice, but has questions for which you write in the answers.

Time: The total time allowed for the exams is almost equal, but the SAT gives more time to answer each question because there are fewer of them.

Science: The ACT devotes a section to science but the SAT doesn’t. The SAThas science questions, but they’re interspersed through the exam. There’s a separate science score for the ACT but not for the SAT.

Essays: If you take the essay, your approach to writing it will differ. On the SAT, you’ll have a passage to read and analyze. Your essay will examine the author’s argument using evidence and reasoning. You won’t be arguing your personal opinion. On the ACT, your task is different. You’ll read a passage about an issue and then analyze various perspectives on it. But, unlike the SAT, you’ll incorporate your own opinion in your answer.

Other Methods of Comparison

Perhaps the best way to compare the exams is to take practice tests. The SAT and ACT organizations make practice tests available as do many test prep publications. Compare your results and decide if there’s a clear winner.

Another way to pick the right test is to respond to these statements as true or false.

1. 1. I have trouble with geometry and trigonometry.
  2. I can solve certain math problems without a calculator.
  3. I do well on math tests.
  4. I find it hard to memorize math formulas.
  5. I can answer certain math questions in my own words.
  6. The sciences are not my best subjects.
  7. I can analyze a passage easier than I can articulate my opinion.
  8. I find that short time constraints cause me anxiety.
  9. I have no trouble citing evidence to back up my positions.

If most of your answers are “True,” then the SAT exam is better for you. If most of your answers are “False,” then the ACT is better.

If you’d like help deciding whether the SAT or ACT is the right choice for you, please email me at [email protected] or call me on 803-487-9777.

Every Year of H.S. Matters in College Admissions!

Most experts consider junior year to be the most consequential in college admissions, and this may well be true. But senior year is nearly as important since it’s the year that you finalize and submit your applications. In both years, you face many choices that have ramifications beyond college and into your career.

It’s not just your years as an upperclassman that count. All four years of high school contribute to your ultimate success. The more you accomplish in the first two years, the less your burden will be in the last two years. The stress can be intense coming down the stretch, so we advise that you plan for each year of your high school career so that, at its culmination, you’re confident and looking forward to what’s ahead.

1. Start Strong Your Freshman Year

A study by the Brookings Institute found that 9th grade is the most critical year in the formation of a student’s potential. Your academic performance as a freshman sets the tone for the rest of your education.

A. Start Out with a High GPA

Freshman year counts toward your cumulative GPA and has an impact on your final class rank. It’s great for your GPA to be an rising trajectory in junior year, but it’s even better if your record has been so excellent since 9^th grade that a rise isn’t even needed.. A high GPA that doesn’t need to be raised in junior year avoids much of the stress that can burden you as a junior.

B. Meet with Your Guidance Counselor

Guidance counselors play an essential role in your college admissions campaign. They’re busy people, so the responsibility is on you to schedule meetings with them. As a freshman, you can start a discussion about your admissions plan. At this point, getting to know the counselor and giving them the opportunity to know you is your main objective. You’ll be in contact with them often in the coming years.

C. Make the Honor Roll

Making the honor roll in 8^th grade will give you the opportunity to take honors courses in 9^th and 10^th grades. Success in honors courses is likely to enable you to take AP courses as a sophomore and upperclassman. The more AP classes that you successfully complete with a grade of 4 or 5 on the exam, the more likely that you’ll be accepted by the colleges that you target. You may also earn college credits at a number of schools.

D. Begin Study in a Foreign Language

Most selective schools require applicants to have two to four years of a single foreign language. Freshman year is the time to commit to the language that you’ll study through high school.

E. Experiment with Extracurricular Activities

Immerse yourself in several activities that appeal to your interests. Join clubs, organizations, and intramural teams as you see fit. You’ll need time to identify those activities that truly interest you and for which you may also have an aptitude.

F. Use Summer to Your Advantage

The summer after your freshman year is a great time to find a job. If you’re still too young, you can volunteer for a non-profit that appeals to you. A productive activity is to prepare for the PSAT exam. You may wish to begin to research into which types of colleges represent “best-fit” schools for you.

2. Take Tests Your Sophomore Year

In your sophomore year, we recommend that you select honors classes in your strongest subjects. You should also assess your extracurricular activities and drop those in which you’re not too interested. Try new ones if necessary. Refine your admissions plan to focus on real choices that you’ll need to make as an upperclassman.

A. Take the PSAT

Taking the PSAT prepares you for the SAT in junior year and helps you identify your weak areas so that you can work to improve in them. If you release your name, address, and email to colleges, you’ll receive marketing communications from them.

B. Practice for the ACT

Pursue the PLAN Assessment Program offered by American College Testing if you plan to take the ACT exam instead of the SAT. This program assesses the efficacy your study habits, your academic progress to date, and the intensity of your interests. It also prepares you for the ACT exam itself.

C. Learn About College Admissions

Become familiar with college entrance requirements, especially at schools you may feel are potential best-fits. The sooner you know this the better prepared you’ll be. Your guidance counselor’s office will have information about admission requirements, as will libraries, college websites, magazine rankings, and articles in the mainstream media.

D. Proceed on Your Academic Path

Work with your guidance counselor to make sure that you’re enrolled in the courses that best suit your educational goals. You’ll also want to be sure that you’ll have all of your graduation requirements, except senior English, completed by the end of junior year.

E. Use Summer to Add to Your Admissions Credentials

The summer after sophomore year is a good time to find a job. Stead employment every summer appeals to colleges. Use your spare time to prepare for the SAT or ACT exam. You may want to take an elective summer course at your high school or at a local college in the field that you’re considering as a major. Admissions officials will look positively on this as an indication of your desire to learn and work hard.

3. Steps to Take in Junior Year

Your junior year is the most important in your admissions campaign because it’s the last full year of high school that colleges will see complete data when you apply. It represents you as a more mature student. Colleges use it as source data in their predictive models to project how well you’ll perform as a college student.

A. Start on Your College List

Establish a set of criteria to guide you in building the list of schools to which you’ll apply. Your criteria can include factors such as the size of the student body, faculty-to-student ratio, total annual expenses, core curriculum, majors, degrees granted, geographic location, the nature of the local community, campus setting, campus amenities, work-study programs, and any other factors that you may consider important. By the end of junior year, you’ll narrow the list down to a predetermined number of schools. You should plan to visit as many of them as possible over the next year.

B. Plan for Exams

You’ll be taking the SAT or the ACT and you’ll probably be taking AP exams. Register and mark the dates. Juniors should take the SAT or ACT the in spring so you can take them again in the fall of their senior year if you need to improve your scores. Don’t take them too early to “get it over with.”

C. Hone Your Abilities in Extracurricular Activities

By now, you should know which activities you’ll list on your applications. Colleges look for commitment and depth, so just one activity is all you need if it fits that description. If you can attain a leadership role or garner an award in your activity, so much the better. Your talent or skill can serve you well, especially if it’s in a niche that colleges seek to fill.

D. Learn Your Options for Financial Aid

Review the financial resources that will be available to you with your family. Learn about financial aid from public sources, individual colleges, and corporations. High-school sponsored financial aid nights, independent financial aid counselors, and the media will be helpful in your research.

E. Register for the Optimal Curriculum for Senior Year

Meet with your guidance counselor to select classes for your senior year. Make sure that you’ll graduate with all the courses that you’ll need for admission to specific schools on your list. Colleges consider the rigor of the curriculum of seniors as well as their grades when they’re available.

F. Reach Out to Letter of Recommendation Writers

Most requests for letters of recommendation are directed to guidance counselors and a small subset of teachers. These individuals receive an enormous number of requests. If you wish to obtain a letter from one of them, ask them as a junior so that they’ll have notice before the fall semester crush. Be sure that they’ll have only positive comments and that you won’t be “Damned by faint praise.” You can also elicit a letter from a coach, the leader of one of your organizations, or an employer, as long as they know you well.

G. Visit Colleges

Campus visits require planning, especially if you wish to arrange for an admissions interview. Contact the admissions office to set up an interview, a guided tour, and a meeting with a faculty member and a student in the department of your planned major. There will be opportunities later to visit campuses, but it’s a good idea to start as a junior, especially with schools where you may want to apply through an Early Admissions program.

H. Make the Best of your Junior Summer

Admissions officials are impressed by applicants who have worked within their planned field of study as interns or employees. If you have an opportunity to secure such a position, then by all means do so. It’s also time to start working on your essays and personal statements.

If possible, take a summer college course in your planned major to demonstrate your commitment to your planned field of study and to prove that you’re capable of college work.

4. How to Master Your Senior Year!

Seniors who plan to attend college are very busy people! What has seemed far in the future is now upon you — crunch time to prepare applications that will secure your admission to your best-fit schools.

A. Finalize Your College List

For most students, the final list should be pared down to a predetermined number of schools. With too few schools on the list, you won’t be spreading your risk sufficiently. With too many schools, you’ll dissipate your focus and effort. A good number to reach for is 8 to 10 colleges that are a good Fit and Match for you.

B. Paying for It

When finalizing your college list, ask a very important question — can you handle it financially? October 1 is the first day that a student applying for financial aid can access, complete, and submit the FAFSA and CSS/PROFILE forms. These forms require a great deal of effort by you and your parents. The deadlines vary by college, but a head start is helpful.

C. Write Your Essays

Allow plenty of time to brainstorm topics, outline, draft, and polish your essays and personal statements. This is crucial, especially if you are applying to schools that require supplemental essays. Essay questions are broad, which can make it difficult to know how to relate the topic to your life. Obtain input from others on your topics and approach. Be wary of having too many adult editors.

D. Complete and Submit your Application

Work hard on your applications. If you’re applying for Early Admission to any schools, the usual deadline is November 1. For Regular Decision, the deadline is usually January 2.

You may be able to choose which application platform to use. If possible, use only one. The Common App is accepted by nearly 900 colleges and many schools that accept other apps also accept the Common App.

E. Submit Senior Fall Semester Grades

As soon they’re available, send your fall semester grades to the schools to which you’ve applied. This will be after you’ve submitted the application, but admissions officers want to be able to incorporate the data into their decision.

F. The Decisions of Your Colleges

Acceptance, rejection and waitlist letters arrive between late February and early April. You usually have until April 30 to accept an offer of admission. Don’t put too much faith in waitlists. Among the colleges that use them, only a small percentage of waitlisted students ever receive an acceptance letter.

G. Make Your Decision

If you’re accepted to more than one school, weigh all options. Talk with parents, other family members, teachers, mentors, and friends. Examine available financial aid and the total expenses at each school. If possible, visit the campuses of your two finalists to compare them closely.

H. Final Steps

Colleges have a deposit deadline of May 1^st. Once senior year is over, send your final high school transcript to the college you’ll be attending. These grades may help you secure a scholarship or qualify for a competitive academic program. If you took AP classes during senior year and have passed the national exams with a score of 4 or 5, you may be able to earn college credits and skip a required course.

Conclusion

Seeing the number of steps above, you, as a student or parent, might think that this is more than enough to do to prepare for admission to college. In fact, this is a partial list consisting of major tasks. Lesser tasks requiring little time have been omitted. But, just because they’re minor doesn’t mean these small tasks can be omitted.

The best way to accomplish all tasks that will lead to acceptance at your best-fit colleges is to hire Klaar College Consulting. Dr. Charlotte Klaar takes a no-nonsense, no-excuses approach as she works with students to make the entire college admissions process, including college search, application completion, and essay-writing, a delightful adventure of self-discovery and personal growth. Along the way, she helps students learn to make more informed decisions and to own the results.