As most people know, applying to college is not a simple matter of filling out an application, getting accepted and calling it a day. (If only!) In fact, applying to college is one of the last steps of the whole process. In the following Q&A, Renée Serrano of College Quest Advising helps demystify applying to college, and discusses what students need to consider before they even begin the process.

1. When should students begin thinking seriously about the college application process?

Students should seriously start thinking about their college application process in January of their junior year. The sooner you begin the process, the more organized you will be, producing a better application that will represent who you truly are. When you procrastinate with the process, your application will be rushed and potentially less effective.

Preferably, a student should begin thinking about the admissions process during freshmen year. Freshmen need to familiarize themselves with the different types of colleges and what is needed to qualify to apply. From the first day of high school, you make decisions that will determine what choices you have for college. With a global pool of candidates to choose from, colleges and universities are demanding excellence. Students need to develop a course of action that best highlights their strengths, talents and passions through course selection, grades and activities.

2. Many students have no idea how to begin the college search. What do you recommend as a first step?

a. The first thing a student should do is to sign up on www.collegeboard.org. The College Board comprises all you need to know about colleges and admissions. This is also the site that you use to register for the SAT Test.

b. Visit local colleges whenever the opportunity arises. During your junior year, you should sign up for college admissions information sessions/college tours. (Sign up on college websites.) If you cannot attend the information session/tour, visit the campus on your own and be sure to visit the admissions office to let them know that you are visiting, inquire about the college and ask questions!

c. Request information from colleges that you are interested in on the college’s website.

d. Listen carefully to fellow students who are currently experiencing the college application process. Ask them questions about their experience and if they have any advice.

e. Utilize your guidance counselor’s expertise.

f. Attend your high school’s college information seminars and ask questions!

g. Go to college fairs in your area. Meet the admissions counselors and ask questions!

3. What is the biggest misconception students have about the college application process?

Most students and parents don’t realize how much time and effort it takes for the college application process, therefore beginning this endeavor too late and rushing the process, which directly impacts the quality of their applications.

Students don’t recognize that their whole profile is important and considered. Admission isn’t just dependent upon their grades and testing. The student’s “whole picture” is considered and every segment of the application should be strong and concise.

Also, students and parents can sometimes get caught up in the college “name game,” losing sight of the many outstanding colleges and universities in this country. There is excessive dialogue about colleges and universities during the junior year of high school, creating unnecessary competition and undue stress that could be avoided with the understanding that there are over 4000 colleges and universities in the United States that offer incredible opportunities in higher education.

4. Could you please explain the differences between Early Action and Early Decision, and what are reasons one would or would not choose to apply to college these ways?

EARLY DECISION-ED: represents a binding commitment to one college. You are usually allowed to apply as an Early Action candidate to other colleges. If you are admitted as an ED student, you are required to attend that college and immediately upon notification of acceptance, you have to withdraw all of your other college applications.

EARLY ACTION-EA: is non-binding which means that you can apply to other colleges even if you were admitted as an Early Action student. You are not required to attend that college if you are admitted as an Early Action candidate. In most situations, you can apply to more than one college as an Early Action applicant. Most EA schools allow you to apply to an ED college simultaneously, but that is not the case with all colleges, so make sure you read each college’s specific ED/EA program before proceeding with your decisions.

There is a new program initiated at several colleges called, SINGLE CHOICE or RESTRICTIVE EARLY ACTION. Some schools that offer this program include but are not limited to Harvard, Stanford, Yale and Boston College. This means that you are only allowed to apply to one college Early Action even though the college’s decision is not binding and you wouldn’t have to attend if you were admitted to a Restrictive Early Action program. You need to pay close attention to the Early Action program description to make sure that you understand fully the program you intend on using.

It is difficult to determine who should apply Early Decision, Early Action or Regular Decision because it depends upon the individual student along with many factors. If you are absolutely certain that you want to attend a specific college that has been your “dream school” for some time AND your “whole picture” is perfectly matched with that college’s specifications, then ED could be beneficial, considering that it tells that college that it is your absolute first choice and you would attend if given an ED acceptance. If you have any doubt that it is your first choice college and you are not at least perfectly matched to that college, it certainly would be a big risk on your part.

As for Early Action, this can show the colleges an early interest and preparation on the student’s part, which is somewhat beneficial but it is absolutely crucial that you are academically matched to that college with a “whole picture” profile that would add to its college community.

It is vitally important that you read each college’s specific Early Decision or Early Action program requirement so not to limit your college options.

5. Most students have heard of financial aid in the form of government loans, but not everyone knows how government-funded assistance works, and many find it intimidating. What do you tell students about the financial aid process to make it less overwhelming?

Financial aid makes up the difference between what a family can contribute to a college’s tuition and living cost. Financial Aid is intended to help students pay educational expenses – tuition and fees, room and board and books and supplies at a college or university.

There are 3 types of Financial Aid.

a. Loans (must be repaid)

b. Grants and scholarships- including Merit-based Awards which are given to an accepted applicant. They do not require repayment and are strictly based on student high school academic performance.

c. Work Study and other employment programs that allow the student to work and earn money during their college years.

Students and their families are entitled to fill out the free FAFSA form, which will ask many questions about the family’s finances (which involves the family’s and student’s tax return information.) The FAFSA needs to be completed sometime after January 1 of the student’s senior year. You can find more about Financial Aid by reading information provided by the U.S. Department of Education. You must read your college’s website to determine its specific FAFSA deadline: many are February 1.

Some colleges also require that you fill out the CSS/Financial Aid Profile, which is found on collegeboard.org.

The sooner that you complete your FAFSA and/or CSS profile form, the better. Colleges distribute funds early and if you miss the deadlines, it is possible they will not have enough money to award to you, even if you qualify.

If you are not given an amount of financial aid that you feel you need from a college of your choice and have been admitted to that college, it is not unusual for a family to contact the school to ask for more financial aid in order for you to attend. Most colleges have to wait until the May 1 deadline to be able to tell you if there is any money available but it is worth a call. Many schools can accommodate you if they have the finances available.

Here are some websites that may help you:

• STUDENTAID.ED.gov
• FAFSA.ED.gov
• MEFA.com
• EDUPASS.org
• FINAID.org
• FEDMONEY.org
• NASFAA.org
• PROFILEONLINE.COLLEGEBOARD.org
• SALLIEMAE.com
• SAVINGFORCOLLEGE.com
• SIMPLETUITION.com
• ED.gov
• COLLEGEISPOSSIBLE.com

6. Besides financial aid, what other forms of financial assistance are available to students?

There are thousands of scholarships available to students who are entering college. Typically these scholarships are based in the student’s home community. Most high school guidance departments list many local and national scholarships, application information and general requirements so be sure to check in with your guidance department. Check with them early and often in the process because many have specific application deadlines.

There are websites that you can join for free which will ask you to fill out a survey. This allows the scholarship site to continuously match you with national scholarships that correspond to your profile. You can sign up for these sites in the beginning of your junior year. NEVER pay any money or give these sites your credit card information-these particular sites are mostly out to scam you. Here are a few sites to visit:

• FASTWEB.com
• SCHOLARSHIPS.com
• NATIONALMERIT.org
• SCHOLARSHIPEXPERTS.com

7. What can parents do to make applying to college less daunting for their son/daughter?

Parents are welcome to sign up for collegeboard.org. This site has a wonderful “Parents” tab that will walk you through most of the college application process. I often tell parents to sign up for the SAT Question-of-the-Day on collegeboard.org — along with their student and siblings — to discuss the question and answer at dinnertime. It is a great way to show your children what the SAT is about while having some fun competition between the parents and children. (The children usually win!)

Parents, please remember that junior year of high school is filled with mastering long and arduous tests, visiting college campuses and college fairs, filling out lengthy and involved applications, writing many personal essays and meeting what seems to be a million different deadlines while attending classes, acing midterms and finals, finding a date for prom, and dealing with the finality of graduation and the uncertainty of what the future holds. This is enough to overwhelm most of us. Parents can most certainly help make the college application process much easier and less stressful. Be forewarned, though, that most children will be a tad grumpy during this process and the parents are the first to receive the wrath of the college applicant. Here are some helpful hints on how you can help your child:

• Start the process early.
• During the high school years, visit college campuses whenever you have an opportunity. This will help your child understand the differences between a large and small school as well as a city campus vs. a rural one. Try to visit while college is in session because most schools feel completely different when there are no students hurrying from class to class.
• Try not to add stress to the process by revealing your stress (because you will be stressed through the process as well). Try to take the emotion out of your role in the process…keep them on task without nagging.
• Application management: keep track of what has been completed, what needs to be completed and the very important deadlines. Organize and file necessary papers.
• Help research schools.
• Listen to your child explain what he or she wants from a college experience.
• Discuss any financial or geographic restrictions before they apply or are admitted.
• Review applications and essays for obvious errors and typos before they are submitted.
• Be sure to have your child contact the college admissions department with any questions or to make appointments. Let your child speak for him/herself when it comes to any interaction with the college admissions representatives.
• Do not complete any part of their application for them, especially the essays!
• Be involved but know the boundaries. Your support is crucial in your child’s college application process.
• Be realistic in your child’s abilities and strengths.
• Be informed! There are many books available that will familiarize you with the college application process. Here are a few to review:
1. The Gatekeepers-Jacques Steinberg
2. The College Guide for Parents-Charles Shield (Published by the College Board)
3. The Fiske Guide to Colleges-Fiske

8. In your field, I imagine you work with many college-bound athletes. Whereas athletes seem to be taking their SATs/ACTs much earlier than in the past, when should athletes begin thinking about colleges? Is the application process different for athletes than for non-athletes, and are they dealing with different expectations?

The first step is to register on the NCAA initial Eligibility Clearinghouse website, NCAA.org, in the spring of their junior year. Your guidance and/or athletic office at your high school should have the necessary forms and guidelines for registration.

Also, become familiar with the NCAA rules and regulations related to recruiting. This is also found on the website.

The student athlete should actively pursue those institutions and coaches that are interested. Let college coaches know that you are interested in playing for them if they haven’t pursued you. Send an introductory letter to coaches, expressing your interest and highlighting your athletic and academic achievements. You can find their names on the college website. If a college coach is interested in you, you might have to provide a five or ten minute video highlighting your talent. You should also include a sports résumé. Include your high school coach’s name and phone number (ask your coach first for permission) and tell him/her of your aspirations.

In the end, the college admissions office makes the decision whether to admit you, not the coach. Make your decision based on the college or university and whether you want to attend that university…coaches might leave the college so you want to make sure you are honestly interested in the institution that you commit to.

The college application process is generally the same for the student athlete and he/she should follow the regular guidelines and timelines for the college application process.

9. Many students have heard of the Common Application (Common App), but do not fully understand how it works. Could you please explain the Common App and any benefits it may have?

The Common Application is a not-for-profit organization that provides an admission application that students can complete and send to over 450 colleges. Last year, almost 2.5 million applications were submitted via the Common App online.

The Common App allows students to fill out an application once and submit to the colleges that are on their list and to members of Common App. College members give equal consideration to both the Common Application and their own application, and many college members now use the Common Application as their only application form.

You can create an account on the Common App online and save work on your application as you complete it. It allows you to see what you have completed and submitted. Some colleges that use the Common App have a supplemental form listed as well. You will be able to keep track of teacher recommendations and guidance counselor forms.

There is no cost to the student at all for this wonderful service. You should log onto the Common App as soon as you can (usually sometime in August before your senior year) and make sure you fill it out accurately.

The application was created because of its convenience, so take the opportunity to save some time!

10. How important do you think the college essay is, and what can students do to make theirs stand out?

The college essay is an essential part of the college application process. A poorly written essay can cause an all-star student to get rejected from a college while an outstanding essay can help a borderline student be accepted. You should dedicate a considerable amount of time in developing your ideas and writing essays that reveal a great deal of who you are and what is important to you. College admissions counselors use the essay as a way to get to know you, and to see what is important to you and what makes you tick. This is where you can distinguish yourself from the rest of the applicants. Your essay can make your application shine, or make the difference between you and an academically equal applicant.

• Make sure that you answer the question that the college is asking.
• Do not retell any part of your application and do not list your accomplishments or achievements.
• The best essays tell a story that is interesting, reflect your passions and reveal your personality.
• The essay is where you can show your maturity and depth of character.
• Make sure you have your essays edited by a few different people: your English teacher, your parents, or any adult that you trust. Listen to their suggestions and comments.
• Do not solely rely on spell-check for spelling or grammatical errors.
• Do not copy your essay from any other source. Colleges have access to plagiarizing software that will determine if any of your essay has been copied from another source.
• The essay is also used to evaluate your ability to express yourself effectively in written form. The ability to write well is critical for college success so put your best foot forward.

The college application process can be a complicated, confusing, and lengthy process but when you start early and understand the process, it will be an ultimately rewarding experience for both students and parents. Good luck with your college application journey and your future college adventure!

Renée L. Serrano, M. Ed., is an Independent College Counselor. She and Mary K. Baker, Ed. D., who resides in California, own College Quest Advising. Renée provides private consultations, which consist of personal in-depth counseling to make the college application process structured, simplified and exciting. She works one-on-one with freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors who want viable choices and extensive resources for their COLLEGE QUEST.

Renée has a M. Ed in Higher Education Administration and Counseling, and has extensive work experience in several higher educational institutions in and around New England. She lives with her husband Anthony; daughter Ashleigh, Indiana University 10’; sons AJ, University of Southern California -Cinematic School 12’; and
Bubba, Harvard, 14’.

The college application process begins well before junior year, as student transcripts and GPAs reflect all four years of high school — all the good, and all the bad. To shed some light on the topic, I interviewed Andrea Glovsky, owner of AMG Educational Consultants.

Who is more attractive to colleges: a student who dabbles in many activities, or someone who excels in one activity?
Passion, passion, passion. A student who dabbles shows no passion, commitment or special interest. It is okay to try a variety of things in high school, but finding ways to connect your interests and strengths makes a big difference when applying to colleges.

What can students do with their college essay to make it stand apart from other outstanding essays?
Mistakenly, students often think their essay is a creative writing piece. It is not a story or a narrative; rather, it is an opportunity to demonstrate who and what the student is. Students should show the colleges, not tell them. Students should also avoid repeating their resume: a better idea is for students to “peel back the onion” and let the college see the real, passionate person beneath.

How important is the college interview?
Many colleges have abandoned the interview. BC for example has so many applicants that there is no way it can meaningfully interview everyone. This situation is typical in large schools and state universities. But not all schools have abandoned the interview, and for those still conducting interviews, there are generally three different types. The first is evaluative: small colleges often use evaluative interviews and consider them an important part of the application process. They can sometimes sway a borderline candidate. The second is informative: informational interviews are often conducted by seniors and are done to sell the college to the student. The third is the alumni interview: most alums evaluate applicants and write a report. These interviews are usually used to weed out iffy students and inappropriate matches that applications do not reveal.

If a student has a rough freshman or sophomore year, what can he or she do for redemption during his or her junior year?
Many colleges look at trends. “What have you done to improve and why” can be answered on the Common Application in the section for additional information. If a student shows steady progress — Cs to Bs, or Bs to As — by challenging him or herself and working hard, the schools will notice. But, if grades go up just because a student is taking very easy courses, schools will definitely see that too. When selecting a teacher to write a recommendation, students should choose the one who can speak to the student’s improvement.

What is a mistake you see students making that can actually hurt their image?
Doing too many things in too many areas and not focusing on grades. Overextended, over-programmed students often reveal themselves in their grades. Also, no one likes a joiner for the sake of joining and filling a resume. It is all about demonstrated interests. A second pitfall is taking an AP just because it is an AP and then struggling through it.

What role do parents have, if any, in their child’s college application success?
It depends on the family. It is an extremely stressful time in every high school family household. Students are struggling for independence from their parents and parents want the BEST for their children. Communication is often laden with agendas often not even mentioned. Parents have values left over from when they were in college, if they went. Colleges are nothing like they were 20 years ago and the process has no resemblance to the process of the past. It is complicated and full of misinformation. Many families seek private counselors to keep peace in the family and the information appropriate and up-to-date. Guidance counselors are overwhelmed and very short on time. If parents want to be involved, they should think of themselves as coaches. They should not complete the college application process themselves, as colleges can always tell when this is the case; rather, they should cheer their child on with support and realistic dreams.

What is the single most significant thing a student can do to stand out during the college application process?
The transcript is the number one thing that students have to sell themselves. All the activities, excuses and inventions will not make up for a sparse, negative or lazy transcript. Standing out is very difficult in suburban homogeneous communities, but several things that a student could do come to mind: demonstrating resilience, maximizing an opportunity and turning it into something that benefits others, excelling in something unusual, or mastering something independently.

About Andrea Glovsky:
Andrea Glovsky is an Educational Consultant, owning AMG Educational Consultants (www.findingcolleges.com). She provides college, private school and adolescent counseling to parents and their adolescents locally in Massachusetts, nationally, and internationally. She has 30 years’ experience and commitment to the field of education. From 1991 to the summer of 2000 she worked for Work Family Directions in Boston where she developed a program that helped adolescents become motivated, and apply to and pay for college. She trained a staff of twenty-five counselors to provide this service. Andrea also lectured regularly on the topics of adolescents, paying for college, applying to college and motivation at Fortune 200 companies. In addition, she provided individual assistance to employees of these and similar companies with regard to their adolescents and their college planning process.

Andrea has published booklets, guides and seminars on the college and financial aid process, parenting, homework and adolescents. She has also written for Boston Parents Paper and United Parenting Publications, the website EONS.com, and for Casa De Campo. She has presented at the Gore Education Family Reunion VI, Nashville, TN on the “working parent and their child’s education,” served on the Executive Committee of the second Massachusetts Blue Ribbon Task Force on Education Reform, served as a Trustee and a Corporator of Lesley University, and received Financial Aid Administrator Certification and her M.Ed in Counseling. She is a former classroom teacher and Head of the Middle School at Brookwood School, Manchester, MA. She is a Massachusetts Certified Teacher, is married and has two well-educated children, both of whom have doctorates.
Find her at www.findingcolleges.com or amglovsky@comcast.net

Jamie is a National Honor Society student, varsity soccer team captain, community service volunteer, and student council vice president. Oh, and he takes three AP courses and nailed his SATs.

Jamie may sound like the perfect college applicant, but he also sounds exactly like hundreds of thousands of other perfect college applicants who boast the same repertoire of accomplishments.

Not to belittle Jamie’s tremendous achievements, but more and more high school students are filling their schedules with extracurriculars and advanced placement courses in an effort to beef up their college applications and stand out among their peers. The problem is, when everyone does this, no one looks that special.

So how does one distinguish oneself from the crowd? No simple answer here, but maintaining a well-balanced repertoire while simultaneously excelling in one area may be one way to get noticed. For instance, Jamie could continue his involvement in his aforementioned activities, but to shine among the rest of the stars, he could do something exceptional with his volunteerism: he could pick one cause (special-needs children, elderly, animals, etc.) and do something extraordinary with his efforts, instead of dabbling here and there among arbitrary causes.

Or, Jamie could reduce his AP class load from three to two, which would give him more time to become an academic superstar in one particular area. For example, instead of maintaining a B+ average in three AP courses, he could dedicate himself fully to two courses, gets A’s in both, and while he’s at it, work extra hard to get the NCTE Achievement Award in Writing – or something of the like.

Or, perhaps in addition to all of Jamie’s activities, he also plays the trumpet in the school band. (I know; at this point Jamie seems superhuman, but so are high schoolers these days.) To stand out among his peers, Jamie could work with his school to implement a music mentoring program, where younger musicians are paired with high school musicians, ultimately benefiting from the Big Brother/Big Sister scenario.

The bottom line is that if Jamie wants be noticed, he has to do something special – beyond all the special things he’s already doing. That might mean trimming his activity list to allow for more time to devote to one particular area, or that might mean maintaining his hectic schedule while upping the ante and effort in one specific capacity. Either way, to get noticed, he should aim to do something outstanding to stand out from all the other special candidates.

The High School Placement Test (HSPT) and Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) are two common standardized tests for entry into private schools.

The HSPT is administered to eighth graders seeking admission into private high school, and may also be used for class placement purposes. The SSAT is administered on two levels: the Lower Level (grades 5-7) and Upper Level (grades 8-11). The SSAT may also be used for class placement. Both tests take about three hours to complete.

HSPT vs. SSAT: Differences in test content

There are several differences in content between the HSPT and SSAT. The SSAT measures aptitude in synonyms, analogies, reading comprehension and writing skills (students must complete a 25-minute essay, which is not scored but is used as part of the admissions process). The math section measures aptitude in arithmetic, geometry, algebra, computations and various mathematical concepts.

The HSPT measures a broader scope of skills than does the SSAT, particularly in the verbal component. In addition to synonyms, analogies and reading comprehension, the HSPT includes verbal logic, antonyms, grammar, punctuation, spelling and capitalization. There is no written essay. The HSPT math is similar to the SSAT math, and includes arithmetic, algebra, geometry and mathematical concepts.

The chart below shows the major similarities and differences between the HSPT and SSAT.

Most private high schools require a student to take either the HSPT or the SSAT, but the HSPT is primarily a requisite for Catholic high schools. Some private schools require the ISEE (another similar test) or administer their own comparable entrance exam.

The good news is that students can prepare (study!) for both the HSPT and the SSAT by taking practice exams and learning the test content. Studying the common HSPT/SSAT words can significantly increase a student’s score, as can reading regularly and becoming competent in the math skills.

The SAT stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test, with aptitude, of course, meaning intelligence. Therefore, one could logically assume that intelligent students earn higher SAT scores, and less intelligent students earn lower SAT scores. Sometimes. But not always.

When a student’s academic profile is inconsistent with his or her SAT scores, a possible explanation (after ruling out severe test anxiety) could be that the student is simply unfamiliar with or not proficient in the actual SAT content. A student with an A+ in AP History who has a sub-par lexicon will struggle on the SAT Critical Reading sections. A student with an A+ in Trigonometry who has poor geometry skills will struggle on the SAT Math sections. Hence, it is unequivocally essential that students gain competence in the areas specific to the SAT.

To draw a comparable scenario: If a pilot in training were to take a test on the mechanics of aviation, he or she would have to master the mechanics of aviation; a general knowledge of flight theory would not suffice to pass the test. This is not to say that it is easy to master the mechanics of aviation, but that is what needs to be done to pass the pilot test.

Similarly, if a student desires higher SAT scores, he or she must become learned in the SAT content; a general knowledge of math and English concepts will only take a student so far. There is, of course, a handful of testing strategies – both universal and SAT-specific – that will indeed facilitate the testing process, but solid comprehension of the SAT content is incontrovertibly essential for a high SAT score.

So what exactly is the content of the SAT? There is a lot, but serious students with an intelligent SAT study plan can handle it. To begin, students must know the SAT vocabulary words. They must also know basic grammar rules (yes, the nitty-gritty grammar tidbits like prepositional phrases and dangling modifiers), proper punctuation and how to form a well developed argument in a written essay. For the critical reading passages, students must know how to determine the tone and main idea. Also, paraphrasing is an invaluable skill to have when answering line-reference questions.

For the math, students must know how to manipulate fractions and solve algebraic equations. They must be competent in geometry, factoring, exponents, percents, functions, parabolas and more.

There is a lot to know for the SAT, but fortunately students never take the SAT under a “pop quiz” scenario. In other words, students can plan accordingly and start doing what they need to do to learn the content before test day. Some students work well with a tutor. Some prefer self-study. Either way, if a student knows what is going to be on the test (see the above paragraph or pick up an SAT book) and is resolute to score high, then it is mostly a matter of knowing the content.

The following ten strategies for increasing one’s SAT critical reading score will complement any well-timed and well-structured SAT study plan.

1. Know the vocabulary: This one is a given. There are nineteen sentence completions on the SAT that test students’ vocabulary, and any student would be remiss not to prepare for these questions ideally months in advance. Students can prepare by studying the 500 common SAT words.

2. Resist trap answers: Many incorrect answer options on the critical reading section are typical trap answers. There are distinct trap answers on the SAT that students should recognize as they take more and more practice tests. The key point to remember is that an answer is only correct if it is supported by information in the passage.

3. Break up the long passages: It is no secret that SAT passages can be tedious. In fact, it is not uncommon for a student to read the entire passage only to reach the end and realize that he or she did not retain a single word. For this reason, it can be helpful to read only one paragraph at a time, answering applicable questions after each paragraph.

4. Recognize fake comparison questions: Double passages have four kinds of questions: Passage 1, Passage 2, ‘fake comparison’ and real comparison. Students should be able to distinguish between the ‘fake’ and real comparison questions, as doing so will be advantageous to their score.

5. Work with the second blank first: On the double sentence completions, students may find it effective to work with the second blank first.

6. Skip the hard sentence completions: The sentence completions increase in difficulty, which means the last question is more complex than the first. Students may want to consider skipping the last sentence completion if the words are unfamiliar.

7. Think positive, negative and neutral: On tone and attitude questions, students should classify the answer-option words as being either positive (appreciative, reverent), negative (irreverent, reproachful) or neutral (ambivalent, objective). Next, students should determine the tone of the passage or line reference, and then eliminate answer options that do not coincide with the tone of the passage.

8. Do not read too deeply: The critical reading sections asses a student’s ability to answer questions about what is stated unequivocally in the text. Students do not need any prior knowledge of the material covered in the passages. Students should avoid making suppositions about the text, but should instead focus on exactly what is written in order to answer most questions.

9. Read a lot. There is no shortcut for this one. Students should read articles from magazines such as Time and Newsweek daily, not so much to learn about possible SAT passage topics, but to get familiar with processing difficult text. Moreover, the vocabulary used in these kinds of “smart” periodicals rivals the vocabulary in the SAT sentence completions.

10. Answer main-idea questions and tone/attitude questions last: Even if the first question about a passage is a main-idea or tone question, students should answer it last; after answering specific line-reference questions, students may find it easier to grasp a passage’s main idea.

Adopting a judicious and focused study plan will always be the most effective route to improving SAT scores. Moreover, every study program should include the following 10 strategies for earning points on the SAT Writing.

1. Know subject-verb agreement
There is no way around this one. Subject-verb agreement errors are one of the most common errors on the SAT Writing, appearing anywhere from two to six times per section. More specifically, test writers often write sentences that confuse is with are, has with have, and was with were.

2. Know noun-pronoun agreement
There is no way around this one either, as noun-pronoun agreement is another one of the most common errors on the SAT Writing. Test writers frequently construct sentences that confuse it with they, often referring to the government, a team, a band, etc. as “they” instead of “it.” Also, students need to know when to use I or me in a sentence. For example: The agreement between the client and me was that I would finish the project before January.

3. Recognize illogical comparisons
Many of the incorrect answer options in the “Spotting Errors” section include illogical comparisons. To be logical, a comparison must relate things in the same category: one can compare people to people, places to places, and things to things. The following is an example of an illogical comparison: Her perspective on global diplomacy was more cosmopolitan than other people.

4. Know what a comma splice is
In the “Improving Sentences” section of the SAT Writing, answer options often contain sentences with comma splices. These answers are always wrong. A comma splice is when a comma is used to separate two independent clauses. For example: The magician dazzled the crowd with his sword-swallowing trick, his disappearing act was equally entertaining. Instead of using a comma in the preceding sentence, one would use a semicolon.

5. Know what a dangling modifier is
In the “Improving Sentences” section of the SAT Writing, answer options often contain dangling modifiers. Answer options with dangling modifiers are always incorrect. The following is an example of a dangling modifier: Known for her exaggerated stories and inflated rhetoric, we found Mary’s tale hard to believe. In the first part of this sentence, before the comma, Mary is the implied subject (Mary is the one who exaggerates). However, the rest of the sentence after the comma implies that we are the subject. That is incorrect. The sentence should read: Known for her exaggerated stories and inflated rhetoric, Mary often tells tales that we find hard to believe.

6. Avoid long answers
In the “Improving Sentences” section, many of the incorrect answers contain redundant and wordy language. Therefore, many of the incorrect answers are long. The correct answer is very often the answer with the most direct and succinct (i.e., short) language.

7. Use semicolons properly
Use a semicolon to connect two independent clauses (complete sentences). For example: Black Bear sightings are more frequent in the summer; during the winter months, the Black Bear is in hibernation. Or, use a semicolon before a conjunctive adverb such as however and therefore. For example: Anna took ballet, piano and art lessons; however, she still found time to volunteer at the local animal shelter once a week.

8. Write a long essay
On the SAT, thoroughly developed (i.e., long) essays usually score well. A single-paragraph essay, no matter how beautifully written, will not likely score as high as a four-paragraph essay. Students should augment their essays with ample supporting details and examples to fill up the two allotted pages. The ideal SAT essay should have an introduction paragraph, two or three supportive paragraphs (each presenting an example) and a conclusion.

9. Use big words and semicolons in the essay
Using a few solid SAT words throughout the essay is always a good idea, as long as the words are used correctly. Also, an essay punctuated with a semicolon or two may also score higher than an essay without. By nature, semicolons add variety to sentence structure, which is an element of intelligent writing.

10. Try not to skip grammar questions
The rule for all SAT sections is that students should take educated guesses when they have eliminated one or more of the answer options, but should leave a question blank if they are unable to eliminate any answers. On the “Improving Sentences” section, there is almost always at least one conspicuously wrong answer option, which students can eliminate with confidence. Even students with limited grammar skills can usually eliminate at least one answer option.

“I had no idea what the question was asking so I just took a random guess.” I hear this all the time from my students, especially while working on the SAT Critical Reading section. And while guessing randomly may provide a quick sense of relief (phew, I don’t have to deal with this question anymore!), it is not usually a good idea. And by “not usually” I mean never.

There is a time and a place for educated guessing, but more on that later.

Here are the facts: Each question answered correctly earns a student one point. Each question answered incorrectly costs a student one-quarter of a point. Therefore, if a student gets one question right and four wrong, he or she breaks even. Not bad, but not good either.

I tell my students that under no circumstance should they leave a question blank if they have eliminated at least one answer – on any section. At this point, the guess is (moderately) educated rather than random. However, students looking to score 650+ should not rely on the law of probability – or luck – but should instead think a little bit harder. Yes, think harder.

As a professional SAT Verbal tutor, I will be the first to admit that even I sometimes go cross-eyed at the Critical Reading passages and sometimes have to read a question twice or seven times to understand what it asking. But this is where a 650+ student needs to think harder. As I say time and time again, the answers are in the passage. This means that even if the passage is about back hole activity and star formation (awesome, I know), a student can find the answer in the passage without being an astronomer. Here’s how it works: A student reads a question. (The question is likely phrased in a way that prompts a student to think “Who talks like that?” The SAT does. Never mind.) If the question contains a line reference, the student must go back and reread those lines in the passage. Without looking at the answer options, the student should try to sum up what he or she read, as best as possible. Now, if the passage is written in the same esoteric (650+ students should know what esoteric means) language in which the question is written, a student might be tempted to skip the question or take a random guess. Think again. Or, as I said before, think harder.

Bear with me here. Chances are good that at least one of the answer options has absolutely nothing to do with the lines in question. This answer should be eliminated. Of the remaining answers, there is likely one that contains a logical argument (tempting, but not correct), one that contains a fact or true statement (oh so tempting, but not correct), one that contains a plethora of recondite and arcane idioms (ie: smart-sounding words) and perhaps one that says something general (not great but not terrible). Students should know that logical arguments and true statements make for lovely conversation, but are rarely correct. The general answer option? That could be the answer, but maybe not. Now, 650+ students need to work with the smart-sounding answer option. Break it down. Figure out what it is saying. Take it one (ridiculous) word at a time and compare it to what is stated in the passage. If it’s a match, pick it. If not, pick the other answer. The point here is to avoid resignation. The 650+ -ers should not acquiesce to the “good enough” of the 50-50 guess. Think harder.

A student aiming for a Critical Reading score below 650 can do very well by taking educated guesses – that is, if he or she takes a guess after eliminating at least one answer option. However, the top schools are looking for top scores, which come from top students who take a little time to think harder.

The SAT did not always include a writing section. In fact, the SAT writing section was not added to the test until 2005. Today, the writing portion makes up one-third of the test; students receive separate scores for the writing, reading and math, each ranging from 200-800.

The SAT writing section consists of 49 multiple-choice questions and an essay. The multiple choice questions are divided between two sections: one with 35 questions (25 minutes) and a shorter one with 14 questions (10 minutes). Students must also complete an essay in 25 minutes, which counts for about one-third of the overall writing score.

The SAT writing multiple-choice questions test students on three skills: correcting sentences, spotting grammar errors and revising paragraph and sentence sequence. Most of the multiple-choice questions require students to correct sentences (25 of the 49 questions are in this format), while 17 of the 49 questions require students to spot basic grammar errors. Only 6 of the 49 questions deal with paragraph and sentence sequence.

The good news about the SAT writing section is that it really only touches upon the most basic grammar rules. (The bad news is that many students have forgotten the basic grammar rules.) Furthermore, the grammar rules students must know for the test are not only basic, but also very repetitive. This means that with knowledge of what these common grammar rules are, along with sufficient practice, a student can master the SAT writing section with greater ease.

The eight common grammar errors are explained in detail on card 12 of the SAT English SullivanCards, but are also listed below.

• subject-verb agreement
• noun-pronoun agreement
• parallelism
• tense confusion
• preposition misuse
• illogical comparisons
• adverbs
• incorrect subject placement

The sentences often contain other grammar errors, such as confusing neither and nor with either and or, but students who have solid knowledge of the above eight grammar errors will be successful on the majority of the grammar questions. Also, when working on the SAT writing section, many students find it helpful to read each sentence aloud, under their breath, instead of silently in their head. Reading aloud gives students the opportunity to possibly hear an error, which can often be easier than trying to spot an error.

The SAT essay, when well-written, can increase a student’s overall writing score. The essay is scored on a scale of 2-12, in one-point increments. Essays written in a language other than English receive a 0, as do illegible and off-topic essays. Two trained readers read each essay, giving it between a 1 and 6; these two scores are then combined for a final score. If the two readers’ scores differ by more than one point, a third reader is summoned.

The SAT essay question is often very general, requiring only that students form and support an opinion on a broad issue. Well-developed essays, with four or five paragraphs, usually score higher than do shorter essays. Students should aim to support their thesis with concrete examples drawn from books, history, important figures, current events, etc. for maximum points.

With ample preparation (practice, practice, practice!), students should be able to pick up on the repetitive nature of the SAT writing section, and thus take the test with confidence.

Most students take the SAT timed, which means there is a time limit during which students can work on each section of the SAT. The shortest math section on the SAT has a twenty-minute time limit (for 16 questions), while the other two math sections have a 25-minute time limit (more time for more questions). Students who find it difficult to finish all the math questions in the allotted time may find the following time-saving strategies helpful.

It should be noted, however, that finishing all the questions in a section is not imperative to getting a high score. A student’s score is likely to be higher if he or she answers questions deliberately and thoughtfully – and thus answers questions correctly – than if he or she rushes through the sections, answering questions incorrectly, for the sake of finishing in time.

10 tips for saving time on the SAT Math

1.  On the math sections, answer the easier questions first, as these presumably take less time to answer. (A student can always attempt the harder questions if there is time at the end of the section). The math questions increase in difficulty. On the section with the grid-ins, the questions increase in difficulty from 1-8, and again from 9-18.

2.  On certain math questions, a student may arrive at an answer more quickly if he or she plugs in the answer options. When plugging in answers, it can be helpful to start with answer option C (the middle number), as doing so may reveal if a larger or smaller number is needed. Further details for this process are outlined on card 9 of the SAT Math SullivanCards.

3.  Cross-multiply early and often (see card 4 of the SAT Math SullivanCards), as the test-makers write certain questions with cross-multiplication in mind.

4.  Students should know their geometry (and other relevant) formulas, especially the ones that are not given at the beginning of each math section. See the SAT Math SullivanCards for all other significant formulas a student needs to know.

5.  Some questions become easier (and thus less time-consuming) when students throw numbers in for variables. When using this strategy, students should try to use numbers that make the question easier, such as using 100 for percent questions. More details about this process are on card 8 of the SAT Math SullivanCards.

6.  Students should re-read questions that seem harder than they should. The SAT math questions can be wordy, and understanding what questions are really asking is essential to saving time in the long run.

7.  Students should skip certain hard questions. Unless a student’s goal is to score in the high 600’s or above, he or she should skip questions that are very difficult. This is important since all questions are worth the same (ie: the questions are not weighted).

8.  Practice! The more practice SAT tests a student takes, the more confidence he or she will have. Students who take sufficient practice tests before the real SAT also become familiar with the test instructions, format and common questions, which naturally increases one’s testing pace.

9.  Do not spend too long on any one question. Some questions are certainly more difficult than others, but students should be aware of the questions that are taking “too long” and either take an educated guess (if they have eliminated one or more answer options) or skip the question.

10.  Be okay with skipping questions. Many students panic when they run out of time on a section, falsely believing that a few blank answers will profoundly affect their score. If a student panics on one section, he or she is likely to approach subsequent sections with an unfocused mind, which can lead to leaving even more questions blank on the rest of the test.