Freshmen and Sophomores:
When should you start studying for the SAT and ACT?
a. Now
b. Immediately
c. Forthwith
d. All of the above
Answer: d. For duh.
It's never too early to start studying for the SAT or the ACT, two of the most important tests you'll ever have to take in your life. Do not plan on cramming.
What most of you high schoolers don't realize is that there are many types of study materials available. Some are even fun. Let's discuss some of your options.
Online there are free SAT vocabulary building crosswords and other games. If you like to read, there are mystery books, vampire novels, classic literature paperbacks, vocabulary cartoons, manga comics and a few potboilers designed to strengthen vocabulary. There are also the flash cards. If you are an audio learner, or so busy that bath time is your only free time to add another activity, there are rap songs and rock songs that have been written as SAT and ACT prep as well. There are also many phone apps available. Even on Twitter you can find SAT tutors offering a word a day.
There are a number of different books written to help you tackle the math sections of the SAT and ACT, too. Head to your local bookstore or hop online with your child to find the books that most appeal to you. While the test is always the same, different authors take different approaches.
Tutoring or test prep works too. Contact one of our expert college counselors and we will give you names and numbers of recommended SAT and ACT experts to call.
Contact International College Counselors with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Junior Year Testing Deadlines
by Mandee Heller Adler
Now is not the time for students to procrastinate. It can hurt you.
Juniors: FINISH all standardized tests THIS YEAR. This includes the ACT/ SAT/ TOEFL and SUBJECT TESTS.
Waiting until the fall is almost always a bad idea.
Why?
1. It makes choosing an early decision school extremely difficult.
2. Students cannot apply in August to rolling admissions schools.
3. If an emergency arises on the day of the test, or you're sick, or your car breaks down, there will be no time to take the test again. If your bad day happens on the last possible test date, you're truly out of luck - your bad score may be the one you'll have to live with.
June 15th is the day Juniors should have completed their standardized tests, and have their early decision school selected (if students will be applying early decision). For International College Counselors students, the first draft of the common application essays is also due.
Sure there's no point in taking a standardized test if you aren't ready, but ICC is delivering this message with enough time for you to prepare. If you need tutoring or test prep, contact one of our expert college counselors and we will give you names and numbers to call. And read about your standardized test score reporting rights.
Now is a great time for sophomores to begin to prepare for the SAT/ACT/ TOEFL and SUBJECT TESTS. Students who finish those exams in their junior year are always the happiest and usually the most successful.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Now is not the time for students to procrastinate. It can hurt you.
Juniors: FINISH all standardized tests THIS YEAR. This includes the ACT/ SAT/ TOEFL and SUBJECT TESTS.
Waiting until the fall is almost always a bad idea.
Why?
1. It makes choosing an early decision school extremely difficult.
2. Students cannot apply in August to rolling admissions schools.
3. If an emergency arises on the day of the test, or you're sick, or your car breaks down, there will be no time to take the test again. If your bad day happens on the last possible test date, you're truly out of luck - your bad score may be the one you'll have to live with.
June 15th is the day Juniors should have completed their standardized tests, and have their early decision school selected (if students will be applying early decision). For International College Counselors students, the first draft of the common application essays is also due.
Sure there's no point in taking a standardized test if you aren't ready, but ICC is delivering this message with enough time for you to prepare. If you need tutoring or test prep, contact one of our expert college counselors and we will give you names and numbers to call. And read about your standardized test score reporting rights.
Now is a great time for sophomores to begin to prepare for the SAT/ACT/ TOEFL and SUBJECT TESTS. Students who finish those exams in their junior year are always the happiest and usually the most successful.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Deadline for FAFSA is Fast Approaching - Apply Now
The deadline to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (http://www.fafsa.gov) is February 1. June 30 is the official government deadline but for many schools including Boston U, Brandeis, and Carnegie Mellon it is February 1. If you do not get your form in by this date, you may not be eligible to receive certain merit scholarships and/or school financial aid.
We repeat: Some MERIT scholarships are tied to filling out the FAFSA. Check the college websites to see if you need to apply.
ALL students should fill out the FAFSA no matter what their household income is, if they would like to be eligible for aid. This is a strong recommendation from the expert college counselors at International College Counselors.
There is no penalty for filling out the FAFSA whether you receive aid or not. Many students are surprised by the aid they are eligible to receive. And then you can choose to use this aid or not.
The FAFSA is free. You do not need to pay for it, and you do not need to have checked the “financial aid” box on the common application.
The FAFSA is also a long document with many questions, and you need to gather documentation (a list is below). Do NOT leave this until the last minute.
Completing the FAFSA, an introductory publication for students, provides free instructions on how to complete the FAFSA.
If you have specific questions, representatives at FAFSA are EXTREMELY helpful. Do not hesitate to call the contact numbers.
FAFSA contact info.
For more information on financial aid, please contact International College Counselors.
Also, when beginning your FAFSA, please refer to the “Common Errors When Filing for Financial Aid” page in your binder. If you are missing it, please let us know.
Before submitting the FAFSA double-check EVERYTHING.
Documentation and paperwork you need to complete the FAFSA
In addition to gathering financial information, you will need a FAFSA account and a FAFSA pin. Go to FAFSA.gov to get one.
NOTE: All financial information needs to be for the previous financial year. Students filing for the 2011-2012 FAFSA need documentation from tax year 2010. If you don't have your W-2 tax forms from 2010, you can estimate by using pay stubs and then file a FAFSA correction later.
• Your Social Security card. Make sure you enter the number correctly!
• Your driver’s license (if any)
• Your 2010 W-2 forms and other records of money earned
• Your (and your spouse’s, if you are married) 2010 Federal Income Tax Return.
• IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040 EZ
• Foreign Tax Return, or
• Tax Return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau
• Your Parents’ 2010 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)
• Your 2010 untaxed income records
• Your current bank statements
• Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records
• Your alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
Contact International College Counselors with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
We repeat: Some MERIT scholarships are tied to filling out the FAFSA. Check the college websites to see if you need to apply.
ALL students should fill out the FAFSA no matter what their household income is, if they would like to be eligible for aid. This is a strong recommendation from the expert college counselors at International College Counselors.
There is no penalty for filling out the FAFSA whether you receive aid or not. Many students are surprised by the aid they are eligible to receive. And then you can choose to use this aid or not.
The FAFSA is free. You do not need to pay for it, and you do not need to have checked the “financial aid” box on the common application.
The FAFSA is also a long document with many questions, and you need to gather documentation (a list is below). Do NOT leave this until the last minute.
Completing the FAFSA, an introductory publication for students, provides free instructions on how to complete the FAFSA.
If you have specific questions, representatives at FAFSA are EXTREMELY helpful. Do not hesitate to call the contact numbers.
FAFSA contact info.
For more information on financial aid, please contact International College Counselors.
Also, when beginning your FAFSA, please refer to the “Common Errors When Filing for Financial Aid” page in your binder. If you are missing it, please let us know.
Before submitting the FAFSA double-check EVERYTHING.
Documentation and paperwork you need to complete the FAFSA
In addition to gathering financial information, you will need a FAFSA account and a FAFSA pin. Go to FAFSA.gov to get one.
NOTE: All financial information needs to be for the previous financial year. Students filing for the 2011-2012 FAFSA need documentation from tax year 2010. If you don't have your W-2 tax forms from 2010, you can estimate by using pay stubs and then file a FAFSA correction later.
• Your Social Security card. Make sure you enter the number correctly!
• Your driver’s license (if any)
• Your 2010 W-2 forms and other records of money earned
• Your (and your spouse’s, if you are married) 2010 Federal Income Tax Return.
• IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040 EZ
• Foreign Tax Return, or
• Tax Return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau
• Your Parents’ 2010 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)
• Your 2010 untaxed income records
• Your current bank statements
• Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records
• Your alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
Contact International College Counselors with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
10 New Year Resolutions for High School Students
The New Year is a great time to reflect on the changes we want to or need to make. If you're a student looking at ways to improve yourself and make the transition to college easier, International College Counselors offers a few more resolutions you might want to add to your list.
1. Stop procrastinating. How often have you underestimated how much time it will take to get something done? Then, how sad are you when you don't have the time to do your best. At some point, the procrastinator has to write four college essays in one night - on top of completing schoolwork. Usually, this doesn't turn out so well. If you finish a project earlier than you thought you would, then consider yourself ahead.
2. Commit yourself to getting good grades. Good grades are entirely necessary to get into a good school unless you're a top notch athlete. The best case scenario is that you have good grades from the beginning. However, if you start off badly and improve your grades, colleges will give you points for this. Many admissions officers won't look at your application if your grades are too low or show a steady decline. Spending a night studying while your friends play Wii may not excite you, but you need to look at this long-term. Think of it this way, grades are a bridge. They will serve you to get into a college where you will have more freedom. In college, grades may not be as important as in high school.
3. Don't do it all. It's better to concentrate on a few things and excel in them than if you join every sport, activity and club that you can cram into your schedule. Anyone can join 10 clubs and be marginally involved in them all. Schools are looking for commitment that shows you're willing to stick with something and make the most of it.
4. Keep a calendar. Deadlines creep up quickly. And the closer the date, the more you'll feel the pressure. Most students don't do their best under pressure. And colleges, scholarships, federal aid, and standardized testing services are not going to be sympathetic to any excuses you have about missing a deadline. If you miss a deadline, you miss an opportunity.
5. Take standardized tests early. You won't know how high you can score until you take the test. Wait too long and you won't have enough time to retake it. And many things can affect your test score on any given day, including the state of your health, and you can't plan not to get the flu or food poisoning. Taking the test early will also allow time to take a test prep course if necessary.
6. Do your research. Know what the choices are when it comes to colleges. This way you can avoid any coulda, shoulda, woulda regrets later in life. Research could be as simple as visiting a school's website.
7. Try something new. High school is a great time to spread your wings. It's about new experiences and self-discovery. Want a certain internship, there's no harm in calling up and asking if they have any room for an eager high school student to work there. Want to try a new sport or activity, go ahead and try it. You're not expected to leave high school knowing exactly what you want to do, but this is a chance to start narrowing down your interests. You'll never know what you like - or how good you are at something - until you try something.
8. Be excited about going to college. Wherever you go to college, you're going to meet new people, learn new things, and have a great time. That's reason enough to be excited whether you end up attending a first choice school or a safety.
9. Do what your college counselor tells you. Students: We at International College Counselors are here to get you what you want out of life.
10. Banish the self-doubt. Doubting your own abilities only holds you back from achieving what you want to achieve. Just say no to these thoughts and others like them:
"I can't do this."
"I'm not as smart as my classmates."
"I'll never get better than a 2.7 grade-point average."
"I'll only get into a community college anyway"
"There's no point in thinking I'll get into my first choice college."
HAPPY 2011!
The college advisors at International College Counselors are available to help you with either of Florida’s two prepaid college plans: the Florida Prepaid College Plan and the Florida College Investment Plan.
Contact International College Counselors with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
1. Stop procrastinating. How often have you underestimated how much time it will take to get something done? Then, how sad are you when you don't have the time to do your best. At some point, the procrastinator has to write four college essays in one night - on top of completing schoolwork. Usually, this doesn't turn out so well. If you finish a project earlier than you thought you would, then consider yourself ahead.
2. Commit yourself to getting good grades. Good grades are entirely necessary to get into a good school unless you're a top notch athlete. The best case scenario is that you have good grades from the beginning. However, if you start off badly and improve your grades, colleges will give you points for this. Many admissions officers won't look at your application if your grades are too low or show a steady decline. Spending a night studying while your friends play Wii may not excite you, but you need to look at this long-term. Think of it this way, grades are a bridge. They will serve you to get into a college where you will have more freedom. In college, grades may not be as important as in high school.
3. Don't do it all. It's better to concentrate on a few things and excel in them than if you join every sport, activity and club that you can cram into your schedule. Anyone can join 10 clubs and be marginally involved in them all. Schools are looking for commitment that shows you're willing to stick with something and make the most of it.
4. Keep a calendar. Deadlines creep up quickly. And the closer the date, the more you'll feel the pressure. Most students don't do their best under pressure. And colleges, scholarships, federal aid, and standardized testing services are not going to be sympathetic to any excuses you have about missing a deadline. If you miss a deadline, you miss an opportunity.
5. Take standardized tests early. You won't know how high you can score until you take the test. Wait too long and you won't have enough time to retake it. And many things can affect your test score on any given day, including the state of your health, and you can't plan not to get the flu or food poisoning. Taking the test early will also allow time to take a test prep course if necessary.
6. Do your research. Know what the choices are when it comes to colleges. This way you can avoid any coulda, shoulda, woulda regrets later in life. Research could be as simple as visiting a school's website.
7. Try something new. High school is a great time to spread your wings. It's about new experiences and self-discovery. Want a certain internship, there's no harm in calling up and asking if they have any room for an eager high school student to work there. Want to try a new sport or activity, go ahead and try it. You're not expected to leave high school knowing exactly what you want to do, but this is a chance to start narrowing down your interests. You'll never know what you like - or how good you are at something - until you try something.
8. Be excited about going to college. Wherever you go to college, you're going to meet new people, learn new things, and have a great time. That's reason enough to be excited whether you end up attending a first choice school or a safety.
9. Do what your college counselor tells you. Students: We at International College Counselors are here to get you what you want out of life.
10. Banish the self-doubt. Doubting your own abilities only holds you back from achieving what you want to achieve. Just say no to these thoughts and others like them:
"I can't do this."
"I'm not as smart as my classmates."
"I'll never get better than a 2.7 grade-point average."
"I'll only get into a community college anyway"
"There's no point in thinking I'll get into my first choice college."
HAPPY 2011!
The college advisors at International College Counselors are available to help you with either of Florida’s two prepaid college plans: the Florida Prepaid College Plan and the Florida College Investment Plan.
Contact International College Counselors with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
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