1. You have options! Every school in the country now receives the SAT and the ACT interchangeably.

2. Colleges strongly prefer to receive test results (SAT, ACT) directly from the testing services.

3. Admission officers tend to “superscore” your test results by compiling the best combination of subscores from the tests (ACT or SAT) you have taken.

4. Make note of schools that require SAT Subject Tests. Some will tell you which tests to take. Others will allow you to choose.

5. Consider the “test optional” opportunities that might exist among the colleges to which you are applying. A complete list of test optional colleges can be found at www.FairTest.org

6. Choose colleges at which your testing profile is a good fit.

7. Both testing agencies now concede that the tests can be coached. As a result, test prep may be a viable option for you.

(excerpts from TheAdmissionsGame.com by Peter VanBuskirk)

For assistance in the college search and selection process, contact the College Resource Center at www.crccolumbusga.com or call 706-366-2993.

Starting in August of this year,  the Common Application will be instituting several noteworthy changes. Since there are currently 488 Common App member schools (and that figure will grow to 527 this fall), these changes will affect thousands of hopeful college applicants and the counselors and parents helping them through the application process.
Here’s a summary of the changes:

1) The new version will no longer include “topic of your choice” as an essay prompt and will instead require applicants to choose one of four or five essay topics.
2) For the first time, the 250- to (now) 650-word limit will be strictly enforced.
3) There will no longer be an activities essay, a 150-word paragraph that was previously required of all applicants.
4) There will be fewer questions per screen and students will not have to answer questions that don’t apply to them.
5) Progress checks will show students what parts of the application they have and have not completed.
6) Students will no longer be able to upload résumés, though Common App member schools will have the ability to make an alternative option available.
7) Students will now be able to indicate if they qualify for fee-waivers just once instead of asking about each school they’re applying to.

excepts from Stephanie Farah, Senior Assistant Editor, Wintergreen Orchard House

For assistance in the college search and selection process, contact the College Resource Center at www.crccolumbusga.com or call 706-366-2993.

Reminder: Applications for the Smith Scholarship at the Community Foundation are available through the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley. This endowed scholarship program helps students from Muscogee County attend college. It is intended to help students with financial need, high character and average and above scholastic merit achieve a college education. It will pay an annual amount of approximately $6,000 – $7,000 annually and is renewable for four years based on continuous full-time enrollment and maintenance of a 2.0 GPA. The deadline for the application is Monday, March 18th. For more information, contact the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley at 706-320-0027.

For assistance in the college search and selection process, contact the College Resource Center at www.crccolumbusga.com or clal 706-366-2993.