After months of waiting, certain students can finally register for an upcoming SAT exam. College Board is currently offering priority registration, until 8 pm on Wednesday, June 3rd, to students who had been registered for the June 6th SAT or Subject Test and didn’t cancel their registration and to students in the high school classes of 2020 or 2021 who do not have prior SAT scores.
At 8 pm on June 3rd, registration will open up to all high school students for the August 29th, September 26th and October 3rd scheduled exams.
Students should register as quickly as possible as there will likely be an extreme shortage of seats since the last test administered, in much of New Jersey, was back on December 7th, 2019. The high demand for testing opportunities will be coupled with a limited seating capacity due to public health restrictions.
Students who dream of taking courses with professors from the most elite universities around the world can make their dreams come true – at no cost. The most prestigious universities in our country -- including M.I.T., Georgetown, University of Chicago, Notre Dame, and every Ivy League institution -- offer online courses for free. So, too, do many prominent international institutions including the Sorbonne in France, Oxford in England, and the University of Hong Kong.
Two of the most notable sites for online education are edX and Coursera. Eight years ago, edX.org was founded by Harvard University and M.I.T. as an online learning destination to offer high-quality courses from the world’s top universities. It now offers more than 2,500 courses from 140 institutions. The courses are offered for free and have enrolled students from every country in the world. Those seeking a certificate (to boost college applications or resumes) are charged a nominal fee ranging from $40 to $160.
Choosing a college can be a daunting experience, especially when it comes time to figure out the financing. Families often wonder which college will be the most cost effective, and which will likely launch the student into a well-paying first job.
It’s not a secret that students can expect to earn different salaries based on the college they attend, the degree they earn, and the field they choose for their future career. But now, thanks to the “College Scorecard,” these numbers are concrete and not an abstract concept.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) releases a list, in early May of each year, of colleges that still have room for students seeking admission for the upcoming fall semester. May 1st is the national response deadline for most colleges in the U.S., although many have postponed that date to June 1st for this year. By that date, students must choose the college they will be attending in the fall and send in a deposit. Since most students apply to a multitude of colleges, it’s impossible for colleges to know for sure how many students will actually enroll until the reply deadline rolls around. After the response deadline, colleges that have not met their target enrollment are anxious to accept additional students in order to bring in the tuition money necessary to keep on budget.
Often, even well-qualified students are not accepted to the college of their dreams. Other times, students change their minds. As the time to leave home for college approaches, students sometimes wish they had chosen a school closer to home. Some students fall prey to basic procrastination and find themselves approaching high school graduation without a plan for the fall. This year brings a whole new set of concerns, as students make their college decisions without really knowing whether or not they will be able to live on their chosen college campus and attend classes in person.
Fortunately, the NACAC has just released a list of more than 600 colleges that are still accepting applications for the fall semester of 2020. Included are 16 New Jersey schools that have openings for both incoming freshmen and transfer students and are still offering housing and financial aid. The public NJ universities are Montclair State, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan, Rutgers and Stockton. The private NJ colleges and universities are Bloomfield, Caldwell, Centenary, St. Elizabeth, Drew, Fairleigh Dickinson, Felician, Georgian Court, Monmouth, Rider and St. Peter’s.
There are an additional 51 schools in Pennsylvania accepting applications (with the possibility of housing and financial aid), including Penn State, St. Joseph’s, Susquehanna, Temple, and University of Scranton.
Students seeking a New York education will find opportunities at more than 50 schools including Adelphi, Hofstra, Pace, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John’s, Syracuse, The Culinary Institute of America, and several campuses of SUNY.
The key, at this point, is to act promptly. Students who are interested in any particular college should immediately contact its admissions department to find out exactly what materials need to be submitted. Students should also inquire about the availability of merit-based and need-based financial aid. After meeting all requirements, as quickly as possible, students should follow-up with an admissions officer and reiterate their strong desire to attend that particular college. An acceptance letter may appear in their mail (or email) sooner than expected!
Susan Alaimo is the founder of SAT Smart. For the past 25 years, SAT Smart’s Ivy League educated tutors have prepared students for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, AP courses, and all high school subjects. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362
Students who missed out on the March, May and June SAT exams (due to cancellations caused by the Coronavirus) will likely be scrambling for a seat, once registration opens this month, for the August 29th SAT exam. Ever since the August test was introduced in 2017 (after a 40-year hiatus), the seats available locally have filled up quickly and many families have found themselves taking a road trip to a distant testing site. This year is likely to produce an even greater frenzy as many rising seniors have not yet tested at all and rising juniors and sophomores are anxious to get a baseline score.
Summer is a popular time for students to prepare for the SAT, without the pressures of school and homework. By taking the exam in August, students have the opportunity to put their newly acquired SAT strategies and skills to the test without waiting for the fall testing dates which, this year, will be September 26th, October 3rd, November 7th and December 5th.
