Networking at Upcoming New Jersey College Fairs

Where should students start the information gathering process in their search to find the perfect college? The answer may be very close to home. 

Hillsborough High School is hosting its 13th Annual College Fair on Wednesday, March 20th, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.  Representatives from over 100 colleges, universities, technical schools and the military will be hosting tables filled with materials, and will be available to answer individual questions on any college-related topic.  Preceding the College Fair will be a Financial Aid Presentation from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

Two weeks later, on Tuesday, April 2nd, Mercer County Community College will hold a similar fair from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

The True Story about College Board’s SAT “Curve

On the national news this past summer, students were televised protesting their SAT scores. They didn’t feel they had been graded fairly on the June 2018 SAT exam and they called on everyone from Donald Trump to Ellen DeGeneres to intercede on their behalf. In looking back on their scores, in comparison to those of students who performed in a similar manner on other SAT exams, the power of the SAT curve is undeniable.

Twins who took different SAT exams reported that one sibling got five math questions wrong on the March 2018 exam and earned a score of 760.  Her sister missed six math questions on the June 2018 exam and earned a score of 670.  The question raised was, “How can one wrong answer result in a score 90 points lower?”

College Majors Prepare Students for Dream Careers

College-bound students, envisioning their future careers, might want to think beyond the traditional jobs of doctor, engineer, lawyer, teacher, and business executive.  A bit of research will reveal some college majors that students may truly find enticing.

“Computer Integrated Surgery,” offered at John Hopkins University, prepares students to utilize computer science to aid surgeons in meeting the growing demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures.

The nation’s first bachelor’s degree in “Artificial Intelligence” is in its very first year at Carnegie Mellon University and includes courses in computational biology, speech recognition and machine learning.

Colleges Know More About You Than You Can Imagine!

In the highly competitive race to get accepted to top colleges, local students know what they need to do: attain top grades, take a competitive course load (preferable full of AP courses) and earn impressive SAT scores.  But students often overlook a subtle, but significant factor that can make or break their likelihood of meeting with success.

High school students – masters of social media – probably have no idea that colleges and universities have turned the tables and are themselves utilizing social media to mine data on their applicants.  

“Enrollment officers at institutions including Seton Hall University, Quinnipiac University and Dickinson College know down to the second when prospective students opened an email from the school, how long they spent reading it and whether they clicked through to any links,” according to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal.

Be Sure To Ask The Questions You’re Wondering About

With more than 3,000 colleges across the country, the options are seemingly endless for students searching for their ideal school.  But by seeking the answers to key questions, it’s easy to start narrowing down the choices.

First of all, students who know what major they want to pursue should limit their college list to schools with a strong program in their desired field. College Board’s “Book of Majors” is a great resource for securing this information. For example, students seeking a major in Bioengineering/biomedical engineering would find a bachelors degree program available at four New Jersey schools: College of New Jersey, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers, and Stevens Institute of Technology.

Strategies to Score High on Upcoming March SAT Exam

Students planning to take the March 9th SAT – the first one of the 2019 calendar year – have just three weeks to register to take the exam (without incurring a late fee) and two months to prepare to earn an impressive score.  Many top public high schools in Central New Jersey report average SAT scores above 600 in both Evidence-based Reading & Writing and Math. These high schools include: Hillsborough, Montgomery, Princeton, Hopewell Valley Central, West Windsor/Plainsboro North and South, South Brunswick, East Brunswick, Watchung Hills, John P. Stevens, and North Hunterdon. A couple of high schools even reached or topped 1500 for combined scores. So the bar is set high for local students.

The latest SAT exam, introduced in March of 2016, focuses on three areas: critical reading, grammar and math. A key strategy, that is relevant on all areas of the test, is for students to answer each and every question (whether or not they know the correct answer) as there is no longer a penalty for wrong answers.

Plan Ahead to Guarantee a Productive Spring Break

This is the time of year – with the winter holidays a fond memory and mid-term exams looming in the near future – that students start dreaming about spring break.  While spring break is a much-needed respite to escape the academic pressures of the school year, it’s also the ideal time to visit colleges and start to identify which schools may, or may not, be potential “good fit” colleges.

Typically, colleges schedule their spring breaks in early March, while high schools hold them a little later.  This year, most local high schools have scheduled their spring break for mid to late April to coincide with the Easter and Passover holidays.  High school students therefore have the perfect opportunity to tour college campuses while classes, activities, and college life are in full swing.  By doing so, college bound students can get a good feel for a college and assess whether it meets their academic, social, and lifestyle preferences.