How Many Times Should a Student Take the SAT exam?

By the time students reach high school they are tired of taking standardized tests. But this is just the time when students need to be most diligent.

Standardized tests in students’ earlier years are most important for their school and school district, to determine if educational goals are being met and to rank how the school/district compares to others in the state and nation.  But when it comes to the SAT exam, things get personal.  

The SAT is a standardized test that is marked on a curve, placing college bound students in competition with each other.  Students get two scores, each in the range of 200 to 800.  One is for “Evidence-based Reading and Writing,” and the other is for “Math.”  (There is also an optional essay, scored in the range of 6 to 24 points.)  In order to get a median score of 500 on either of the two main categories, a student needs to correctly answer approximately half of the questions.

Six Years is the New Four, Students Sadly Find Out

“What is your four-year graduation rate?” This may be one of the most important questions that college-bound students and their parents can ask when considering a potential college.  The failure to graduate students in four years has become so commonplace that even U.S. News & World Report, in its highly regarded 2019 “Best Colleges” guide, reports the six-year graduation rate of colleges throughout the country.

Sometimes there’s a good reason for students to take six years to earn a diploma.  Perhaps they switched majors and many of their credits did not carry over to their new course of study. On the other hand, perhaps it was out of their control.  Maybe some of their required courses were not readily available, requiring a longer than expected college stay in order to meet graduation requirements.  Either way, students and parents who are budgeting for a college diploma need to know, in advance, whether to multiply the annual cost of attendance (including tuition, room, board, books and fees) by four or by six!

What’s Most Important in Choosing Ideal College

With close to 4,000 colleges and universities throughout the United States, students and parents may wonder how to come up with a realistic list of schools to consider.  The key is to think about a student’s priorities. If the plan is to attend a four-year college, the number of options reduces to about 2,300 schools.  If a student wants to attend college within 300 miles of Central Jersey, as most local students do, then the number of options diminishes to 561.  If campus housing must be available for all freshmen, there are some 343 possibilities, while the number whittles down to 171 if campus housing must be available to students for all four years.

How to Get a “Your Accepted” Letter (or Email)

The best way to get a “Your Accepted” letter (or email) is to present yourself as an ideal candidate for each college to which you apply.  If you’re a legacy, let them know.  Many colleges favor applicants whose parents are alumni – especially if they’ve been donating over the years.  If you are the first in your family to seek a college education, let them know.  Most colleges favor students whose parents are not college educated.  If your family can afford to pay the full sticker price and not seek financial aid, let them know.  Some colleges are “need blind,” and admit students regardless of whether or not they are applying for financial aid.  Other colleges are “need-aware” or “need-sensitive,” and may consider financial need when deciding whether or not to admit an applicant.  This category includes American and George Washington universities in Washington D.C., Tufts, Boston, and Northeastern universities and Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges in Massachusetts, and many others.

Colleges To Consider If Your Goal is a High Salary

Students in search of the ideal college often consider a host of criteria: geographic location, average class size, academic reputation, school spirit, cost of tuition.  What they often overlook is the data indicating the likelihood that they will earn a high salary soon after graduation and later on in their career.

“Payscale,” a salary comparison site, analyzed more than 2,000 institutions granting bachelor degrees and identified ten colleges that produced students with the highest salaries, both five and ten years into their careers.

The college that ranked number one is a small, liberal arts school in California with a total enrollment of 844 students, shattering the myth that liberal arts graduates can’t earn big money.  Graduates of Harvey Mudd College in Claremont report an early career salary of $85,600 and a mid-career salary of $157,400.

Start Planning Now for a Productive Spring Break

Spring break is highly anticipated by all students. It’s an escape from 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 break in early-to-mid March.  With most high schools holding their spring break in mid-to-late April this year, college-bound students have the perfect opportunity to tour college campuses while classes, activities, and college life are in full swing.  By doing so, they can get a good feel for a college and assess whether it meets their academic, social, and lifestyle preferences.

Opportunities Abound To Have A Productive Summer

Students looking to have an academically productive summer have limitless opportunities.  They can apply to programs at any of the Ivy League colleges and universities, immerse themselves in educationally oriented volunteer programs worldwide, or attend courses at local colleges that focus on specific subjects that they may want to pursue in college.

Choosing to attend a New Jersey based program is often less costly for students, as travel costs are minimal and students can often live at home. The range of NJ colleges hosting academic programs is large, as is the choice of subject matter.

The College of New Jersey offers several summer programs, including “Create Your Business – Business Simulation Academy for Business and Entrepreneurship,” “Natural Science Investigations Academy for Science, Career and Research Exploration,” and “Vitalities: A Summer Academy for the Exploration of Health Professions.” Students interact with college faculty and explore a variety of career opportunities.