7 Things You Still Need To Do Even After You’ve Chosen Your College

You put in a lot of hard work over the past four years. You dedicated yourself to service projects and passionately pursued extracurriculars. You studied for standardized tests, and when you weren’t satisfied with your first scores, you prepped and prepped again. You completed your courses with diligence and took responsibility for your academic achievement, and it paid off.

You made it through college application season, and you’ve chosen the school that you’re going to attend. You’re nearing the finish line. You can finally breathe a sigh of relief, right?

Well, yes and no. While the rigors of college applications and vying for a spot at your dream school are now behind you, (and you’ve most certainly earned a break), there are a few more important things to take care of before you post up on your beach chair and let the summer begin.

In this post we’ll outline ten things you need to do after you’ve chosen your college and before your arrival on campus in the fall. Some are absolute essentials, and others are just helpful recommendations, but all will ultimately make your transition to college smoother and more carefree. Keep reading to learn ten things you still need to take care of, even after you’ve chosen your college.

1. Send Your Decision and Enrollment Deposit by the Deadline

This might seem like a no-brainer, and it usually is, but can you imagine the heartbreak of losing your place at your dream school just because you forgot to send your college admissions acceptance and deposit back? Yeah, us neither. Do yourself a favor and make this a TOP priority. No procrastinating — do it as soon as you’re certain of your choice.

2. Decline Other Offers

While you aren’t technically required to formally decline an offer for college admission, it’s the right thing to do for a few different reasons.

First of all, the admissions committee took the time to review your application carefully and ultimately offered you a place at their school. It makes sense that you would give them the same courtesy of a few minutes of your time in return. Second, if you take the time to decline the offer, the school is able to more quickly offer your place to someone else, if they choose to do so. If the roles were reversed, and you were on the waitlist hoping to get a place at that school, you’d be grateful for timely students who formally declined their offers in advance. 

3. Review Financial Aid Packages and Formally Accept Ones to be Used

Some students may have several aid packages to choose from. If you’re reviewing financial aid options, generally you should accept scholarships and grants first, followed by work-study programs, and finally loans only if necessary.

But don’t accept anything until you’re certain that you understand it. Some scholarships come with strict rules, and certain grants turn into loans if you don’t meet your side of the bargain. Also, if you’ve been offered a loan that is bigger than what you’re likely to need, you should consider asking for only a portion of it. It’s never good to over-borrow.

Once you know what package you’ll be accepting, make sure to formalize it by letting the school know what aid you’re accepting. Sometimes you do so by entering the information into an online form; other times, you have to sign and return a letter. You may also need to sign a promissory note, which indicates that you will repay your loan.

No matter what your specific situation is, be sure that you understand your financial aid package and that you take the correct steps to formally accept it, if applicable. Your award letter will contain directions specific to your package.

4. Decide on Your Housing Arrangement

At some colleges, all freshmen are required to live on campus in assigned dormitories. If that’s the case at your school, your decision is already made for you. But if it’s not, you should consider where you are going to live next year.

While dorms might be an easy option, you should also consider the cost of room and board, the rules of dorm life, and the types of shared living spaces to which you’ll have access. Some students find it is more economical to live off-campus. Others simply prefer to be more independent. And still more are content to live in dorms. Research your options and make an informed decision.

5. Put Orientation on Your Calendar

At many colleges, orientation is required for new students, and even if it’s not mandatory, it is still very beneficial to attend. At orientation, you’ll learn the campus layout, gather information about campus services, get to know other incoming students, and sometimes even register for classes.

Keep in mind that if you are attending a school where course registration takes part during orientation, you should consider attending an orientation date on the earlier side to ensure that you can get into the classes you want to take. Many schools now offer parent orientations as well. Find out if this is an option at your school and make sure your parents know about it.

6. Check Out the Course Catalogue

Even if you don’t register for classes until orientation, it’s a good idea to do some thinking about what you’re interested in ahead of time. Pay particular attention to any programs or academic tracks with prescribed prerequisites. The earlier you can enroll in these prerequisites, the more options you’ll have later on.

Also, sometimes you can choose prerequisite classes that fill other requirements too. That way, even if you later decide that you don’t want to pursue premed classes, your introductory calculus class from freshman year might still fulfill the math graduation requirement. Beyond browsing course descriptions, also consider the course schedule. If you will be playing a sport or working an afternoon job, you’ll need to schedule classes to accommodate your commitments. Having some familiarity with the schedule before you register will make the process easier in the long run.

7. Send in Your Tuition Payments on Time

This is another one that seems like a no-brainer, but it’s a fairly integral part of the process. While it’s generally quite consistent that most schools require an enrollment deposit with your formal acceptance, the date that your first actual tuition payment is due will vary significantly from school to school. Be sure that you know this date and have the money liquidated and ready to be sent by the deadline.

Important Next Steps After Receiving a College Acceptance Letter

March is THE month for admissions decisions on regular decision applications. For all of you 12th graders who are waiting to hear back from colleges, your wait is over! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Decision time is upon you!

Just because you’ve been accepted into college, however, doesn’t mean your college admissions process is over. There are still a few final steps you need to complete to ensure that you will be attending the college of your choice next year. For a complete list of everything you need to do to secure your college future, read on.

Ask The Tough Questions

Now that you’ve gotten into a college, it’s time to think if what that college is offering really the best choice for you? Even if the college you were accepted to is your number one choice, you should really think hard about whether this is the college for you before you accept the offer.

Here are some things that you really need to consider before you make a final decision on whether you will attend the college you were accepted to:

• Finances: Can you and your family realistically afford this school? Are there financial aid options available to you if you attend this school?
• Location: Do you really want to live in ________ for the next four years?
• Campus: Do you get a good vibe or impression of the campus when you visit it? Do the buildings and the overall campus feel make you excited to go there?
• Friendships: Are you going to know anyone or have anyone to help you get settled if you go to this college, or are you going to have to start your social life over again?
• Career Prospects (*THIS ONE IS BIG*): Is this the best college to gain the skills that will help you pursue the career field you are interested in? Is the degree program that you would be entering into well-ranked?
• Immigration: Take into account the country its in and if immigration is favorable. If not, how will they help you getting opportunities in your home country. These are things we often forget to factor in but very important if you are an international student

Visit (or Revisit) The Campus

Oftentimes, if a student is struggling with the decision between two or more campuses, they do another round of campus tours to help bring them some clarity about which campus they should choose. Walking around a campus as an accepted student rather than just a prospective student forces one to look at a campus a lot more critically and notice new things that you like/dislike about the campus. Now, we know a lot of you are international students but hey this is a big investment into your future! Definitely find the time to Skype admissions, other international students, and faculty before you take the plunge.  

Many universities big and small have a designated day dedicated to incoming freshman. The college will usually have all sorts of fun activities planned and have a lot of opportunities for you to learn more about the academics, campus life, and other opportunities.

Try to go to these on-campus events if you can because they will be the easiest way for you to get the most information about your prospective life at that school in a relatively short amount of time. Keep in mind, however, that the entire point of these events will be to convince you to attend the university, so the information you get may be a tad biased

If You Feel That This Is The College For You, Accept The Offer

If you have revisited the campus, asked the tough questions, consulted with your friends and family about whether attending this college would be feasible, and you still think that this is the college for you, go ahead and accept the offer! You have officially succeeded in the college application process!

Make sure that you accept the offer by the decision deadline. For most universities, decision day is May 1st. Accepting sooner rather than later is usually preferred, but if you have to wait until closer to the deadline because you’re waiting to hear from another college, it won’t negatively impact your admissions decision at all.

Usually, the college will require you to submit a financial deposit along with your acceptance confirmation response. This won’t always be due at the same time as your acceptance confirmation, but you should do it as soon as possible to secure your spot at the university and ensure that you are officially enrolled.

It is important to note that your financial deposit is not the same as your tuition. Tuition is a separate, often much larger, fee that will be required a little bit closer to when you start college.

Also, if the university in question has offered you some sort of financial aid, you will likely have to send in a separate acceptance confirmation for your financial aid package. Be sure to check with the college’s financial aid office to make sure you’re completing all the necessary steps to receive your financial aid in the fall.

Decline All Other Offers

If you’re one of those lucky students who is considering multiple college offers, make sure you respond to every college that has accepted you. Once you’ve accepted a college, you need to individually reject each other offer that you were considering. It’s not enough to simply let the acceptance deadline pass.

If you don’t accept a college by the deadline, a college will likely rescind their offer of acceptance. While this won’t negatively affect your college prospects in any way, it goes against the common etiquette practices in college admissions.

Start Preparing For Your First Semester of College

You have gone through the wringer with college applications, but unfortunately, your work has just begun. Now, you have the fun task of uprooting yourself and moving to a college campus. With that comes many logistical complications that you need to work out well before your first semester. Here is a short list of some of the things you need to start thinking about sooner rather than later so that you’ll be ready for college:

• Attending your first college orientation
• Submitting all vaccinations and other necessary forms required by the university
• Signing up for your fall-semester classes
• Creating a four-year degree plan
• Finding Housing/Roommates

Congratulations once again. Read more about college life here!

8 Things Parents Need to Know About SAT and ACT Studying Prep

For many teens, the ACT or SAT tests are the first task they undertake that has the real potential to shape their future. While test scores are just one of many parts of the college admissions game, they are often an integral piece of the college applications that will shape your child’s path in higher education. For students who perform well on them, doors will open. And for others, sometimes doors will close.

We at Edbrand know how stressful this sounds, and while these tests are indeed important, don’t worry. Your teen doesn’t have to go through this stressful experience all by him or herself. There are many ways that you can help, and there are lots of opportunities to build a team of other supporters too. With some basic knowledge of the SAT and ACT studying preparation process, you can help to support and guide your child through this process too.

Here are nine things every parent should know about SAT and ACT prep work.

1. Your child needs to choose one test and focus on it.

It’s easy to assume that because there are two tests accepted by colleges and universities, your child should prepare for both and then submit whichever scores are best. We hear this a lot, but it’s not the best strategy.

Remember, preparing for the SAT or ACT is hard work and it exacts a toll in energy, time, and stress. Prepping for two separate tests when you intend to submit scores from only one of them is a waste. Instead, your child should choose which test to take early on, and focus his or her energy on preparing for that test alone.

2. There is no ‘better’ test, so choosing between the SAT and ACT is a personal choice with no one-size-fits-all answer.    

True, the SAT and ACT are very different tests. For starters, the ACT includes a science section, its essay portion is structured differently, and overall it requires students to move from one question to the next at a quicker pace. Meanwhile, the SAT has undergone recent changes, study materials are still being adapted for the latest version, and many commercially produced study guides are now out of date.

While the SAT has by many counts built a bigger name simply by being associated with a host of other standardized tests from the College Board (PSAT, PSAT 8/9, etc.) and by having a century-old history, in 2011 the number of students taking the ACT exceeded the number taking the SAT for the first time, and it continues to gather a bit more momentum each year.

This is all to say, there is no one test that is better than the other. To choose which test is the best choice for him or her, your student will need to research the tests and should ideally take a practice test from each one to decide which feels more comfortable while also considering which yielded a higher score.

3. Encourage your child to set a realistic goal score.

It can be difficult to gauge an appropriate goal without any data, so your child should enlist all the help he or she can get when setting this goal. First, use the diagnostic test as a starting point. Consider what your child scored on this test, and encourage him or her to set a goal that represents significant improvement without overextension.

To get a better idea of an appropriate goal, consider talking to a guidance counselor, SAT tutor, or private college adviser such as us. Obviously, the lower the score, the more room there is for improvement, so a goal of improving up to 200 SAT or 5 ACT points can be feasible if the starting score is under about 1100 (SAT) or 22 (ACT). If the starting score is higher, the margin of improvement may be smaller, but it can still be significant.

When setting the goal score, also consider the range of scores accepted at target colleges. For safety schools, your teen’s goal score should fall above 75% of the range of acceptable scores. For target schools, it should fall at least around 50%, and for reach schools your teen should aim to fall above 25% of the admitted score range.

4. Even students who are ‘bad test-takers’ can do very well on the SAT or ACT with the right preparation.

Although your child may not excel on tests in school, or even on previously taken standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are a bit different. These tests don’t measure knowledge gained and don’t require the rote memorization that many other tests do. Instead, they focus on measuring critical thinking skills and how a student is able to apply their knowledge in unique or complex ways.

Because these tests are so different from the other tests that students typically take, there is really no such thing as a “bad test-taker” when it comes to the SAT or ACT. Instead, there are prepared test-takers and unprepared test-takers.

Learning how to perform well on the SAT or ACT is a skill in and of itself, and preparing specifically for these tests is important. Many smart, high-performing high school students will find that they do not perform as well as they expected simply because they took their performance for granted and did not prepare specifically for the test.

With the appropriate preparation and attention paid to SAT- or ACT-specific skills, all students can improve their test scores and be successful on these important assessments.

5. There is no one-size-fits-all preparation method.

Most of your child’s test preparation should focus on test-taking strategies. Of course, there will also be some content and core curriculum that needs brushing up on, but the majority of the work to prepare for the SAT or ACT is focused specifically on how to take these tests in a smart and focused way.

Different students will benefit from different test-taking strategies. Your child’s formative or diagnostic assessment will help to highlight areas in need of improvement. Rather than viewing these as academic areas of weakness, though, they should be thought of as unfamiliar question types or strategies.

It is possible for your child to tackle SAT or ACT prep on his or her own. To do this, start with a highly rated commercial study guide or use the free resources endorsed by the College Board and available through Khan Academy. By creating a thoughtful study timeline based on the materials available, your child will be able to learn strategies and content in a focused and timely manner.

Another option for test prep is a tutor or test prep service. Although these services generally cost more than simply buying a commercial study guide, they also provide more insider knowledge than can be provided in a book. Tutors and test prep services are intimately familiar with the test, and have tried and true strategies that they’ve developed with many students over an extended period of time.

Before committing to any paid service, be sure to ask about the specific costs associated with the service, the time commitment that will be required of your child, and the average test score increase that most clients experience.

6. Expect for your child to take the test more than once.    

Even if you begin test preparations well in advance of your child’s first test date, the vast majority of all students will take the ACT or SAT more than once. This is because the test-taking environment can be stressful and, despite thorough preparations, nothing can exactly recreate the actual test-day experience.

The first time your child takes the test, it should be thought of as a dry run. If your child happens to get the score he or she was looking for on the first try, that’s great! If not, remember that this first test helps to get your child more comfortable with the testing experience and gets first-test jitters out of the way. The next test will be a less stressful experience, and most students experience the greatest score improvements between their first and second test administration.

7. You know your child. Think about how you can support him or her best.

Different students need different kinds of support and thrive in different learning environments. For example, if you know that your child typically needs one-on-one support to focus and excel, a group test prep class is obviously not a good idea.

You should also keep in mind your child’s individual temperament. Is your child typically self-motivated and puts a lot of pressure on him or herself, or does your child often need external motivation to get started? Does your child get stressed out easily?

You are the parent, and you know your child best. Think about how to support him or her without adding any unnecessary stress, and be careful not to let your own anxiety or worry rub off on your teen.

8. How You Can Help

Developing study routines is something that you can certainly get involved with to help set your child on the path to success. This could take many forms, but here are some ideas to get you started:

• Create a quiet study space for your child. Stock the area with writing utensils, scrap paper, an appropriate calculator, and a dictionary or study guide.
• Institute a “Question of the Day” in your house. You can find practice SAT or ACT questions online or in study guides. Take care not to make this a competitive or anxiety-producing experience; instead, try to keep it fun and lighthearted. 
• Help with time management. High school students are busy. They often have an extensive schedule of extracurriculars following their full day at school. It can be hard to find consistent time to prepare for anything else. Help your child to review a calendar, come up with a weekly study time goal, and commit to specific study times during the week to ensure that he or she finds the time necessary.
• Help with stress management. Not only are high school students busy, they are also stretched thin, often to the point of stress. You can help by creating a calm and supportive environment at home. Try to be involved without meddling by letting your child know that you’re available for advice or simply to listen anytime.
• Help with logistics. Your child will need to register for the test, arrange transportation, and make sure that he or she has all the required tools packed and ready to go on test day. These are all things that you can help with. Review the SAT or ACT calendar to become familiar with registration deadlines and put them on your household calendar. Offer to drive your student to the exam, and make sure you know where it is and how you’ll get there. Help your child to review a test day checklist and make sure that everything is packed and ready to go the night before the test.    
• Finally, make sure your child knows that a test doesn’t define his or her worth. Yes, the SAT or ACT is probably the most important test he or she has taken, but ultimately it won’t change who your child is or what he or she’s capable of doing. Remind your child that although it’s a big one, the test is still just a test. There may be an eye roll in response, but don’t worry, we’re used to that.

If you still have questions about the SAT or ACT, come meet us!

Parents: How To Get Your Child To Take Academic Responsibility

As parents, you probably feel that your child is incredible. To you, they are intelligent, motivated, intellectual, creative, and everything that colleges would ever want in a student However, as brilliant as your child may be, you may recognize that they don’t always try their best when it comes to schoolwork.

It’s important that you as a parent note that this kind of apathetic behavior towards school work is perfectly normal. As the school year drones on and the spring semester gets well underway, students often lose interest in academics. It’s possible that they have been in the same classes for so many months that they may be getting bored of the subject. It’s also possible that they may not fully understand how much is riding on their academics from a college admissions perspective.

Either way, if you feel like your teenager is lacking academic responsibility or may be losing interest in school, here are some suggestions you can try to help get your child back on track.

Realize That Times Have Changed

Just because high school and college applications were a certain way when you were in high school doesn’t mean that that’s how they are now. With the advent of technology in private education schools and changing pedagogies, the likelihood of there being similarities between your high school experience and theirs is pretty slim.

Thus, when you’re talking to your child about schoolwork and assessing whether they’ve lost interest in academics, it’s important to not compare your high school career to theirs. You truly don’t know everything about what they’re going through, so the, “When I was your age, we did…” argument is truly irrelevant here.

Of course, you should try to give your child advice but only where you think you are qualified to give it. A good method is to not tell your teenager what you did when you were their age but instead tell them what you would do if you were in high school now. Finally, make sure that it is clear to your child that just because times have changed doesn’t mean that you are not still knowledgeable and capable of helping him/her.

Motivate

The fact of the matter is that you are your teenager’s parent, not a cool teacher or a counselor who your teen may feel comfortable sharing their struggles with. It’s important for you to try and break down that communication barrier by presenting yourself as someone who is here to help rather than rigid old Mom/Dad with impossibly high expectations.

A great way to try and break down that communication barrier to start by assuring your teen that it is okay for them to make mistakes as long as they learn from them and that you are always there to help them if they need it. You need to also stress that when he/she talks to you, they are in a no-judgment zone. Your only goal should be to help your teen, not criticize them. If your teen knows that you are serious about that, they will be more motivated to share their life with you.

Hopefully, by creating this safe environment for your child to talk, your child will be able to open up about his/her academic struggles. From there, you two can work together to find the root of the issue and start working to get your child back on track.

Encourage Asking For Help

It’s not that easy to get back on the right academic track by yourself, especially as a busy high school student with a host of other responsibilities that have nothing to do with academics. Thus, it is often necessary to bring in others to help fix an academic situation in need.

It is up to you, as the parent, to make sure your child has all of the tools that they need to succeed. Be sure to stress to your teen that you are there to help them succeed academically, whether it be helping them with their homework or getting them some school supplies to be more organized. You can also tell them that you’re more than willing to outsource the help to a professional like a near-peer mentor, counselor, or tutor who can better relate to them and understand their academic struggles.

If your teen knows that there are all of these resources at their disposal and tons of people who are rooting for him/her to succeed, they may start to get the sense that academics are important. It may even motivate them to start improving their grades on their own.

 Be Tolerant

Teens are often in an emotional state while they’re in high school, and can you blame them? The high school environment is not always kind, what with the prevalence of bullying, cliques, and other social pressures in many high schools. Try to put yourself in their shoes for a moment and understand what they might be going through emotionally. Their emotional state and their school environment all factor into their academic performance.

If you create an open, loving, and tolerant environment for your teen to share what their experiences in school are like and overall what is going on with them, your teen may be more open and honest with you. They may also respect you more and be more likely to take your advice on getting their academics back on track

The Takeaway

When it comes to eliciting change from your child, it’s important to create an open, non-judgmental conversation with the sole aim of helping your teen. Let them know that their problems are your problems and that you are only interested in their success. From there, you can foster a positive relationship that will lead to your teen’s academic improvement.

For other helpful advice for the parents of high school students, check out our parenting sub-blog! 

How to Turn Your Interest or Hobby Into an Extracurricular Activity

Some sections of your college application are open to more interpretation than others. For example, your grades or standardized test scores are numbers that can’t be changed, and they will serve as concrete evidence of your academic achievement and potential. But other sections, like the extracurricular section, can involve a little more creative thinking as you craft them.

Of course, if you’ve been involved in a few high school clubs or played on a sports team, this section might be cut and dry. You have participated in obvious, structured activities that neatly fit under the extracurricular heading. But the line isn’t always so clear-cut. What happens when you’ve passionately pursued an outside interest, spending significant amounts of time and energy doing so? Or what if your family commitments take up most of your time outside of school hours? How can these activities be grouped into extracurriculars, and how will they stack up against those of a more traditional nature?

For high school students planning their college applications, the extracurricular section of the application can be very important. With admissions becoming more and more competitive, you need to shine both in terms of academics and extracurriculars.

If you’re considering how to mold your casual interest or hobby into an extracurricular that will truly shine on your college applications, this is the post for you. Here, we will review the working definition of what makes an activity an extracurricular, and then outline five specific ways that you can ramp up your participation to create a focused and meaningful extracurricular for your college applications.

What Is an Extracurricular Activity?

An extracurricular activity can be almost any hobby or interest that you pursue outside of school.  In order to be considered an extracurricular activity, it simply needs to meet a few basic criteria.

First of all, it needs to be something that you participate in with some regularity over an extended period. Volunteering at the soup kitchen once doesn’t count because it isn’t something that you do regularly. Similarly, taking a weeklong Spanish class at the library also isn’t a great example, unless you do so every semester. Instead, it needs to be something that you participate in on a fairly regular basis. The longer your participation lasts, the more established your activity will appear on your college applications.

Next, it needs to be something that is not a part of an academic class at your school. For example, your advanced math classes at school don’t count, because they are already included in your grades and on your transcript. Even if a class is not technically a required one at your school, if you take it during school hours and it weighs into your grades, it is generally considered academic coursework rather than an extracurricular activity.

If, however, you took advanced math classes at a local community college or through your local library, those would qualify as extracurriculars, as they are something you have pursued in addition to your school work. Similarly, if you teach yourself a foreign language, that would also count, since you are doing so outside of your formal courses.

Finally, an extracurricular should be something that you care about. While this line is a little more blurry than the clear-cut examples above, you will have difficulty shaping an activity about which you care very little into a meaningful experience on your college application.

For example, if you mow your neighbor’s lawn once a week because your parents ask you to, but you do so grudgingly and need to be hassled to do it, listing this as Volunteer Neighborhood Landscaping would probably be a misrepresentation of what you’ve actually done. If, however, you make an arrangement with the elderly neighbors to mow their lawn and pull their weeds because you care about them and making their lives easier, it most certainly could be an activity that you expand on to create a meaningful extracurricular on your college applications. The spirit of your participation does matter.

How Do I Turn a Hobby or Interest Into a Strong Extracurricular?

Almost any hobby or interest can count as an extracurricular, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will, on its own, be a strong addition to your college application. There are a few key things you can do to turn a regular hobby or interest into a strong extracurricular. Here are our five favorites.

1. Join Others

There is power in numbers, and extracurriculars are no different. If you participate in your hobby or pursue your interest with others, you will learn from them, and your experience will quickly multiply. It’s likely that each person in the group will bring their own unique strengths and insights, so you will gain more collective knowledge by working in each other’s company.

Not only that, but participating together will mean you can potentially reach more people if you turn your activity or interest in a project. Maybe you are producing goods that can be sold or donated. Maybe you are sharing your skills with others. Whatever the case may be, pooling your resources will allow you to do more of it than you’d be able to do alone.

Finally, participating together will help you to hold yourself more accountable. There will inevitably be times when you feel too busy or stressed to devote much time to your independent extracurriculars, but if you know that others are counting on you to join them, you’ll be more likely to follow through on your commitments. The group context gives your activity some sense of formality.

2.  Branch Out

Another way to expand your reach, aside from joining others in your pursuit, is to join or pursue other related, similar activities. For example, think of activities that are closely related or otherwise relevant to your interests that would reinforce your commitment to it.

If your hobby is creating visual art, consider taking an online art history course or organizing a school trip to the museum. If you teach computer skills at your grandmother’s nursing home, think about taking a programming class or rebuilding a computer.

By pursuing related activities, you reinforce your interests and show that you are committed to this hobby beyond the casual level; you’re invested in deepening your participation by branching out to related fields.

3. Quantify Your Participation

Putting a number on your participation or quantifying your results is an especially strong way to drive home your commitment. Particularly if you are participating in or pursuing this activity or interest independently, it’s important that you try to find a measurable way to count your work or progress.

There are many ways to do this. For example, if you’re teaching yourself a foreign language, enroll in an online class that will result in a certificate of completion or take a national language exam at the end of the year to measure your progress. This will serve as a concrete testimonial of your work. Similarly, if you’re creating visual art, start to keep track of the time you spend on it and the number of pieces you produce. If you’re teaching computer skills at a nursing home, keep track of how many “students” you instruct.

Being able to put a number or offer some other form of concrete achievement in relation to your activity will further legitimize it.

4. Incorporate A Service Element

Finding a way to give back through your hobby makes it more meaningful, and you can do so on your own or with others.

For example, if you’re creating visual art, consider donating artwork to a local hospital or volunteering as a youth art instructor. If you’re teaching yourself a foreign language, think about volunteering at a local clinic or shelter where a large population of native speakers seek services. Or if you’re teaching computer skills at a nursing home, start a fundraiser to buy some laptops or iPads to keep in the library there.

If you put your head to it, it’s possible to come up with a service angle for nearly any activity or interest.

5. Share Your Work

Another way to give back is through simply sharing the products of your experience or interest. Organize a night to share your skill with others by attending an open mic night, putting together an art show, or creating another opportunity to share your skill.

If you are teaching computer classes, set up drop in hours to create new email accounts for interested students. If you are teaching yourself a new language, host a foreign film night at your school and provide subtitles so that everyone in the audience can appreciate it.

By creating a formal event that showcases your work or highlights your new skills, you formalize your participation and interests in a tangible way.

Still wondering? Come chat with us! 

How Your Summer Plans Factor Into Ivy League Admissions

Preparing to apply to the Ivy League is no joke. You have to consider your marks, class rank, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities. Now more than ever, selective colleges can have their pick of the top students in the country as top acceptance rates stoop well below 10%. To compete with the best, you have to ensure that your application is even more compelling than theirs.

It’s no wonder that when summer rolls around, you might be ready for a break. We don’t blame you, but if you’re sizing up your summer months and their weight on your college application, be sure not to rest too long. Ivy league colleges are definitely interested in how you spend your summer months.

To learn more about how the Ivy League weighs your summer activities and what you can do this summer to impress Ivy League admissions committees, keep reading.

Why Ivy League Admissions Care How You Spend Your Summer Vacation

There’s no doubt that after the hustle and bustle of the school year, you may be feeling weary, but summer is no time to put on the brakes. In fact, many selective colleges view your summer activities as a window into how you choose to spend your free time. What you choose to do with this unstructured time speaks volumes about your dedication, ambition, and academic prowess.

Ivy league admissions are among the most competitive in the country. Being at the top of your class and achieving high test scores combined with national recognition in extracurriculars sometimes isn’t enough to gain admissions anymore. As such, Ivy league admissions committees use your summer activities as a gauge for your independence and ambition.

Furthermore, many students have trouble thinking outside the box when it comes to summer activities. While it’s easy to sign up for college classes online or apply to a selective internship, it takes another level of independence and motivation to seek out and create your own opportunities.

What Qualities Should You Showcase Through Your Summer Activities?

Beyond showcasing your initiative and ambition, you should also think about highlighting more personal qualities. The Ivy league wants to attract students who will be positive contributors to their community. This means exhibiting qualities like leadership, compassion, and morality.

Many students consider spending their summers involved in service work. Service work is a great way to demonstrate that you care about others, but you need to think carefully about the opportunities that you pursue. There are countless programs available abroad that advertise a summer of volunteerism, but your ability to affect actual, lasting change working within these programs can sometimes be limited.

Keep in mind the recommendations from Harvard’s ongoing Making Caring Common (MCC) campaign, which suggest that meaningful service is found not through grandiose high profile service trips but rather through personal connections, sustained participation, and involvement in the community.

If you already know of a service project that’s near and dear to your heart, by all means, take advantage of this time to get involved. If you can sustain your involvement into the school year, so much the better. If possible, try to find a project that is personally relevant to you or to a community that you’re involved in. Think about the issues that matter most to the people who matter most to you, and go from there.

If there are no local service projects that feel personally important to you, you might consider starting your own. Are there local kids who don’t know how to use the Internet because the elementary school doesn’t have a computer lab yet? Is there a retirement home in need of some energizing and outreach with younger people? How about crises like hunger, homelessness, or addiction? Any of these issues can be turned into a service project, and they will be all the more powerful if you can sincerely justify your involvement with a genuine personal connection.

You may want to gather some like-minded people to help, or you can get started on your own and then build support from friends and other connections along the way. Try to quantify your involvement the same way as you would for any other project. Log the hours that you spend and track any potential results, such as funds or resources raised and people reached. Tracking your impact will make it easier to quantify on your college applications.

Consider Your Future Career Ambitions

Finally, be sure to think about your career ambitions while deciding what you will do this summer. Ideally, you will be able to create an opportunity that merges your career interests with causes that are important to you.

For example, if you want to pursue a career in medicine and you live in an area battling an addiction crisis, creating a public health campaign about the resources available to opioid addicts in your community would be a strong option for you

Similarly, if you’re interested in majoring in music, fundraising for and creating a series of community concerts highlighting local performers would showcase your initiative, your passion, and your musical ability.

Summer is an important time and if the Ivy League colleges are your goal, you cannot mess this up! At Edbrand, we constantly mentor our students to perform to their best and spend time wisely. Come learn about bespoke research project program as well our personal branding process! 

What are SAT Subject Tests?

Most likely, you are accustomed to hearing about the SAT as a singular test that is used by college admissions committees to gauge your college and career-readiness. In actuality though, the SAT isn’t just a standalone test. In fact, there is, as the College Board refers to it, an entire SAT Suite of Assessments, beginning with the PSAT 8/9 and progressing to the singular SAT test that you’ve undoubtedly heard so much about.

SAT assessments don’t end there, either.

Beginning in 1937, the College Board began to offer a series of subject-specific standardized tests. First known as Achievement Tests, then as SAT II: Subject Tests, they are now simply called SAT Subject Tests. Each SAT Subject Test is a multiple-choice test administered over the course of one hour, of which there are 20 to choose from. When taken strategically, these tests serve to improve your chance at admission to colleges by highlighting unique subject-specific knowledge that might otherwise not be apparent.

What SAT Subject Tests are available?

Currently, SAT Subject Tests are available for the following subjects:

MATH

• Math Level 1

• Math Level 2

LANGUAGES

• Korean with Listening

• Chinese with Listening

• Spanish with Listening

• French with Listening

• German with Listening

• Japanese with Listening

• Italian

• Spanish

• French

• German

• Modern Hebrew

• Latin

SCIENCE

• Physics

• Chemistry

• Biology – Ecological

• Biology – Molecula

ENGLISH

• Literature

HISTORY

• U.S. History

• World History

These tests aim to highlight your strengths in areas that might be less obvious to college admissions committees. They are a great chance to draw attention to skills you’ve developed independently or to areas of your academic focus to which you’ve devoted extra time or dedication. SAT Subject Tests can also help to indicate your interests or intended path of study in higher education, and at some colleges can even help you to place out of introductory classes. 

Do I have to take SAT Subject Tests?

Short answer: no. SAT Subject Tests are not a graduation requirement and are not universally required for college admissions, so you do not technically have to take any of them. That being said, many colleges and universities will require SAT Subject Tests of some variety. There are several ways in which colleges use SAT Subject Tests as a part of their admissions procedures.

Some colleges might ask you to submit a specific number of SAT Subject Test scores, but they allow you to choose which tests you take. These colleges most likely want to see how well you perform in your strongest areas of interest.

Other colleges might specify exactly which SAT Subject Tests are required for admissions. These colleges place weight in certain subject areas and want to make sure that they have a standardized measurement of your performance within that content area. 

Finally, some colleges that don’t normally require subject tests for general admissions may still require specific SAT Subject Tests if you’re applying to a specific program at the school. For example, if you’re applying to a dedicated engineering program, you may be asked to submit a score from the Physics SAT Subject Test, or if you’re applying as a premed student you might need to submit a score from the Chemistry SAT Subject Test.

In any case, you’ll need to research the specific schools and programs to which you’re applying to make sure that you know the exact requirements of each.

Should I take SAT Subject Tests even if they’re not required?

If the colleges or universities that you’re applying to don’t require SAT Subject Tests, you may be tempted to skip them altogether. After all, standardized tests can be a stressful experience even if they’re not required for admission. Remember, though, that the SAT Subject Tests bring benefits besides just filling a requirement.

College admissions can be a competitive game, and SAT Subject Tests can help to set you apart from the field. Just because the college you hope to attend does not require you to submit them for consideration, it does not mean that they are not considered at all if you choose to submit them anyway. In fact, admissions committees will still review your scores and use them to create a more complete picture of you as a candidate.

And remember, with Score Choice, you can choose which scores you submit. Unlike with SAT exams, you do not have to submit all your scores from a single test day. Instead, you can pick and choose exactly which SAT Subject Test scores you send, thereby maximizing your opportunity to highlight areas of strength. If you perform poorly on an SAT Subject Test, you don’t have to send the score to anyone. On the other hand, if you perform exceptionally well, it would be silly not to include that score on your college applications, whether it’s required or not.

Further, SAT Subject Tests can draw attention to areas of strength that might not be readily apparent on the rest of your application. Do you speak a foreign language at home, attend summer programs for advanced sciences, or have a passion for U.S. History that you pursue outside of the classroom? Taking an SAT Subject Test is one way to show off the unique skills and understanding you have gained, in or out of the classroom. 

Last but not least, some colleges use SAT Subject Tests to place students into the appropriate courses when they matriculate. If this is the case at any of the schools you’re considering, make sure that you take the appropriate subject tests to get an appropriate class placement. You might even be able to place out of certain introductory requirements like foreign languages or mathematics.

For a list of colleges and universities that use SAT Subject Tests in some regard, check the College Board List of Institutions Using SAT Subject Test.

What is the format of SAT Subject Tests?

SAT Subject Tests are similar in format to individual sections of the SAT Test. They are all multiple-choice tests and they each take one hour to complete. Some tests, such as foreign language tests, contain a listening portion as well. SAT Subject Tests are scored on a scale from 200-800, just like the individual sections of the SAT.

When do SAT Subject Tests take place?

SAT Subject Tests are generally administered six times during each school year, on the same days and in the same test centers as the regular SAT. Keep in mind, though, that not all 20 Subject Tests are offered on every SAT date. At this time, Language with Listening Tests are only offered on the November test date, and several other tests also have limited availability.

Check the SAT Subject Test Calendar for specific dates and tests. Due to the limited dates on which some tests are available, it’s important to plan well ahead of time to make sure that you can schedule every test you want to take within the appropriate time frame.

How much do SAT Subject Tests cost?

There is a $26 flat registration fee for any administration of SAT Subject Tests. On top of the registration fee, you will pay $21 for each Subject Test you take on that day, or $26 for any Language Test with Listening. There may be other fees as well, such as late registration fees, registration by phone charges, or registration change fees. 

SAT subject tests are an extra burden. Take them only if the colleges you are applying require it. Otherwise, you can take that time to study something else!  

SAT vs. ACT: Which one is right for you?

The SAT and ACT  are two of the most popular standadized testing programs. While the SAT has had the larger presence in India, both are equally an instution of testing when it comes to undergraduate education in the United States. At Edbrand, we have seen scores differ widely with the same student as they take both the tests. The difference lies in the questions. To understand this better we’ll take you through both the tests and then dive into a comparative analysis. 

SAT 

The newly designed SAT was introduced in 2016 with four sections and an optional essay. 

Section 1: Reading (52 questions spread over 5 passages. Time allotted: 65 minutes) 

Section 2: Wrting (44 multiple choice questions on grammar, spread over 4 passages. Time allotted: 35 minutes) 

Sections 3 & 4: Math ( In all 58 Q to be solved in 80 min. Calculator not permitted for Section 3 whereas section 4 permits the use of Graphing display calculator) 

Optional essay, a commentary to be written in 800 words long argumentative prompt. 

ACT

Leaving minor changes aside, the pr esent structure of ACT has been around since 1989. It has four sections: 

English (75 Q – 45 Min) 

Math (60Q – 60 min) - Graphing calculator permitted 

Reading (40 Q – 35 min) 

Science (40 Q – 35 Min ) - Calculator not permitted 

The ACT essay is easier to write than the one on SAT as you are permitted to use your own examples here. 

So what’s the difference

1. The SAT is more a test of reasoning and logic and always attempts to size up your ability to improvise and act in a situation. The SAT syllabus is limited and an effective SAT prep can be put in place in as little as 30 hours, although that is not recommended. ACT , on the other hand , is a pure speed test and the questions here are generally on the easier side. The average time allowed per question on ACT (4 9 seconds), however, is 30% lower than that allowed on SAT (70 seconds). 
2. The Grammar sections on the two tests are pretty much identical. Although there are more rhetorical questions on SAT, you get more time to answer t hem as compared to the ACT. Students from any background can answer these , given appropriate inputs and adequate practice. 
3. The math sections on the two tests differ vastly in their scope and required approach and prep. SAT has a tiny syllabus and students irrespective of their math options in junior and senior years will be comfortable here given some additional inputs in areas like parabola and statistics. The questions can tend to be tricky though. Also, most of the SAT math questions are lengthy in wordi ng and inadvertently end up testing your reading speed as well. Time will not be a challenge on any of these tests for the math sections unless the student has a weak math foundation from the middle years of schooling. ACT math is highly curriculum based a nd students who do not hav e math as a subject in their high school will struggle here. High school math students will find ACT math simple as the questions are usually direct and superficial, merely testing one for the concept involved and not its applicat ion. That said, these students will take more time as the syllabus is large and loosely defined. Having prepared for ACT math with usually give the students an edge in their SAT math level 2 prep as there is almost a 50% overlap in the syllabus . 
4. The reading sections of the two tests are poles apart. My favorite line here is “SAT tests you for reading between the lines. On the ACT, you just have to read the lines; there are too many of them though ” . SAT reading is highly inferential requiring the student to u nderstand the passage in great depth and align herself with the thoughts of the author. ACT reading is direct and answers to all the questions can be found directly i n the passage. The only challenge here is attempting four long passages and 40 questions in a minuscule 35 minutes. 
5. ACT has a science section, which is not there on SAT. This section, in my opinion, should have been called Data Comprehension as it does not really test you on scien tific principles. Having all three sciences in freshman and sopho more years of high schools should suffice. Even if you do not have sciences in junior and senior high school years, you will usually do well here provided you know the technique. Students who have not studied Biology and Chemistry in Grade 9 or 10 ( Year 10 or 11 for some curriculums ) will struggle here. 

Recent Trends

ACT has been more or less a stable test over the last ten years and the actual tests have shown a gradual increase in difficulty level in the math and English sections and a gradual decrease in difficulty in reading and science sections. The October and December administrations, however, had a substantially lengthier reading. 

The redesigned SAT was introduced in March 2016 and till the January 2017 administration, it was more or less in line wit h the mock tests. From the May 2017 administration, the reading section has witnessed an increased level of difficulty. Another issue with SAT is the fact that only 8 official tests are available for practice. The ones published by private publishers like Kaplan and Barron’s are nowhere near the real test in terms of the level of difficulty or scope. For ACT, as many as 35 real tests are easily available for practice.

How do you choose? 

If you find the above description to be too much of a jargon to comprehend, I can recommend three basic questions that you should ask to make this decision. 

1. Have you opted for math at a standard of higher level in junior and senior years (this applies for IB students. ISC and CBSE students are doing this already)? 
2. Have you studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in class 9 & 10 
3. Were you able to attempt at least 34 questions on an ACT reading diagnostic and got at least 28 of these correct? 

If the answers to all three questions are yes, go for the ACT. If the answer to even one of these is no, opt for the SAT. Please refrain from conducting a full length diagnostic for both tests to decide. Students rarely have the stamina to last through a three - hour standardized test and this will rarely provide an accurate picture. 

Parents: 7 ways you can help your child as they enter class 10

For many parents, their teens’ high school years represent a difficult balance to strike. During freshman year, students may still need significant support and guidance from their parents, but by senior year, most parents hope that their students will soon be capable of venturing out on their own. The transition to independence during a time of such high stakes can be delicate to maneuver for many well-meaning parents who want to encourage freedom while still providing a safety net.

Sophomore year in particular can sometimes prove trying for the relationships between parent and teen. While freshman year represented transition and likely a great deal of excitement about the start of high school, by sophomore year that newness has worn off and students can no longer take as much time to acclimate as grades and coursework gain momentum.

If you’re the parent of a rising tenth grader you probably already know that during class 10 your teen will begin to take the first major steps towards realizing his or her college dreams. In this post, we outline ten considerations for supporting your teen through this transformational year.

1. Begin Talking About Life After High School

For many teens, the years after high school seem like a distant and abstract time. The reality, though, is that the future will be here before either of you knows it, and there’s no better time to start discussing it than now. Be an open sounding board for your teen as he or she discusses possible career choices, college preferences, and other ambitions. Try to offer insight and perspective without being overbearing.

2. Explore Careers

Starting during class 10, your teen is able to gain actual experience in certain career fields. Start a conversation about your teen’s interests and consider different angles for applying them towards a future career. Have conversations about interests and ambitions. Try to inspire some more thought about the future. Ask them for their summer plans and how an internship could help them understand what they might be

3. Take Personality or Career Tests

While it is still a bit early to think seriously about a future career, it’s never too early to bounce ideas around. Taking personality and career tests can actually be a fun way for your teen to start to consider options and to frame his or her strengths and interests in a productive way. Encourage your teen to explore some of these tests. Many are available online, and taking them with friends can even be a fun, social activity.

4. Attend Career Days

Another casual and fun way to explore future career options is through career days at school. You can help your teen to make the most of these events by perusing the event flyers in advance to preview who is visiting and what presentations sound most appealing.

If your teen is interested, encourage him or her to make a list of the presenters he or she would like to see. Your student might even wish to compile a list of questions for these professionals in advance to truly maximize the experience.

5. Delve Into the College Search

If you know you are going to study aborad, class 10 is the year that the college search begins to get real. If your teen has not already, he or she should begin to keep a college list. This list will grow and change with time, but it should reflect schools that your teen might consider attending. As time goes on, it will narrow in focus and your teen’s true college ambitions will become clearer.

6. Education Boards

Its time to start thinking about the boards you will be chosing for class 11 and 12. While most colleges recognize governemnt boards such as ISC and CBSE, this is the best time to look into other options such as the IB program as well as taking test to get college credeit such as the AP. Check out our IB vs. AP blog post to learn more.

7. Get More Involved in Extracurriculars

While class 9 was a time to explore new options and branch out, class 10 is time to focus in. Encourage your teen to identify the activities for which he or she truly has a passion, and to invest more time in these while letting other, less productive activities go. Ideally, your teen should eventually focus in on two or three extracurriculars that represent broad interests, ideally incorporating some kind of service element.

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What’s an Elevator Pitch, and Why You Should Have One?

As you enter professional networking events and find yourself waiting in those long lines to talk to a potential employer, you may realize that those few minutes you get with an employer are crucial. In those few minutes, you need to express your interest to the hiring manager and tell him/her anything else about you that will make you stand out as an applicant.

How are you supposed to cram all of that information into a few minutes of conversation? The simple answer is that you should have an elevator pitch ready to go when you get there.

An elevator pitch is a common tool that both professionals and students use to summarize themselves in a short period of time. If you’re not sure that you need an elevator pitch as a high school student, here’s some brief points about what an elevator pitch really is and why a high schooler may want to write one.

What is an elevator pitch?

“Elevator Pitch” is a metaphorical way of describing a very brief spiel about yourself. The term was first used by an executive at Vanity Fair and is derived from the following scenario: If you were on an elevator ride and only had those thirty seconds to a minute to sell your qualifications to someone, you should be ready to give a brief summary of yourself.

More generally, an elevator pitch is a brief speech on the important, impressive, and memorable aspects of your academic and professional career. It highlights your most impressive and relevant past experiences, your main interests, and your short- and long-term goals. 

An elevator pitch is extremely useful to have on hand if you ever find yourself needing to give a summary of yourself with limited time or space. In fact, there are many situations you may encounter in which that will definitely be the case.

As already mentioned, networking events and job fairs provide the perfect opportunity to use an elevator pitch. Often, you only get a few minutes at a networking event to chat with a hiring manager or someone who could help you professionally. If you have an elevator pitch handy, you can ensure that you hit all the major selling points about yourself in those few minutes that you have.

An elevator pitch may also be helpful for you on college and job applications. For example, many college applications require a personal statement or interviews. While an elevator pitch is too short and vague to count as a personal statement, it can be used as a to showcase all your interests at the start of your college interview. After all, if you already know what you want to highlight about yourself, all you will have to do in crafting your personal statement is elaborate

Similarly, job applications sometimes provide an option for you to give a brief summary of yourself, either on the application or in the form of a cover letter to your resume. Like the college personal statement, these few-paragraph summaries would be much easier to write if you already knew your main selling points from crafting an elevator pitch.

How to Develop an Elevator Pitch

The first part of the elevator pitch is the easiest part. This is a brief sentence or two giving your name, what your current occupation is, and why you’re there. In your case, you’ll say something along the lines of, “Hi, my name is [name], I’m a [grade] student at [name of high school], and I am very interested in [name of position or college].”

The next part of the elevator pitch requires a bit more thought. This is where you want to highlight any interests and goals that would make the hiring manager or college consider you as a candidate or simply take notice of you. While you likely have many interests and ambitions, you want to pick two to three universal ones that will work in most networking situations.

For example, if you see yourself becoming an economist, the interests you pick should be at least slightly related to social sciences. Your goals should involve getting a bachelor’s degree, a masters or Phd, and doing research work.

Lastly, you should have at least one past experience or example of how you have tried to pursue your interests and achieve your goals. The aforementioned economics student would be sure to mention anything along the lines of working at a bank, think tank, or research group. 

The examples and past experiences you bring up do not have to be work or professional experience. In fact, as a high school student, you likely do not have that much work experience to speak of. Instead, you can draw on any clubs or extracurriculars that fit.

You should never try to make up an interest or a past experience. If you find yourself without an example of how you’ve pursued an interest or goal, choose a different one.

How long should an elevator pitch be?

Once again, the old metaphor of having a conversation in an elevator holds. You need to keep your elevator pitch short and concise, so that you can say everything that you need to say without boring a potential employer or college. Nobody wants to hear a person ramble about themselves for too long.

If you’re worried about the length of your elevator pitch, write or type it out. If it is longer than the average introduction to a high school essay, trim it down. If it’s shorter, feel free to elaborate a little bit more. Keep in mind that most high school essay introductions do not go past half a page. You can also try timing it aloud; an elevator pitch should last no longer than a minute when speaking at normal speed.

When to Use an Elevator Pitch

While an elevator pitch can be a great summary of who you are as a person, it’s not great for every social situation. For example, you shouldn’t use your elevator pitch if you are meeting someone in an informal setting like a college orientation. An elevator pitch is mostly for professional use.

However, as mentioned above, professional networking events and college applications and interviews are perfect places to utilize your elevator pitch.

One setting where an elevator pitch would be extremely useful is a college fair. This is not technically a professional setting, as you are not interviewing with the college advisors you meet nor are you necessarily going to apply to their university. However, college fairs generally have long lines of people waiting to talk to a single college representative. You will likely only get a few minutes with each college representative, so an elevator pitch is useful to keep the conversation succinct while still saying everything you want to say and leaving a positive impression.

Attending a college fair? Check out the 15 questions you should be asking. 

In fact, in a college fair setting, you may want to keep your elevator pitch shorter than usual. The college representatives at each table are trying to see every student in a very short period of time, so you may have even less time to chat with the college than you may anticipate.

It is also worth noting that an elevator pitch could also be useful when you are meeting your guidance counselor for the first time. Many college applications require counselor letters of recommendation. If you give them your elevator pitch, you will have inherently outlined the main goals, interests, and accomplishments that they should highlight in your letter of recommendation.

In general, you should use the elevator pitch in any networking session where you may have to mingle with adults. You may not always have to use it, but it is good to have it ready.

Conclusion

An elevator pitch can be a useful tool in professional settings as long as they are done right. If you follow the right format and know which instances to use it, an elevator pitch can genuinely impress an adult or future employer and leave a great first impression.

As a final tip, make sure you practice your elevator pitch. All of the sophistication goes away if you try to give your elevator pitch and have to pause and stumble the entire time! That being said, don’t over-rehearse. You don’t want to sound mechanical and robotic by regurgitating a script. Keep it natural.

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