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First Choice Re-Opening Procedures:

We have given careful thought to our reopening procedures, in order to keep both our students and tutors safe. We will likely need to update this as we learn more. We plan on resuming private tutoring in the office on June 29. We do not feel that we will be able to provide adequate social distancing for the group classes, so the group classes will remain online via zoom for the summer of 2020. Below are some of the steps we plan on taking to ensure safety:

• Students who would like private tutoring, have the option of either online tutoring or coming to the office.  There will be a plexi-glass barrier between the student and the tutor.  Tutors and students are required to wear Facemasks in the office.  
• The desk, plex-glass shield, and contact surfaces (door knobs) will be cleaned with either Lysol Wipes or Clorox wipes (or a [...]

High school seniors everywhere are making decisions now about what the fall of 2020 will look like for them. For some, taking a gap year is a strong possibility. When it comes to gap years, there are a few different things that students should think about. And while the decision to take a gap year is most pressing for graduating students, the question has some impacts for students who are still in high school as well. As with most things related to the college process, being prepared and being informed will help you stay ahead of the curve.

Check the Policies

Many schools see the benefit of gap years. For some schools, there is a standardized process for requesting a gap year while others will require that students present their case. For most schools, students must first be accepted and put down a deposit before applying for a gap year. However, not all schools accept [...]

The spring SATs were cancelled, and the spring ACTs were rescheduled. This means that college application requirements are under revision at many schools across the country.

In the wake of COVID-19, many schools are strongly considering various forms of going ‘test-optional’. Some schools are making changes for the foreseeable future. Others are limiting their new requirements to only the next season or two of applications. The University of California system was one of the first to announce their plans to suspend the ACT/SAT requirement for applicants in the fall of 2020. Though some have emphasized that the change is only for one year, others point out that schools who have implemented test-optional plans in the past have never gone back. Of course, the pandemic situation is relevant here. The statistics may not be as relevant as they seem at first. This past week, both Cornell and Harvard announced their plans for standardized [...]

It’s hard to keep up with all the changing information surrounding college applications and standardized testing right now.  That’s what we’re here for – to help you understand it all, and to guide you on what to do next.

Here’s what we know so far:

Test Cancellation – All testing on June 6, 2020 has been cancelled. That includes both the regular SAT and the SAT Subject Tests. High school juniors will thus need to complete any required standardized testing in the second half of the year. The April PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 have also been cancelled.

New SAT Date – Collegeboard is planning to add an additional testing date September, in addition to the regularly scheduled dates of August 29, October 3, November 7, and December 5. The exact date of the September test will be announced later, but students can register for any of these tests starting in May. 

Expanded Capacity – [...]

In previous years, we’ve talked to juniors about the importance of demonstrated interest. It can have a significant impact on your chances of getting into your first choice school. (Check out the link to our video about showing demonstrated interest – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82vDUYM5CIY&t=8s). One of the major components of demonstrated interest has always been campus visits. They show that you’ve been to the school and really taken a look at what it’s all about. It helps to show schools that you’re serious about them, which can give you an edge. Colleges want to admit students who are going to accept their offers. In addition, campus visits can give you a sense of what you really want in a school – make sure it’s a place where you can see yourself thriving for four years.

But with college campuses closed all around the country (and the world), what are students supposed to do? How can they both get [...]

Should I take the SAT or the ACT?  Do I need to take the SAT II Subject Tests?  Which Subject Tests should I take? While these choices may seem like challenges, they also create opportunities for students to position themselves with the best chance for success.  

Should I take the SAT or the ACT?

If you have taken the PLAN (Practice ACT), compare that to your PSAT or SAT scores using an ACT-SAT Concordance Chart.  Most likely, you should plan to take whichever test you ended up scoring higher on.  Another thing to consider is how you feel taking each type of test. There are differences between the two tests that make the answer to the question “Which one should I take?” a personal one.  Not every student does better on one particular test. At the end of the day, the best way to decide which test is right for you is to take [...]

Spring of junior year is prime time for standardized testing.  Most students hope to get all of their testing done before the start of senior year.  In order to make the most of the time available, students should make a plan for how they are going to tackle the tests.  The tests aren’t offered every week – so a lack of planning can lead to a lot of stress. No one needs to add more stress to the college application process!  Doing a little research now can save you big headaches in the future.

As students look at the application requirements for various colleges, they may come across something known as the SAT IIs, or the SAT Subject Tests.  What are they? Do you need to take them? How do you sign up for them? All of this is information you want to know.

First, what are the SAT Subject Tests?  They are one hour, [...]

Recently, many students started to hear back from the schools that they applied to with either Early Decision or Early Action. For those of you who received good news, congratulations! Having an acceptance in the bag early is a huge relief.

But what about those of you with less exciting news? What are you supposed to do if you were deferred? What does that mean, and what steps should you take next?

If you were deferred from your first choice school, don’t be disheartened. There are many different factors that can play into this. A deferment means that they are still considering you in the regular applicant pool. Maybe they have a specific percentage of their incoming class that they want to take from early decisions, and you didn’t quite make that cut. Keep your chin up and move forward because you still have a [...]

In this episode James talks toBill Asermley, executive director and coach at the Northeast Baseball School.  Bill talks about baseball and softball recruiting at college as well as his own experiences leading then team at Yale.

Students who took the PSAT in October should have received an e-mail with instructions for how to set up a CollegeBoard account and access your scores. Once you have the scores, the real question is what to do next. How can this test help you prepare for future standardized testing? Most students plan to start taking the SAT in the spring of their junior year. The PSAT can be used as a tool that will help guide you on how to be fully prepared every time you take the test.

The way that the PSAT presents questions is the same as how you will see them on the SAT. So the score from the PSAT can give you a good indication of how you would do on the SAT if you were to take it right now. So if your score on the PSAT is lower [...]