Category: SAT

Last edition, I started sharing some of my observations of families who (in my opinion) successfully navigated the test preparation, college selection, and college admission processes.  In this edition, I would like to share a few more observations on how some of these parents best helped their students to succeed.

One factor that can negatively impact a student’s SAT or ACT score is the stress of taking a timed test.  Many of us know smart students who excel in their classes yet do not perform well on tests.  While there are strategies that can be utilized to help mitigate the stress, parents should be realistic about how much improvement they can expect to see from their students’ scores.  Adding on the pressure of an unrealistic parental expectation is rarely helpful to already anxious kids.  In fact, often is has quite the opposite effect.  Try to avoid the trap of comparing your [...]

At First Choice, our driving mission is to give students greater opportunities in their lives. We have a number of approaches and products, but primarily we do this by helping our students better prepare and conquer the one piece of their admissions package that can be improved in a tight time frame – their SAT and ACT scores. Unlike GPAs, community service, or extra-curricular activities, their standardized test scores are snapshots of single moments in their academic careers. Because of this, we can coach them to success by emphasizing both test preparedness (strategies for approaching the test, as well as how to handle time and anxiety pressures) and subject matter expertise.  Each student has different needs within both areas, and creating concrete improvement requires commitment by the student and tailored instruction by our tutors. I am always on the look out for tips, tricks, approaches, or materials that can [...]

As parents, our goal is to teach our children how to make good decisions.  When the time comes, we have to trust that we have raised them well and given them all the tools that they need to make those choices themselves.  Many parents ask me, “How do I get my kid to choose the right college?  How do I make sure they do the right thing?”  I always hesitate to give parenting advice – my personal parenting mantra is “therapists need work too” – when there probably is no parenting choice that couldn’t end up in counseling!  So, instead of giving a list of SAT prep tips for parents, allow me to share my observations of the families who (in my experience) have most successfully navigated the test prep [...]

Congratulations! You just successfully finished the school year! Unfortunately, if the year you just wrapped up was your junior year, you don’t get to rest for long. The college search process is an important and time consuming one. You want to minimize your stress at the beginning of senior year by getting a head start on things over the summer. Fall of senior year is a busy time, so you should start trying to get some things finished in advance. In this article, we will review a few tips for how to use your summer wisely.

First up: standardized tests. This is the first time that the SAT is being offered in August. That means that you can prepare for the test over the summer while you aren’t distracted by other school commitments. The first step is to review your results from the spring tests. Determine your weak areas and review them first. Over the [...]

This is the first podcast in an informative series presented for the benefit for college bound students or students thinking of attending college. The tips and ideas presented are guaranteed to help anyone get closer to being accepted by their first choice college.

Listen to episode 1 below:

On April 5, all public school juniors took the SAT. In the beginning of May, students will get those test scores back and many of them will have questions. In this article, I’m going to answer some of those questions and explain how to use those scores to help you prepare for future tests.

What does my score mean? The SAT scores have gone back to the future, so to speak, and are once again calculated out of 1600. Last year’s admitted class at UConn had an average score of 1270, and the national average now is around 1030. That should give you a sense for where your whole score falls in comparison to the average. Let’s go more in depth. Students get two separate scores ranging from 200 to 800: Math and Evidence-Based Reading and [...]

Are you wondering whether you should take the SAT or ACT test to gain a place at college?  Choosing between the two generally comes down to personal choice, however how can you decide which to take?  What is the difference between the SAT and ACT test?

To answer that very question, we have created our own info-graphic, which explains some of the major differences between the two tests:

Would you like to share our infographic on your blog?  Please feel free to download it and credit us at: www.firstchoicecollege.com.

On December 12, students across the country will be able to access their PSAT scores.  For many students, this may be a time of great confusion.  Some students may not understand what the scores mean.  They may be asking “Is this a good score?” or “What does this mean for college?”  Many may not even know where to go to access their scores.

Let’s start there.  The first step is to have the student view his or her scores on the College Board website, www.collegeboard.org.  The score range changed last year and many parents are not familiar with the new scale.  The maximum score on the PSAT is 1520.  That score consists of a Math score that ranges from 160 to 760 and an Evidence Based Reading and Writing score that also ranges from 160 to 760.  The test is also broken down into 7 subscores, which range [...]

First Choice College is looking to hire new tutors for SAT and ACT preparation.  We are passionate about helping high school students achieve their full potential and realize their college dreams, and if you are too, we would love to have you join us!  We offer group classes as well as individual tutoring.  We start by giving your 20 hours of training, and then set you up teaching a course.  We teach classes on location at high schools around the state, in our office in Milford, and online.  Our private tutoring is done in our Milford office and online.  Here are some highlights:

• We pay a $200 training stipend.  We train you to use our curriculum to help students improve their scores.  We also offer support throughout the process.
• Starting pay is $22.50 per hour for private tutoring and classes.  In addition, for the group classes you are paid 30 minutes of prep time [...]

On August 1 the Common App will be live! What does

that mean? If you haven’t already, it is time to get started on the much feared college admission essay. The thought of boiling down your entire 17 or 18 years of being in to one 650 word personal statement can be intimidating. Believe it or not, the most difficult part of writing your college admission essay is actually getting started. Here is a big list of questions to help you get started brainstorming. If you are still stuck, you can always hire us to help you with your essay, or if you have a college admission essay, you can hire us to edit your common application essay and provide you with a reaction. Remember, one of the most important things about the essay is to make sure that you are answering the question that is being asked. So, without further ado, here it is:

The [...]