SHOULD I TAKE THE MATH LEVEL 1 SAT II SUBJECT TEST OR THE MATH LEVEL 2 SAT II SUBJECT TEST OR BOTH?

QUESTION: SHOULD I TAKE THE MATH LEVEL 1 SAT II SUBJECT TEST OR THE MATH LEVEL 2 SAT II SUBJECT TEST OR BOTH?

ANSWER:

THE MATH LEVEL 2 SAT II IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE LEVEL 1 HENCE IT IS  PREFERRED BY THE MORE SELECTIVE COLLEGES. IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN PRECAL, THEN DO NOT TAKE THE LEVEL 2 OR AT LEAST WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD AT LEAST THE FIRST SEMESTER OF PRECAL.   THE LEVEL 2 IS MAINLY OVER PRECAL, AND IT DOES INCORPORATE INTO IT A LOT OF THE MATERIAL COVERED ON THE LEVEL 1.  TUTORING WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL WITH THIS PARTICULAR TEST. 

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THE LEVEL 1 ALSO THERE IS CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, AND AS LONG AS YOU DO WELL ON THE LEVEL 1 IT WOULD CERTAINLY NOT DETRACT FROM YOUR ADMISSIONS AS LONG AS YOU TAKE BOTH.  IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD PRECAL AND ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT JUST TAKE THE LEVEL 1.  REMEMBER, ONLY THE MOST DIFFICULT TO GET INTO SCHOOLS USUALLY WANT YOU TO TAKE THE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS.  PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE APPLYING TO.

HOWEVER, WHEN A SCHOOL SAYS THEY WANT TWO SAT II SUBJECT TESTS THEY WANT TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TOPICS!  USUALLY ONE MATH AND ONE OTHER SUCH AS LITERATURE, US HISTORY, WORLD HISTORY, SPANISH, FRENCH, ETC.  FOR THE SCHOOLS WANTING 3 SUBJECT TESTS SAME THING; THEY WANT DIFFERENT TOPICS.  YOU SHOULD NOT COUNT THE MATH LEVEL 1 AND LEVEL 2 AS DIFFERENT SUBJECTS.

WHY ARE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS (SAT II) SO IMPORTANT THESE DAYS IN 2014?

QUESTION: WHY ARE THE SAT SUBJECT TESTS (SAT II) SO IMPORTANT THESE DAYS IN 2014?

ANSWER:

THE SAT II OR SUBJECT TESTS HAVE BECOME VERY, VERY IMPORTANT IN THE PAST 10 YEARS OR SO.  ORIGINALLY, THE SAT II TESTS WERE JUST TO HELP A COLLEGE FIGURE OUT WHAT COURSES YOU WOULD NEED TO PLACE IN OUR OUT OF.  NOW, MOST OF THE MORE SELECTIVE COLLEGES USE THESE FOR ADMISSIONS PURPOSES EVEN IF THEY DON'T SAY SO!!  IN OTHER WORDS, THESE TESTS ARE JUST ANOTHER WAY TO WEED OUT ADMISSION PROSPECTS. THE UNITED STATES IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH OF STUDENTS APPLYING TO COLLEGES BOTH STUDENTS FROM USA AND STUDENTS NOT FROM USA. THE SCORES FROM THE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS JUST PROVIDE THEM WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE STUDENT.  MOST SELECTIVE COLLEGES REQUIRE 2 AND SOME REQUIRE 3.

SO IF YOUR COLLEGE "SUGGESTS" THAT YOU TAKE THE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS THEN DO SO!!!  DON'T TAKE THE RISK OF NOT DOING IT.

ARE MORE AND MORE COLLEGES AGREEING TO SUPER SCORE THE ACT?

QUESTION: ARE MORE AND MORE COLLEGES AGREEING TO SUPER SCORE THE ACT?

ANSWER:

YES IT DEFINITELY SEEMS THAT MORE AND MORE COLLEGES ARE COMING ON BOARD TO SUPER SCORE THE ACT.  ALMOST ALL COLLEGES WILL TAKE YOUR HIGHEST ACT COMPOSITE SCORE NO MATTER WHAT DATE IT COMES FROM.  SOME WILL TAKE THE HIGHEST SCORE BY SECTION (NO MATTER THE DATE) AND AVERAGE THESE TO MAKE WHAT IS CALLED YOUR ACT SUPER SCORE.  PLEASE SEE MY LIST IN THE PREVIOUS POST.  DO NOT TRUST MY LIST 100%.  MORE AND MORE COLLEGES ARE ANNOUNCING EACH YEAR THAT THEY WILL SUPER SCORE THE ACT.  CONTACT THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE COLLEGE(S) YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.  IT IS BEST TO JUST TELEPHONE THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT TO GET THE MOST EXPEDIENT ANSWER.

2014 UPDATED LIST OF COLLEGES THAT SUPER SCORE THE ACT

QUESTION: WHICH COLLEGES SUPER SCORE THE ACT?

THIS IS MY 2014 UPDATED LIST OF ALL COLLEGES THAT SUPER SCORE THE ACT (OR AT LEAST PSEUDO SUPER SCORE THE ACT)

The colleges below are the only ones I know of right now.  If there is an * asterik by the college name that means that they do not fully super score the ACT in the conventional sense.  IN OTHER WORDS, CONTACT THEM FOR SURE AND SEE WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.  IT IS USUALLY EASIEST TO CALL THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT OF ANY COLLEGE AND JUST ASK.  THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT PHONE NUMBERS ARE LISTED ON ALL COLLEGE WEB SITES.  YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT IF YOU CALL THEM YOU ARE MOST LIKELY TO GET AN IMMEDIATE ANSWER.  Don't trust this list 100%!!  Contact the college you are most interested in DIRECTLY TO CONFIRM IT.  COLLEGES CHANGE THEIR POLICIES ON A GREAT MANY THINGS QUITE OFTEN.  YOU WILL ALSO NEED TO CONTACT THE COLLEGE OF YOUR CHOICE TO FIND OUT HOW THEY WANT YOU TO HANDLE SENDING THEM A SUPER SCORE.  USUALLY YOU JUST SUBMIT ALL THE ACT TESTS YOU ARE USING TO COMPUTE A SUPER SCORE.  I have assembled this list from my own resources and various other resources on the Internet.  Some, but not all, colleges I contacted myself either on the Internet or via telephone or email.

CURRENT LIST OF COLLEGES THAT SUPER SCORE THE ACT [AS OF OCTOBER 2014]

ALBION COLLEGE
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
AMHERST COLLEGE

BABSON COLLEGE
BARNARD COLLEGE

*BATES
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY (WACO)
BELOIT COLLEGE
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE
*BOSTON COLLEGE
*BOWDOIN COLLEGE
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
BROWN
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE
BUTLER UNIVERSITY
*CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM (I.E. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA @ ___)
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA
COLBY COLLEGE

*COLORADO COLLEGE
*COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON (DO NOT SUPER SCORE ACT FOR SCHOLARSHIP PURPOSES)

COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE
CORNELL UNIVERSITY

DICKINSON COLLEGE

DENISON UNIVERSITY
DEPAUW UNIVERSITY (NOT DEPAUL)
DENVER UNIVERSITY

DREXEL UNIVERSITY *DUKE UNIVERSITY
DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

ECKERD COLLEGE
ELON UNIVERSITY
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY

GEORGIA TECH

GETTYSBURG COLLEGE HAMILTON COLLEGE
HAMPDEN-SYDNEY COLLEGE

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE HAVERFORD COLLEGE
HAWAII PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
HENDRIX COLLEGE
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY

INDIANA UNIVERSITY (BLOOMINGTON)

ITHACA UNVERSITY KALAMAZOO COLLEGE
KENYON COLLEGE

KETTERING COLLEGE UNIVERSITY OF LAFAYETTE

LAFAYETTE COLLEGE LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY IN MARYLAND
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
MIT (MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY)
MILSAPS COLLEGE
NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (NYU)
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
OLIN COLLEGE (FRANKLIN W. OLIN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING)

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

POMONA COLLEGE PURDUE UNIVERSITY

PITZER COLLEGE
POMONA COLLEGE
REGIS UNIVERSITY
RENSSELEAR POLY TECH

RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN

*RICE UNIVERSITY

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCRIPPS COLLEGE SPRING HILL COLLEGE

*STANFORD UNIVERSITY ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY

SWATHMORE COLLEGE

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

SUNY BUFFALO

TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (TCU IN FORT WORTH, TX)

TOWSON UNIVERSITY
TRINITY COLLEGE (CT)
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
UNION UNIVERSITY (JACKSON TENNESSEE) 
 UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS - FAYETTEVILLE

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO - BOULDER
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
UNIVESITY OF GEORGIA

*UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA - LAFAYETTE

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS (AMHERST) UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - CHAPEL HILL

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND

UNIVERSITY OR ROCHESTER UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE - KNOXVILLE

UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT UNITED STATES MILITAIRY ACADEMY WEST POINT

USAFA (UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY) COLORADO

USNA (UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY) ANNAPOLIS

USMMA (UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY)

USCGA (UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ACADEMY)

VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY

VASSAR COLLEGE 

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY 

VIRGINIA TECH

WAKE FOREST

WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - ST. LOUIS (WUSTL)

*WELLESLEY COLLEGE
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
WHEATON COLLEGE

WILLIAMS COLLEGE
XAVIER UNIVERSITY

QUESTION:

AS A PARENT, I AM WONDERING IF HIRING A PRIVATE COLLEGE COUNSELOR IS A NECESSARY EXPENSE?

ANSWER:

I WOULD SAY THAT IF YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE HOLD WHERE BOTH PARENTS WORK THEN IT WOULD PROVIDE A VERY VALUABLE SERVICE.  THERE ARE JUST SO MANY DETAILS, TEST DATES, REGISTRATION FEES, TRANSCRIPTS, ETC. ETC. THAT IT IS VERY HARD FOR ANYONE WHO IS NOT AN EXPERT TO KEEP TRACK OF!  FURTHERMORE, IF YOU ARE A VERY BUSY PARENT AND ARE WORRIED THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE TIME OR EXPERTISE TO DO A GOOD JOB ON THIS WITH YOUR CHILD THEN BY ALL MEANS HIRE A COUNSELOR.  MANY HIGH SCHOOLS DO HAVE EXCELLENT COLLEGE COUNSELING DEPARTMENTS BUT NOT ALL!  A PRIVATE COLLEGE COUNSELOR  WILL GO THROUGH EACH STEP OF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS WITH YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER AND TELL THEM WHICH TESTS THEY NEED TO TAKE.  THEY WILL ALSO KEEP TRACK OF ALL NECESSARY PAPER WORK, DEADLINES, ETC.  THUS, IF YOU HAVE FINANCIAL RESOURCES A COLLEGE COUNSELOR CAN BE A VERY VALUABLE TOOL.  AS A GENERAL RULE, COLLEGE COUNSELORS DO NOT OFFER TUTORING FOR THE TESTS.

WHEN SHOULD I BEGIN THINKING ABOUT WHICH COLLEGE I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND AFTER I GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL?

QUESTION:

WHEN SHOULD I BEGIN THINKING ABOUT WHICH COLLEGE I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND AFTER I GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL?

ANSWER:

VERY GOOD QUESTION!  MOST COUNSELORS AND MOST HIGH SCHOOL DO NOT BEGIN THIS PROCESS (IF THEY DO IT AT ALL) UNTIL LATE YOUR JUNIOR YEAR.  I PERSONALLY THINK IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO BE THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE.  I WOULD RECOMMEND HIGHLY THAT ALL STUDENTS START CONSIDERING COLLEGES AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR JUNIOR YEAR NO LATER!  YOU CAN EVEN USE THE SUMMER BEFORE JUNIOR YEAR TO GO AND VISIT SOME COLLEGES.  I ALWAYS ADVISE MY STUDENTS TO MAKE A TOP 10 LIST OF COLLEGES THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND OR POSSIBLY ATTEND.  THE LIST CAN BE CHANGED AT ANYTIME.  I WOULD ADVISE PARENTS TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO SEE A FEW COLLEGES BEGINNING SUMMER AFTER JUNIOR YEAR.   DURING JUNIOR YEAR, YOU CAN ALSO GO SEE COLLEGES ON WINTER BREAK, CHRISTMAS BREAK, OR SPRING BREAK.  YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT COLLEGES YOU WANT TO APPLY TO FOR SURE BY THE END OF YOUR JUNIOR YEAR.  IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO WORK ON APPLICATIONS DURING THE SUMMER AFTER JUNIOR YEAR, SO YOU DO NOT HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO SENIOR YEAR.