Are SAT Subject Tests Actually Necessary?

The SAT subject tests, also known as ‘SAT IIs’, are subject-specific tests. First, the basics: each is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, consists completely of multiple choice questions, and lasts an hour. They are offered six times per year. At any given test date, you are able to register for up to three SAT IIs, back-to-back. When to take the tests and how many to take at a time is a strategic conversation in itself--one that we will save for another day. The CollegeBoard offers 20 subject tests in 5 general subject areas: mathematics, English, history, languages, and science.

Whether or not they are ‘really’ necessary is up to you and your college application goals! There are two main circumstances in which you should complete the SAT subject tests:

First, if the college you are applying to requires or recommends taking them, then the Subject Tests are a must. In many cases, specified programs for a particular subject matter will require the applicant to submit a subject test directly relevant to it. Other schools require a certain number of subject tests in general. For example, Georgetown requires any three subject tests.

The second circumstance would be to show that you excel in a particular subject matter. Yes, the admissions officers will have your GPA and transcript. But SAT IIs provide the unique opportunity to show your ability to master specific subject matter on a standardized level. Say, you are strong at Spanish. Yes, it is excellent to ace your AP exam and get a 5 and to have an A+ for eight semesters in a row. Where the SAT II comes in is showing how strong you are at Spanish on a national scale, by giving percentiles and a more detailed score out of 800. In this regard, of showing subject-specific achievement, SAT IIs can only strengthen your application.

Additionally, you should consider the fact that unlike the SAT or ACT, these tests pertain directly to a curriculum. For example, if you are a sophomore in an Honors or AP Chemistry class containing SAT II Chemistry curriculum, it's a good idea for you to sit for the SAT II and see how you perform. Even if you have not begun your college search, this will save you the hassle of re-studying for the exam in the future (say, at the end of your junior year), when instead you could be focusing on the SAT itself.

It is smart to speak to a guidance counselor, tutor, or mentor before taking the SAT subject tests. They can provide light on what is the best choice for you, and how to create a killer strategic plan that uses SAT II's to your advantage. A special note: you should proceed with caution, as these tests might appear on your complete testing history, and you might not have a choice in whether or not you can withhold your scores from a college. Feel free to bring this up with your tutor at your next session!

I Have to Start My Personal Essay... But When?

The college essay is a daunting aspect of the college application process. How can you tell a college everything about yourself in a single essay? High school teachers shower you with assigned essays, poems. When it comes to the college essay, you need to channel all the knowledge and experience you've garnered to craft your most influential, heartfelt piece of writing. Many feel like the college essay is supposed to be the climax of their high school writing portfolio. However, you must remember that the countless class periods working on your English skills have strengthened and prepared you for this undertaking!

Test scores, GPAs, class rank. With all of these numbers, it can be challenging to give a college a real sense of who you are as a person and how you will contribute to their campus. This is where the college essay comes in. In 750 words, you are tasked with letting a college know who you are. The first question is what you should write your essay on. How do you pick a topic that is not too sappy or boring? While you can bounce ideas off your parents, teachers, and peers, this should be a mostly internal process. You know yourself and your strengths as a writer better than anyone. You know what topics you can write page-after-page about, without coming off as repetitive or try-hard.

My best advice is that it is never too early to start brainstorming ideas for your college essay. You might find it helpful to keep a running list of ideas on your phone as you think of them as well as a document on your computer. There will and should be a few ideas that come straight away. These would be the ideas most central to your being. A hobby you've had for ten years? An identity that has sculpted your perspective of the world? A life-changing service trip? Think of an essay topic as a thread; you want it to span through as many meaningful experiences of your life as possible. This will give you more content to choose from for the essay and allow you to be more selective when writing your later drafts. More traditional sit-down-and-focus brainstorm sessions are also worthwhile but might be difficult to orchestrate in the early-phases of your writing process. When you pick out your brightest essay idea, it should feel right. To the admissions counselor, it should feel like you are sitting right across their desk, reading the essay to them.

When you begin writing your essay, accept that fact that it will not be one-and-done. It will take more than one draft to get an essay you are satisfied with. You need to be okay with writing a draft and scrapping it altogether the next time you sit down to write. I, myself, had 27 drafts of my college essay. Each one was pretty distinct from the last, until the grammatical edits on the previous few. Twenty-seven may sound extreme, but I knew myself as a writer and was completely okay with starting from scratch when it was necessary to get my ideas down in the most coherent way possible.

Another tip is to remember to use the resources at your disposal. That said, your essay should stay 'your' essay. With too many proofreaders, your unique voice can get overpowered by someone else. Furthermore, while the essay is a central piece of your application, they will see other writing. It is crucial that the writing on your supplements and within your essays is consistent.

It is best to have an early draft of your essay going into your senior year. As we have said in previous blog posts, having an essay draft before you start senior year will make you less stressed. You want to have the first few months of senior year to enjoy long-awaited traditions with your friends and to focus on your schoolwork, not to spend long, stressful nights reworking your personal statement!

Taking the SAT: How Many Times is Too Many?

*Author’s Note: While this article refers directly to the SAT, all of this advice is jointly applicable to the ACT. It merely says SAT for purposes of brevity and simplicity for readers!

There is no perfect formula for acing the SAT. Each person approaches the test differently and will have different results upon taking the test more than once. I have some friends who took the test 8 times, improving with each and other people who took the test 5 times and scored within the same 40 points each time. There are vital considerations you should think of when taking the SAT. Once acknowledging these, you must balance the pros and cons of each. If your dream school requires you to send your entire testing history (like Georgetown), you should probably avoid sending many tests.

There are different circumstances with practice exams and the real deal. However, you need to make the most of your practice exams by going into each extremely well-equipped. Before taking (or rather, signing up for) your next SAT, make sure to have taken a timed, complete test as close to testing conditions as possible and adequately grading it. With this information, you will have a better sense of how you'll do on the actual exam. It is my advice that you should never go into a test without an idea of how you will do. Not only are you spending money, valuable time, and brainpower to take the exam, but you are risking adding unnecessary (and potentially poorly scored) exams to your testing history. Perhaps this school will require your full testing history. For this reason, it's always better safe than sorry, and you should be thoughtful in the number of times you take the official exam.

I have spoken to tutors who believe that three is the maximum number of times you should take the exam. They believe that beyond three exams, there is little chance in raising your scores. This may be a good rule of thumb, but keep in mind that your circumstances play a huge role in how you do on the test. If you are taking exams during the school year on top of a demanding course load, then it's not a bad idea to take a fourth exam over the summer when you have more time.

You do not have to retake the exam if you are happy with your first score. I took the exam once and found this to be a significant reduction to my stress junior and senior year. Getting it out of the way allowed me to focus more on my extracurricular activities, AP courses, and other aspects of the college process.

It also depends on who you are as a student. If you are not willing to put in additional time to study and re-prepare yourself for the SAT, it is probably best to devote your attention elsewhere. While these exams are a part of your application, not everyone is a stellar test-takers. College admissions counselors know this; you know this. You know what the best and most efficient use of your time is and it may not be studying to take the SAT an additional time. Take this knowledge and use it to motivate yourself to do something else productive; to show admissions counselors your passion for another activity or to raise your GPA!

Picking the Perfect Teacher to Write Your Rec

Aside from your personal statement and college-specific supplements, teacher and guidance counselor recommendations are the next most significant pieces of writing included. This adds a sense of importance in picking the 'right' teachers to write your recommendations. The ultimate goal is that all writing in your application provides the most well-rounded view of who you are--not just as a student, but as a person.

Some factors to consider when choosing a recommendation include:

• How well the teachers’ commentary on you will complement each other; i.e. if you have two math teachers, it might be best to do one and use your English teacher for the second recommendation.

• What extracurricular activities you are involved in with them? If you have a club advisor, who is also a teacher you're close with, they might be a great candidate. They will comment on you not only as a student, but also as a person. They will know how you interact with your peers or deal with the stresses of a particular activity. This can be a great way to make your application more well-rounded and to include the most about yourself.

• How well the teacher knows you beyond normal coursework? Have you gone to them for free periods? Engaged in intellectual discussions with them? Do they have a sense of your interests? The ultimate goal is to select teachers who know you beyond a letter grade. These are the people who can write you a unique, rather than generic, recommendation.

• What will they say about you beyond just your grades in the class? Colleges already receive your GPA, and since teachers have various students scoring high marks, this alone won't add much to your application.

Keep in mind that you will, in most cases, need two long recommendations and 1 to 3 short recommendations. From your answers to the above questions, you should have a sufficient idea of who to pick for what. The teachers who know you the best and have the most to contribute should be given long recommendations.

Contrarily, those who only have a short bit to add should be asked for short recommendations. This is different at every high school, but at my school in particular, short recommendations were turned into our guidance counselors and then incorporated into guidance's recommendation. Make sure you are aware of how your school does recommendations, ideally by the middle of junior year. This way, you have the appropriate time to select and politely ask your teachers for the necessary recommendations.

Another point to acknowledge is that certain colleges have alternate recommendations types. For example, Dartmouth College has a peer recommendation that can be completed by anyone the applicant considers to be a peer. Do the proper research beforehand to know what the colleges you are applying to require of you to allow time for thoughtful contemplation beforehand.

A final piece of advice is to ask your teacher as early as you can (within moderation). Teachers are busy! They are going to have many students to write recommendations for and would probably appreciate knowing whether or not they have to write a recommendation for you in advance. This will help with their planning of your glowing recommendation too! Best of luck and happy planning!

Which College Size is Right For You?

Starting your college search and don’t know where to start? We recommend starting with size.

Colleges are typically broken up into three different sizes: small, medium, and large. “Small” colleges commonly have less than 5,000 students, and are most of the time private institutions. Some examples are CalTech, Williams College, Reed College, and Vassar College. “Medium” colleges have student populations between 5,000 and 15,000. “Medium” colleges are a mix of both public and private universities, some examples being Johns Hopkins and Georgetown University. “Large” colleges have over 15,000 students -- some examples are most of the University of California schools, Big 10 Schools, and USC.

So, which school size is right for you?

The best way to truly know is to visit one of each kind. Even if you may not be interested in applying to them, it is still worthwhile to visit nearby universities to shed some light on what a small, medium, or large sized college might feel like. However, while you begin creating your college list, it is still helpful to consider the pros and cons of each, and what you are willing to sacrifice and what you definitely need to have.

Small Colleges:

The benefits of attending a small college is that they have the smallest class sizes, so that you have more hands-on professors and better guidance in your classes. You also have access to a tightly knit community. You see faces more often, making it easier to get to know everybody in a small school. The drawbacks are that there are fewer clubs and student organizations to choose from, less people to meet and interact with, and thus a smaller alumni network. Smaller institutions also tend to have less financial resources for undergraduate research.

Medium Colleges:

Medium colleges are attractive to students who want a mix of both. You reap the benefits of easily finding friends and partaking in social activities, but the school is not overwhelmingly large or too small. On the other hand, you might find them to be not as diverse as you’d like, or not as intimate as you’d like. As such, it’s key to visit several medium colleges to get a sense of which size is right for you.

Large Colleges:

While large colleges may appear impersonal on the surface, they allow you to meet more people that share common interests with whom you can create a smaller community within the larger one. Large colleges have more social opportunities, and also are likely to host extensive research and graduate programs that can enhance your education. Some cons of large colleges is that it is easier to feel “lost” in them. Classes are more lecture-oriented, the campus is bigger, the faculty is less hands-on. You, as a student, have to be more independent and take control over your own education and opportunities.

In conclusion, size is one of the most important factors of selecting the colleges to apply to. But it’s not the only one. Other college qualities may be more of a priority to you than student body size. Factors such as location, urban or rural, academic rigor, sports, Greek life, and others may play a more crucial role in your personal college experience. If that’s the case, you might want to have a mix of small and large colleges on your application list. However, if having a small, intimate community, or having a diverse and expansive list of opportunities at your disposal matters to you, then put it among your top college requirements. But first and foremost, be sure to visit small, medium, and large campuses so that you truly understand which size is right for you.

5 Things to Do During Your Junior Year

Want to get ahead of the curve and be well-prepared to tackle the college process? Here are five things to do your junior year of high school that will set you ahead and on the right path.

1. Run for leadership positions in the clubs and student organizations that you are currently involved in. Colleges admissions officers want student leaders -- high school students that have proven themselves to improve and engage with the community around them. If you have a track record of being a leader and making an impact, then admissions officers will believe you’ll do the same once you get to their campus. College applications are about showing what value you can add, and strong leadership is a great facet to contribute!

2. Work your hardest and earn the best grades you’ve had so far in high school. College admission offices want to see an upwards trend in your transcript, so it’s crucial that the grades you earn improve each quarter or semester. Having great marks, and ones that are on an upward trend, during your junior year and senior year show that you will continue getting excellent grades once you get to college, which is exactly what admissions officers want to see. This is especially applicable to students who may have had a rocky start when transitioning into high school. Admissions officers understand that not every 14 year old freshman has their eyes set on a competitive college right off the bat. This will show that you have grown and matured as a student and that you are able to focus on and attain your goals.

3. Study for the standardized tests. The more time you give yourself to study and prepare, the more chances you’ll get to take the exam and thus increase the likelihood of getting an awesome score. The last thing you want is to push off the SAT or ACT until senior year, and realize you’ll need months more of studying, preparation, and test-taking in order to achieve the scores you’ll need to get into your dream school.

4. Spend time with your teachers. Your current teachers might be the ones writing recommendations for college application, and you’ll want to have established a strong, personal connection with them. This way, they’ll know you well and be able to write a stellar recommendation. Furthermore, spending time with teachers to chat, go over your classroom performance, or think about ways to improve, shows that you are a driven, motivated student who is trying their best to succeed in their class. Having this rappore with your teacher will only help you, especially if you are in between two grades at the end of the semester.

5. Have fun! High school only comes around once. While the college application process may seem like the most important thing on your plate as you approach senior year, it definitely does not require 100% of your time and energy in order to succeed at it. Spend time with your friends and family, relax, and enjoy where you are at in life.

S.A.T. College Application Advice

Welcome to Student Agencies Tutoring (S.A.T.)! The management team at S.A.T. has created this blog to share with you helpful advice that we have acquired from our own recent college application experiences. You can’t find this information anywhere else, and what you’re about to read changed the game for their college applications and led to a successful college process!

1. Get your college essays done over the summer. Especially for the schools you are applying to Early Decision and Early Action, you should aim to have your essays done before your senior year starts. This is crucial so that during your senior fall, you have the time to focus on securing the grades that will complete your college application package. You also don’t have to worry about the stress and frenzy that comes with squeezing college essays in the week before they’re due. While all your friends are drafting up sloppy last-minute essays, you can sit back, relax, and rest assured knowing you put in the time and effort needed for an excellent essay, months ago.

2. Put in the extra time to get to know your teachers. Ask them to meet before or after class, or even to meet for lunch or a cup of coffee, if it is appropriate. Your teachers are there to help you, and more often than not, they are waiting for you to build the bridge and make that personal connection. Getting to know them outside of class will not only make their class more enjoyable, but building a good relationship with your teachers will make them more enthusiastic about going the extra mile to see you learn. Not only will student-teacher relationships help you in the classroom, but spending that extra time with your teachers each week will help them understand you on a deeper level so that when it comes to ask for a teacher recommendation for your college application, they can write one that will truly set you apart. 

3. Talk to any current college students you can at the colleges on your application list. What the college tour guides will tell you are often manufactured responses by the university, but what real, current students will tell you is often much more realistic. See if there are any graduated students from your high-school who are enrolled in the schools you are looking at, reach out to them, and ask to meet for a cup of coffee if possible, or to just set up a phone call. Current college students will be more than happy to have a quick conversation with students from their high school about their experiences at the college. If you don’t know anyone at a college you’re interested in, try seeing if your friends do, or if you are on a tour, introduce yourself to students who look like they have a free moment. Ask these college students what they like about the school, what they dislike, what they’d want to change, what they wish they knew about the school before applying. Having this insight will be instrumental in deciding which schools to apply to and which to attend.

We are confident that taking these steps will deeply enhance the quality of your college application, and ease the stress of the process overall. If you have any other pieces of advice you’d like to add, write it below in the comments section! And as always, for many more nuggets of key information, tips and tricks, personal experience and advice, S.A.T.’s tutors are here for you.