mindfish blog

Student Blogger Scholarship

Bill Huston — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Hello again friends!

We haven't updated our scholarships page in a while, but I wanted to tell you about an exciting new scholarship from LocalSecurity.com. They're offering $1000 scholarship to a student blogger. Check it out: http://yourlocalsecurity.com/scholarship

How to Improve Your SAT Vocabulary

Ryan Krug — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:55:00 GMT

The SAT verbal section places a strong emphasis on vocabulary. Unless you are an avid reader and keep a dictionary on you at all times, odds are your vocabulary is not up to the SAT's standards. In order to improve your vocabulary fast you have to commit to learning somewhere between 500 and 3500 words. In the short term, check out the mindfish video vocabulary page to start learning SAT words in a fun new video format.

5 TIPS TO MASTER THE SAT VOCABULARY

1. MAKE NOTECARDS- Notecards not only help you learn words by allowing you to use your written memory, but they also give you a way to rapidly review, sort, and reorganize hundreds/thousands of words.

2. FOCUS ON QUANTITY NOT QUALITY- Knowing 50 to a 100 words perfectly is not nearly as powerful as having a very basic understanding of a few thousand words. Focus on learning the basic quality of words and don't worry about secondary definitions.

3. KEEP YOUR NOTECARDS ON YOU AT ALL TIMES- If you are going to successfully learn several thousand words, you have to take advantage of all the little breaks in your day. I learned vocabulary in class before the teacher showed up, in the car when my parents drove, during television commercials, and even on the bench during my baseball games (wouldn't recommend this one unless you have an academically inclined coach). The point is that you are not going to learn enough words unless you find a way to fit it into each and every day.

4. KEEP A DICTIONARY NEARBY- You have to stop letting words slide by. Part of building a good vocabulary comes from being accountable to the words you come across in your life. Whether you see a word you don't know on a practice SAT test, read a word you don't know in a novel, or hear a word you don't know on television, you have to LOOK IT UP. Make notecards for the new words you come across and as you start learning and stop ignoring you will be amazed at how these words are all around you.

5. START WITH PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, and ROOTS- Learning thousands of words can be a daunting task and there is no way to learn every possible SAT word in a short period of time. So, whether you are planning on cramming in a few hundred the week before the test or learning a few thousand over the summer, start by learning the basic building blocks of words. The best prefix/suffix/root guide I have found is in the Barron's SAT Book .

GOOD RESOURCES

Looking for a huge list- Check out Barron's SAT Book or Gruber's Complete SAT Guide

Looking for a shorter list to get you started- Check out Hot Words for the SAT

Looking for a good vocabulary building book (not SAT specific) - Check out Word Power Made Easy

Good Luck,

Ryan

What is considered a good SAT score?

Ryan Krug — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:02:00 GMT

What is considered a good SAT score? It all depends on the schools you want to be admitted to. Below is a list of SAT scores for some of the nations top schools. If you don't see the school you are interested, go to the schools homepage and then check the admissions section of the site for the school's SAT score ranges.

Are my SAT scores good enough?

Ryan Krug — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:58:00 GMT

In order to understand if your SAT scores are good enough, you need to consider what schools you would like to apply to. Below is a list of over 300 schools and their corresponding Average SAT and ACT scores. If you don't see the school you are interested in, make sure and go to their admissions' website and look it up. Also, SAT and ACT scores will keep you out of a school, but they won't get you in. Just because you have scores above a school's average scores is no reason to assume you will get in. The quality and uniqueness of your application, including your essays, recommendations, and high school grades and activities will be the main reasons why a school decides to admit you.

College	Math SAT	Verbal SAT	ACT
Agnes Scott College	620	590	26
Albertson College of Idaho	571	563	24
Albion College	562	582	25
Allegheny College	598	600	25
American University	613	600	27
Amherst College	710	707	30
Arizona State University	538	551	23
Auburn University	547	563	24
Austin College	614	613	25
Barnard College	660	670	29
Bellarmine University	576	576	24
Beloit College	640	610	27
Birmingham-Southern College	598	588	26
Boston University	634	647	28
Bradley University	597	610	25
Brigham Young University (UT)	N/A	N/A	27
Brown University	690	700	29
Bryant College	522	557	22
Bryn Mawr College	672	638	28
California Polytechnic State University	594	639	28
Calvin College	584	595	26
Carnegie Mellon University	646	716	29
Catawba College	488	494	20
Centre College	612	603	27
Claremont McKenna College	690	700	30
Clark University	589	586	25
Clemson University	587	618	26
Coe College	577	572	25
Colby College	660	670	28
Colgate University	652	665	29
College of Charleston	595	590	24
College of Saint Benedict	585	605	25
College of the Atlantic	624	586	28
College of William and Mary	669	666	29
Colorado College	622	625	27
Colorado School of Mines	590	650	28
Connecticut College	660	650	27
Cornell College	599	590	26
Cornell University	667	700	27
Creighton University	590	599	26
Dartmouth College	702	713	31
Davidson College	659	656	28
Denison University	602	615	26
DePaul University	556	551	23
DePauw University	610	620	27
Dickinson College	623	612	27
Duquesne University	545	545	24
Earlham College	620	590	26
Eckerd College	564	564	25
Elon College	567	578	25
Emerson College	619	584	27
Eugene Lang College	610	570	27
Fairfield University	585	610	28
Fisk University	492	484	19
Flagler College	571	551	24
Florida State University	569	577	24
Fordham University	606	606	26
Gonzaga University	578	593	26
Goucher College	605	575	26
Grinnell College	682	670	30
Grove City College	633	639	28
Guilford College	570	550	25
Gustavus Adolphus College	610	620	26
Hampden-Sydney College	561	562	22
Hampton University	526	516	20
Hanover College	559	576	24
Hendrix College	630	610	27
Hiram College	573	566	24
Hofstra University	559	570	25
Hollins College	595	550	24
Illinois Institute of Technology	602	681	28
Illinois Wesleyan University	635	625	28
Indiana University-Bloomington	543	556	24
Iowa State University	590	620	24
Johns Hopkins University	671	703	29
Kalamazoo College	631	630	28
Kenyon College	681	661	30
Lafayette College	620	665	28
Lake Forest College	570	573	25
Lawrence University	620	625	27
Loyola University	629	605	27
Loyola University Chicago	574	574	25
Macalester College	690	670	29
Manhattanville College	530	530	24
Marist College	506	565	24
Marquette University	560	590	25
Mary Washington College	613	595	27
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	712	757	31
Mercer University	578	580	25
Miami University of Ohio	590	610	26
Michigan State University	552	579	24
Michigan Technological University	570	624	25
Middlebury College	710	700	30
Millsaps College	590	590	25
Montana Tech of the Univ. of Montana	530	539	22
Morehouse College	530	550	23
Mount Holyoke College	651	627	28
New College of Florida	693	637	27
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology	596	612	26
New York University	672	666	29
North Carolina State University	578	615	25
Northeastern University	565	588	24
Northwestern University	675	703	30
Oberlin College	691	659	30
Occidental College	630	630	27
Oglethorpe University	617	603	26
Ohio Northern University	560	590	25
Ohio State University, Columbus	575	594	25
Ohio University	540	550	23
Ohio Wesleyan University	602	608	27
Pepperdine University	612	628	26
Pitzer College	624	610	25
Pomona College	730	720	32
Providence College	587	596	25
Purdue University	555	595	26
Randolph-Macon College	592	564	25
Reed College	667	704	30
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	626	684	26
Rhodes College	644	640	28
Ripon College	599	602	24
Rollins College	576	580	24
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	620	680	29
Saint Anselm College	551	556	23
Saint Louis University	585	595	26
Samford University	572	581	25
Santa Clara University	601	618	27
Sarah Lawrence College	660	590	27
Scripps College	666	641	28
Seattle University	562	561	26
Seton Hall University	539	548	25
Siena College	550	567	26
Simmons College	554	542	23
Simpson College	640	600	26
Skidmore College	630	620	27
Smith College	660	630	27
Southwestern University	621	615	26
Spelman College	549	524	22
St. Bonaventure University	523	531	22
St. John Fisher College	700	620	27
St. Lawrence University	570	570	24
St. Olaf College	639	635	27
Stephens College	566	513	24
Stetson University	566	557	24
SUNY at Binghamton	599	637	26
SUNY at Buffalo	566	589	29
SUNY College at Geneseo	619	626	27
Sweet Briar College	590	550	24
Texas A&M University, College Station	576	602	25
The College of Wooster	595	598	26
Evergreen State College	583	536	23
George Washington University	620	620	26
University of Texas, Austin	596	626	26

University of Tulsa	610	620	26
Trinity College (CT)	630	642	27
Trinity University	630	650	29
Truman State University	614	606	27
Tulane University	668	659	30
Tuskegee University	441	438	19
US Coast Guard Academy	620	640	27
US Merchant Marine Academy	600	610	27
US Military Academy	627	641	28
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa	547	546	23
University of Arizona	543	556	23
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville	576	587	25
University of California, Santa Barbara	570	602	25
University of California, Davis	598	637	28
University of California, Los Angeles	611	653	26
University of California, Riverside	504	553	21
University of California, San Diego	593	646	25
University of California, Santa Cruz	564	573	23
University of Colorado, Boulder	569	590	25
University of Dallas	620	600	27
University of Dayton	557	575	24
University of Denver	555	569	24
University of Idaho	549	559	23
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign	613	660	27
University of Maine, Augusta	539	547	23
University of Maryland, Baltimore	592	621	25
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor	622	661	28
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities	593	612	25
University of Montana, Missoula	550	540	22
University of Nebraska, Lincoln	570	589	24
University of Nevada, Las Vegas	501	514	21
University of New Mexico	572	540	22
University of New Orleans	553	535	21
University of North Carolina, Asheville	586	574	24
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	625	642	27
University of Notre Dame	665	685	31
University of Oklahoma	582	591	25
University of Pennsylvania	688	716	30
University of Pittsburgh	595	607	26
University of Puget Sound	631	622	27
University of Redlands	565	574	24
University of Rochester	665	687	30
University of San Diego	570	590	26
University of South Carolina, Columbia	555	569	24
University of Southern California	652	683	30
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	551	549	24
University of the Pacific	559	595	24
University of Vermont	568	574	24
University of Virginia	647	668	28
University of Wisconsin System, Madison	613	652	27
University of Wyoming	524	541	23
Valparaiso University	583	596	26
Villanova University	605	633	27
Wabash College	576	609	26
Wagner College	550	560	26
Warren Wilson College	579	544	24
Wellesley College	671	671	29
Wells College	580	550	25
Wesley College	574	562	25
Wesleyan University	700	690	29
West Virginia University	514	528	23
Westminster College (PA)	544	543	24
Wheaton College (IL)	661	658	28
Wheaton College (MA)	630	610	27
Whitman College	659	655	28
Whittier College	547	539	23
Willamette University	620	610	27
William Jewell College	580	560	24
Williams College	701	694	30
Wittenberg University	576	582	26
Wofford College	612	624	25
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	620	660	29

How to read SAT scores

Ryan Krug — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:42:00 GMT

SAT scores range from a low of 600 to a high of 2400. Of the million or so students that take the test every year only about 20 receive perfect scores, and schools, including the very best, don't expect you to be perfect.

There are three sections to the SAT – Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. The lowest score you can get on each section is 200, and the maximum score for each section is 800. First, the test grader will calculate your raw scores for the math and reading sections. You’re given one point for each correct answer and a quarter of a point is subtracted for each incorrect answer. No points are deducted for questions you don’t answer.

The writing section is, of course, scored a bit differently. Each essay is read by two readers, who score the essay on a scale of 1 to 6 (with 6 being the highest), which gives you a number between 2 and 12. If the two readers’ scores differ by more than one point, a third reader scores the essay as well, but the final score you’ll receive will be between 2 and 12. This score accounts for 30% of your total writing section score, with the other 70% of the score coming from writing-related multiple choice questions.

Once each section has a raw score, these scores are converted into scaled scores. This process converts your raw score into a score out of a perfect possible 800 points. The conversion from test to test changes slightly depending on the performance of that test's test takers.

In 2009, the average SAT scores for students were 515 for Math, 501 for Critical Reading, and 493 for Writing. Once you receive your SAT scores, you’ll be able to see where your weaknesses are. That way, if you chose to retake the test, you can focus on problem sections. Many colleges allow you to submit your best section scores, even if they come from different tests, so if you have extremely high scores in some sections, you don’t have to worry that by taking the test again, you’ll lose those high scores.

Still need to take the SAT? Here are national test dates!

Check out our blog titled "What SAT score do I need to get into college?" to determine if your score is good enough for the schools you are interested in.

Where can I retrieve my SAT scores?

Ryan Krug — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:29:00 GMT

All SAT scores are available at www.collegeboard.org, usually about three weeks after your test date. Additionally, your full score report will be mailed to you usually about 6 weeks after your test date. In order to retrieve your scores online you will need your login and password that you used to sign up for the SAT.

Your official score report will be provided to you and your high school, if you included the code, about five weeks after the test. Students who register online and wish to receive a paper score report by mail in addition to the online score report must request it when they register. Students who register by mail and who do not have active College Board online accounts will continue to receive paper score reports.

Hope this helps!

Ryan

What SAT score do I need to get into college?

Ryan Krug — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:15:00 GMT

In order to understand what SAT score you will need to get into college, you need to consider what schools you would like to apply to. Below is a list of over 300 schools and their corresponding Average SAT and ACT scores. If you don't see the school you are interested in, make sure and go to their admissions' website and look it up. Also, SAT and ACT scores will keep you out of a school, but they won't get you in. Just because you have scores above a school's average scores is no reason to assume you will get in. The quality and uniqueness of your application, including your essays, recommendations, and high school grades and activities will be the main reasons why a school decides to admit you.

College	Math SAT	Verbal SAT	ACT
Agnes Scott College	620	590	26
Albertson College of Idaho	571	563	24
Albion College	562	582	25
Allegheny College	598	600	25
American University	613	600	27
Amherst College	710	707	30
Arizona State University	538	551	23
Auburn University	547	563	24
Austin College	614	613	25
Barnard College	660	670	29
Bellarmine University	576	576	24
Beloit College	640	610	27
Birmingham-Southern College	598	588	26
Boston University	634	647	28
Bradley University	597	610	25
Brigham Young University (UT)	N/A	N/A	27
Brown University	690	700	29
Bryant College	522	557	22
Bryn Mawr College	672	638	28
California Polytechnic State University	594	639	28
Calvin College	584	595	26
Carnegie Mellon University	646	716	29
Catawba College	488	494	20
Centre College	612	603	27
Claremont McKenna College	690	700	30
Clark University	589	586	25
Clemson University	587	618	26
Coe College	577	572	25
Colby College	660	670	28
Colgate University	652	665	29
College of Charleston	595	590	24
College of Saint Benedict	585	605	25
College of the Atlantic	624	586	28
College of William and Mary	669	666	29
Colorado College	622	625	27
Colorado School of Mines	590	650	28
Connecticut College	660	650	27
Cornell College	599	590	26
Cornell University	667	700	27
Creighton University	590	599	26
Dartmouth College	702	713	31
Davidson College	659	656	28
Denison University	602	615	26
DePaul University	556	551	23
DePauw University	610	620	27
Dickinson College	623	612	27
Duquesne University	545	545	24
Earlham College	620	590	26
Eckerd College	564	564	25
Elon College	567	578	25
Emerson College	619	584	27
Eugene Lang College	610	570	27
Fairfield University	585	610	28
Fisk University	492	484	19
Flagler College	571	551	24
Florida State University	569	577	24
Fordham University	606	606	26
Gonzaga University	578	593	26
Goucher College	605	575	26
Grinnell College	682	670	30
Grove City College	633	639	28
Guilford College	570	550	25
Gustavus Adolphus College	610	620	26
Hampden-Sydney College	561	562	22
Hampton University	526	516	20
Hanover College	559	576	24
Hendrix College	630	610	27
Hiram College	573	566	24
Hofstra University	559	570	25
Hollins College	595	550	24
Illinois Institute of Technology	602	681	28
Illinois Wesleyan University	635	625	28
Indiana University-Bloomington	543	556	24
Iowa State University	590	620	24
Johns Hopkins University	671	703	29
Kalamazoo College	631	630	28
Kenyon College	681	661	30
Lafayette College	620	665	28
Lake Forest College	570	573	25
Lawrence University	620	625	27
Loyola University	629	605	27
Loyola University Chicago	574	574	25
Macalester College	690	670	29
Manhattanville College	530	530	24
Marist College	506	565	24
Marquette University	560	590	25
Mary Washington College	613	595	27
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	712	757	31
Mercer University	578	580	25
Miami University of Ohio	590	610	26
Michigan State University	552	579	24
Michigan Technological University	570	624	25
Middlebury College	710	700	30
Millsaps College	590	590	25
Montana Tech of the Univ. of Montana	530	539	22
Morehouse College	530	550	23
Mount Holyoke College	651	627	28
New College of Florida	693	637	27
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology	596	612	26
New York University	672	666	29
North Carolina State University	578	615	25
Northeastern University	565	588	24
Northwestern University	675	703	30
Oberlin College	691	659	30
Occidental College	630	630	27
Oglethorpe University	617	603	26
Ohio Northern University	560	590	25
Ohio State University, Columbus	575	594	25
Ohio University	540	550	23
Ohio Wesleyan University	602	608	27
Pepperdine University	612	628	26
Pitzer College	624	610	25
Pomona College	730	720	32
Providence College	587	596	25
Purdue University	555	595	26
Randolph-Macon College	592	564	25
Reed College	667	704	30
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	626	684	26
Rhodes College	644	640	28
Ripon College	599	602	24
Rollins College	576	580	24
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	620	680	29
Saint Anselm College	551	556	23
Saint Louis University	585	595	26
Samford University	572	581	25
Santa Clara University	601	618	27
Sarah Lawrence College	660	590	27
Scripps College	666	641	28
Seattle University	562	561	26
Seton Hall University	539	548	25
Siena College	550	567	26
Simmons College	554	542	23
Simpson College	640	600	26
Skidmore College	630	620	27
Smith College	660	630	27
Southwestern University	621	615	26
Spelman College	549	524	22
St. Bonaventure University	523	531	22
St. John Fisher College	700	620	27
St. Lawrence University	570	570	24
St. Olaf College	639	635	27
Stephens College	566	513	24
Stetson University	566	557	24
SUNY at Binghamton	599	637	26
SUNY at Buffalo	566	589	29
SUNY College at Geneseo	619	626	27
Sweet Briar College	590	550	24
Texas A&M University, College Station	576	602	25
The College of Wooster	595	598	26
Evergreen State College	583	536	23
George Washington University	620	620	26
University of Texas, Austin	596	626	26

University of Tulsa	610	620	26
Trinity College (CT)	630	642	27
Trinity University	630	650	29
Truman State University	614	606	27
Tulane University	668	659	30
Tuskegee University	441	438	19
US Coast Guard Academy	620	640	27
US Merchant Marine Academy	600	610	27
US Military Academy	627	641	28
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa	547	546	23
University of Arizona	543	556	23
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville	576	587	25
University of California, Santa Barbara	570	602	25
University of California, Davis	598	637	28
University of California, Los Angeles	611	653	26
University of California, Riverside	504	553	21
University of California, San Diego	593	646	25
University of California, Santa Cruz	564	573	23
University of Colorado, Boulder	569	590	25
University of Dallas	620	600	27
University of Dayton	557	575	24
University of Denver	555	569	24
University of Idaho	549	559	23
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign	613	660	27
University of Maine, Augusta	539	547	23
University of Maryland, Baltimore	592	621	25
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor	622	661	28
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities	593	612	25
University of Montana, Missoula	550	540	22
University of Nebraska, Lincoln	570	589	24
University of Nevada, Las Vegas	501	514	21
University of New Mexico	572	540	22
University of New Orleans	553	535	21
University of North Carolina, Asheville	586	574	24
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	625	642	27
University of Notre Dame	665	685	31
University of Oklahoma	582	591	25
University of Pennsylvania	688	716	30
University of Pittsburgh	595	607	26
University of Puget Sound	631	622	27
University of Redlands	565	574	24
University of Rochester	665	687	30
University of San Diego	570	590	26
University of South Carolina, Columbia	555	569	24
University of Southern California	652	683	30
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	551	549	24
University of the Pacific	559	595	24
University of Vermont	568	574	24
University of Virginia	647	668	28
University of Wisconsin System, Madison	613	652	27
University of Wyoming	524	541	23
Valparaiso University	583	596	26
Villanova University	605	633	27
Wabash College	576	609	26
Wagner College	550	560	26
Warren Wilson College	579	544	24
Wellesley College	671	671	29
Wells College	580	550	25
Wesley College	574	562	25
Wesleyan University	700	690	29
West Virginia University	514	528	23
Westminster College (PA)	544	543	24
Wheaton College (IL)	661	658	28
Wheaton College (MA)	630	610	27
Whitman College	659	655	28
Whittier College	547	539	23
Willamette University	620	610	27
William Jewell College	580	560	24
Williams College	701	694	30
Wittenberg University	576	582	26
Wofford College	612	624	25
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	620	660	29

What is the average SAT Score?

Ryan Krug — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:55:00 GMT

The SAT was designed so that the 50% of students score would above a 500 on each section. Thus, an average score is typically 500 verbal, 500 Math, and 500 Writing (1500 overall). Below is a percentile breakdown for the 2006 SAT, and you can see that the 48 percentile is right at a 1500. While it is tempting to look at the percentiles, make sure and check out the scores that the schools you are interested require. This is the only real indicator of the scores you will need, and should be aiming for.

Percentile	Score, 1600 Scale (official, 2006)^{[citation needed]}	Score, 2400 Scale (official, 2006)
99.93/99.98*	1600	2400
99+	≥1540	≥2290
99	≥1480	≥2200
98	≥1450	≥2140
97	≥1420	≥2100
88	≥1380	≥1900
81	≥1280	≥1800
78	≥1200	≥1770
72	≥1150	≥1700
61	≥1090	≥1600
48	≥1010	≥1500
36	≥950	≥1400
15	≥810	≥1200
4	≥670	≥990
1	≥520	≥790
* The percentile of the perfect score was 99.98 on the 2400 scale and 99.93 on the 1600 scale.

SAT versus ACT

Ryan Krug — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:46:00 GMT

People often ask what the differences are between the ACT and the SAT, and so I wanted to throw out a few of the most important ones.

The SAT, which you can sign up for at www.collegeboard.com, is scored out of 2400 with a possible 800 points coming from Critical Reading, Math and Writing.

The ACT, which you can sign up for on www.actstudent.org, is scored out of 36 with a possible 36 in English, Math, Reading and Science.

TIME

While the two tests have different formats, they do test many of the same concepts. The main difference is TIME. The ACT derives the majority of its difficulty by giving you a lot of questions in a short amount of time, while the SAT derives the majority of its difficulty by placing hard questions near the end of sections.

GUESSING

Another major difference between the SAT and the ACT is that the ACT doesn't have a guessing penalty. While it is advantageous to guess intelligently on the SAT, it is critical that you NEVER leave any questions blank on the ACT.

MATH

The SAT math section only covers arithmetic, algebra and geometry while the ACT math section covers everything on the SAT plus Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. The SAT is less time intensive but has more difficult word problems.

READING

The SAT critical reading section includes sentence completions and reading passages, while the ACT only has reading passages. The SAT places a HUGE emphasis on vocabulary while the ACT reading section is more time intensive.

WRITING

The SAT writing section is made up of three types of questions: sentence corrections, Error IDs, and Errors in Context. The ACT is made up solely of Errors in Context questions. Both tests cover the 15 grammar rules presented on mindfish.com, but the ACT places ENORMOUS importance on punctuation and context based corrections.

ESSAY

Both tests have essays, but the SAT essay questions are usually about broad ideals such as "is conscience more powerful than money power or fame." The ACT essay questions are usually about specific high school policies like "should schools ban cell phones." The SAT essay must be completed in 25 minutes while the ACT essay affords students 30 minutes to complete it.

SCIENCE

Unlike the SAT, the ACT includes a science section that is nothing more than a reading section with charts and graphs. In order to succeed on the ACT science section, students have to manage their time well and finish all seven sections.

Best of Luck and please feel free to respond with any specific questions,

Ryan

What is a good SAT score?

Ryan Krug — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:36:00 GMT

What is a good SAT score? It all depends on the schools you want to be admitted to. Below is a list of SAT scores for some of the nations top schools. If you don't see the school you are interested, go to the schools homepage and then check the admissions section of the site for the school's SAT score ranges.

SAT ACT Conversion

Ryan Krug — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:14:00 GMT

Here is a conversion table to convert your SAT scores into an ACT scores or vice versa.

How to choose the right college.

Ryan Krug — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:57:00 GMT

Our friends over at myUsearch.com have come up with another great blog about important issues students often forget to consider when they select their colleges. The cash flow consideration is one that haunted many of my friends at Stanford. Just because you have scholarships to pay for classes and room and board, doesn't mean you will have money for books ($$$), food and entertainment. Make sure to talk to your school about on campus work opportunities and don't think that you can enjoy living on ramen and PBJs (it only works for a few weeks).

Check out the blog at http://myusearchblog.com/your-college-choice-five-issues-youll-forget-to-consider

Good luck,

Ryan

Scholarship Deadlines and Amounts

Ryan Krug — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:07:00 GMT

Scholarship Name	Deadline	Amount	Eligibility
Siemens Competition	10/1/2012	$100,000	All H.S. Students
Faith & Development Essay Competition	10/15/2012	$5,000	All Students (H.S. and College)
Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans	10/30/2012	$2,500	H.S. Senior with financial need
Coca-Cola Scholars Program	10/31/2012	$20,000	H.S. Seniors
Standout Student Scholarship	10/31/2012	$500	H.S. Students
Bennington Youth Writers Award	11/1/2012	$5,000	10th, 11th, 12th H.S. students with outstanding writing achievements
National Komen College Scholarship Award	11/1/2012	$10,000	Loss of a parent or guardian to * cancer or having survived a * cancer diagnosis at 25 years of age or younger.
Prudential Spirit Award	11/1/2012	$5,000	Any H.S. student, award based on community service
Sphinx Competition	11/10/2012	$10,000	African American or Latino who plays the violin, viola, cello, etc.
First Freedom Student Competition	11/15/2012	$2,500	All H.S. students
BOTAR President's Scholarship	12/1/2012	$2,500	H.S. Senior who has volunteered >15 hours at American Royal events
FRA Americanism Essay Contest	12/1/2012	$10,000	All H.S. students
NRA Defense Fund	12/1/2012	$1,000	All H.S. students
Big Dig Scholarship	12/3/2012	$3,000	All H.S. students
Principal's Leadership Award	12/3/2012	$12,000	H.S. Senior
Cross Lites Scholarship Contest	12/15/2012	$2,000	All H.S. students
Healthy Respect Win-Win Scholarship	12/30/2012	$25,000	All H.S. students
All-Ink College Scholarship Program	12/31/2012	$5,000	All H.S. students
Your Local Security Scholarship	6/30/2012	$1,000+	Student Bloggers

Inside Tips for College Admissions

Ryan Krug — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:29:00 GMT

I recently came across an interesting article with some inside tips for college admissions: http://bit.ly/cJabvI

The article provides the following sound advice about the ESSAY.

"What is [the admission's official] looking for? Personal impact. If you're writing about someone who inspired you, make sure you write about exactly how that inspiration has changed your life or how you're a different person. Give examples of how that inspiration has changed you. Lecanda says, "We're admitting you, not the inspirational person, so make sure you write about yourself. Mike Sexton, SCU VP of Enrollment Management, says, "Too often they think the essay is a summary of their life and a 17 year old life is not exactly a novel yet." Better to choose something specific or a moment that affected you. "If they've traveled, we don't want travel log; we want to hear about the afternoon they sat with student in Nicaragua and talked politics or justice." Sexton says writing is critical, and students who write well stand a much better chance of being accepted. "All of our faculty want students who can write, whether you're studying engineering or business or English."

Good luck with your essays!

"Demonstrated interest" is becoming more important in college admissions

Ryan Krug — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:51:00 GMT

While students can’t go back and change their grades or test scores there is a very powerful element of the college admissions process called “demonstrated interest” that they can leverage. Demonstrated interest can be achieved by attending an information session on campus or sending a thank you letter after an admissions interview. While the importance of demonstrated interested varies between schools, recent trends show that it is becoming an increasingly important part of the college application process.

A report put out by the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that the percentage of colleges rating demonstrated interest as a “considerably important factor” increased from 7 percent to 21 percent from 2003 to 2006. It’s held steady at about 20 percent since that time. In 2008, the last year data were available, that 20 percent made demonstrated interest more important than class rank and the interview.

Schools want students who show a genuine interest in them. Admissions officials know that students apply to several schools and they like to admit students that want to attend their respective schools. For many of these schools demonstrated interest can separate the pretenders from the contenders.

Unfortunately, many of the most selective schools in the country have extraordinary high yields (the percentage of admitted students that attend the college) and as a result don’t value demonstrated interest as much. However, I have witnessed demonstrated interest working at one of the most selective schools in the country. The student was interested in chemistry and so he contacted a professor who taught an interesting chemistry course. The student was able to meet the professor and after the meeting the professor offered the student a summer internship as well as a potential letter of recommendation. Needless to say, the student was accepted into this elite institution and was able to have an amazing summer experience working in a college level chemistry lab.

Get creative and reach out to professors at the schools you want to attend. It can only help you in your quest to find the right college and might even give you a leg up on admissions.