1. High Schoolers Guide To The Future Written by &

2. Table of Contents 1 Introduction About Magoosh 3 About CollegeXpress 5 What is this eBook? 7 Freshman Year Find the right extracurriculars 8 The Importance of Extracurricular Activities in the Admission Process 9 Develop Key Life Skills 11 Organization (The Step by Step Guide) 11 Six Surprising Myths About Succeeding in School 15 Make the most of your summers 18 High Schoolers Guide to Spending Your Summer Wisely 18 Sophomore Year Optimize Your Study Habits 23 Interesting = Studying 24 How to Study Online Without Getting Distracted 26 Creating a Productive Group Study Session 29 Learn How to Manage Stress 33 Twenty Ways to Destroy Stress for the Stress-Destroyed 33 Take AP Classes 38 Should I take AP courses? 38 AP Test Insider Tips 40 Take Standardized Tests, part 1 41 PSAT vs. SAT 41 SAT Subject Tests Sophomore Year! 44 Questions or feedback? Comment here.

3. Table of Contents 2 Junior Year Ease into College Admissions 46 Making That College List 47 Top 10 Campus Visit Tips 50 Take Standardized Tests, Part 2 53 ACT vs SAT 53 How to Study for Both the SAT (and ACT!) and Your AP Tests 56 Educate your parents 59 What should I do if my parents and I disagree about my college choices? 59 SAT Information for Parents 61 Senior Year Apply to College 64 Top 10 Admission Mistakes 64 Common Mistakes that Will Kill Your College Essay 69 Checklists and Soul Searches: Finding the Right School for You 73 Get Money for College 79 The Ultimate Financial Aid Handbook 79 Appendix International Students 85 Preparing for the SAT as a Non-Native English Speaker 85 Educational Opportunities in the United States 88 International Students Application Process 94 Transitioning to College 98 10 Tips on How to Survive (and Thrive) Your First Year of College 98 Tackling the Transition 100 5 Things I Shouldve Done Differently in College 105 Free Resources 108 Questions or feedback? Comment here.

4. Introduction 3 Introduction About Magoosh: Magoosh is an online SAT prep course that offers: Material created by expert tutors who have in-depth knowledge of the SAT 140+ unique lessons on all SAT subjects 700+ Math & Verbal practice questions with video explanations after each question Free vocabulary flashcards online and through our Android and iPhone mobile apps Access anytime, anywhere from an internet-connected device 150-point score improvement guarantee Email support from experienced SAT tutors Customizable practice sessions and quizzes Personalized statistics based on performance The Magoosh Yearbook: Questions or feedback? Comment here.

5. Introduction 4 What students say about Magoosh It has given me great preparation for hard questions on the SAT. Its an amazing way to practice hard questions that you rarely find, and the answer explanations are amazing. Unlike others out there, Magoosh has all the helpful, easy-to-comprehend video les-sons. It helps a lot just by watching them. I used the product to prepare me for taking the SAT and even though I had taken it before, I was still very much informed on many things I did not know about the test. Featured in: Questions or feedback? Comment here.

6. Introduction 5 About CollegeXpress: CollegeXpress is a comprehensive college and scholarship search sitea one-stop-shop for all things college admission. We know what college is all aboutacademics, personal growth, professional opportunities, and funbecause weve been there. When we built CollegeXpress, we kept all of that in mind, creating the kind of site we wish we had when we were looking for schools. And best of all, its free to use! CollegeXpress was created by the team at Carnegie Communications, an educational publisher. Every year, thousands of students across the United States and around the world discover their colleges using our magazines and websites. Nothing makes us happier than when that happens. Weve been in the education business for many years, and CollegeXpress was first launched in 1995. Yet, even though weve been around a long time, many of the brains behind CollegeXpress are recent grads. So you get the experience of an established company with the perspective of people just like you. We also incorporate as much user feedback as possible, so the site has all the information you need. Our college and scholarship data comes from Wintergreen Orchard House (a subdi-vision of Carnegie Communications), a major database compiler of college, graduate, and scholarship data. College experts, like deans of admission or financial aid, or college counselors, write many of our articles and blog posts. And our own experienced editorial team contrib-utes to the site as well: Questions or feedback? Comment here.

7. Introduction 6 Jessica Tomer Editor-in-Chief, Carnegie Communications Stephanie Farah Writer and Senior Editor at Wintergreen Orchard House, Col-legeXpress Blogger Megan Gibbs Senior Editor and Marketing Manager at Wintergreen Orchard House, CollegeXpress Blogger Claire Carter Editorial Assistant, Carnegie Communications Were constantly working to make CollegeXpress the best college resource out there, and if you have any feedback or questions, wed love to hear from you via e-mail Facebook, or Twitter! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

8. Introduction 7 What is this eBook? Applying to college is no easy feat these days. Its overwhelming to know where to start or how to find the resources youll need to succeed. So CollegeXpress and Ma-goosh teamed up to provide you with an ultimate guide to applying for college. Its structured as a timeline, guiding you through what you should be thinking about each year that youre in high school. Its packed with information (and its pretty too!) so that youll have a handy-dandy resource to turn to whenever you feel stuck or have ques-tions throughout the process. So without further ado, CollegeXpress and Magoosh present you: The Ultimate Guide to Applying for College! We hope you enjoy it. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

9. Freshman Year 8 Freshman Year Find the right extracurriculars How do you decide which extracurriculars to pursue? Why does this matter to college admissions officers? And why should you start during your freshman year? If youre wondering any of these questions, read on for answers! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

10. Freshman Year 9 The Importance of Extracurricular Activities in the Admission Process When it comes to extracurricular activities, student involvement is all over the map. Some students are involved in very few; others have so many that college admissions officers cant help but wonder how they find time to sleep! But in general and in the context of the college search process, prospective applicants develop assorted inter-ests, and colleges want to hear about them. Why? Well, its one more way to get to know the student better. In addition, once admission officers establish that a student can thrive academically at their school, they immediately look to determine how that student can contribute to the college campus environment. What will the student do to enrich the lives of the other students? Obviously, if an admission officer asked prospective students whether they intended to participate in campus activities, almost everyone would reply, Of course! Thus, the admission staff will not ask you; rather they will try to assess how active and pas-sionate you are about your high school activities and then make a judgment as to whether you will be continuing your interests at the college level. So, what exactly are colleges looking for from your extracurriculars? Heres what you need to know: 1. Theres no specific activity that will assure your admission to a particular college. There is no way to predict when you are younger that a specific college will need a gymnast, a tenor, a diver, or a table tennis player in the future year that you will be applying. Therefore, you should pursue your passion. When students choose something they really and truly love, they come up with creative ideas and often excel to a degree they wouldnt have if pursuing an activity theyre just doing to beef up their application. 2. Colleges today arent necessarily looking for a well-rounded student; they want a Questions or feedback? Comment here.

11. Freshman Year 10 well-rounded class. So you can be a specialist, an accomplished expert, without feeling that you also need to join nine clubs, volunteer 35 hours a week, and work part-time at the local Starbucks. 3. Speaking of clubs, no applicants are fooling admission counselors with that join six clubs junior year strategy in order to fill up the common app activity section counselors know whats up! Thats why you need to start this early on in your freshman year. If you participate in a club, become a leader who actually does something. If youre the club President, be prepared to speak/write about things that you changed and accomplished that have never been done before. If you dont hold an official leadership position, then organize an event, raise money for a charity. Make a difference! 4. Depth over breadth! Colleges will look for how you progressed in the activity, and they will evaluate your level of passion and commitment. If you play tennis for your high school team, do you also take lessons out-of-season, teach skills to younger children and referee tennis tournaments? If you are conducting cancer research, have you shown a progression in your work over the years? 5. Hobbies count! Whether youve visited every baseball stadium in America or rode every roller coaster on the East Coast or sampled every cupcake bakery in the Midwest or attended auto shows throughout the county or performed magic at childrens birthday parties, let admission officers know! These are interesting and important details about what makes you tick, and such atypical extracurricular activities will showcase a unique aspect of your personality. 6. Some students use the summer to more thoroughly pursue their interests. Take some time to relax in the summer, but make sure that you spend part of your va-cation being productive. Do something that really interests youas long as its not watching hours of television! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

12. Freshman Year 11 Develop Key Life Skills In this chapter, were talking about the necessary skills that will lead to your thriving in high school and success in the college admissions process. So dont neglect this step! Start working on these skills now. Organization (The Step by Step Guide) Soorganization. Repeated more often by teachers, mentors, and parents as the key to the universe, and the great mystery (or dreaded arch nemesis) of many a high school student. But what is organization? At least in my personal AP Student-ese dictionary, organization is the effort to put your thoughts and physical homework and classwork into a comprehensible order. Be it a triple-layered color-coded sticky note system, or a simple iPhone app; organization is whatever keeps your stuff in an under-standable format thats easy to access, and easy to understand. Whether youre fluent in the magical arts of organization and are just looking for some extra tips, or youre a student who is only reading this because your mom emailed it to you in a last-ditch effort to get you to finally--FINALLY--organize the mess of loose papers in your backpack, this post hopefully has some useful tips and explanations that will help you keep everything straight. Organizing Classwork & Homework The easiest (and most fundamental) place to start organizing is with the physical pa-pers you deal with on a day-to-day basis. From the assignment papers you get in class to the math homework you always manage to lose the moment you put it in your backpack, there are common steps you can take to keep these papers in order: Binders & Notebooks: A classic! You can use a binder with a divider for every class, or even a separate binder for every class. You can also use a spiral bound notebook for note-heavy classes (math and language classes, for starters), and Questions or feedback? Comment here.

13. Freshman Year 12 thatll keep your notes chronological and avoid the binder problem of losing a loose sheet of paper. Folders: Maybe you have an addiction to kawaii Japanese school supplies, and individual folders are more your style. Great! Use those tools to keep your papers organized. But, I would not suggest this for someone who particularly struggles with organization because folders require that you only keep the bare minimum with you, since you dont want to be spending excessive amounts of time search-ing through loose sheets of paper. Computer folders: It might sound simple, but this is actually a fairly complicated task. If you take notes on your computer, it can be difficult to keep track of word docs, emailed drafts, Google drive, and whatever is on that flash drive youve kept in your backpack for years but never use. The best advice I can give to keep your cyberspace in order is to keep detailed folders (i.e. a Class Notes folder within your AP Biology folder) and to always put draft numbers in file titles. Also remem-ber that Google Drive has folder options, and it can be wonderful to keep important documents backed up there in case of a crash. Organizing Assignments The next important step in learning the dark arts of organization is keeping care-ful track of assignments or things you need to do. Many only do this for homework (which is a wonderful place to start), but if you find yourself struggling to remember everything outside of school you need to do, its a good idea to start writing that stuff down too. Tasks for extracurriculars, chores, college applications, and/or a part time job are numerous and confusing if you try to remember them all at once. As with schoolwork, you have several common options for how to organize your school and general to-do lists: Paper agenda: The best thing about an agenda is that you get to physically write down and check off tasks. If youre a kinesthetic learner, this might be a good op-tion for you because it will be easier for you to remember when youve done some-thing (because you went through the motion of crossing it out). Smartphone apps: What I love about smartphone app organization is that you Questions or feedback? Comment here.

14. Freshman Year 13 always have them around, and wont forget your lists places. If you have a habit of losing things, this would be a great option for you because most to-do apps also connect to a website that you can access from any computer (in the awful situation that you lose your phone). Additionally, they are great for setting timed reminders that will beep at you when its time to do something. The only drawback is that at times when youre entering your homework into your phone, teachers will assume that youre texting. But dont worry; just assure them know youre actually being a good student and doing the right thing, and problem solved! My favorite apps are: Reminders for the iPhone (check out this link on how to best use it) myHomework (keeps track of class times for you) Wunderlist (great for sharing to-do lists and deadlines on group projects) Cozi (for family tasks) Organizing Thoughts The final step in the full sweep of get-your-life-together organization is note taking. Because chances are, if your homework is disorganized, so are your notes. But youre in luck! Just like the rest of these tips, organized note taking is something everyone can be good at with effort and practice. Here are the most common note-taking styles with comments on each: Cornell Notes: I would say this is the most common and the most versatile way of taking notes. If youve never encountered it before, its essentially a giant T on your page where the smaller left side is reserved for key terms and concepts, and the right side is the bulk of your notes. I find this style works well for term-heavy topics like biology, history, or even certain sections of English classes like rhetorical de-vices, but is poor for classes like math and chemistry where notes are dominated by long problems. It also includes a summary at the end of a topic to remind you of the most important parts. Outline/bullet points. This style is the most hierarchic, and makes it clear when one concept is part of another, or builds upon one another. Its good for subjects with clear classifications and sub-topics (like psychology or biology) but poor for Questions or feedback? Comment here.

15. Freshman Year 14 topics with many key terms, or with many sample problems. This is also the easiest format to type notes in. Concept maps/drawings. I find that beyond necessary diagrams of physical pro-cess (like the parts of a cell in bio), drawings are usually a study tool more than a note-taking style. Its difficult to keep up in lecture when youre busy drawing a complex diagram. But as with anything, if it works for you, then keep doing it, as long as it doesnt hold you back from absorbing more information. Takeaway Organization is a process of trial and error in efforts to find what works for you. There are a lot of tips here, but ultimately you need to find your system and stick to it. If youre at a total loss, just pick one strategy from each of the categories and try to train yourself to constantly keep at it. Maybe you wont be a perfectly organized person every moment of every day, but at least once a week you should sit down, go through everything, and make sure you have what you need for the coming week. This weekly process can be a real stress reliever (psychologically proven), and help you be positive about the work to come (not psychologically proven, but my personal philosophy!) Questions or feedback? Comment here.

16. Freshman Year 15 Six Surprising Myths About Succeeding in School By the time you reach high school, chances are youve got some pretty entrenched study habits. Maybe theyre things your parents or teachers told you, maybe you picked them up from other students, maybe you just grew into them. But have you ever wondered if there was a better way? Many commonly held beliefs about learn-ing and success have been dispelled by recent research, but much of it has failed to make a dent in students everyday lives. Here are six surprising myths that may forev-er change the way you study. Myth #1: You should have a designated area for studying. Reality: A change of scenery stimulates the mind. When you have a test to study for, do you lock yourself in your room for hours? Spend so much time in the library that they start charging you rent? While you may think that staying in a single location helps you focus, youre actually better off switching up where you study. In an experiment led by cognitive psychologist Robert Bjork, college students who reviewed vocabulary in two different rooms recalled 20% more words than a group studying the same list in a single location. What we think is happening here, says Dr. Bjork, is that, when the outside context is varied, the information is enriched, and this slows down forgetting. So instead of staking out one study spot, opt for the life of a wandering scholar. Alternate between your room, the library, an empty classroom, a park, and so onas long as its a place without too many distrac-tions! Myth #2: Surfing the Web for cute kitties is bad for your grades. Reality: Cuteness can help you concentrate (up to a point). You may think youre just wasting time when you watch a video of a panda cub sneez-ing, otters holding hands, or cats having a conversation. But according to a 2012 Japanese study, looking at cute thingsin particular, baby animalsactually improves fine motor skills and perceptual carefulness. Researchers think that exposure to im-ages of adorable, helpless little creatures naturally makes people more attentive and Questions or feedback? Comment here.

17. Freshman Year 16 focused, which is a good thing when youre sitting down to study. So go ahead and visit your squeal-inducing website of choice before cracking open your textbook. Just beware of getting sucked into the black hole of online cuteness; a few heart-melting images are all you need. Myth #3: Studying should be done in silence. Reality: Reading out loud can jumpstart your memory. In a 2010 study by the University of Waterloo in Ontario, researchers found that when it comes to studying, silence isnt golden. According to the experiment, people who read half a list of words silently and said the other half out loud recalled the spoken words 12%20% better than those read silently. However, subjects who vocalized the entire list remembered them no better than a group who reviewed the words without a peep. It seems that reading out loud gives your brain a boost only when its a distinc-tive event, not when you do it all the time. So save your breath for the stuff you really want to stick in your brain, things like important formulas, key terms, main ideas, and so on. And if youre studying in public and dont want to alarm the people around you, mouthing the words to yourself will work just as well. Myth #4: The more you multitask, the better you get at it. Reality: People who are chronic media multitaskers actually have lower levels of concentration than those who arent. You see them in schools around the country: students checking e-mail and Face-book on their laptops and sending texts on their iPhones, all while ostensibly paying attention in class. Perhaps these students, having been raised in a world of portable electronic devices and endless streams of data, are multitasking wunderkinds. Not so, according to a 2009 Stanford University study. As the experiments show, subjects who were heavy media multitaskers were worse at filtering out distractions, organiz-ing and storing information, and switching from one task to another than those who were not. Theyre suckers for irrelevancy, says Professor Clifford Nass. Everything distracts them. So whether youre in class or studying, limit the temptations of tech-nology by closing distracting websites, turning off your phone, disabling your Wi-Fi, or even installing apps that will block your access to the Web. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

18. Freshman Year 17 Myth #5: For best results when studying, read the material over and over again until you know it cold. Reality: Testing yourself is more effective than reading and re-reading. A lot of students think the best way to study is to read their textbook and notes as many times as possible before the exam. But the truth is, youll learn the material much fasterand retain it longerif you engage in a little Q&A. In a 2006 study by Washington University in St. Louis, students who were tested on a reading passage remembered over 60% of it one week later, while those who read it several times with-out being tested recalled only 40%. Similarly, researchers Mary Pyc and Katherine Rawson showed that students who actively recalled the meaning of foreign vocabu-lary words retained them better than those who merely studied them repeatedly. To get the most out of your study time, think of questions to ask yourself during your first read-through, and write down the answers when youre done. Have a friend quiz you on the material, and make use of the problem sets at the end of chapters. Myth #6: You have to be a perfectionist to be a top student. Reality: Perfectionism can hold you back from academic success. You may think top students are relentless perfectionists who would never accept any-thing less than an A, but in reality, accepting failure is an important part of the learning process. In a 1998 study, researchers Claudia Mueller and Carol Dweck showed how fifth-graders learned more and did better on tests when they felt it was okay to make mistakes. Similarly, in a 2012 French experiment, students who were told that expe-riencing difficulty is a normal part of learning demonstrated higher working memory capacity than those who didnt receive this pep talk. According to one of the research-ers, Frederique Autin, By being obsessed with success, students are afraid to fail, so they are reluctant to take difficult steps to master new material. Acknowledging that difficulty is a crucial part of learning could stop a vicious circle in which difficulty creates feelings of incompetence that in turn disrupts learning. To embrace your full academic potential, dont be afraid of failure. Instead, view your mistakes as a learning opportunity, take classes outside of your comfort zone, and remember that learning is hardbut totally worth it. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

19. Freshman Year 18 Make the most of your summers Schools out! In middle school, those words probably meant getting to watch all the T.V. and play all the video games you were forced to resist during the school year. But in high school, that needs to change. If youre going to make it to college you will need to invest ev-ery moment, including your summers, into building your college app resume. Heres how to make the most of those summer months! High Schoolers Guide to Spending Your Summer Wisely Oh, lord, you groan. Now, this bloggers gonna tell me to beshudderproductive this summer. I wish I could tell you that youre wrong ...But I cant. Summer is an awesome time to have fun, but its also a vital period for tons of programs and activities and volunteer gigs that your mind will positively explode. Its an essential time for any high schooler to do things that are (collective groan) productive. Still, though the word productive has connotations all on its own, spending your summer wisely can only help you in the end...and it can actually be pretty fun. Instead of vegetating for the next three months, try a few items on this list! This applies to in-coming sophomores, juniors and seniors. 1. Find an internship Now, many internships only accept applications months in advance, but there are still others who accept new interns on a rolling basis. If you have a good idea of your college major and future occupation, find a relevant internship and work Questions or feedback? Comment here.

20. Freshman Year 19 hard at it. Internship opportunities can be found through already established con-nections (familial or otherwise) or even by a quick internet search on websites like InternMatch or Internships. Theyre literally only a click away. 2. READ! Youve been told this since you encountered Hooked on Phonics in Kindergarten, but really...reading is so, so vital to successnot just in school, but in life. Man, that sounded cheesy. Reading will help keep your mind in tip-top shape, while also providing you with valuable information and resources for the next school year (and many more school years to come). Think of all the times youll need to cite reading material on the SAT, on AP exams, on in-class essays...Dont just stick to required reading. If you look at the books on this awesome reading list, for example, youll find tons of invigorating, stimulating material, which will not only keep you entertained, but also provide some worthwhile academic benefits. 3. Orientations and college visits Visit those colleges that youre looking to apply toespecially if youve just com-pleted junior year. Lots of juniors do this during winter and spring break, but sum-mer break offers even more time and even more opportunities to visit campuses near and far. This is a great way to really get a feel for the atmosphere of a college campus and its students. 4. Find a job It really isnt as scary as it sounds! Finding a job is an excellent way to prepare for your future. Not only will it help you gain valuable life experience, but who doesnt like some moola? Not to mention, its a great addition to your college appa great way to show that you are committed, responsible, and not just relying on your parents to keep your wallet filled. Its even better if you can find a job doing some-thing you enjoy or something relevant to your future career! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

21. Freshman Year 20 Jobs can range from small jobs at your local shopping mall or larger jobs for com-panies in a field youre interested in ...or maybe even an online job. Check out job listings on these websites, for exampleor ask around locally. 5. Volunteer! Volunteering is a great way to spend your summerespecially if you find a job you really love. This ties into #6, but try to find a volunteer opportunity that you really enjoymaybe even something that involves your passions and interests. VolunteerMatch is an excellent resource for finding local and virtual jobs according to your interests. 6. Work on a big project or something thats meaningful to you Stay busy! You dont necessarily have to go to some fancy camp to make your summer impressive. Set big goals for yourself, and reach for them. Climb a moun-tain. Organize a charity event. The point is to make use of your timebecause soon you wont have much of it. Particularly for those who have a huge passion or hobby, do what you like doing and do it a lot. If youre an artist, paint like its no ones business. Maybe even sell some of your work! Aim to be featured in a local art fair. If youre a programming enthusiast, code like theres no tomorrow. Maybe you can start a business or look for companies which need your talent. In short, know your passion and exploit it. Become very good at it. Colleges enjoy seeing extracurricular focus in applicants. 7. Take classes Take classes at a local college or university! This is a great opportunity to gain some experience to gain credits and learning experience in a real college environment. You can also take online classesa lot of which are completely free. Again, this Questions or feedback? Comment here.

22. Freshman Year 21 ties into #6. If you enjoy architecture, for example, there are plenty of free courses online on sites like edX. The same applies to countless other fields. Check out these other MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). There are hun-dreds of free online coursessome of which are associated with elite universities. You can also watch countless lectures from top universities on YouTube like Stan-ford or Yale. 8. Study! I know, I know. Not the funnest way to spend your summer. But this is a great opportunity to study for the SAT or ACT if you havent already. Its also a great time to study for any SAT subject tests that youre planning on taking later on in high school. Find a great online program or prep school, find a tutor, or buy a prep book and study on your own! 9. Start your college apps Ah, college apps! This has been mentioned in previous posts, but summer is the prime time to begin those wonderful little bundles of...terror. A great place to start is the Common App supplement essays. Start outlining ideas and writing your first drafts. Maybe even send some drafts over to family members for feedback. Check out the supplement essays for the colleges youre thinking of applying to-it is NEVER too early to start! The more you do now, the less youll have to worry about in the chaotic maelstrom that is first semester senior year. (And you thought second semester junior year was hard!) 10. Stay physically active Dont just work out your brain! Staying physically active has been scientifically proven to promote healthy brain activity andget thishappiness. Start healthy habits: go for a daily jog, have a nightly workout routine, take up a yoga class! Im not athletic isnt an excuse. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

23. Freshman Year 22 Lastly, here are some things to be wary of, when it comes to summer plans: 1. Prestigious summer programs Lots of students and parents become convinced that attending prestigious sum-mer programs at prestigious universities will secure them a spot in admissions. Although these programs will certainly provide an excellent experience, attending one just to add it to your college application is not a great idea. Many of them are expensive, but not necessarily selective. Itll prove to college admissions officers that your parents are wealthy enough to afford such programs, but it certainly wont guarantee you a spot. Enroll if you want a great experience and want to learn a lot...but dont do it just for the app! 2. Short service trips The same thing applies to service trips. A lot of people are convinced that going to Africa and building some houses for a few days will look great on their college app. They go on expensive service trips just to write about it in their essay. Dont do this! This will not help your college app. There are tons of students who do this, and admissions officers will not be impressedespecially if you volun-teered your time, not out of your own passion, but for the sake of a checkbox on your college app. Especially if you stay for a few days and leave. If youre passionate about helping people, go ahead. Do something worthwhile with it. Just dont think a short summer service trip will secure your chances. Takeaway And thats it! Spend your summer wisely. Dont get sucked into doing things just to add to your college app...and remember to have fun! Its summer! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

24. Sophomore Year 23 Sophomore Year Optimize Your Study Habits When you become a sophomore in high school, things get a little more real. Habits you ignored or thought you could push through now start to show their full effects in your schoolwork, extracurriculars, and maybe even your personal life. So instead of leaving those to fester and explode into full blown problems, tackle them as they ar-rive with these tips below. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

25. Sophomore Year 24 Interesting = Studying Okay, youre going to study for a pop quiz, final exam, or any-test-ever-because-your-life- is-studying. Obviously the first thing you do is all of your other homework. Then you walk the dog, maybe get some foodbasically anything except actually sitting down and studying. What can you do to combat this gut-wrenching resistance to studying? You make it interesting. This may sound overly optimistic, like Princess Unikitty saying nothing can ever be unhappy, but the best thing you can do to motivate yourself to study is to find what makes the subject interesting. This sounds confusing but lets go through an example. Say, youre in math class. Youre studying sine graphs, and youre bored out of your mind because youd much rather be out skateboarding, or listening to music, or going to the fair with your friends. So heres the cool part, sine graphs are actually involved in all of those ac-tivities. When you skate in a circular pool, youre skating in a sine pattern. The radio waves transmitting your favorite 9.33 tunes are sine waves that can be graphed. The Ferris wheel at the fair travels in a circular pattern, and the cars individual heights can be calculated over time with a sine graph. Suddenly, what youve been learning in school is all around you in real life. Its important to know, because it helps you un-derstand the physical world outside your textbooks. And when its important to know, youre more likely to put in more work to actually learn the subject (aka studying). Good teachers often know this simple little secret, and take time to make the informa-tion applicable to students lives. I once had an AP U.S. History teacher that made it a literal requirement on a project to be interesting. But even if you dont have a teacher like that, you can play a game with yourself to figure out what makes a certain subject interesting. Does Big Brother from 1984 remind you of your parents taking your phone away? Does Howard Gardeners Theory of Multiple Intelligences help you understand Questions or feedback? Comment here.

26. Sophomore Year 25 how to study? There is something interesting about every subject in school, otherwise they wouldnt teach it. So forget about the idea that school isnt cool, it is. It helps us understand the world around us. That isnt to say that you will find something interesting in every single school assign-ment. Believe me, the 50th algebra problem will bore anybody, and its hard to get past the 345th page of Fydor Dostoevskys Crime & Punishment, but finding interest-ing concepts will help you find your passion. Which is not only helpful when writing college essays (they pretty much all ask about your passions) but in life when youre trying to figure out what to do with it. Takeaway Finding interesting applications of what youre studying in class helps motivate you to want to learn it, thus interesting=studying. Accept when you cant make a topic inter-esting, but have conversations with other people when you can. It will make it easier to start studying, and (if youre an interpersonal learner) help you better understand the content. Besides, when you find things interesting, it makes you a more interesting person. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

27. Sophomore Year 26 How to Study Online Without Getting Distracted When you want to study for the SAT online, the internet becomes your best friend and your worst enemy. Yes, you have access to wonderful resources all in one place, from the comfort of your own home. But, oh the temptation to procrastinate!! You know what Im talking about. You go online to check Facebook for 2 minutes, and 30 minutes later youve delved deep into a friend of a friends pics from 3 years ago. A 20-minute break to watch a quick episode of something becomes a full-on Netflix binge. Dont even get me started on the black hole that is YouTube. Or Pinterest.Or Instagram. Realistically, this can happen whether youre studying for the ultimate end of year exam at school or your 5 point pop quiz. This procrastination is only half fun and its killing your study momentum. Stop this madness!! Ill help. SAT Studying Life Hacks Lets start with apps. I figure, if technology is the problem it might as well be the solu-tion too. SelfControl Price: Free Heres the deal: This app works for Mac, and allows you to block certain sites on your computer for a set period of time. For example, imagine that I commit to studying for the SAT online with Magoosh for 2 hours. I can set SelfControl to block Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, email, etc. for two hours. After I click Start, I cant access those sites no matter what. A word of warning: This app is harsh. Once youve activated it for a certain period of time, you cant deactivate it even by restarting your computer or deleting the ap-plication. (Harsh, but brilliant.) For a less-severe alternative, try Concentrate ($29). It has similar options, but you can unblock sites by restarting your computer. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

28. Sophomore Year 27 StayFocusd Price: Free Heres the deal: Like SelfControl, StayFocusd allows you to block distracting and addictive sites. The cool thing about it is that its a free chrome extension, and therefore can be used by both Mac and PC users. Just download Google Chrome! This extension allows you to pick how much time youre willing to spend on dis-tracting sites each day. You pick which sites are distracting you (it lets you get really specific), and once youve used up all your procrastination time, those sites become blocked for the rest of the day. I-Am-Studying Blocker Price: Free Heres the deal: This Chrome extension is not nearly as strict as the two apps mentioned before. Yes, you can block distracting sites, but I-Am-Studying allows you to snooze your study time and browse your blocked sites for 10 minutes every hour. The app collects data on your browsing habits and lets you know which sites you waste the most time on (*cough* Reddit *cough*). If youre not strong-willed, this is probably not the solution for you. Time-Management Strategies Lets step away from apps for a minute and talk about a solution that actually im-proves your study and time-management skills. The Pomodoro Technique Tools needed: One ordinary kitchen timer, a pen, paper. Heres the deal: This technique is all about time-management. The idea is to thoughtfully choose a task that you need to complete and then to break the time it takes you to complete this task into 25-minute intervals, called pomodori (the plural of pomodoro which means tomato in Italian). You set your kitchen timer for 25 minutes, and when the time is up, you take a short (3-5 minute) break. Keep a piece of paper handy and write an X every time you complete a pomodoro. Then, after four pomodori, take a longer break (15-30 minutes). Questions or feedback? Comment here.

29. Sophomore Year 28 The cool thing about this method is that you can keep yourself organized by plan-ning your study sessions, tracking and recording your progress, and prioritizing tasks using an estimation of how much effort (how many pomodori) they will take to complete. Also, you get to take breaks which allow your brain to process and retain information! Win-win. Takeaway Life is distracting. One second youre studying your heart out and the next youre sidetracked by the music youre listening to, TV, social media, a shiny object And these distractions are ruining your SAT practice. Be strong! Find a system that works for you. Maybe you combine the Pomodoro Tech-nique with an anti-distraction app, or maybe you just use your awesome willpower to stay away from addictive sites on the internet. Either way, commit to your technique and youll start to see your focus improve. (For more unexpected study techniques, check out our SAT Lifehacks Infographic!) Questions or feedback? Comment here.

30. Sophomore Year 29 Creating a Productive Group Study Session Weve all been there. You plan a group study session with your friends, and three hours later...you have done nothing. Well, except for exchanging some good gossip and googling pictures of cats, maybe. Group study sessions can be awesome study tools, but they can easily become just another hang-out with your friends. And though hanging out with friends is always a fun way to spend time, its not always ideal the day before a big test! Surprisingly, having a fun (yet productive) group study session is possible. Try follow-ing some of these tips the next time you study in a group. It might save you some stress. 1. Limit the size Although it might be tempting to invite all your friends to a study session, these are usually more effective when you limit the size. Huge study groups will move a lot slower and be a lot less effective. For a maximally effective session, try capping your group at five or six people. 2. Prepare! Its a lot harder to be productive when you have no plans as to where your study session is going. Before you start, establish what you want to cover and approxi-mately how long you want the session to take. If you set a time limit, itll force you to stay on track and not get distracted! Having a rough agenda is also useful. You should also make sure to meet at a good locationone without too many distractions! Some people work better in quiet locations, while others prefer some background noise. Decide amongst your group where to study! Cafs, class-rooms, and libraries are all great choices. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

31. Sophomore Year 30 3. Establish rules This may sound a bit unappealing, but it can really make your group session a lot more productive. You can forbid all phones during the session, for example. Or you can ban Internet for a couple hours. It may seem a little overbearing, but if everyone is willing to do it, itll make the session a lot more serious and a lot more productive. Its a lot harder to ask a friend a question if he or she is playing 2048! 4. Invite people wisely Though its always fun to study with close friends, keep in mind that you dont have to limit your session to just your friend group. Best friends dont always make the best study buddies. Perhaps consider inviting people who know the material welleven if they arent close friends! Youll not only learn a lot more, but you can form some strong friendships! After all, theres nothing more unifying than the uni-versal terror of desperate high school students. 5. Create a routine If you find that study sessions are really effective for you and your friends, try es-tablishing a routine. If your study sessions are scheduled periodicallyand arent just random eventstheyll be a lot more serious and productive. Not to mention, theyll improve over time as everyone becomes more used to each other and more familiar with what study tactics are most useful for the group. 6. Group activities There are lots of cool study strategies that you can only practice with other peo-ple. Study sessions are the perfect time to try these out! A few examples of activi-ties you can try include Quizzes! Test each other on your knowledge! You can hold verbal trivia, or you can make fake mini-tests for one another. Have each member of your study group write down a question on a piece of paper and pass each paper around until everyone has answered each one. When youre done, compare your an-swers! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

32. Sophomore Year 31 Teach each other: Communicating information orally is amazing for information retention. Teaching other people how to do a problem is mutually beneficial: the person being taught learns something new, and the teacher is forced to ex-plain and understand the material he or she is teaching. Each member of your study group can be in charge of teaching a certain topic that they understand well, for example. Its surprisingly fun and very effective. Rotate notes: Everyone takes notes differently, and many times, someone else will catch something in the teachers lecture that you didnt! A great way to review the material while possibly learning something new is to exchange notes with other members of your group. Review them together, and look for material that you havent recorded in your own. Fill in the blanks: This is probably the most obvious thing to do in a study group: answer each others questions! Everyone should make a list of topics that they dont understand, so that together you can discuss and explain all the ideas that need explaining. Write down all your questions, and make sure you pass them by your study buddies! Brainstorm study strategies!: Four or five heads are most certainly better than one! Try brainstorming mnemonics or songs or other tricks to help you remem-ber key topics. Itll be a lot easier making memory tricks when you have several other people brainstorming along with you! You can create different types of tricks depending on the kinds of learners that compose your group. If you have a lot of kinesthetic learners, for example, you might consider making a song or dance thatll help them on test day! Extra tips Dont make your study session too long! After 4 hours, your brain will start to scream for mercy. If you really have so much to study, break your session into multi-ple smaller chunksone per day after school, for example. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

33. Sophomore Year 32 Communicate! Studying with other people can become frustrating, but if you com-municate clearly, things will be a lot smoother. Talk with your peers, ask questions, and discuss! Thats what study sessions are all about. Food. Have some water and some snacks out, but try not to overindulge. Oth-erwise, your study session will turn into an impromptu banquet! Its best not to eat your meals in the middle of your study group, as they will easily shatter your groups focus. Stay focused. As mentioned before, setting rules and time limits are great for keeping the group focused. Making timetables and establishing priority topics are also ideal for keeping everyone on track. If people begin to veer off track, gently steer them back in the right direction! Stay positive! Stressing out for a big test can become even more stressful in a group if not handled correctly. Try to keep a positive environment in your group and avoid conflicts and arguments. The last thing you need before test day is a sore throat and a broken friendship. Best of luck hosting your study sessions. These can be so much fun and so very pro-ductive. Dont miss out! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

34. Sophomore Year 33 Learn How to Manage Stress Everybody feels it, its an unavoidable part of life, and yet majority of people are still so bad at managing it properly. As school picks up in this second year, use the following tips to prepare ample tools in your arsenal so youre ready to battle the anxiety and fears that accompany everybodys favorite companion: stress. Twenty Ways to Destroy Stress for the Stress-Destroyed Youre at your desk. Its 2 AM. You have an English essay to write, three articles to read and annotate, and a Calculus exam tomorrow, and you just want to scream AND Dont pass out, darling! Its alright! Forget what other people sayschool is downright stressful. Youve got tons of homework, demanding AP classes, friend drama, SATs, APs, and whatever other evil acronyms College Board makes up to torture our minds. But you can deal with it! Stress is normal, but it can be seriously detrimental to your health, leading to depression, headaches, heart problems, and even diabetes. If you learn how to deal with it, youll ultimately feel a lot calmer, a lot happier, and a lot healthier. Check out these effective ways to destroy your stress like the evil creature it is! 1. Stay organized Its so much easier to become frustrated when youre disorganized. Try to keep a routine and keep your workplace clean and organized. If you have a routine, youll be less likely to procrastinate and leave off all your work until the last minute. In other words, if you have a routine, youll be a lot less stressed out! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

35. Sophomore Year 34 2. SLEEP I know its tempting to stay up all night and watch Netflix ...but sleep smart! Sleep is integral for healthy brain function. Although its very difficult to maintain eight full hours of sleep during the school year, its important to try to get as much sleep as is possible. Spend less time vegetating on social me-dia and more time catching those zs! 3. Stay active This has been mentioned in previous blog posts, but seriously: physical exercise is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Its also a great way to de-stress. Try doing some jumping jacks in between study sessionsor going for a brisk walk. Yoga and Pi-lates are also great ways to relieve tension! Sign up for a local class or buy a yoga mat and learn online! Also, for some exercises that are easy to do at home, check out this awesome list. 4. Keep things in perspective It sounds too easy, but its true. Keeping things in perspective is the key solution to dissolving stress. When youre shoulder-deep in AP preparation, it might seem like the stress will utterly destroy you, but really...its just a standardized test. It wont make or break your life. Make sure to take a step back, open up a window, and breathe. Meditation and self-hypnosis are both great ways to deal with this. 5. Get a stress toy For real, though! Having a physical outlet for your stress in the form of a squeaky toy is no small matter. Its actually fairly effective. And they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. 6. Study in a group Oftentimes, studying with friends or people you are comfortable with is optimal for relieving stress. You can know youre not suffering alone, and you can try try all sorts of group study methods. Try quizzing each other, discussing key topics, and Questions or feedback? Comment here.

36. Sophomore Year 35 asking them your questionsif you conduct the study session right, it can be very fun and very productive. 7. Laugh! Laughing really is the best medicine. Or, at least, its excellent at de-stressing! Sci-entific studies have proven that laughing eases stress and lowers blood pressure. So, even if youre really not in the mood for it, laugh! Watch some funny videos on YouTube or remember a funny memory, and youll be guaranteed to feel a lot less stressed. 8. Write it out in a journal Writing out your thoughts is a great way to organize your emotions and really get to the bottom of whats bothering you. Try keeping a journal to write in when youre stressedor just get out a sheet of paper! As long as you have an outlet for your stress, youll feel a lot better. 9. Think positively Sounds clich, but it couldnt be more true. Positive thinking is key to staying calm. Its hard not to constantly imagine worst-case scenarios (...or maybe thats just...me), but if you replace them with positive mantras, things will be much more enjoyable. 10. Eat healthy Eating definitely helps in stressful situations...but eating healthier is even better. Certain foods like mussels and Greek yogurt are scientifically proven to contain happiness-boosting nutrients and ingredients. So, the next time youre feeling down try chomping down on some of these! 11. Do relaxing things (massage, tea-drinking, bubble bath) This is a no-brainer. Sometimes all it takes to de-stress is to treat yourself to something nice. Drink some tea. Have a bubble bath. Get a nice massage. Or try something on this list of 100 ways to relax! Questions or feedback? Comment here.

37. Sophomore Year 36 12. Change up your environment Sometimes, your cluttered desk does nothing to help your stress. Try switching it up and change your environment. Study outside, in your kitchen, by a balcony! The options are endless. Escaping familiar surroundings might help you focus more on the task at hand. 13. Show your affection! Well, ok. This is going to sound really weird and possibly a little creepy, but its scientifically proven, so whatever. Hug or kiss someone. No, Im not joking. Hugging reduces blood pressure and stress levels, and kissing fights stress-related hormones. Just dont kiss or hug someone who doesnt want to be kissed or hugged. 14. Listen to music Jam to some tunes! Music definitely has a strong psychological impact on its lis-teners, and the right type of music can help you focus more, uplift your spirits, and even relieve your stress. Take a look at these great stress-relieving playlists the next time you feel like tearing your hair out. 15. Stop wasting time. This ties into a few previously mentioned topics, but its so important that we might as well mention it again. If you study earlier and not later and start becoming more productive, youll actually spend a lot less time getting your work done and more time to relax. Rather than half-heartedly studying while watching TV, get away from your distractions and just get your work over with. Youll spend a lot less time stressing over looming deadlines and a lot more time relaxing. Try downloading tools which track your internet usage, so you can see which websites you spend the most time on. Or try pitching into this list of time management strategies. 16. Dont take on more than you can handle Learn to keep your priorities straight and dont overburden yourself with commit- Questions or feedback? Comment here.

38. Sophomore Year 37 ments. Dont try to cram a whole bunch of activities in your schedule if you cant handle it, and dont always feel obligated to dedicated all your time to other peo-ple. You are important, toolearn to say no if you know you already have too much on your plate! 17. Volunteer! According to research, volunteering and giving back actually increases happiness. Mother Teresa would approve. So, go sign up for some nice volunteer gigs! Not only will you be doing something good for your community, but youll also be a lot less stressed out. 18. Get a pet In one study involving 217 community members, people with pets were proven to be happier and less preoccupied. And, get this: petting aforementioned pets is also said to be a major stress-reliever. It releases oxytocin, which helps lower blood pressure and fight cortisol, which is associated with stress and anxiety. So, go get a pet...and pet it! 19. Chew gum Chewing gum alleviates negativity and reduces cortisol when under stress, ac-cording to one study. So grab your nearest pack of gum and chew that thing like its nobodys business.Oh, and whats that about chewing gum having a negative connotation? I didnt think so. 20. Speak out loud Talk about your stress with someone. Really, it helps. Find an understanding friend or family member to talk about your problems with (preferably someone who wont make you more stressed!). If you feel like theres no one who understands, there are tons of counseling hotlines like this one which will help you for free. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

39. Sophomore Year 38 Take AP Classes Its time to challenge yourself academically! Start small with 1 AP class first, and then build up to 3, 4 or even 5 at a time. Youll show the college admissions committees that youre not afraid of a rigorous schedule and that you have the grit needed to suc-ceed in academia. Read on for how to make the most of these advanced placement classes! Should I take AP courses? Heres what the college admissions experts have to say in response to this question: Douglas Christiansen Vice Provost for Enrollment, Dean of Admissions Vanderbilt University A student should take the most rigorous course load available in which he or she will be successful. A question that is often asked is, What if I get a B in an AP course when I could have gotten an A in an honors course? For highly selective universi-ties, it is critical that the most difficult courses be taken, and that the student be very successful in those courses. If a student is, for example, in all AP classes senior year and makes a B in one of the courses, the level of academic work is considered when evaluating that B. We understand that not all students can take AP courses success-fully while in high school. What all colleges want to see is that the student challenged his/herself to a higher level of rigor. This shows incentive, work ethic, and dedication to ones education. Being realistic about ones abilities is also critical; not everyone excels at the same level, and there is a university or college for every student in this country who wants a higher education. If one invests ones self at the highest level, that effort shines through in any application. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

40. Sophomore Year 39 Rodney Morrison Associate Chancellor for Enrollment Management Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden Generally speaking, yes. Colleges like to see students stretch themselves academical-ly. The more selective of a college, the more academic rigor is a factor. Will Zuberbuhler Director of Business Development Triumph College Admissions So, youre thinking of starting college while still in high school? Well, thats sort of what youre doing when you enroll in AP (Advanced Placement) courses. Youll find the courses are much more difficult than any youve taken so far. This is because they are very similar to college-level courses. What youll notice different is how the cours-es are taught. You wont be simply given a lot of information that you are then required to know for a test. Rather, youll enter into discussions with your classmates and the instructor as you work towards a better understanding of the subject matter. Why are AP courses beneficial? They help you hone skills youll use in college like critical thinking, writing, and time management. You can receive college credits or advanced placement (depends on the college or university and requires passing the exam for the course). They can help you to decide on a college major. If youre think-ing of taking AP courses, but just arent sure, it may be a good idea to try just one to see how you like it. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

41. Sophomore Year 40 AP Test Insider Tips Thinking about taking AP coursesand the requisite exams? They are challenging but rightfully so, because doing well on the test can help you get a serious leg up in your college studies, both academically and financially! Here are a few test-taking tips right from the source. You know those big, scary AP tests? Theyre not too scary after all! If students have been going to class, keeping up with their coursework and studying along the way, much of the work for the exam is already done, says Trevor Packer, Senior Vice Pres-ident of the Advanced Placement Program and College Readiness at the College Board. Students can also familiarize themselves with exam formats, sample multiple choice and free-response questions in each of APs 34 subjects. To access these tools, go to the College Boards AP website. Packer recommends making educated guesses on multiple-choice questions. If students do not feel confident about an essay question, they should write what they know, and earn points that could make a difference to their final score, he says. When students take an AP course, they learn to think critically, construct solid argu-ments and see many sides of an issueskills that prepare them for success in college and todays highly competitive global marketplace, Packer says. Taking AP courses demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought the most rigor-ous curriculum available to them. Students who then go on to take the AP tests can receive college credit and/or advanced placement if they score a 3 or better; score requirements and credits vary, so be sure to check with your potential colleges and universities to see how AP tests might affect your future course load. One of the big-gest advantages of going the AP route is skipping otherwise required courses, which might enable to you save tuition dollars if you graduate early or need to take additional classes for whatever reason. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

42. Sophomore Year 41 Take Standardized Tests, Part 1 It begins in your sophomore yearyou get a first taste of these hour-long tests that predict your fate in the world of college admissions. Gear up to start putting what youve learned so far to the test, and get these tests out of the way sooner, so you can focus on the ones that come up later. PSAT vs SAT The PSAT is basically an SAT with smaller teeth and less purpose (it gets you schol-arships, rather than acceptance into college). All of the same basic math topics show up, minus a bit of the higher-level stuff. Its made up of the same types of questions, the instructions are all the same, and even the timing on each section is very similar. There are a few important differences in length and content between them, though. Take a look at the chart below to get an idea. The Timing of the PSAT vs the SAT Questions or feedback? Comment here.

43. Sophomore Year 42 PSAT Content The skills that the SAT tests are almost exactly the same that youll need to dominate the PSAT and come away with a chance at some scholarships. Even the types of questions are the same. In both tests, youll see these: Math: Multiple choice Grid-in (Write your own answer) Critical Reading: Reading comprehension Long texts Short texts Paired texts on one topic Sentence completions One blank Two blanks Writing Multiple Choice Identifying sentence errors Improving sentences Improving paragraphs That means that studying for the PSAT is a good way to get ready for the SAT ear-ly, and conversely, using SAT study material is a perfectly good way to study for the PSAT. In other words, if you become very comfortable with either test, youll get better at taking the other as well. Difficulty The PSAT is a tad easier than its big brother, but the difference is pretty minimal. Youll see the same general vocabulary (surprisingly), the same kinds of tricky math ques-tions, and the same common grammar issues. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

44. Sophomore Year 43 Its all toned down slightly, though. Questions that would be on the easy end of SAT math show up more frequently on the PSAT. You might get 5 questions in a PSAT math section that are as easy as the first 2 questions of an SAT math section, say. And, meanwhile, the most difficult PSAT questions dont quite reach the difficulty of the hardest SAT math questions. And a couple of math topics arent quite as common in PSAT math: quadratics are less important, notably. The higher end of SAT math topics like that might still show up on the PSATtheyre skills that sophomores often have some background in, any-way but theyll be more straightforward. You might get a graph of a parabola that simply asks for an intercept, say, and requires no algebra. So dont freak out if youre going to take the PSAT and are just taking Geometry 1: the test mostly asks for basic number skills, algebra, and basic geometry, nothing more. Taking lengthy practice SATs, like the PSAT, is an incredibly valuable way to prepare for the real SAT and earn yourself a leg-up on test day. Combine that with the oppor-tunity to earn a scholarship from your high PSAT score, and you have every reason to spend a couple hours on the PSAT. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

45. Sophomore Year 44 SAT Subject Tests Sophomore Year! There are no SAT tests Sophomore year right? Sophomore year is golden time before the madness of junior year, surely. Right? No really, right? Unfortunately, not right. SAT subject tests are the little known college application re-quirement you should take as early as sophomore year. What are SAT Subject Tests? SAT Subject tests are additional tests run by the College Board that assess your abili-ties in courses other than what is offered on the SAT itself. Theyre essentially like eas-ier AP tests in specific subjects, and are scored on an 800-point scale. You can take them during the October, November, December, January, May and June SAT testing dates (but check the College Board website as dates vary). You can take up to three in one sitting, but you cannot take a subject test and the SAT on the same day. Here is a complete list of the tests you can take: Literature Biology (ecological or molecular) Chemistry Physics U.S. History World History Mathematics (1 and 2) French German Spanish Modern Hebrew Italian Latin Chinese Japanese Korean Questions or feedback? Comment here.

46. Sophomore Year 45 Also note that many of the language tests have the option to have listening portions, but you need to register specifically for those tests. Many listening tests are only avail-able during the November SAT. Why do I need to take SAT Subject Tests? Essentially, because many colleges require 2 to 3 subject tests when you apply. The University of California app allows you to input several, and up to three language tests. The Common App allows up to 10. These subject tests can be a great booster for your application, but keep in mind that they will not earn you college credit like AP tests. Dont stress out about taking too many, because you still have to pay the fees for each test, but you should take the tests you think youll score the highest in. Addi-tionally, if you want to apply to engineering colleges, or science majors in general you should research what SAT Subject tests your college requires. Often, one of the math-ematics, or Biology, is needed to apply. Why do I need to take them sophomore year? Like with any test, you remember the most right after youve completed the course (or near the end of the course). Which is what makes the June SAT the prime time for subject tests. It also means that if you take AP classes your sophomore year, then youll want to take those subject tests right away. You dont want realize you need to take the Chemistry SAT Subject test December of your senior year, when its been a year since. That would be depressing. But hey, there is always Ryan Gosling. Takeaway Dont worry if you havent taken any SAT Subject tests yet, you can still study and get good scores. Make sure you research what tests you need to apply to different schools in different majors. Try to take the tests directly after you finish the course, in the subjects youre strongest in. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

47. Junior Year 46 Junior Year Ease into College Admissions Welcome to junior year! This is when all that talk about going to college one day starts to get real. Its overwhelming to know where to start, so this year is the time to ease into things and do some prep work. Many have made the mistake of ignoring these preliminary steps, and they lived to regret it! Dont make the same mistake; start pre-paring for college app season early. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

48. Junior Year 47 Making That College List I want a shirt that says Junior Year. I then want to burn that shirt. As hectic as junior year is, though, the paranoia has a purpose. College application season is really just a few months away. Junior year is an integral time to start narrowing down your college choices. Youve probably heard this same thing from a dozen people, but its true! Make that college list. There are literally thousands of colleges in the U.S, and thousands more across the globe. From all of these choices, how can you possibly narrow your choices down to just a handful? Here are a few different factors to look into when looking for potential colleges. 1. Greek Life Ah, the Greek Life. Some people really couldnt care for it, but to others its an essential part of the college experience. If youre set on joining a school with a vibrant sorority/fraternity culture, check out schools with high percentages of their student body involved with Greek Life. The Huffington Post has a nice compilation of colleges with the most Greek Life. 2. Setting Are you adamant about staying close to home? Or are you dying to get out of your state? When youre looking for colleges, dont just look at their state or general region-- you might also want to look at the city they are situated in. Some college towns are notorious for being pricey, socially dead, or even dangerous. 3. Demographics I know a lot of people who refuse to go to certain schools for their populations general political stance or ethnic demographic. If youre a die-hard conservative Questions or feedback? Comment here.

49. Junior Year 48 Republican, for example, you might feel a bit uncomfortable at UC Berkeley. If youre looking for a school with lots of religious diversity, you might not want to apply to Brigham Young University. This nice list of colleges from the U.S. News details colleges with high rates of ethnic diversity. Check it out if thats something youre looking for! 4. Academics What? You have to learn in college, too?! Factors like class size and quality pro-fessors often make the difference between mediocre and top-notch academics. If this is important to you, check out the student-to-teacher ratio of the schools youre applying to. If you know what youre majoring in, check out the top schools in that area of expertise. Oftentimes, top-notch schools will not necessarily offer the best programs for your specific career path. 5. Retention rate Retention rate is basically the amount of enrolled students who actually gradu-ate without dropping out or switching out. Generally, a schools retention rate is a great marker of student satisfaction. If youre looking into a school with a 99% retention rate, chances are the student population is a happy one. 6. Name brand Here come the big boys. If raising eyebrows at dinner parties and on your resume is essential for you, you probably want to look into Ivy League schools (or al-most- Ivies). If you decide to apply to these top schools, however, its important to remember that they are almost always reach schools. This means that almost no one is a guaranteed shoo-in. Hopefully, these will help narrow down your college choices! College visits, virtual campus tours, college reviews, and Youtube videos made by current students can all help, too. When you finally do make your college list, make sure to include a mix of safety schools (schools which are pretty much guaranteed shoo-ins), match schools Questions or feedback? Comment here.

50. Junior Year 49 (schools where you have a decent chance of getting in), and reach schools (schools which are longshots). Dont apply only to Ivies-- and dont cheat yourself out of applying to a good school because you dont think youre good enough! Looking for colleges doesnt have to be a total chore. Its one of the most important steps of the college application process, but its also one of the most rewarding. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

51. Junior Year 50 Top 10 Campus Visit Tips Choosing a college is a huge investmentfor your future and your bank account. Its important that you take the right steps to ensure that the college you decide on is the right fit. A great tool of evaluation is the campus visit. You might wonder: with all the benefits that a technologically savvy society has to offer, is a campus visit really necessary? Definitely. A campus visit allows you to gain a feel for the atmosphere of your perspective college and will help you in your deci-sion- making process. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your visit: Plan ahead Call the admission office to find out when tours and information sessions are offered. Do a little research about the school so you can prove you are well prepared and knowledgeable. Ask if you can speak with a current student, professor in your intend-ed field of study, a coach, an admission officer, or a financial aid officer (they can an-swer the difficult questions about paying for your education). Most campuses require reservations, so plan accordingly! Take your time Allow at least half a day for each campus visit. This gives you enough time to inter-view, tour, and explore all you need. Any less, and you wont gain a full understanding of what the college has to offer. Map out routes and schedules ahead of time to make sure you are making the most of your visit. Dress appropriately The first impression is important. You may meet an admission counselor or go for an interview, so it is important to dress professionally. Also, you may want to wear com-fortable shoes because youll be walking a lot. Finally, plan for the weather. Try it out Eat lunch in the dining hall. Sit in on a class. Catch a football or soccer game. The Questions or feedback? Comment here.

52. Junior Year 51 best way to answer your questions about a college is to go find out for yourself. Why ask a tour guide if the food is any good when you can grab a snack from the dining hall and taste it for yourself? Firsthand experience is a great way to discover if you like the atmosphere of a college, and a major benefit of a campus visit, so take advantage of it! Visit while schools in Summer may be the most convenient time to visit a campus, but its not the best. Often campuses are deserted because most students are home for summer break. The same is true for winter and spring breaks. Also, avoid exam time. The atmosphere provided by stressed-out students hunkered down in the library is not typical of the rest of the year. And finally, major campus events such as commencement, home-coming, or opening weekend of the fall semester may prove to be too busy to get the attention that you deserve. To get the most out of your campus visit, try to visit during the middle of the fall or spring semester, while campuses are humming with activity and you can get the full campus effect. Stay overnight Its the best way to imagine you are a student. By spending a night in the dorms, you can gain a viewpoint on what life would really be like if you attended that college. Some colleges allow prospective students to spend a night with a current student in a dorm. If this is impossible due to limited space or unavailability, then talk to your guidance counselor. Graduates from your high school may be glad to host a student for a night. Even if you cant arrange an overnight stay, you still want to check out the dorms. After all, youll spend most of your time in your room, so you want to make sure you are comfortable there. Visit the city When you visit a campus, you want to make sure you check out its surroundings. Make sure that if you need something, the city or town the campus is in can provide it. Check out the local restaurants, parks, and museums. Will you need a car, or is there easy and available public transportation? During all the excitement of a campus visit, Questions or feedback? Comment here.

53. Junior Year 52 dont forget you are going to be living there for the next few years. Make sure every-thing you need is at hand. Pick up a newspaper Student newspapers are one of the best sources for finding out what campus life is like. Look up what activities are happening or what the articles focus on. Newspapers can really show whats important to the student body. Bulletin boards can give you the same type of information as well, so keep your eyes open during your tour of the cam-pus! Get involved Talk to the expertsthe students! They can provide great inside information that you may not find on a website or in a brochure. Ask them what they love about the school and what they are not so fond of. Prepare important questions ahead of time and find someone who can answer them for you. Another great way to gain information from a campus visit is through a group information session. Others may have questions that didnt occur to you. In general, students have a lot of information to give. All you need to do is ask, so dont be shy. Reflect Take notes. You are going to be visiting a lot of campuses (hopefully), and you are going to need those notes to remember and make comparisons. If its possible, take pictures of points of interest to remind you what the campus was like. When you get home, send thank you notes or e-mails to interviewers and admission officials who helped you along the way. Then begin to compare the schools. Figure out what you liked about them and what you hated. Picture yourself as a student at each campus and try to discover which seems the best fit. With a bit of luck and some preparation, your campus visits will help you choose the right school for you. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

54. Junior Year 53 Take your Standardized Tests, Part 2 We told you sophomore year was only the beginning! Now you have a whole cohort of standardized tests to study for! Coming up is an overview of the tests you might need to take as well as some tips for successfully navigating through all of them at the same time! Good luck. ACT vs SAT Traditionally, the SAT and ACT were differentiated mostly by geography. While the coasts leaned toward the SAT, the ACT was more popular in the middle of the country. And thats still largely true, as the map shows. Questions or feedback? Comment here.

55. Junior Year 54 The choice between the tests might be as simple as finding out which is going to be administered at a convenient date and place for you. But its not necessarily going to stay that way. The ACT has been growing steadily since its roots in the 50s and 60s, and there are plenty of students on the coasts taking it. And its been about six years since the ACT became accepted at the last four-year U.S. college. (The SAT had been universally accepted pretty much all along.) Every year, more and more students are faced with the choice: SAT, ACT, or both? And whats the difference? Difference in content The SAT and ACT differ in a couple of pretty important ways as far as content. First, the ACT includes both science and trigonometry, which the SAT doesnt. Thats defi-nitely worth taking into account when you make your decision. If science really isnt your thing, then the SAT has the upper hand. Meanwhile, the SAT tests vocabulary directlyand a whole lot of itincluding some pretty uncommon words, while the ACT only asks a small number of vocab questions about more common words. But whats more important in the long run is the general feeling of the tests. The SAT doesnt match up quite as closely with school studies; its not quite as curriculum based as the ACT. And thats why the science and trig issue pops up. The ACT is more like a school test, while the SAT is a little bit more logic-leaning. Of course, CollegeBoard insists thats not true, and that their test is based on what youre studying in school, but most SAT teachers will agree that theyre being a little dishonest, there. Its a bi