Standardized testing
Just when you thought it was safe to apply to college test free…
MIT and Georgetown had already reversed course when the Ivies started to opt out:
• First came Dartmouth
• Then Yale
• Then Brown
• Then Harvard, a “sudden reversal” after previously stating that tests would not be required
• Cornell kept its word for this year, but will reinstate the testing requirement for students matriculating in the Class of 2026
• Princeton is still thinking
• UPenn is standing pat for now
• Columbia remains test optional for now
Given the inordinate sway that the Ivies have on the postsecondary landscape, more are likely to follow.
So it seems likely that those blissful times when the role of the SAT was diminishing are now in the rear view.
Take heart, however! Fairtest.org maintains a list of nearly 2,000 colleges and universities that are test optional or test blind. If you want to apply to college without taking on the College Board, there are many ways forward!
From an equity perspective, where you take the SAT matters. There is a huge difference between rolling out of bed 15 minutes before you need to leave to get to CHILLS on time and getting up super early to drive to Bath or MDI or Bangor with a whole mess of uncertainty in the car with you.
In order to increase the chances that a familiar, smiling face greets you by name on the morning that you test, we have doubled the number of SAT administrations for next year, with the first up before school even starts! Here are the dates for the coming year.
Here’s the list with Registration/Late Registration Dates:
News from FAME
If you still need help filing your FAFSA, there are info sessions available to help you. Please reach out to your school counselor if you are still struggling to file your FAFSA; we will do everything that we can to help!
College Closures Ahead
As if the college application process was not already challenging enough, now you have to attend to the long term fiscal outlook of the colleges that you are checking out as you sift through the mountains of information available.
One college per week is predicted to permanently close in the foreseeable future. Wells College just announced closure; Muhlenberg College and Keystone College at risk of joining the list of well known colleges that have closed since 2020
Making The Most of Your Second College Visit
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The College Spy Newsletter
CREATE A PRACTICE COMMON APP ACCOUNT
The Common Application is the application that most students use to apply to college. The Common App is one application that is sent to multiple colleges. There are approximately 1000 colleges that accept the Common App so it is likely that your child will need to complete it.
The Common App goes "live" for rising seniors on August 1st each year. However, students in any grade can create a practice account, and The College Spy recommends doing so. Students who review the application required to apply to college before they need to fill it out experience one or more of the following benefits:
Increased confidence regarding the application process
Reduced stress regarding the application process
A deeper commitment to extracurricular activities
A deeper commitment to academics
Juniors don't have to create a practice account. They can start to fill out the real application now. On August 1st, when the application goes live, their answers in the main section of the application will automatically be rolled into the 2024-2025 application.
Juniors do not need a final list of colleges to fill out the main section of the Common App. Get started now!
COLLEGE ADMISSIONS 101 – A FOUR-WEEK COURSE FOR PARENTS
$219
STARTS THIS THURSDAY!
Thursdays in May at 8 pm ET (A recording will be sent if you miss a session)
How to build a college list that best fits your child
How to research colleges to fully understand what they have to offer
How to choose between the SAT, ACT and Test Optional
The college application timeline
College applications strategies for success
Overview of financial aid
More information and registration here.
IN THE NEWS
by Senior College Admissions Consultant Melissa Starrett
Commitment and Deposit Deadlines Extended!
Students, parents and colleges continue to feel the effects of FAFSA processing errors and delays. In response, many colleges and universities have extended deadlines for enrollment commitments and deposit submissions. The National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) has surveyed close to 2,000 institutions, and the majority of respondents have implemented extensions. NACAC has encouraged policy change and issued a statement saying, “We all want families to have the time they need to consider their financial options before making enrollment decisions.”
UPCOMING WEBINAR
College Spy webinars are highly informative presentations where participants learn the inside scoop of how admissions works. College admissions has changed a lot since parents applied in the late 80s and early 90s. Our webinars will help you stay up-to-date on trends so you can properly and confidently advise your teen.
Procrastination and Applying to College: How to Help Your Teen with this Complicated Project
May 21st @ 8 pm ET
You can combat procrastination by truly understanding it. Learn why your child puts off important tasks and what to do about it. Join me for an informative presentation on how to avoid procrastination in the admissions process.