No matter how prepared you are, or how much research you have done, the college application process is always stressful. It’s a big decision after all, and which college you go to will affect the next few years of your life! However, there are a few easy tricks we’ve learned during in all our college app sessions to help lower those stress levels!
1. Exercise
Sweating it out will help cure any college app jitters, or help you get past that writer’s block keeping you from finishing your personal statement for your dream school. Do some relaxing yoga or if that’s not your style, push yourself in an intense spin class. You’ll be so focused on trying to keep up, college apps won’t even cross your mind!
2. Treat Yourself
Grab a milkshake or one of your favorite snacks. There’s a ton of great food in the South Bay. It is a quick way to pick yourself up and mentally refresh yourself in the middle of apps.
3. Have Someone Else Read Over It
Having a teacher or tutor look over your application can be beneficial for a few reasons. They may catch any grammatical errors you may have overlooked. They can also help you remember an important academic achievement that you might have forgotten about that would be perfect for your college application.
4. Manage Your Time
Don’t try and save all your essays and applications until the day before they are due. Servers get overloaded, computers crash, and you won’t do your best work if you are trying to cram in three essays in three days. Work on it a little bit at a time over the course of a few weeks. You will write a better essay and keep yourself from having a melt down.
While applying for colleges and filling out college apps may be stressful, you should focus on how exciting it will be and all the opportunities you are going to have, no matter where you end up!
As the summer turns in to fall and the school year takes hold, high school students all over the world become immersed in the complex ritual that is the college application. This task may seem like an unbearably daunting one and the defining moment for the rest of your life (it certainly did for me). However, like the beginning of any grand odyssey it begins with just a few, simple steps. The first of these is learning what your options are. In other words, what colleges are out there and what do they have to offer?
The best place to find this out is from someone who knows about the college or university firsthand. Luckily for those in the Newport-Mesa area, over 200 colleges are sending representatives to the College Fair at the OC Fairgrounds Building 10 tonight, Wednesday, October 8th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. More College Fair info
Meeting with a representative to find out more about a college is a great way to narrow down your options and figure out which campuses are worth visiting in person. This college fair is also the perfect opportunity to find out about all of the different programs that a school offers. While you might have your heart set on a particular major or career now, it never hurts to make sure that a potential alma mater also has other programs that you are interested in. After all, if you are anything like me you want to not only get a good academic education but also meet interesting people along the way.
If you are still feeling overwhelmed about the application process, there is no need to fear. Here at Study Hut we have years of experience with college applications and can help you break down your odyssey in to a few, simple steps. Follow this link to find out more about how Study Hut can help you get in to college: https://studyhut.wpengine.com/packages/college-apps/
With summer underway and the Independence Day holiday weekend behind us, our enrichment programs at Study Hut are in full force, and learning is back on the agenda.
Tonight we begin our ACT small-group course, which runs Monday and Wednesday evenings for the remainder of summer. Our SAT small-group course also begins tomorrow evening, and runs through the rest of summer on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Students are excited to learn concepts that they either missed in high school or have not yet learned, and they are even more eager to go over their practice tests and learn time management and question prioritization strategies for both the ACT and SAT. Students in previous classes at Study Hut Tutoring have learned all about the tremendous benefits of having an ACT tutor or an SAT tutor in their corner.
Whether a student needs help with SAT math, critical reading, writing, or some combination of these, having a top Study Hut tutor has shown to make a huge difference in students’ scores. Our small group ACT and SAT classes have helped to earn students an average of over 200 points of improvement from their original scores, and many students improve 300 or more points.
At the Hut, we strongly suggest making a game-plan early so as to ensure that your son or daughter has the maximum amount of time to make the gains that he or she desires. The test preparation process is, after all, about opening as many doors as possible, both for college and for opportunities beyond.
If your son or daughter has not yet taken a practice SAT or ACT, now is the time to see where you stand. We offer free full-length SAT and ACT diagnostic tests, and we also provide free consultations to parents and students after the test so that you can fully understand your results. Please email info@studyhut.com today to sign up at any of our beach-front locations.
As you begin to think about applying to college, you need to think of different ways to diversify yourself and make your application stand out. You are more than a G.P.A. and an SAT score! How can you challenge yourself to be different? One of the best ways to do so is to engage in meaningful and interesting extra-curricular activities. If chosen correctly, you can greatly improve your application and help yourself land a spot in college. So what types of activities do schools like to see? Below is a list of ten EC’s that may just help you be a slightly more competitive applicant than your friends. Below, I have compiled a list of both general and specific activities. Whatever you decide to do, try to take a leadership role and stay very committed to your role. By no means should your list be limited to ours, nor should you feel obligated to have every activity on your list of experiences. Rather, find something that you love, stick with it consistently, and make a positive impact. The following are organized in NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
· Sports: Colleges love seeing students engaged in sports. It shows that you are able to step away from your studies and do something completely different. It shows that you are well-rounded and have abilities in addition to your academic ones. Work hard and try to score a leadership position (such as captain of your team). This shows leadership and good work ethic.
· Student Government: This shows colleges that you can communicate with your fellow-classmates and teachers for things that are important to the greater good. It illustrates leadership, ability to prioritize, and the ability to determine what is important. If you were elected, this also shows that you are able to appeal to your classmates and convince them of your abilities to lead.
· Volunteer for the Underserved (Community Service): This is a very broad topic. This can incorporate anything from providing meals for the homeless to offering medical care to citizens of third-world countries. Whatever you choose to do, make this a priority because it shows that you are a compassionate individual motivated to provide aid to those in dire need.
· Environmental/Animal Volunteering: Help out your local green club or volunteer at the animal shelter. It shows that you spend your extra time helping to make things better than they were before.
· Musical Activities: Are you a musician? Do you have a passion for audible beauty? Find a way to develop this interest. Join a band. Volunteer at a clinic that provides music therapy. Enter in music competitions and win awards so that you show that you have a passion that is apart of you. Colleges like to see passionate individuals involved in these types of things.
· Writing: If you are a writer, do something that requires this skill. Write music, poetry, articles for your school’s newspaper, short stories… Whatever you want! Writing is an invaluable communication skill that colleges love in an applicant. If you can find a club or put your writing in any type of publication (big or small), this will make you stand out.
· Start a Club: If you are interested in anything (hopefully you are interested in something), start an on-campus club. If a club for this interest already exists, come up with another club that provides something different. It brings like-minded people together and engages them in something they love to do. Just as importantly, it shows great leadership and initiative in you as a founder and leader of a club.
· Get a Job: Your parents aren’t the only ones telling you to get a job. Colleges respect the student who works. This is probably one of the less important EC’s on this list. However, it does show that you take responsibility seriously and that you have some degree of understanding of money.
· Learn a Language: Your Spanish teacher may care about the different between por and para. However, colleges LOVE multi-lingual students. Get involved in a mult-cultural club and learn how to speak a different language. It shows that you are more worldly and diverse. It also helps you communicate with a greater number of people.
· Follow your Passion: If you enjoy art, enroll in painting classes and stick with it. Paint as many pictures as you can. If you enjoy science, enroll in a summer research program at a university. This shows that you have interests and that you take initiative in your life and in making yourself a better, well-rounded person.
The College Board recently announced that the 2016 SAT will have several important changes. While on the surface some of these changes may seem to make the test “easier,” here are some reasons why you’ll still need to practice, practice, practice.
10. You may have heard that the College Board is changing the SAT to get rid of obscure “SAT words” and thought that meant you could throw away all your flash cards. Think again! There’s no magic list of words that won’t be tested, and they will still test on words that will come up repeatedly in college work, such as “empirical,” or “synthesis.”
9. Along the same lines, each SAT will feature historical documents for your analysis, such as letters by Martin Luther King Jr. and the Declaration of Independence. Do you know what “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes'” means? That’s a direct quote from the Declaration of Independence, which also features vocabulary such as “endowed,” “usurpations,” and “arbitrary.”
8. The penalty for wrong answers may be gone, but you’ll still need to focus and manage your time wisely to get as many questions right as you can.
7. The days of finding the answer for a reading comp passage right in the text are potentially gone. Instead, questions will feature graphs and additional information you’ll need to use to analyze an issue and come to a conclusion for your answer.
6. There will be more diverse reading passages from different subjects, including more of a focus on science, that are designed to reflect college-level work.
5. The math section will involve multiple steps to find a solution, and the questions will be presented in real world contexts. Get ready for a whole lot of word problem practice!
4. The College Board announcement stated that the new exam will focus on three main areas in the math section: Problem Solving/Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, and the Heart of Algebra. If that doesn’t sound very straightforward, you’re probably right! The test preparers want to see your familiarity with subjects such as ratios, percentages, proportions, linear equations and systems, and complex equations.
3. The Writing portion has been replaced by the new Essay section, which is designed to mimic a college-level writing assignment. You’ll need to analyze the text, come up with an argument, and support with evidence from the passage using clear, persuasive sentences. The essay is currently optional, but some schools may require it.
2. On the bright side, one change that won’t make the exam harder in and of itself is that it is now offered digitally as well as on paper. However, even if you’re more comfortable taking an exam on your computer, you’ll have to make the judgment call of whether it’s worth the risk of tech issues.
1. It’s still the SAT! It’s a 4+ hour long exam, with math problems, reading comprehension, ands writing that is a large part of your college application process. None of the new changes change the fact that you’ll need to work hard and practice to get your best score.
As your junior year winds down, it’s time to start coming up with the list of colleges that you will be applying to. Maybe you’ve had a dream school in mind since you were a little kid, or maybe you haven’t even started thinking about it, but you’ll need to come up with a mix of reach schools, safety schools, and a few in the middle of the road. There are around 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, so trying to narrow them down can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula for choosing your mixture of schools, but here are some criteria you can use to find schools that would be a good fit for you.
Kind of college- Are you looking for a two year or four year school? Public or private?
Location- Do you want to be able to do your laundry and eat dinner at home, or only fly home for winter break from a whole new environment?
Size/Setting- How do you feel about being at a school where everyone knows your name? Or would you rather find your niche in a large, diverse student population?
Life Outside the Classroom- Do you see yourself in a fraternity or sorority? How important is school spirit to you? Do you want to be able to go to “the big game” every weekend? What about volunteering, or an active student government? What kind of balance are you looking for between being academically challenged and having a fun-filled social life?
Major- If you’re not sure what you want to do with the rest of your life, or want a lot of variety before you work on a major, don’t worry! That’s totally normal. If you want a specialized degree, such as engineering, it’s important to find schools that have the right program for you.
Cost- This is one of the most important factors in choosing a college. Talk with your parents about college costs, look into applying for financial aid, and research different scholarships.
Once you’ve come up with a manageable list of schools, go on some campus visits to get a feel for the school’s unique vibe. Each school has its own “X-factor” where even if it sounds perfect on paper, it might not feel right in person, or you might fall in love with a school you didn’t think you would. To make your search easier, the College Board website has a school search, information about schools, and background on the application process. Visit https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/how-find-your-college-fit to start searching for the school that’s right for you!
Tis’ the season for college applications. Completing college applications is a task that provokes stress in all high school students with the essays being the most stressful portion of the application to complete. The essays are where a student can separate themselves from the thousands of other students applying for the same college. The essays provide a chance to become more than just a name on an application. Here are some tips that will help students reduce anxiety and stand out:
Be smart about your essays. This sounds redundant but colleges are looking for the way a student’s mind works. When picking a topic for college essays write about something that is important to you. Pick a personal experience or subject that speaks to you and shows through your writing how it speaks to you. Talk about what you have learned and what you think, but give very specific reasons.
Be creative but direct.
This college essay is a story, and in this case it is your story. When writing college essays provide vivid details that will help create a picture in the reader’s mind. Help the reader visualize the setting through words. Also, provide names (or create them) for other people making an appearance in your essay. This will make the essay more real and human. The reader will appreciate the thought and attention you have put into your essay, and that it’s not just another essay you were forced to write.
Don’t try to cover an array of different subjects in your essays. Your essays provide a synopsis of who you are; it’s like covering one moment from many in your life. Stick to the one moment or subject. If you attempt to jump all over the place to try and cover many subjects your essay will be disorganized, impersonal, and hard for the reader to follow. The admissions department knows that the essay is a synopsis. They won’t dock you for it.
Be truthful about your experiences, accomplishments, and/or titles. It’s not going to make a huge difference whether you were the Editor of your school newspaper or the photographer. Every person has different talents and strengths they bring to the table; focus on this instead.
Last but not least, be mindful of the length of your essay. There will be a minimum word count, but don’t go overboard. The admissions department has thousands of essays to read. You don’t want to test their patience if your essay is extremely long. It’s better to be specific, detailed and to the point.
Finally, if you need help, Study Hut is here for you! We are open during the break so come on in and get those apps done!
As an alumnus of a small Cal State, in particular, California State University, Channel Islands, my experience was much different than that of my friends. First of all, it is a particularly new institution in Camarillo, CA. At this university, I had the experience of a private education but at the price of a state level institution. My largest class size was around 40 students and that was in a lecture hall. The small class sizes allowed for everyone to become well acquainted with one another which made study sessions, as well as casual gatherings easy to organize. For one project, we had to develop a presentation that would immerse the class in discussion and really break down boundaries. My group all gathered together and rehearsed our proposal to the class. As we arrived to class, all the seats were in a circle (with room to spare) and we began our presentation. Everyone in the class became immediately engaged. Since the faces around the room already had a familiarity to them, we were able to completely let loose and hold firm to our opinions. People laughed and even cried.
I have a hard time envisioning this happening at a much larger institution. Some of my friends have told me about their classes being either 300 strong and over impacted; others have exclaimed that they simply cannot even enroll in the classes they need. These issues really help me to appreciate that I attended a small college. All my professors knew the entirety of the class by first name, were very successful, and were regularly available for help outside of the classroom. The success of my professors, which greatly reflected their teaching abilities, went from an accounting professor that was CEO of a firm that maintained the entire Verizon accounting department to an entrepreneurial professor that served as Commissioner of Small Businesses to President Bill Clinton. Their inspirational stories and different teaching styles made each class uniquely different. We, as a class, enjoyed talking with the professors to gain insight to their success and their approach to obtaining it. In all, my education at CSUCI was incredible and the chances to have memorable experiences were ubiquitous.
So long high school! After countless pep rallies, homecomings, track meets, debates, field trips, assemblies, and a prom, you are now ready to become the proud owner of a shiny new diploma and apply for college. But how on earth will you choose a major? After all this is THE most important decision of your life. Your entire future rests on this one choice. And once a decision is made, it can’t be unmade…right? Wrong.
Undeclared. Let’s take the pressure off! Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to know what you want to do with the rest of your life by your eighteenth birthday. Many students enter college with an undeclared major. If you have a variety of interests or if you lack direction completely, this is the major for you. All first and second year students are required to take classes across multiple subjects. This is going to help a lot! Once you find a topic that is especially interesting to you start taking more classes in that subject. Before you know it you will have a major (or two) emerging.
Declared. You might already have an idea of what you want to study. Maybe you are passionate about cooking, or science, or Spanish. In that case, jump into those classes with both feet! On the other hand, you might pick something because you have a vague interest in it or because you think you can get a stable career in that field. You might end up loving it or you might hate it. Not to worry if it’s not the right path for you. Many students change their major a couple of times before graduation. Not only that, but several majors have overlapping course requirements. That means that multiple classes can be taken that help narrow down options without having to spend excess time (or money) in college.
Employment. After graduation there’s no guarantee that you will actually work in the same field that you received your degree in. But a college degree says more about you than “student is proficient in math”. It shows that you are responsible, capable, teachable, and intelligent. Simply having a degree, no matter what the major, will give you a marked advantage when it comes to getting a job. The 3 most important things to remember as you enter the college years are study hard, play hard, and change the world. Good luck grad!
One of the biggest decisions senior’s face in the waning stages of High School, is the decision of where to go to college. Some kids have dream schools, schools they have had their heart set sense the moment the concept of college was introduced. However, most kids do not really know what school they really want to go. We make lists of what schools have fun and eventful sports programs, offer the major we think we want to achieve, and look at where our friends are applying. The best advice I can give to a soon-to-be and undecided college students is to think outside the “box.” Take advantage of these 4-5 years of college and go someplace new. Look at schools in places you never though you would ever go. Life outside your hometown is different. There are many many new and different experiences that you will never experience at home. Some you may hate, and others you may love.
I went to school to a far far away place in Northern California at Davis. Even though Davis is in California, anyone who has been knows that Northern California is not the same as Southern California. Looking back I am very great full to have logged a few years up there. I love LA, and Davis is far from the coastal cities I grew up in. But I learned a lot from time I spent there. Many of the things I did for fun were things I never heard of back home. The people and food were new and different too.
So, leave home for college. Go see and live in a place totally new from what you have known growing up. When thinking of potential colleges, look at a map. Look at places you have never been but want to go to. There is a whole lot to be learned while in college outside of the classroom.
