ACT - SAT Conversion Chart

                       SAT-ACT Conversion Chart

ACT Composite                 Old SAT                  New SAT


36                                      1600                          2400

35                                  1560-1590                    2340-2390

34                                  1520-1550                    2280-2330

33                                  1480-1510                    2220-2270

32                                  1440-1470                    2160-2210

31                                  1400-1430                    2100-2150

30                                  1360-1390                    2040-2090

29                                  1320-1350                    1980-2030

28                                  1280-1310                     1920-1970

27                                  1240-1270                     1860-1910

26                                  1200-1230                     1800-1850

25                                  1160-1190                     1740-1790

24                                  1120-1150                     1680-1730

23                                  1080-1110                     1620-1670

22                                  1040-1070                     1560-1610

21                                  1000-1030                     1500-1550

20                                   960-990                        1440-1490


*Based on UC interpretation

The College Interview: Don't Panic

When the phrase college interview comes up most students panic, but quite honestly the interview should be one of the more enjoyable parts of the admissions process because you can learn more about the college and they can discover more about you.  Most students come out of the interview relieved because they realize that the interview is not an interrogation and more of a conversation.  Here are a few essential dos and don’ts to make the most of your interview:



Do

• Do research and prepare to ask questions about the school to demonstrate your interests
• Do bring your resume, transcript, and supplemental material just in case your interviewer asks for additional information
• Do remember simple courtesy (firm hand shake and eye contact)

Don’t

• Don't be late
• Don't respond to questions with just yes and no answers
• Don't be afraid to elaborate on your achievements and interests
• Don't forget to write a thank you note
  

Good Luck!

Coleen Bryan is an independent admission consultant serving southern Orange County with her college counseling expertise.   Follow her on twitter or become a fan on facebook.

UC extends application deadline due to computer glitch

Hundreds of students were unable to send their University of California application due to a computer error, so the UC has decided to extend the deadline to tonight at 11:59 PM.

USC Application tips: Activity Summary

The activity summary for USC is quite extensive.  I suggest that you start the process in a word processing program and than copy and paste.  They provide a great example of an activity summary within the application, so make sure to use that format for reference. Remember not to make this a laundry list, but a highlighted collection of interests and achievements.

Finding a Tutor

Some students may need a tutor to help them master a concept or for enrichment in a certain subject. Before you hire a tutor you want to make sure that they have the experience necessary to meet the needs of not only your student, but also your family. To assess if the tutor is the right fit consider asking some of these questions:

Have you worked with students from this school district?
What ages do you work best with?
How much tutoring experience do you have?
Have you had teaching experience?
What subjects do you tutor in?
How many hours do you plan on working with my student?
Do you have references and a background check?

By asking the right questions you start the process of finding a tutor to help your child succeed.

Here are some local tutoring resources:

Clarity Learning Center
Mathnasium

College Visits 101

College Visits are important elements of choosing the right campus for you because they allow a student to develop their own opinions about a campus. When you make your college visit be sure to leave your assumptions at home and open your mind to the possibilities of the college that you are visiting. Here are a few tips to make sure that you make the most of your next college visit.

1. Listen to your first impression. Many students that I work with rely heavily on their first impression from their visit to make their final decision regarding the right college for them. Scribble down notes and take in your surroundings because the first few moments on campus will likely shape your overall opinion of the campus.

2. Enjoy being the “visitor” on campus. Do not try to blend in, but instead let people around know during your visit that you are checking out their campus and they will be sure to point out the campus highlights.

3. Read the literature. You can find out a lot about the culture of the campus by not only reading college view books, but also the school newspapers. If you have time check out a bookstore to get an idea of the overall tone of the campus.

4. Be a student. Go to a class that interests you or check out the dining halls for lunch to get a insider’s view of college life. Read at the local coffee shop or walk to the dorms during your visit. The best way to get a feel for the campus is to find easy ways that you can be like a college student in the few short hours that you are there (make sure to schedule your visit when classes are in session).

5. Find the fun. A sporting event of a great performance on campus will allow you to get a taste of the school spirit of a campus as a visitor.

By incorporating these tips you will make the most of your college visit and hopefully find the college that fits your academic and social expectations.

The UC Application Online

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Cutback increase CSU competition

Budget cuts due to the recession force the CSU system to offer fewer spots for student this coming fall. Fewer spots increase competition and the CSU system is already seeing a surge in the number of applications they are receiving this month. According to some reports applications are up 53% from this time last year. Students need to get their CSU application in on time and make sure that apply to a variety of CSU campuses to increase their chances of getting into a CSU.

Make Summer Count!

Sample UC Essay

Sample UC Essay -

Did Rose Cheat on the SAT?

Sample College Essays from College Presidents

WSJ has a great series that includes various College Presidents writing college essays on different topics.

Barnard Essay
University of Chicago Essay
Penn Essay
Reed College Essay

Columbia University

Congratulations, Jacquie!

Tour of UCLA Housing

Getting Off the Waitlist

The bottom line is BE PERSISTENT NOT ANNOYING.

Orange County College Application Boot Camp

Click here for the latest press release regarding Boot Camp.

Microlectures

The attention span for students is shrinking, so colleges are starting to shorten lectures. Boston colleges is launching the one minute lecture. I wish they had this for my 3 hour Nutrition class at UCSD.

This girl really wants to go to Notre Dame

A high school student launches the site iwanttogotonotredame.com  in hopes to raise enough tuition for college.  Its amazing the type of creativity that come from hard economic times.  

Honesty is the Best Policy for the UC

The application process encourages you to put your best foot forward and that includes making sure you are honest within your application. I have been asked many times-Do they check? Yes, they do check. A recent article in the L.A. times demonstrates that honesty is the best policy.

The gray-and-green warehouse in suburban Concord seems an unlikely headquarters for a statewide detective operation, and the fact checkers at work there insist they are not mercilessly probing the lives of California’s teenagers.

Still, there is an element of hard-boiled sleuthing in the University of California’s unusual attempt to ensure that its 98,000 freshman applicants tell the truth about themselves and their extracurricular activities. The stakes are high; UC enrollments may be canceled if students are found to be evasive or lying.

Each year, a small number of UC applicants – fewer than 1% – are caught fibbing about such claims as performing a lead role in a school play, volunteering as a tutor for poor children or starring on the soccer field.

But UC officials say there is a broader purpose beyond the relatively few “gotchas”: to scare everyone else straight.

“We take the admissions process very seriously and we want to uphold the integrity of the whole process,” explained Han Mi Yoon-Wu, a coordinator in UC’s central admissions operations.

New Eligibility Index for the University of California

Here is an update from the University of California:

The University of California has just released its Eligibility Index for
fall 2007 freshman applicants, which contains two important changes.


The Eligibility Index defines the combinations of test scores and grade
point average students must earn to be eligible for admission to the
University. Effective with applicants for fall 2007, the index¹s minimum GPA
rises from 2.8 to 3.0. This change was adopted by the UC Board of Regents in
2004, but implementation was delayed to allow students time to prepare.


In addition, the new index changes the way students will calculate their
test score totals. Instead of converting their ACT test scores to equivalent
SAT scores, as is done now, applicants will convert all test results,
whether they took the ACT or SAT, to a new UC Score, based on a 0-100 scale.
Students will then use their UC Score and GPA earned in required A-G courses
in the 10th and 11th grades to find where they fall in the index.


Students can quickly convert their scores and determine their standing in
the index by using UC's online calculator at
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq . (Students
who have limited computer access can download a printed worksheet from
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/resources/materia
ls.html .)



While the UC Score gives a new look to the Eligibility Index, it will not
alter who becomes eligible for the University. The revised index will
capture the same share of California¹s high school graduates with the same
academic strengths as those who met the previous index with a GPA of 3.0 or
above.


A detailed explanation of the Eligibility Index is available at
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/adminfo/freshman/
advising/admission/scholarshipr.html .