The 2012 PSATs are Over!....Now What?

This Blog post orginially appeared on CollegePrepExpress's Blog on 10-19-12, http://collegeprepexpress.wordpress.com/

Some of you took the PSAT on Wednesday this past week, and the rest of you will take it tomorrow. For many, so begins your foray into the wonderful world of high stakes, college admissions testing. That’s the bad news. The good news, though, is that you get a little standardized-test break in the otherwise nonstop bombardment that is the junior year in American high school.

So what’s the next best move? Good question, glad you asked.  THREE suggestions:

1. FOCUS ON YOUR SCHOOL WORK. Remember you’re in school primarily to, um, get an education. So buckle down and try that on for size.  From a purely college-admissions perspective, there is no more compelling evidence you’re ready to handle the academic rigors of higher education than earning the very best grades you can in high school. I’m sure this won’t be the first time you’ve heard that junior year grades are particularly important. Get on it!
2. FOCUS ON YOUR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. If you’re an athlete, step up your game. If into drama or photography or music or chess or the French club, the weeks following the PSAT are a great time to make a little extra investment of time and energy. Make your mark. Position yourself for leadership positions next year.
3. Start preparing for the December ACT.  What? December ACT? Yup, you read correctly. You’ll be getting back your PSATs mid-December, and if you take the Dec. 8 ACT (register by 11/2, not much time!), you’ll get those results shortly thereafter.  Having one score from the CollegeBoard and one from the ACT will best position you to allocate your resources for SAT and ACT prep over the winter and spring months. At a minimum you’ll discover whether you’re the type of student who does markedly better on one as opposed to the other exam (about 50%) or whether you do about the same on both (about 50%). And remember that if you don’t do well, it CANNOT HURT YOU. What about December SATs? Not necessary, since you’ll likely get around the same score as you did on the PSAT and won’t learn much.  Plus, the SATs are given in January and the ACTs are not.  Then the two tests alternate every month thereafter through June.  See Standardized Test Planning, Grades 9-12).

To help you make the smart choice to prepare for and take the ACT in December, CollegePrepExpress is offering a 10% off coupon for the next 6-Session ACT class, which starts 11/9/12.  Newsletter recipients will receive a special coupon via email on Monday morning at 10AM ET.  If you don’t receive our Newsletter (shame on you!), sign up below , and tell your good friends, too (the class is limited to the first 10 to enroll). :-)

As always, we’re here to help. Email info@CollegePrepExpress.com, call 860-519-1000, or use our FREE CONSULTATION form.