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Introduction to SAT

What is the SAT exam?

SAT is an acronym that stands for Scholastic Assessment Test. This is an exam administered by College Board in the multiple-choice format that is aimed at testing a student’s readiness for college. There is no eligibility criteria for the SAT exam. As long as you are able to open a College Board account, then you are eligible for the test.

How many times can I take the SAT exam?

A student is allowed to take the test multiple times. This means that if you take the test and you are not happy with what you have scored, then you can keep studying for the SAT and take it at a later date. The SAT is administered around seven times in a year, so you can always retake the test. It is important to get adequate time to prepare for the SAT exam so that you can do well in it.

Which countries accept the SAT test?

Universities and colleges in the US accept the SAT exam. Some schools in Canada, UK and a few in Australia also accept this type of standardized test. During Covid-19 most schools implemented the test optional policy where students were not required to submit the SAT scores as part of their applications. However, those who wanted to submit the scores were still allowed. Students could therefore apply to universities abroad and get accepted without having to take the SAT exam! However, some schools are reverting back to the SAT as one of the requirements for application, and this means that if you were planning not to prep for SAT, then you better start doing that, because you don’t many schools will get rid of the test-optional policy.

What should I expect in the SAT exam?

The SAT exam has always been a paper-pencil exam, and it was only very recent when they changed it to the new digital format. The SAT has two major parts: Reading and writing section and the mathematics section. The reading section is marked out of 800 and the mathematics section too. Therefore, this means that a perfect SAT score is a 1600. The lowest that a student can score in each section is a 200.

This Digital SAT has two sections and four modules: two English modules and two math modules. Each module in English has 27 questions and should be finished in 32 minutes. On the other hand, each mathematics module has 22 questions and should be finished in 35 minutes. Essentially, a student has to complete an English section question in 71 seconds and a mathematics section in 95 minutes. That way, you will be able to finish the exam in the stipulated time which is 2 hrs 14 minutes.

This Digital is adaptive in the sense that the questions are appropriate to a student’s performance level. This means that you can get entirely different questions from your friend in each of the two modules. How well you do in the first module will determine the kind of questions you will get in your second module. If you do well in your first module, questions in module two will be harder. However, if you do poorly in module one, questions in module two will be easier.

Students are penalized more on easier questions. For instance if we have two students with the same number of right answers in both modules of the English section, one student may end up scoring highly that the other. The one who scored highly would be because they had many right answers in module one as compared to module 2.

The major difference between the analog and digital SAT is that the reading and writing section is combined to one section, unlike in the analog SAT where the two sections were separate. Moreover, the long passages in the analog SAT are now shortened to short isolated paragraphs or sentences. In the mathematics section, a student is allowed to use a calculator all through, unlike the analog SAT where there was a calculator-specific section!

How do I register and what next after registration?

You can register for the SAT exam on the College Board website. There is a fee of $60 that is to be paid on the College Board website. There are guidelines to be followed in case you want to change your testing center or cancel taking the test altogether. After that, you ought to start preparing for the test. Start by taking the official practice on Khan Academy and full length tests on Bluebook.

After taking the SAT exam, results will be available on the College Board 13-14 days after taking the test.

Prepping for US Visa Interview

Below is a list of documents that you need for the US college application process. Each document is followed with a brief explanation.

Normally, interviews make people very nervous. Sometimes this nervousness makes you fail in the interviews. You have applied to a school and you have been accepted. The last thing you want is a visa rejection, especially not after going through the whole college application hassle. For context, I will explain what a visa is, and particularly an F1 student visa. A visa is an official document that allows the bearer to legally enter foreign country. The visa affords the bearer different rights and it is often embedded on your passport.

The F1 student visa is a non-immigrant type of visa that allows a student to study at an accredited US college or university or learn English at an English Language Institute. This type of visa allows a student to stay in the US during their period of study and come back home when their study period is over.

Below are a few tips that will help you prepare for your F1 student visa.

Collecting all the necessary documents

A valid passport– this passport should be valid 6 months after your arrival in the US. If by the time you are going for the interview your passport will not fall within this range, then you should renew it as soon as you can.
Passport photographs that meet the dimensions required. These dimensions can be checked on the US Embassy website.
Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status popularly known as the I-20 form. It should be filled and signed.
A SEVIS payment confirmation receipt
Printed copy of DS-160 form confirmation page
Proof of finances– this is a very important document required. If you are self-sponsored, you should carry along bank statements as your proof of funding. If you are sponsored by an organization, then you should also have proof for the same. If you are on financial aid, you should have your financial aid award letter.

NOTE THAT:

All the Mention Documents are important in adding a successful Application

What to expect during the interview

The questions asked change from one person to the other. There is no fixed set of questions that every person is asked. However, some of the questions you should anticipate include those about your major, school you are attending, source of funding, post graduate plans among others. Give honest answers to these questions and be confident even as you do that. You don’t want to lie to a whole US Embassy!

There are a lot of websites that have samples of questions you may be asked. You could look them up on the internet and thoroughly practice them. Again, they may not be the same questions, so be prepared

What you should wear

An interview is formal and you are not expected to show up in informal clothes such as those ones that expose your body. A good choice for such an occasion would be business casual. As much as it is formal, you also don’t want to overdo it by arriving at the interview in a tuxedo. Try as much as you can to wear something decent, presentable and comfortable.

Keeping time

There are thousands and thousands of people going for the interviews. It is therefore very important that you get there on time, at least thirty minutes before the interview. If you miss your appointment by a large gap of time, it will be canceled and you will have to reapply for another interview, and this will mean that you will have to make the payments afresh. Arriving on time will save you a lot of stress and expenses.

Lastly, you do not need moral support from your family or friends so show up for the interview alone. Moreover, you should not carry a lot of gadgets because they will not be needed.

Remember, be polite, calm, honest and prepared. All will be well!

All the documents you need for US college application

Below is a list of documents that you need for the US college application process. Each document is followed with a brief explanation.

An official high school transcript– this is a document that shows one’s grades throughout high school. Because it is an official document, it should be stamped, signed by a school official, for instance the dean of studies or principal, and it should have the school’s letterhead. It is important to remember that this document is submitted by your school guidance counselor on the recommender section of the common app.
Senior high school leaving examination result slip– if you have completed high school, it is important to submit an official copy of your senior high school leaving examination.
A high school leaving certificate– this is an official document that highlights the extra curricular activities a student took part in together with his or her conduct. This document is not required for submission by most schools and it is optional to submit it.
National Identity Card– this is important when you are going to take any standardized test because it is used as a form of identification. If you do not have one, you can use a passport, and if you lack both, there is a form provided by the college board that you can fill.
Letters of recommendation– the number required mostly ranges from two to four. It is important to have at least three letters of recommendation with one being from a school counselor. If you do not have a school counselor, you can use a class teacher or any other teacher. It is advisable to have at least one recommendation from a sciences teacher and another from a humanities teacher.
Financial documents: tax returns– if you and/or your parents file taxes, it is important to have these documents ready, as they may be required to determine your financial aid award if you are accepted into a school. Tax returns are often provided by the official revenue authority in a country. In cases where the tax returns are nil, then you will be asked by your school to submit a non-tax filer statement. This will be used to determine your financial aid award in place of tax returns.
Financial documents: bank statements– these are important financial documents required to determine a student’s financial aid award. You should ask your parents in advance to collect these bank statements for you. If they do not transact over banks, then they can request for statements from the mobile electronic money transfer services they use.
Financial documents: statement from employer– in cases where your parents do not have bank statements or tax returns, then your school may or may not request you to submit a statement from your parents employer. In an event where you are asked to submit such a document, ask your parents to request his or her employer to write and sign the statement for submission.
Financial documents: support letter– this document is often required on very rare occasions. In cases where a student is required to have their non-custodial parent submit a CSS profile and they are not in touch with their non-custodial parent, a student can request to fill a non-custodial parent CSS profile waiver form. When submitting, this form should be accompanied with a support letter from a teacher, family doctor or clergy member who can verify that everything said in the form is true. You should preferably find someone who is very familiar with your family situation to write you a support letter.
Passport– this is an important travel document required to study from the US. it will not only serve as a form of identification, but it will also be required when applying for your student visa. It is therefore important to apply for your passport as early as possible and have it ready when it is needed. If you have a passport that is about to expire, then you should renew it so that it is valid during your entire period of studies.

NOTE THAT:

All the Mention Documents are important in adding a successful Application

Everything you need to know about letters of recommendation

What is a letter of recommendation?

This is a letter written by a high school teacher, guidance counselor, mentor, employer, coach or arts coordinator to a school you are applying to vouching for you and explaining why you are a good fit for a school.

Which letters of recommendation do I need?

In most cases, schools require a minimum of three letters of recommendation: two teachers’ recommendations and a guidance counselor’s recommendation. It is highly advisable to have a recommendation from a sciences teacher, and another one from a humanities teacher. A science could be biology, physics, mathematics or chemistry. On the other hand, humanities include History, English or Geography.

If you are applying for a specific major, it is important to get at least one letter of recommendation from a subject that is tied to your intended major. For example, if you plan on majoring in Biology, then why not get a letter of recommendation from a Biology teacher? This way, your application will be well-themed and therefore stronger.

And yes, you don’t have to worry if your school does not have a guidance counselor! A class teacher can recommend you in place of a school counselor.

Who should I request for a letter of recommendation?

You may have scored all A’s, but you surely would not ask for a letter of recommendation from just any teacher, especially just because you did well in their subject. There is more to it than just doing well in that particular subject. It is highly advisable to request letters of recommendation from teachers who know you well, both in and out of class, preferably, a teacher who has taught you for the longest time.

Go to that teacher who is a friend and request for that letter of recommendation. Let’s look at this scenario, you have two options, a teacher of English who just taught you in class, and another one who was your poetry club patron and classroom teacher. I will definitely advise that you go for the latter, because the teacher knows your abilities both in class and out of class.

If you would want to submit an additional recommendation letter outside the ones required by the school, for instance one by a sports coach, employer or mentor in a research lab, then be sure to have a stellar letter of recommendation. Moreover, be sure that your recommender knows you to the letter, and that he or she can come up with a recommendation that will stand out. This is because this is just additional information you have decided to give, and doing mediocre work in it may be detrimental to your application.

Why are letters of recommendation important?

You may be wondering why you have to go through all this hassle, for just a letter of recommendation. And you may even think that everything about you has been captured in the application, and the letters of recommendation aren’t really important. On the contrary, this is an important aspect of your application. Letters of recommendation give substance to everything you said in the essays. They add a person to the SAT scores, GPA e.t.c. Your recommenders reinforce what the teachers said, and so the admissions officers take everything more seriously!

Letters of recommendation can be life savers sometimes. Many applicants have almost the same test scores, and their essays may be at the same level. In such a case, a good letter of recommendation can make one stand out. It could get you off the waitlist. Isn’t that good news?

When should you request letters of recommendation? How should you do it, and who submits them and how?

If you are planning to apply to an Early Decision School, be sure to have your letters of recommendation completed by September. This will give your recommenders adequate time to go through them and correct any mistakes they may have made. And if you are planning to apply for the Regular Decision Admission pla, be sure to have them done by November.

It is advisable to contact your preferred recommender, either through a phone call or email and request them if they can write you a letter of recommendation. Be sure to be kind, respectful and polite even as you do so. Once they have agreed, you can now proceed to the recommenders section of your common app and invite your teacher or counselor.

Make the arrangements as early as you can, to give the recommenders enough time to write you a letter of recommendation.

About submission, you DO NOT submit your letters of recommendation; your teachers do. They can submit them electronically, or physically via mailing them. Electronic means however, have proved to me more efficient. Before submission, liaise with your teachers to ensure that the letters of recommendation are signed, stamped and have a letterhead on them.

Lastly, if your recommender does not speak or write in English, they can always write the recommendation in the language they use, and then it can be translated by a teacher of English or any other person who can be of help.

Remember to mention that it has been translated, and submit both copies. However, if your school does not require you to translate, then submit it as it is.

NOTE THAT:

When you tell your recommender of the things you would want them to highlight in your letter, DO NOT LIE!
And remember to waive your FERPA rights.

Understanding Early Action, Single Choice Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, Early Decision 1, Early Decision 2,Regular Decision and Rolling Admissions.

In this article, we are going to discuss the different types of admission plans, accompanied with a few examples of schools that have those admission plans.

Early Decision 1

In this admission plan, students are required to submit their applications from November 1st to November 15th based on the submission deadline of your school. Most schools in the US have this admission plan. As indicated by the name, the decisions come out early, mostly from Mid-december all the way to January.

For this admission plan, a student is only allowed to apply to one private school, and the student must make a commitment to the school. To make the commitment, you, your parents and counselor will sign the ED agreement. Unless there is a financial aid factor, such as inadequate financial aid, a student is expected to adhere to the agreement. Although it is not legally binding, failure to honor the agreement will lead to some consequences. If the other schools you have applied to learn that you have breached your ED agreement, you will risk losing all the acceptances in the other schools, and you will end up with no college!

You are also expected to accept your Early Decision offer a few weeks after you have been accepted and reject admission offers from other schools.

Most students apply to their number one target schools for ED, and this shows their commitment and interest in a school. As a result, schools are confident that the students they admit in Early Decision will enroll. Often, schools have higher acceptance rates in Early Decision as compared to the Regular Decision admission plan.

Early Decision 2

This admission plan is almost similar to Early Decision one in that it is binding. However, the deadline comes later, almost at the same time as Regular Decision deadlines. Decision dates are normally from Mid February all the way to March. This admission plan gives one enough time to pay attention to particular aspects of their application and polish it. A student will also get adequate time to decide whether they actually want a school for their Early Decision.

Early Action

This admission plan has almost the same deadlines as ED, and the decision dates still lie in the same category. Applying for Early Action shows that a student would like to hear from a school earlier compared to other schools. This admission plan is non-binding, meaning that even if a student is accepted, they do not have to enroll at the college.

Restrictive Early action/ Single Choice Early Action

This admission plan is also non-binding. However, in this case, a student is only allowed to apply to one private school. They are not allowed to apply to any other Early Action private school or Early Decision school. However, students are allowed to apply to Early Action Public schools. These REA schools include Princeton, Harvard and many more schools. It is important to check a school’s Early Action guidelines and rules before applying.

Regular Decision

This is the one admission plan that allows students to apply to as many schools as they would want. However, a student is allowed to apply to a maximum of 20 schools on the Common App. So if you applied to let’s say one ED school and 2 EA schools, then you can apply to 17 schools on the Common App for Regular Decision.The submission deadline for Regular Decision ranges between January 1st and January 15th. Decisions normally come out from Mid March all the way to April.

A student is given up to May 1st to accept or rescind the admission offer. The main advantage of applying in Regular Decision is that a student normally has a wide variety of schools to choose from.

Rolling Admissions

Schools with this type of admission plan normally take applications almost all the time throughout the year. Acceptance is on multiple cycles until the required class size is met. This means that even a week before classes kick off, you can still apply to a school. An example of a school with this type of admission plan is Xavier University.

It is important to carefully study different types of admission plans before settling on the one you want to go with.

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