Valuable insights from Lynn O’Shaughnessy
a nationally recognized college expert.
SAT/ACT
May 4, 2012
Answering Your SAT and ACT Questions
Earlier this week on my Facebook page, I asked folks to send me questions to ask college admission representatives at a Western college conference that I am attending. I got about three dozen questions from parents and I hope to answer as many as I can in upcoming posts. Today I’m going to start addressing some standardized test questions. It’s...
Read More
3
March 2, 2012
What If You Bomb on the SAT or ACT?
I recently got an email from a dad who was depressed because his son had performed poorly on the SAT test. He wondered what his son’s options are. I understand how the father felt. The ACT and SAT loom so large in the life of a college-bound student that it’s easy to assume that doing poorly on either test will...
Read More
2
March 2, 2012
What If You Bomb on the SAT or ACT?
I recently got an email from a dad who was depressed because his son had performed poorly on the SAT test. He wondered what his son’s options are. I understand how the father felt. The ACT and SAT loom so large in the life of a college-bound student that it’s easy to assume that doing poorly on either test will...
Read More
2
December 6, 2011
Sizing Up Your SAT and ACT Scores
Over the weekend, teenagers across the country suffered through the final SAT exam of 2011, which gave me an excuse to share some statistics on the SAT. If you missed the post, here it is: 8 Statistics You Didn’t Know About the SAT Today I’m answering a question from a mom, who was prompted to write after reading my SAT...
Read More
4
December 4, 2011
8 Statistics You Didn’t Know About the SAT
Last week, a mom asked me on my Facebook page what constitutes good SAT scores. I told her it depends on the caliber of the school. At some colleges a 1600 out of a 2400 score is above average while at other schools, applicants with that kind of score wouldn’t even be seriously considered. At some of the nation’s most...
Read More
1
November 29, 2011
Are Brilliant Teens the Best College Students?
I’ve often wondered why colleges and universities are so fixated on admitting students with extremely high SAT or ACT scores. Some of these teenagers only excel at taking tests and earning top grades, which can lead to awfully uninspiring young adults. I’ve heard admission folks privately lament that kids with high test scores can be duds. If I was an...
Read More
1
October 5, 2011
SAT Test Takers: Pay Attention to US News’ Footnote No. 9
If you do poorly on the SAT or ACT, you can always apply to colleges and universities that are test optional. It’s been awhile since I wrote about this subject and you can find the link to a previous post below, but today I want to share with you a new twist to the trend. Getting Into Great Schools With...
Read More
0
September 16, 2011
Should You Retake the SAT?
Since it’ SAT/ACT season, I wanted to run a guest college blog post by Robert Levine, who graduated from the University of Miami with a BA in Finance. He is currently serving as an SAT tutor for ParliamentTutors in Miami, FL. FYI: If you missed my SAT post from yesterday, here it is: The Latest Lousy SAT Results Just how...
Read More
0
September 15, 2011
The Latest Lousy SAT Results
The College Board released its latest SAT results this week and the scores were underwhelming. The average SAT reading score reached its lowest point in nearly four decades. The combined reading, math and writing score of 1500 out of a possible 2400 was six points below 2010’s results and 18 points off 2006. If you’re wondering how your teenager compared...
Read More
1
June 30, 2011
8 Ways to Boost Your ACT and SAT Scores
Summer is a great time to get ready for the SAT and ACT, which will kick off the 2011-2012 season in September. Here are eight ways for teenagers to improve their SAT and ACT scores or limit the damage of mediocre results: 1. Select the test that plays to your strengths. Teenagers who tend to earn high ACT scores have...
Read More
2