A Blizzard of Activity!

As a snowstorm bears down on us here in the Northeast, kicking the new year off ri-- er, some kind of way, I've finally found a moment to take a breath and update a few things!

We've had a wonderful season so far for college acceptances, with student accepted at the following schools:

- Hofstra University - Lehigh University - University of Pittsburgh - Boston University - Drexel University - Providence College - University of Maryland, Baltimore County - University of South Carolina - Worcester Polytechnic Institute

- Elon University

- University of Massachusetts, Amherst

- Rutgers University

- Case Western Reserve University

We expect to see more in the coming weeks and months, too! Congrats to our seniors on their excellent options so far, and we wish you luck as more decisions roll in. Any seniors who do still need help completing applications should not hesitate to call us. If you've still got deadlines left (and how close they are is scaring you), don't stress -- let us help.

PSAT scores came back in December, and as we contemplate a snowbound January, juniors who haven't yet begun a testing plan for the SAT or ACT are at the perfect time to start. We do offer services both in-person and online, and the latter option provides an excellent solution to the problems of snow. :)

Upcoming 2018 Test Dates:

ACT - February 10 (Late Registration Deadline: 1/19)

SAT - March 10 (Deadline: 2/9; Late Deadline: 2/23)

ACT - April 14 (Deadline: 3/9; Late Deadline: 3/23)

SAT - May 5 (Deadline 4/6; Late Deadline: 4/20)

SAT - June 2 (Deadline 5/4; Late Deadline: 5/18)

ACT - June 9 (Deadline 5/4; Late Deadline: 5/18)

There will be an ACT in July, an SAT in August, an ACT in September, both tests in October, an SAT in November, and both tests in December. For seniors, the October SAT is the last "safe" test for early application deadlines, though the October ACT will be accepted by some schools. The December tests are the last "safe" tests for regular application deadlines, though some schools may also accept a February ACT from senior year. That said, we aim to make sure no student should need to deal with testing that late in senior year! Get it done sooner, and get it done right, so applications and academic success can be the two big things on your plate senior year. :)

It's also not too early to be looking ahead to SAT Subject Tests. While very few colleges (or majors within colleges) require Subject Tests, and only a few more strenuously recommend them, good scores on these tests can be 'another shiny thing' for students aiming for elite colleges to burnish their applications with, especially if it's easy to achieve those good scores. Students who are in AP classes might use the May SAT test date to take the corresponding Subject Test to take advantage of being studied up for the May AP, or students might use the June SAT test date for the Subject Test when the same is true for finals. This approach is a lot easier than trying to add Subject Tests to the mix in the fall of senior year!

Finally, though, the admissions cycle isn't over for grad schools, either! Many master's degree programs have deadlines in the winter and spring months. College students still looking to expand their options for after graduation can contact us for career and graduate advising -- as can anyone with unmet goals that this year is the year to achieve.

Happy 2018, everyone, from all of us here at Cowan-Tsai Advising.