It’s a jungle out there — in the evolving landscape of college admissions, that is. With trends shaping standardized testing requirements, challenges introduced by the digitization of the SAT and the significance of college essays, a promising outcome requires an early, proactive and strategic planning strategy.
Off the coattails of the pandemic, a majority of colleges and universities are still offering a test-optional (SAT/ACT) policy to students. However, this policy will likely end within the next two years, said Gabe Cramer, managing director of mentoring at college admissions consultancy firm Command Education.
“While some schools have decided to continue that in perpetuity until otherwise, students should be careful, as you must examine individual school policies to find out if you’re required to sit for these tests as an applicant,” said Cramer.
It’s also advisable to check out the Common Data Set (a compliation of admissions standards around the country) to find out what percentage of students are being admitted to a given institution with or without submitting test scores. The CDS aims to improve the accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition to higher education.
“It’s a critical piece of the puzzle,” said Cramer. “For example, if only 11 percent of those admitted to a certain school did not submit test scores last year as candidates, that school may be test-optional in name only. It may be expecting you to submit.”
Whatever the case, it’s always an advantage to submit test results if you can, added Cramer.
“We tell all students, at the very least, take a practice diagnostic to see where you’re scoring on both the SAT and the ACT. Let’s create a goal score for you, whether you’re trying to up your chances of admission to a top institution or a reach school,” (those for which your academic profile falls below their typically accepted range). “If you don’t think your test score will get you into a range that the schools desire, and you have a better chance of getting into a match school, let’s dedicate a certain amount of time to it,” he said.
Another newsworthy testing-related item is the recent computerization of the SAT.
“The SAT is now administered in digital format,” said Cramer. “A lot of students have expressed their preference of this, as it’s shortened a bit and students are more comfortable with a computer.”
It’s also a dynamic test, which means, depending upon how you score in the first section, the new version adjusts the difficulty level of questions based on your responses, which is different from the fixed difficulty level of preceding exams.
A key tip for students: “You want to make sure you really take that first section seriously. Make sure timing is something you’re focused on,” said Cramer. “It’s less important to get every question perfectly right if it means you’re not going to answer the last three. There are a ton of testing strategies and tutors who teach when to guess, when not to guess, and how to approach the multi-question reading passage.”
The spring of sophomore year in high school is when most students start prepping for the standardized tests, but some concepts, such as math, may necessitate an earlier focus, such as freshman year, said Cramer.
When trying to determine which schools, if any, to submit your test scores to, Cramer advises asking yourself, “How good is your best score?”
Plus, there are only a few schools that don’t offer score choice, so for the vast majority, “You can pick which tests you submit and which you don’t,” he said. “If you sit in November and test poorly, but test great in December, just send December’s scores,” advised Cramer.
You can also “superscore,” which is the process by which colleges consider your highest section scores across all the dates you took the SAT. Rather than confining your scores to one particular date, these schools will accept your highest section scores, forming the highest possible combined score.
So, on the current SAT, this essentially means submitting your highest math score and your highest reading and writing score across all test dates.
“Depending on the school, you can also ‘superscore,’ which is the process by which colleges consider your highest section scores across all the dates you took the SAT,” Cramer said. “Rather than confining your scores to one particular date, these schools will accept your highest section scores, forming the highest score possible.
“So, on the current SAT, this essentially means submitting your highest math score and your highest reading and writing score across all test dates.
It is also advisable to finish testing the summer before your senior year of high school, since that’s when the application process starts in earnest and, “It’s hard to focus on essays if you’re still spending time on SAT/ACT stuff,” said Cramer.
Beyond test scores, the college essay is an incredibly important piece of your admissions package.
“It’s the holy grail of all of the writing you’re doing. The college essay is your opportunity to share your voice and values with the admissions committee. After reviewing your quantitative qualification — test scores, transcript, GPA — it’s the first chance for the admissions committee to hear your voice, learn about your values, and imagine who you’d be on their campus,” said Cramer.
For Cramer, a few college essay Do’s and Don’t’s come to mind. “Avoid pop-culture movement themes, such as the Taylor Swift phenomenon. It’s harder to stand out with a ton of people writing on this and the fatigue of reading about it exists.”
Writing too much about someone else is a no-go, he added.
“Students often recount a story about a friend or relationship with a grandparent or mentor and make it too much about them. You can have other characters in this piece of writing, but it’s your story. You have to get across your perspective,” said Cramer.
Authoring the essay with creativity and ensuring it’s tonally appropriate to your personality is another key.
“Humor is great and memorable, as long as it’s appropriate, but your style and tone should match the way you speak in everyday life,” said Cramer.
When it’s time for another pair of eyeballs to review your essay, “You want guidance, but you don’t want too many cooks in the kitchen,” said Cramer. “It’s only 650 words. Find people you trust and avoid the noise. Make sure it’s grammatically perfect using an experienced editor or spell check. It’s OK to take risks with stylistic choices, but if you’re unsure and think it’s going to make it difficult for admissions reps to understand, err on the side of caution.”
If you’re honing in on a challenge you’ve overcome as your essay topic, “Too many kids spend too much time on the challenge, but not as much on the resolution and overcoming it,” said Cramer. “If you’re writing about divorce, it’s about what positive has come out of it.”
Having a “wow factor” can add to your appeal as a competitive applicant.
To help students figure out what that will be, “We believe it should be authentic,” said Cramer. “Have you taken a leadership position on your school newspaper or publication? This demonstrates extra time you’ve dedicated, and not just the bare minimum,” said Cramer. If your school doesn’t have a leadership opportunity, look to your community and align your interests with a local tradition or organization. Show how you advocated and made an impact locally, or create a unique venture that didn’t previously exist to make a positive difference.”
Colleges and universities are seeking students who will likely make their campuses better than they found it, said Cramer.
“A passion project shows a student’s high-level engagement with their core interest outside of the classroom; it is an opportunity for them to use their intellectual passions to benefit their community in tangible ways.”
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