What are the first things colleges will see?
The first introduction a college gets of you is your High School transcript, based on this piece of paper an admissions officer can make a decision about you – so you should be very familiar with your transcript. It represents YOU! You should know exactly what is on there and use it to make realistic college choices.

What does realistic college choice mean?
Just because your transcript represents you it does not mean it has to be perfect. Don’t get nervous! Admissions officers are human, they attended high school, they understand that we all have good days and bad days. So if your transcript is not what you want it to be then you need to be able to explain what went wrong and why.

What are admissions officers looking for on your transcript?
Your course schedule may seem like a random selection of classes to you, but college admissions officers see it as the blueprint of your high school education. They are looking for a solid foundation of learning that you can build on in college. Take at least five solid academic classes every semester.

What is the difference in study time from high school to college?
High school study time outside of class may vary, but may be as little as 1-3 hours per week per class. College studying generally needs to be at least 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour in class. Most college classes are generally 3 hours a week, therefore, study time would equal 6-9 hours a week.

What is a standardized test?
A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a consistent manner. The tests are designed in such a way that the “questions, condition for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent” and are “administered and scored n a predeterminged, standard manner.

Why do colleges use standardized tests?
One of the main advantages of standardized testing is that the results can be empirically documented; therefore the test scores can be shown to have a relative degree of validity and reliability. These are then contrasted with grades on a school transcript, which are assigned by individual teachers.

What are examples of standardized tests?
SAT, SAT II, ACT, TOEFL, and AP