May Admissions News
The month of May arrives alongside a few of the most important components of the college application process: AP exams, final exams, and updates to cumulative GPAs. While junior year grades are incredibly important, the grades from each year in high school will be combined for the GPA students will use to apply to college. As a second-semester junior, these elements come together (transcript, rigor, GPA) to be highlighted in the fall while completing your college applications. Additionally, you will want to ensure that you “wow” the admission counselors at your dream colleges by crafting a well-thought-out personal statement, application, and transcript.
Juniors – Let’s Get Started!
After AP exams and final exams conclude, the rest of May is filled with writing college essays. Our advice for juniors? Build your college list right now, with the help of your Moon Prep counselor, and get started on your college essays as soon as possible. Make a goal to have your Personal Statement completed by July 1st and be ahead of the game! Download Moon Prep’s Junior Year Checklist to make sure you are not missing any other vital step of the college process.
Don’t have a Moon Prep counselor of your own yet? Schedule a free call with Moon Prep to hear about our services and see how one of our counselors can give you the best chance of admission to your top college.
Admissions NewsTest-optional Admissions and Enrollment Statistics There has been a lot of buzz around the role of standardized testing in the college admissions process for years, even before the pandemic forced almost all colleges to go test optional, and we are just beginning to examine the results and see the outcomes of this new test-optional landscape. While these outcomes are still pending, schools must decide on their own rather to stay test optional or return to their pre-pandemic practices. MIT reports the scores help them admit students who are more likely to succeed in its mathematics-heavy program. On the other hand, the University of North Carolina will remain test-optional through fall 2024, saying they want to remain competitive with the other universities going test-optional. As the data continues to be analyzed, we may see schools reversing their decisions one way or another, or sticking to their policies based on institutional values. Paying for College As many students and parents are acutely aware, attending college costs a pretty penny. Despite rising tuition, studies say rising freshmen are willing to pay higher costs to attend colleges with higher quality facilities. With an increasing percentage of students financing their own education, sourcing options to afford higher education has become more important than ever. Williams College announced in April that it will help cut down the financial burden of education by extending its policy to convert all loans to grants for middle-income families, which they generously define as an annual family income of $75,000 to $175,000, as well as low-income families. If paying out of pocket or attending a school with a generous aid program doesn’t seem feasible for you, read our guide on applying to the FASFA for federal student aid or take our course on applying for scholarships. SAT/ACT Timeline While still navigating the test-optional landscape ahead, students who plan to showcase their academic prowess through test scores should be busy studying for their upcoming exams. According to the College Board, many junior students take the SAT or ACT for the first time from March through June after studying for two to three months. If you plan to take standardized exams but haven’t yet, schedule them as early as possible to allow plenty of time for studying and re-testing. The College Board reports that the majority of students earn a higher score the second time. As many schools only consider the highest scores earned or superscore, there are no penalties for taking either exam multiple times. Read Moon Prep’s advice on preparing for the SAT and ACT, as well as the best resources to utilize while studying, in our article Ultimate List of Resource List For The ACT And SAT. Summer of Essays Right after AP exam season, get ready for the summer of essays! With Early Decision and Early Action deadlines occurring as early as October and November, and regular college admission deadlines typically in January, the summer before senior year is the perfect time to get started. Those deadlines will sneak up fast! The personal statement can be a key piece in conveying your personality and unique attributes to admissions committees. Download our essay brainstorming guide to get started on the right foot, and contact us for a free consultation to see how a Moon Prep counselor can help guide your essay every step of the way.
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