Improve your chances of getting into college,

US News is an online news magazine whose claim to fame for many years has been it's annual college rankings lists. While the rankings are useful in a general sense (i.e. a top 25 school is probably better than one that's ranked 150), they change annually. Schools at the top of the list are constantly obsessing over changes in their rankings, when in reality the quality of a school just doesn't change all that much from year to year. Use the rankings as a broad guide to selecting colleges to investigate, but don't let them influence your final decision!

The College Board is the organization that creates and administers the SAT. The College Board website has a wealth of information about colleges and college planning, as well as a lot of free SAT prep resources. Every student taking the SAT should be signed up for their "question of the day" email for daily practice! The College Board also publishes the Official SAT Study Guide, which is a must for SAT prep.

I'll answer this one from a testing perspective since that's my area of expertise! Ideally, a student should be finished with all college admissions testing by the end of junior year. The common wisdom has always been to take the SAT or ACT for the first time at the end of junior year, then re-take in the fall of senior year. But I prefer for students to take their chosen exam for the first time in the fall of junior year.

This is efficient for a couple of reasons. First, you can use the summer to do the bulk of your test prep. For many students, the summer before junior year is less hectic that the one before senior year, so test prep shouldn't be as hard to fit into your schedule. Second, if you've got your sights set on National Merit recognition, the PSAT you take in the fall of your junior year is one that "counts." It makes a lot of sense to combine prepping for the SAT with your PSAT prep, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Yes, it's a lot of testing to complete in October, but you'll be so glad you got your first SAT attempt out of the way. You can then take it a second, and even third, time before the end of junior year. Then, you're finished, and you can secretly gloat when all your friends are cramming for the fall test administrations your senior year!

I get asked this question more often than any other, and it's very tough to answer! There is no one best approach for everyone, which is why talking to a pro is a good place to start.

Some (rare) students are able to grab the College Board Official SAT Study Guide and prep themselves. For others, SAT courses can work very well, but be sure to look for those that use the College Board book as a text. It's the gold standard, so insist on it!

Many students don't consider tutoring because they think it will be too expensive. The truth is that your test prep dollar can stretch much farther with a tutor. A student is getting the instructor's undivided attention so you can do much more in less time. It's the only way to get individualized instruction, and an investment now can pay off in better financial/aid and scholarships later.

Although test scores seems to be the source of the most press (and the most anxiety), grades in quality courses are absolutely the most important parts of your application. Students should always prioritize their coursework over SAT prep! I always recommend that students do their test prep during summer vacation if at all possible to avoid conflicts with their regular classes.

However, test scores are still important. If you're in competition with another applicant for admission, a higher test score could tip the scales in your favor. Selective schools may also have score cutoffs that you have to meet to even warrant serious consideration. Finally, good scores may qualify you for scholarships.

The answers to these questions vary radically from student to student. Anyone who tells you there's one right answer for everyone isn't as knowledgeable about the tests as they should be! There's no way to thoroughly respond in this format, so I'll just provide a few guidelines.

All students should take a full-length practice SAT and ACT before deciding which one to pursue. The PSAT or PLAN is not an acceptable guide since these tests are truncated versions of the real thing. Having the full experience of each test (in all it's exhausting, mind-tangling glory) is essential for making an informed decision. Other factors may include available test accommodations for students with disabilities, preferred test dates/centers and access to prep materials. Most students develop a clear preference for one or the other, so when you know which one is for you, stick with it! Many students think they need to take both tests, but I disagree. The SAT and ACT are very different animals and it can be confusing to prep for both, not to mention a giant time-suck in your already busy schedule!

As for when to take your test of choice, the only guideline is to allow ample time to retake it at least once before applications are due in the fall/winter of your senior year. In general, you should take it for the first time no later than May/June of your junior year. But if you prefer to get it out of the way earlier, please do! If you have plenty of time to devote to preparation the summer after your sophomore year, do it. Then take the test in the fall while the information is still fresh. Be sure to also plan for AP exams and SAT subject tests if they're on your agenda.

The answer to the last question is a little easier to answer. If you're applying to a selective school, many (most?) require you to submit all of your test scores from the SAT or ACT. A general guideline is to take the test no more than three times, unless you have a very good reason for doing so. More attempts implies that you're hoping luck is going to shine down on you rather than putting in sufficient preparation before test day. Each time you take the test should be "for real," with you putting in your best effort. Don't use a real exam for practice...that's what prep materials are for!

Hope that gets you thinking about a plan. I recommend talking to a test prep pro to discuss your specific needs, especially if you're intending to apply for testing accommodations. Good luck!

Yes! And no. While grades and course selection are paramount, the SAT (and its counterpart the ACT) still plays an important role in the admissions process at colleges nationwide. It provides additional information about a student's abilities to admissions officers. Testing is intended to supplement grades and essentially "level the playing field" for students attending disparate high schools across the country. While there's certainly room for discussion as to whether the SAT succeeds in that goal, it's a fact that it's going to be a part of most students' applications in the end. The vast majority of college bound students take either the SAT or ACT, and that's not going to change any time soon.

The "no" part of my answer addresses the current movement of test optional colleges. The list of colleges that no longer require test scores to be submitted grows every year, and there are some surprisingly well-known names on the list. While I do think having the opportunity to opt not to submit test scores can open up opportunities for some students whose grades and test scores don't "match," I'm not convinced that the colleges in question are allowing it for noble reasons. Even if a school is test optional, students with strong test scores will submit those scores anyway to support their application. Those with lower scores will obviously be less likely to include them. While the lower scoring students may still be admitted, the school's published average test scores will increase! This means that a school can appear to be more selective, garner higher rankings, and ultimately discourage lower scoring students from applying at all. And there is no obligation on the school's part to admit any students who choose not to submit their scores. It's a bit of a slippery slope, and I'm not sure it's going to benefit students in the end.

Practice, practice, and more practice. It's absolutely essential to get in as many practice questions as possible before test day. The SAT tests the same topics repeatedly, so the more questions you see, the more likely you'll have "seen it all" when you get to the real thing!

There are some very good math specific prep guides out there. I happen to like Phil Keller's SAT Math Game Plan. It's good for both strategy and concept review.

Consider working with a tutor as well. And "tutor" may mean your friend's math genius brother. Getting a little extra help with a question that stumps you can be worth points on test day.

I do alumni interviews for my alma mater, and I'm always turned off when a student admits to knowing next to nothing about the school. It happens much more often than you'd imagine. The rise of the common application has made it much easier to apply to a large number of schools, and inevitably the students who are least prepared for the interview are the ones applying to twenty schools!

Before your interview, scour the school's website for programs/classes/clubs/dorms/sports that interest you and ask for more information from your interviewer. You are applying to the place after all, and I'd hope you've done at least a little research to know if it's a good fit. For example, my alma mater doesn't offer a business major. If you're looking at business as a major, you need to be looking elsewhere for a school that meets your needs.

Interviews DO matter in the admissions process for selective schools so don't take them lightly. Use the opportunity to exhibit yourself "beyond the numbers," but also don't forget that it's an opportunity for you to get personalized information about the school. Good luck!