The tendency over the summer is to enrol in intensive on-campus pre-university programs to effectively pad university applications. While there is no firm data on whether these activities actually do help with applications, they certainly do help universities monetize their lovely campuses and graduate students earn some nice money over the break teaching wealthy high school students. There is also a more recent trend of kids writing "academic papers" in partnership with "mentors" which are then "published" in "academic journals". This grift is revealed in this recent article.
So, what should a rising junior or senior do with their summer break? Here are some ideas:
- Tour Schools
Go on university tours. Even you aren't interested in a school, go on the tour if your travel brings you near the campus. Top tip: after a tour finishes, sit down and write notes about the campus you just viewed to refer to later. Otherwise the campuses tend to merge together in your memory a bit like temples in Thailand.
- Get A Job!
If you are legally allowed, get a paid job. Lifeguarding, baby-siting, F & B, landscaping, retail, whatever you can find. You will learn more about what you want to do with your life and how to interact with other people in a summer working at McDonalds than in Economics 101.
- Intern
We recommend students leverage their parents' professional networks (LinkedIn) and see if anyone might need a gofer/peon for a few weeks. The job should entail making copies, mindless data entry, pointless market research, and fetching tea/coffee/muffins for people. This experience should hopefully be both enriching and humbling for students as they learn a bit more about how the real world actually operates. You don't need a work visa for an unpaid internship.
- MOOC MOOC MOOC!!!
Massive Online Open Courses are a great way for a young student to dip a toe into real collegiate-level academic content. A good directory is here.
- Khan!!!! (Sal, not Noonien Singh)
You should be able to get your hands on the syllabi of some of the courses you are taking next school year. Why not steal a march and use Khan Academy to knock out the first few modules of math/econ/history so you can get off to a great start on the school year?
- Read More
We are a bit of a broken record on this. Here is a great list of 20 "must read" books for high school students. Beyond that reading magazines and anything without too many pictures will serve you well.
- Relax
School is stressful. Covid was stressful. Life is stressful. Be sure to take the time to do things that you find help you to relax. Run. Walk. Bake. Cook. Meditate. Binge watch. Zone out. Have a great holiday!
Recent Trends in Admissions and Testing - August 2022
We will need another hour-long webinar to even come close to covering all the developments in the world of testing and admissions. The impact of the Covid pandemic is ongoing and indeed will be echoing around the halls of learning for years to come. American Universities stopped requiring tests students couldn't take, and there was an ensuing flight to perceived quality among applicants. The direct result was a well-reported and alarming reduction in the acceptance rate of the most competitive schools as students no longer saw a (relatively) middling test score as a barrier to entry.
The universities opened their application doors up widely and have been enjoying an unprecedented surge in interest, applications, and application fees. What they haven't done is expanded any of the entering class size to any real degree with giants such the University of California system actually reducing the seats available to out-of-state applicants. The net result at UC is that only 2,442 international students were accepted for 2023, down 12.2% from last year. (What isn't reported is how many of these international admits were olympic or professional-caliber athletes...)
The net result is that universities that used to be very completive, are now absurdly competitive, and those that used to be a bit competitive, are now very competitive. Past historical data from your high school on admissions into universities X, Y, and Z are now no longer nearly as indicative as it used to be and students will need to look at the last couple admissions cycles instead. In many cases, a school that would have been a bit of a "reach" for a student in 2018 is now out of reach - even if GPA/IB results are outstanding and SAT scores are tip-top. For those of graduating in 2023, the key is to adjust your expectations and take to mind that the most competitive schools often aren't the best choice for your future.
Nearly all American schools are now some form of "Test Optional", and this will continue to be the new normal. Students will need to consider how their results on the SAT/ACT compare to the most recent data from the university on accepted students - check the Common Data Set rather than the university - just google "Common Data Set XXX" to get data on XXX University. Please also note that the last couple years of data will have inflated test scores from accepted students as only the students who scored high will submit their scores. Though data is still spotty, students who submit scores generally have a better chance of acceptance - though these same students are those that tend to be stronger academically, something the tests profess to measure.
Oh, we almost forgot to remind readers that the SAT is changing format in 2023 to a new digital format. That will present an entirely new array of variables and challenges to an already-Byzantine process. We'll circle back on this in subsequent editions of this newsletter...
December 2020 FAQ Answered!
How do I get a seat to take the SAT test in Singapore?
If you attend a school that is a closed test center (you know who you are), then get the secret test center number from your school and register via the College Board website. If you do not, then things get a bit more complicated.
In normal times the bulk of the openly available seats to take the SAT in Singapore were supplied by local MOE schools with large capacity such as ACJC and VJC. There are presently restrictions from these schools administering the test and hence a major mis-match in supply/demand for seats. We anticipate that when we move to "Stage Four" then things will open up and these centers will again open up. When this happens, students who are on the official College Board wait list will be first in line. You get on this list by letting "College Board find me a place" during the registration.
No amount of emails or calls to College Board in New York will be of any use. If you can't test, don't worry about it. (see below)
What if I can't get a seat to take the SAT?
Note that this test availability problem is hardly unique to Singapore and kids all over the world (including large swaths of America) are not able to test. As a result, all American schools are now test optional at the very least and you will not have to submit scores. If you do not submit scores, this will not hurt your application. Chartering a speedboat to try to get a to a test center in Batam or Johor is completely crazy town.
What about the ACT, should I take that in April/June?
As reported earlier, the ACT gave up on international by cancelling international tests until April 2021 and firing all the international staff. Presently there are places notionally available in Singapore for the June test administration but we doubt that these will be fully open. Try to take the SAT instead, the ACT is even more of a mess at present.
What does "Test Optional" mean?
It means that the SAT/ACT test scores are OPTIONAL and you do not have to submit them, especially if you can't take the test! Universities will use other parts of your application in lieu of test scores.
Should I still submit test scores?
If the university is test optional (U. California legally can't even look at scores now!), and your test scores are solid, then go ahead and submit test scores. If your test scores are poor relative to the rest of your application, then no need to send them.
Will it hurt my chances if I do not submit scores?
No, schools are test optional, see above. Universities need students and will be making it easier, not harder.
Will universities be test optional for class of 2022 as well?
Probably. Hard to say for sure and schools are likely not keen to commit to anything that far out but unless things snap back to a new normal very soon, then most universities will be test optional for kids starting in 2022 as well.
What about the SAT Essay and SAT Subject Tests?
Just a few American schools still technically "recommend" these tests and that number goes down every week. We anticipate (and hope) that these tests will die a graceful death with the next admissions cycle. They are still required by some non-American schools so check with the specific university. We can see the tests being quietly fully cancelled and still being required by some universities who didn't get the memo.
Where can I get more specific guidance?
Our webinar in December covers all of this ground, but the best person to help you is your university advisor at your school. NOT a commercial university placement agent. NOT a WhatsApp group. NOT what you heard from your friend's cousin's half-brother whose kid "got into Stanford". There has been a proliferation of fake news on all things of late, and admissions and testing has hardly been spared.
We encourage people to have a look at our blog for our most recent postings as well as our Twitter feed where we post interesting links.
April 17th Testing Update
The June SAT has been cancelled worldwide and we fully expect ACT to do the same any day now. The IB final exams and Cambridge IGCSE/A Levels have also been cancelled while the AP Tests are moving towards an at-home format that will necessitate students in Asia taking the test in the middle of the night. Wow. This is the biggest disruption to the normal academic flow in living memory and the important, overarching message, is not to worry about testing matters and to be patient. Universities need students to keep the lights on and there will be massive short and medium terms changes to the normal application process to allow eager, qualified students to go on to university and get a great education. Now is a good time to work on other things: read books, bake bread, grow herbs, solve puzzles, play with cats, do yoga, and be thankful that you have that bright future awaiting you even if now things are a bit cloudy in terms of how you will actually get there.
There are so many moving parts to the situation right now that prognosticating what the specific situation will be in one, three, six, or twelve months is really a fool’s errand. That said, please find below specific guidance for students in different stages that will attempt to allay stress and help bring some calm. One things is that is common for all students and parents is to be careful where you are getting your information. Any changes to admissions or enrolment policies should be communicated directly from the university to you or displayed on the relevant university website. There are people trying to compile master lists of what schools are requiring what and when but that is the definition of a Sysiphean task. Check with the school or your high school university counsellor, not a WhatsApp chat group.
Present 12th graders to start university in 2020:
You are probably waiting to fully commit to one university and now the big question is whether that school will start physically or virtually come August. You may now not need to worry about high-stake year end exams (IB/A Levels) or you may be stressing about AP Tests, now to be taken at home next month. For APs, we have a team of top tutors ready to help you with many of the tests, contact us for details. For all, we’re sure that your new university is keeping you updated on this highly fluid situation and there may also be issues with visa and travel bans that there is no way to predict now. You will have some time over the next few months and it would be a great idea to steal a march on the courses that you are planning to take via enrolling in MOOCs or just by reading ahead in the classes that you plan on taking. Get fit, learn Spanish/Chinese/Bulgarian, learn how to cook some of your families’ favourites, etc. We will be starting some regular webinars called “Real Life 101” where will be talking to successful professionals to learn more about their academic, professional, and life journeys and these may be of interest to you. Stay tuned.
Present 11th graders to start university in 2021:
Things are the most unsettled for you. The important thing is that after University of California went “test optional” all other schools will likely follow suit and the SAT/ACT will probably not be required for any American schools. There are still good reasons to take the test that we will cover in a later post but the earliest you can take it now is August 29th so don’t worry about this quite yet. Once you have more clarity on when the test will be available and what format it be, you can make more concrete plans from there. If it comes to pass that you won’t have a good opportunity to take the test, or take it a second or third time, then don’t worry about it. The situation is out of your control, universities know this, and they will make changes accordingly. Finish the present school year as strongly as possible, even if you don’t have year-end exams to worry about. Grades in 11th grade are a key factor in admissions and will show universities that you can excel academically in adverse, abnormal circumstances.
Your summer plans are probably all in flux and you will likely have time on your hands. The earlier advice about non-academic activities holds, and you should maybe think of what formal extra-curricular activities you can continue or start while at home. Academically, we have our Grammar 101, Reading 101, and other enrichment courses planned that will help your broader academic and standardized testing performance - students with strong reading and writing skills do well in school, and also test well. You probably know exactly which math class you will be doing next school year so why not get started on that in June and July via Khan Academy? Khan likely covers some other subjects that you may be taking next year and we may be adding some related online courses over the summer months to help in this journey. For those with Extended Essays or Capstone projects, the expectations for you might be a bit higher given the amount of time you will have over the summer. There are also many virtual college tours and the like that you should take a look at.
Importantly, there is no reason to doing anything test-prep specific between now and July, at the earliest. There are better things to do with your time.
Present 10th graders to start university in 2022 (and younger students):
Deep breaths. We hope that things will get back to something approaching a “new normal” by the time you start the university application process next year. The advice above also certainly applies to you in terms of finishing the year strong and you should also consider our online “101” series of academic enrichment programs that we will deliver via video conferencing. Get a jump on next year’s math class and we are planning a pre-IB math “Boot Camp” over the summer.
There is no reason to get near standardized testing until October at the earliest. The tests cover what you learn in school and the more school you have, the better you will do. We do not recommend students look to take the SAT or ACT until December of their 11th grade year and have written about that extensively in the past. This advice remains. Getting started too early is a common, preventable, waste of time and resources.
Conclusion:
There are major problems in the world today and testing and your university applications are important to you, but take a moment to reflect on the broader situation. Start a diary or vlog/blog that you can record your personal experiences during this period to reflect upon in the future. Seek guidance from your school, your parents, or other trusted sources on how to get through this situation academically, and most important personally and emotionally. We’re monitoring the application and testing situation very closely and will be sending out regular updates in our e-newsletter, planned “Real Life 101” webinars , and Twitter feed.
Feature in Cache Journal: Rank and File: Ditch the Misleading League Tables When Choosing A University
Program Director Jeremy Craig penned a feature in the first issue of Cache Journal regarding how one should consider university rankings when deciding on schools. As the title suggests, rankings should be taken with a grain of salt:
