| College Admission Planning Q&A
- When should I start my college essays?
- What about SATs, when do I need to start taking them?
- Why does everyone tell me that I don't have much time to prepare for the SATs?
- Why do I need to take AP courses?
- How many and what subjects should I choose for my AP courses?
- Do I have to take the course in order to take the AP exam?
- When should I start my college essays?
As soon as the applications become available. As the college admissions essay requirements grow progressively more difficult, you should also start preparing earlier in order to ensure that you meet the requirements for admission. The UCs now require two different essays and Stanford requires 4. Even though you may find it possible to reuse some of the contents, you must still allow yourself enough time to write a paper capable of convincing colleges that you are the ideal candidate for admission.
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- What about SATs, when do I need to start taking them?
You should start preparing for your SAT I as early as your sophomore year; in your junior and senior years you will be swamped by AP course and college applications. As for the SAT II subject tests, you should take them shortly after you finish an academic subject. Not all colleges require you to take the SAT II subject tests, but most do, and in order to qualify for admission to any UC you must take two or more subject tests.
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- Why does everyone tell me that I don't have much time to prepare for the SATs?
It may seem like you have many opportunities to take the SATs since ETS offers 7 testing dates per year. However, if you want to avoid taking the SATs during finals season, you need to eliminate the June and January test dates. Then, if you are a SAT II test taker, the March test only offers the SAT I test. Now you are left with 4 dates: October, November, December and May. Now, if you are a senior in high school and you plan on taking the October test (which is usually offered in the middle of October), it would take 2 weeks to receive your scores (mailed at the end of October), and if you are not satisfied with your score you are left with only one week to prepare for the November test. Thus, taking the SAT IIs for the same subject two months in a row is not feasible. You would only be left with the October and the December tests before your applications are due (UCs will accept the December test results, and private school applications are usually due by February, so you would not be able to catch the May test either).
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- Why do I need to take AP courses?
It is a measure of your enthusiasm towards a subject as well as your strength as a student. AP courses can prepare you for the level of difficulty that a college course may entail. You may also get some credits for those courses if you get a decent grade (usually a 4 or a 5) on the AP exam. More importantly, colleges use AP performance as one of the selection factors when you apply to colleges.
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- How many and what subjects should I choose for my AP courses?
There really is no "right" number of AP courses that you should take since it depends on the subjects you are most interested in. Some students challenge themselves with 10 or more AP courses throughout their high school career and some get away with taking none. When you do choose an AP course to take you should select one that interests you and in which you believe you can do well.
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- No, you are not required to take the high school course in order to qualify for the AP exam. If you feel comfortable enough in a subject area you are welcome to sign up for the exam. You can also take one of ShareWorld's 12-week AP intensive classes to prepare you for the exam without taking a one-year course in school.
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ShareWorld College Admission Counseling Planning
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12th Grade
- Choosing rigorous schedule (honors and AP courses)
- College Statistics and Description
- Early Decision/Early Action ?
- College Application Checklist
- Personal Interviews
- Personal Statements/Essays
11th Grade
- Choosing rigorous schedule (honors and AP courses)
- About the New SAT
- About the SAT II's
- Honors and Awards
- AP Test Prep
- Teacher relationships
- Summer programs/internships
- College resumes
- College visits
10th Grade
- Choosing courses (start honors and AP courses)
- SAT/PSAT Preparation
- Leadership involvement in extracurricular activities
- Enriching summer experience
9th Grader
- Choosing courses
- Study Skills
- Prepare for the PSAT
- Explore extracurricular activities
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