30-Second Summary   What's Happening   Since 2020, many colleges have made the SAT/ACT "optional" for admission. However, at competitive "test-optional" colleges, most students still submit SAT/ACT scores—and are admitted at higher rates.   Why It Matters   Families need to understand how to navigate test-optional policies given their individual goals and circumstances.   The Main Takeaway   All students should take a practice SAT and ACT.  Most students should take the official SAT or ACT.  Prepare for the SAT/ACT if your baseline scores are below the norms at your colleges of interest (or below the cut-off for your scholarships of interest).  For each college you apply to, decide strategically whether to submit your official scores.   What You'll Learn in This Article   This article defines key test-optional terms and walks through a step-by-step approach to navigating practice testing, official testing, and score submission based on your goals.   Read On   Watch This Blog as a Video What Is the Recent History Behind Test-Optional? What Testing Policies Are Colleges Currently Using? Why Is Testing Relevant Today? How Should I Approach Testing Given My Goals? Need Personalized Guidance on Your SAT/ACT Strategy? Meet with an Expert.

 

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Topics: College Admissions, ACT, SAT, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage

 

 

30-Second Summary   Why This Matters   Despite test-optional policies, all students should take a practice SAT and ACT to inform their testing strategy.  Families need to know why, when, and how students should use practice testing as part of their SAT/ACT strategy.   The Main Takeaway   The three steps to developing your SAT/ACT testing strategy are: Step 1: Determine whether to focus on the SAT or ACT, and establish your baseline score.  This is where practice tests come in. Step 2: Set your target score based on your college and scholarship goals. Step 3: Select your study strategy.    What You'll Learn in This Article   You'll learn the importance of practice SAT/ACT testing, which practice test(s) to take, when you should take them, and what you should do with your scores—all depending on your individual goals.   Read On   How Should I Approach the SAT/ACT Testing Process? Why Should I Take Practice SAT/ACT Tests? Which Practice Test(s) Should I Take? When Should I Sign Up? What Should I Do After the Practice Tests?

 

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Topics: ACT, SAT, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage, PSAT

 

 

30-Second Summary   What's Happening   The new digital SAT is arriving in March 2024—and the last ever administration of the existing paper SAT will be in December 2023.   Why It Matters   Many 11th graders (Class of 2024), and some 10th graders (Class of 2025), should take the existing paper SAT before it's gone for good.   What You'll Learn in This Article   This article provides a step-by-step approach for 10th and 11th graders to develop your SAT/ACT testing strategy with the digital SAT in mind.   Read On   Watch This Blog as a Video Digital SAT Implementation Timeline Action Plan - Class of 2024 (11th Graders as of February 2023) Action Plan - Class of 2025 (10th Graders as of February 2023) Need Personalized Guidance on Your SAT/ACT Strategy? Meet with an Expert.

 

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Topics: College Admissions, ACT, SAT, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage

 

While everyone hopes they'll be able to take the SAT or ACT just once and be done with the process, the reality is that about half of all students take the official test again—even if they had completed an SAT/ACT prep program before their initial testing attempt.  If you’ve taken the official SAT or ACT, and your score has left you wondering whether you should retake the test, what should you do next?  We'll help you answer that question in this post.

 

"When Anna got a great practice test score after her prep class, then her real test was a drop from that score, yes, it was a little disappointing.  But you have to know that you could have a bad test day any given day, right?  There's no downside to retaking the test...so just keep [trying] until you've got a good test [score]." -Ransom J., parent of student at West Anchorage High School who took the official ACT three times, ultimately earning a 94th percentile score is matriculating at Washington and Lee University

 

Note: This article is for students who have already taken the official SAT/ACT at least once.  If you haven’t taken the official SAT/ACT yet, see this blog post: 

When to Prepare for and Take the SAT/ACT: 3 Questions to Help You Decide.

 

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Topics: College Admissions, ACT, SAT, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage

 

Of everything you include in your college applications, the essays are the single element over which you have the most control—make the most of this opportunity to define your narrative.  You know you’ll need to write a variety of essays for your college applications. The real question: How will you craft effective messaging that demonstrates your talent and character in order to maximize your chances of admission?  In this post, we will provide an overview of the college application essay planning and writing process, including:

 

• What kinds of college application essays you will need to write
  
  
• The Frontier Tutoring essay planning formula for strategizing your topic and planning your structure, regardless of the prompt
  
  
• Keys to success for essay planning and writing
  
  
• When you should start planning and writing—including how to get a head start during junior year
  
  
• Actual draft essays—from first draft to final—from Anja L. and Sam L., two Frontier Tutoring college admissions consulting students.  Anja was admitted to Middlebury (17% acceptance rate), while Sam was admitted to Georgetown (11.7% early action acceptance rate).

 

Ready to write?  Let's begin!

 

-Kimberly Hewitt - Business Unit Manager, College Admissions Consulting

 

 

 

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Topics: 11th Grade - Juniors, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Apply Right, Anchorage

 

NOTE: This post is targeted at juniors (10th graders as of May 1, 2022).  If you have already taken the PSAT (11th graders of May 1, 2022), check out this post instead.

 

Summer is an important time for rising juniors to learn about the PSAT and determine whether it’s worth preparing for the test to potentially qualify for recognition and funding under the National Merit Scholarship Program.  Alaska students earning Semifinalist, Finalist, or Winner status have access to generous scholarship opportunities at a variety of colleges. In this post, we’ll break down what’s on the PSAT, how the National Merit Scholarship Program works, and what rising juniors should do ASAP—ideally before August 15, 2022—to see where they stand.

 

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Topics: Financial Aid & Scholarships, ACT, SAT, College Admissions: Build Your Application Assets, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage, PSAT

 

10^th and 11^th graders: Your SAT or ACT scores will likely play a significant role in your competitiveness when applying to colleges, with 88% of colleges placing considerable or moderate importance on students’ standardized test scores for admissions purposes.¹  Given the importance of your SAT/ACT scores, how should you develop your testing calendar and plans?  In this article, we’ll review three questions to help you decide when you should prepare for and take the official SAT or ACT—including what sophomores should do over the summer to determine whether they may be competitive for National Merit recognition on their junior year PSAT.

 

Here's everything covered in this post:

• How Should I Approach the SAT/ACT Testing Process? 3 Steps to SAT/ACT Success
• When Should I Take My Practice SAT and ACT?
• When Should I Take My Official SAT or ACT? 3 Questions to Help You Decide
• Next Steps: Checklist for Rising Juniors
• Next Steps: Checklist for Rising Seniors

 

First, let’s start with a high-level overview of SAT/ACT testing strategy.

 

 

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Topics: SAT Subject Tests, ACT, SAT, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage, PSAT

 

If you took the PSAT in October 2019 as either a 10^th or 11^th grader, you should have received your scores on December 10.  What do your scores mean?  How do they relate to the SAT/ACT?  How does the National Merit Scholarship Program work, and what are the Alaska qualifying scores?  And now that you have your scores, what should you do next?

 

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Topics: Financial Aid & Scholarships, ACT, SAT, College Admissions: Build Your Application Assets, 11th Grade - Juniors, 10th Grade - Sophomores, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage, PSAT

 

After three grueling years of academics, senior year has finally arrived!  Of course, there's important work still to be done.  Now is time for rising seniors to roll up their sleeves and lay the foundation for a successful college application season.  In this post, we’ll run through a checklist of five college admissions priorities for rising seniors to work on starting now.  Specifically, we’ll discuss how to:

1. Finalize your college list—the single most important factor upon which nearly all of your other decisions over the next four months will depend
   
   
2. Identify and achieve your target SAT/ACT score before application deadlines
   
   
3. Begin essays and applications
   
   
4. Identify financial aid and scholarships
   
   
5. Determine whether you need to take SAT Subject Tests

 

The checklist includes links to many of our other resources, including our College Essay Planning Formula, which many of our students have used as the basis for highly successful college application essays.  Let’s get to work!

 

 

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Topics: Financial Aid & Scholarships, ACT, SAT, College Admissions: Explore Early, College Admissions: Excel Academically, College Admissions: Build Your Application Assets, 12th Grade - Seniors, College Admissions: Apply Right, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage

 

Of everything you do in high school, the activities you undertake during your junior year will have the among most significant impact on your competitiveness for college admissions and scholarships.  As a rising junior, how can you set yourself up for success?  In this post, we’ll walk through a checklist for rising juniors to review before school starts.  Specifically, we’ll show you how to tackle each of the following five priorities with free tools and resources developed specifically for Alaska students:

 

1. Determine whether you should prepare for the PSAT—something you should do before or during August)
   
   
2. Craft your SAT/ACT strategy to maximize your scores and efficiency
   
   
3. Get serious about your GPA: Depending on when you submit applications, the next two semesters will comprise the final grades colleges see.
   
   
4. Start developing your college list—the single most important factor upon which nearly all of your other decisions over the next 12-18 months will depend
   
   
5. Determine whether and when you will need to take SAT Subject Tests

 

Let’s get to work!
 

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Topics: SAT Subject Tests, College Admissions, ACT, SAT, College Admissions: Explore Early, College Admissions: Excel Academically, 11th Grade - Juniors, College Admissions: Test Well, Anchorage