Archive for the ‘Preparing for College’ Category

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3 Ways To Improve Your Discipline and Get Great SAT Scores

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

SAT prep is a lot more complicated than simply studying X,Y and Z.  SAT Prep involves having great study habits as well.  If you are going to get a great score, then it is necessary not just to study, but to study the right way and with the right materials and study aids.  In this article, we will look at how you can improve your study habits.  Many of the steps we will cover here are very easy, but you have to stick to them.  In time, however, you will see a big difference in how much you accomplish during your study time.

1. Draw on Discipline From Other Areas

More than likely, you have more discipline at your disposal than you think.  If you play sports, know how to play an instrument or have a hobby that requires focus and determination, then you already have a degree of discipline.  Even playing video games, such as shooters and role-playing games takes focus and patience.  You can tap into that discipline when it comes to your study habits.  Now this isn’t an overnight process and it will take time, but once you’ve given it some effort, you will discover that you are making nice progress in the direction of being more disciplined with your study habits.

2. Set Aside A Designated Time to Study

Knowing that you will study specifically for the SAT at a given time every day will help you find the success you want!  You may also want to consider mapping out what sections of the SAT you wish to focus on for a given day.  Through good organization you will decrease your chances of not properly covering a particular section of the exam well enough.

Just as you set time aside to study for SAT prep, you may want to do the same for other aspects of college success.  How to survive college and get into college may have a lot to do with the process of searching for financial aid for college tuition and financial aid and grants.  Setting aside time for this part of the process is a great idea and could literally make the difference between being able to afford the college or university of your choice and not going to college at all!  Discipline in this regard is really quite important.

3. Ask for Help

Don’t be shy about asking others to assist with your discipline if you are having trouble focusing like you should.  If you have a friend that is far more focused and disciplined than you are, then see if he or she will help you stay on track.  You may want to ask family members or even teachers to stay on top of your progress.  While this might not exactly be pleasant, your main goal should be achieving a great SAT score.  After all, you don’t want to waste all of those hours you spent on test prep tutoring, and finding SAT practice tests online.

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The 5 Pros And Cons of Study Groups

Monday, December 26th, 2011

Forming a study group for the SAT has some big pros, but it also has a few cons as well.  SAT preparation can be complicated and it’s a major step in your life.  Pretending that it isn’t a big deal might be tempting, but it really isn’t in your best interest.  If you take a “whatever” attitude towards studying for the SAT, you are doing harm to your friends as well, as you may influence their study habits and behavior.

It is vitally important that you realize with total clarity that despite what anyone ever told you, you are not competing against your classmates and friends on the SAT exam.  This kind of thinking is primitive, foolish and highly misguided.  Millions of students take the SAT exam every single year!  The thought that you are competing against your friends is silly and you shouldn’t fall for it.  If someone tells you that it’s a “dog eat dog” world and that this applies to the SAT, well, they just don’t know what they are talking about.  Remember that so many students take this test that any actual competition between you and your classmates is beyond trivial.

Once you realize that there is no real, actual competition between you and your friends and classmates, the option of cooperation opens up.  Why study alone if you have friends that are better at given subjects than you are?  By cooperating with one another, it is possible to not just break down the SAT exam, but to also pull on one another’s strengths and help with one another’s weaknesses as well.

Study Group Pros

1) Learn more as you can break down the test and study materials and split them up.
2) Pull on one another’s strengths
3) Get help with your weaknesses
4) Learn to see the test and test questions in different ways
5) Pull on collective resources, such as study guides and so on.

Study Group Cons

Unfortunately there are some cons to forming a study group for the SAT.  Let’s take a look a few of these cons.

1) There will be differing levels of seriousness among your friends.
2) There is a risk that your study sessions could deviate into socializing instead of working.
3) Not everyone will pull his or her weight equally.
4) Egos may get in the way and interfere with overall progress.
5) People may not stick with the study group long enough to get the desired results and to justify the time it took to start the group in the first place.

Whether or not you should form a SAT study group depends greatly on the quality of people that you can pull into the group.  Even if you get great people in your group, you may still find that the group dynamic doesn’t work.  In the end, you have to play this one by ear and see how it develops.  However, if your SAT study group is successful, you could really benefit a great deal.

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Ten Creature Comforts to Make Your SAT Exam Day Easier

Saturday, December 24th, 2011

All that goes into the transition process from college to high school can be a little overwhelming.  If you are thinking that the process as a whole is pretty complex, well, you’re totally right, as that is definitely the case.  Yet, one important thing you should never lose track of during this process is the importance of holding onto your commonsense and applying it to as many situation as possible.

You’ve spent a great deal of time preparing for this exam and have researched many issues from direct federal student loans to why study aboard and even college student credit cards.  The purpose of most of your studying and research is to be well prepared for college and for the pivotal SAT exam.  The so-called “little things” can make a big difference in life.

Making certain that you are comfortable for your SAT exam is of vital importance.  Let’s take a look at the small steps you can take to make sure you are ready to go for test day!  Here are ten steps you can take that while help you feel better, more relaxed and more confident on your SAT exam day.

1) Wear comfortable clothing.  The day of your SAT exam is absolutely not the day to worry about how you look or flirting with people you think are cute.  This test is a very big deal.  Wearing comfortable clothing will allow you to focus on the task at hand, namely getting a great score.  This test factor is such a big deal.  If you don’t have comfortable clothing, buy some!

2) Wear comfortable shoes.  Having comfortable shoes on is so important that it deserves to be distinguished from wearing comfortable clothing.

3) Another important creature comfort is making sure you give yourself enough time to not just eat a quality meal before the exam but have time to digest it as well.  It is difficult for your brain to work effectively until your food is properly digested.

4) Make sure you have access to healthy food and snacks on exam day.

5) Make sure that you are well hydrated.

6) If you need medication of any sort, make sure you have it on hand.

7) Don’t be afraid to be a little superstitious.  If you feel that you have a lucky charm, a lucky pencil, a lucky baseball cap or a lucky whatever, now is the time!  Anything that gives you confidence and calms you down is a smart move!

8 ) Some creature comforts involving avoiding certain things that cause you stress.  In the period before your exam, avoid stress if at all possible.

9) Just as you should avoid stress before your SAT exam, you should avoid distractions.  This is one time that you might want to leave your smart phone in your bag or backpack.

10) Chauffeur me!  Driving can be stressful.  If you can get a ride to and from your exam that is a great idea too.

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Being Cautious With Your Social Networking Profile

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

The odds are that you are involved in social networking in some way or another.  There is no doubt that social networking is a revolution in communication and has a wide range of benefits.  Yet, for students looking to get into college, social networking has some issues that you need to consider.

Some colleges and universities are using the information that you post on social networking pages to determine whether or not you should attend their schools.  Now you might be tempted to think this is unfair.  However, keep this fact in mind… if you post something in a public place, well, it’s public!

There is no way you can keep a university, college or prospective employer from looking at this information.  In a perfect world, people might say, “Your facebook profile is personal, and we only care about your professional life.” But, in reality, this will not happen.  This is why you have no choice but to stop and think carefully about all the public statements that you make in public forums and social networking sites.

College admissions counseling can be a demanding field.  The admissions officers that you are working with might see like robots to you, but you need to remember that often they are worried about losing their jobs if they make a mistake.  If they admit a student who turns out to make the school look bad or cause problems, it does reflect upon them.  As a result, they have to be cautious.

Admissions officers may look at your “online life” as part of the process of determining who you are and what you are like.  This is information that was not available just a few years ago, but today it’s easy to find.  Thanks to search engines like Google, almost anyone can find such information quickly and easily.

If you know that you already have embarrassing information online, realize that you are definitely not alone.  It is important to do want you can to remove any information that may reflect badly on you.  For example, if you have a blog dedicated to how much you dislike education in all forms, you should probably get rid of that!  You get the idea.

In general, start paying closer attention to what you post online, and have a good explanation for anything silly you posted online, as you never know when you might need to explain yourself.  Finally, be proactive and work to post positive accomplishments online.  Consider starting a blog designed to promote a charity that needs your help, for example.

Just because there may be some embarrassing things about you online doesn’t mean that your dreams of getting into a great college or university are “finished.”  By investing some time in working to fix your mistakes, you can smooth over much of what you did in the past.  For most people, this process will really only take a few hours, but the results can be very positive in the long run.

You’ve likely spent a lot of time doing SAT practice tests online, looking into financial aid for college tuition and maybe even college admissions counseling.  Considering all the time you are investing, why not spend a little time thinking about your online presence?

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Dental Plans Cheaper Than A Semester’s Worth of Pizza

Saturday, December 17th, 2011

Like most college students, you’re probably waiting until the holidays to schedule your regular doctor checkups. Winter break is slowly approaching, your parents might be pestering you about scheduling a visit to see your hometown dentist when you’re in town. You, on the other hand, probably have better things to do during your short respite from school responsibilities.

It’s no surprise you’d rather be spending time with your friends and family instead of visiting the dentist’s chair. As nice as some dentists can be, you still cringe at the thought of being subjected to the scraping, forceful flossing and general gum prodding. However, missing those regular checkups can cause dental issues like aching teeth and sensitive gums, as well as lead to an increase in serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes. But what should you do if it’s a lack of dental insurance, rather than fear of the dentist’s chair, that prevents you from getting a regular teeth cleaning?

Luckily, there are dental plans available for individuals and students that will let you get your pearly whites cleaned without breaking the bank. For example, DentalPlans.com lets you search for plans in your area and view savings you can expect with each plan. Rates vary depending on your area, but most individual plans are available for $100 to $150 per year — less than you’ll probably spend on pizza in a semester. Avia Dental is another company offering student dental service, with plans starting at only $8 a month.

Another alternative is to see if your college or university has its own dental school. Many times, dental schools allow students to use their dentistry services at a discounted rate. While dental patients will need to wait longer than if they were visiting a traditional dentist, the fees are greatly reduced as you’re having a dentistry student perform the services. (Don’t worry; the students are closely supervised by faculty members who are trained and board-certified dentists.)

You can also see if your college or university offers its own form of dental coverage. New York University offers dental services to university students, as well as their spouses and children, and also includes discounts for orthodontic treatments.

With all these options available for student dental services, nothing short of a crippling fear of the dentist chair should keep you from your regular cleaning. Waiting too long for dentistry services could mean even more painful restorative dentistry procedures, like root canals. So, kiss Nana hello during the holidays this year, help yourself to an extra slice of pumpkin pie and schedule your regular cleaning.

About the Author
Amy Moczynski is the marketing associate for 352 Media Group, a web development and digital marketing company.

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Using Nutrition to Improve Your Test Scores

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Around the nation, tremendous pressure has been placed on schools to boost their standardized test scores. Yet, little, if any, attention is given to nutrition. People who willingly admit and understand that cars perform differently and better when given the proper fuel somehow believe that this phenomenon doesn’t apply to the human brain.

Getting the best nutrition possible, especially when you are a child or a young adult, is amazingly important for what your brain can accomplish.  After all, don’t bodybuilders boost their levels of protein in order to grow larger muscles? You need the right nutrition to achieve optimal educational performance.

You can’t eat tons of processed foods, fast foods, foods loaded with chemicals, sugar, artificial flavors and preservatives and expect to feel your best, look your best, or be as mentally sharp as you could otherwise be. No matter what you may have heard, your diet does impact how you look and how you perform in life!

With all of these facts taken into consideration, it is possible for you to boost your test score through the right nutrition, just like a body builder boosts his or her amount of muscle mass. Here is a key point to remember- your brain is amazing in many ways and, in fact, it is a singularly unique organ in your body. Why? Unlike the rest of your body, your brain, if taken care of and given the right foods, can continue to build new connections throughout life.  Your brain can keep developing even in old age if you adopt the proper lifestyle and food choices early in life.

So what should you be eating? A lot of the foods you should be eating are familiar ones, such as fruits and vegetables. Also you should opt for organic whenever possible. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and compounds that fight disease. The anti-cancer compounds found in fruits and veggies are no laughing matter and are the subject of serious medical and university studies. These foods will help you feel better, be more alert and have the nutrition you need to improve both your studying habits and your test score.

Essential fatty acids are also important for your brain health. Essential fatty acids are found in foods like walnuts and fish. Particularly good types of fish are wild Alaskan salmon and sardines. If you don’t like fish, there are fish oil tablets that will serve you just as well. The main point is to make sure that your brain is getting the nutrition that it needs for optimal performance.

By eating fruits, vegetables and nuts every single day, you will feel better, look better and likely boost your SAT score. Adopting an improved diet as far out as possible from your test date will be worth the time and effort.

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Three Things You Avoid Leading Up to the SAT

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

The SAT is a big deal.  It will play a major role in determining what colleges and universities ultimately accept your application.  There are many things that you can “blow off” in life (and sometimes doing so not a bad idea in order to maintain your sanity), but blowing off the SAT is a really bad idea from beginning to end.  In this article we will look at some of the things you shouldn’t do before you take the SAT.

You may be able to do any of the things on our list and have everything turn out just find, but doing so means that you are depending upon good old-fashioned luck.  And depending on luck for success is rarely your best bet.  A good score on the SAT, like so much in life, depends greatly upon preparation.  Adopting the right strategies and tools for the job, such as test prep tutoring and college admissions counseling, can make a big difference.

Number One-Don’t Stay Up Late

Staying up late the night before the SAT is to be blunt a little crazy.  This test is long, demanding and it requires you to think clearly.  Don’t study or do anything other than relax the night before the SAT.  Showing up to take the SAT well rested could be one of the smartest moves you make in the entire SAT exam process.

Number Two-Don’t be a Social Butterfly

If a good SAT score is truly important to you, then you might have to trim down your social calendar.  It is a brutal truth, but many of your current friends you won’t see or think about in two years… let alone five years or ten years.  Whatever good times they have for you really can wait until you have studied for the SAT.  You won’t regret the time you spend on test prep tutoring and SAT practice test online exams.  Hanging out with some people you won’t see ever again after high-school instead of studying for the SAT is a different story…

Number Three-Don’t Indulge in Too Much of a Good Thing

Leading up to the SAT, it is important to you avoid eating foods that could make you ill.  Also don’t try anything like working out too vigorously.  Anything that could leave you feeling weak or simply not at your best will impact your score and not in a good way!

We’ve covered three big “don’ts,” and there are definitely more that will fit your own life and your own situation.  The real point here is to focus on your goal and that means sacrificing some of the things that you might want to do in the short run so that you will have success on the SAT.  Missing out on a good time is never easy, but neither is looking at a disappointing test score! When it comes to a test like the SAT that has such a profound impact on future educational options, it is best to play it safe.

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Tips For Picking Your Major

Monday, December 12th, 2011

If you are concerned that you haven’t yet decided on a college major, stop worrying.  The simple fact is that many people don’t know what their major will be when they enter college, and switching majors is very common as well.  In fact, some people switch their majors more than one time!

When you want to find the right college it is good to consider what kind of college admissions counseling is available to you as well as college counseling services, in general.  Thinking about your major is something that you will want to begin thinking about while in high school.  However, it is important not to panic if you don’t have it figured out on your first day of college.

Many experts increasingly believe that most of us will have several different careers throughout our lifetimes.  This is due to the fact that technology is forcing the workplace to change more rapidly than at any other time in history.  So the career that you pick today may not be related to the field you will be working in thirty years from now.

When it comes to deciding on a major, there are two big “pulls” that most students face.  The first is that most of us want to like our work.  After all, forty hours a week or more is a lot of time, and it certainly adds up over the course of one’s working life!  This means that having a career that you like is a big factor.

The second factor in most people’s minds is the salary that a given career offers.  Yet, there is a third factor, which frequently gets overlooked, and that is job stability.  It is important to note that job stability is something of an illusion despite what you may hear.  Again, this is due to the fact that technology is changing the workplace landscape at a rapid pace.  The idea of long-term job stability for most people, in most careers, may be a thing of the past.

Trying to balance these three factors is difficult, and students handle these issues in different ways.  No one knows you better than you know yourself.  You may have family pushing you towards a major that does not interest you.  Don’t worry, as this is very common.  Usually this is an issue of your parents and relatives wanting you to have financial stability in your life.  Regardless of their motives, if you are positive that you will hate a given career path, you do need to strongly consider other options.  In order to be successful in a career, or even make it out of college with a degree in hand, you must be able to tolerate the major you select.

Another issue to consider is the connection between mind and body.  Our emotions do, in fact, impact our physical health due to the release of stress hormones and other factors.  Thus, if you truly hate a given career path, it could impact your health, and nothing is more important than your health.

Ultimately, you want to find a major that will lead to a career that will both make you happy and allow you to earn the kind of money you want to earn.  This isn’t always easy and it’s a good reason to invest some time into contemplation as well.  You can also ask for advice during college admissions counseling.  Many students realize that when they get to college that their concept of what a major would be like isn’t always reflected in the coursework itself.  Being adaptable and flexible is a key part to knowing how to survive college.

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Making the Mental Transition from High School to College

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

High school and college are not the same thing.  Whether you continue to live at home during college or move to another state (or even another country!), college is still different in a wide range of ways.  You’ve probably put a lot of work into getting ready for the SAT; perhaps you have taken test prep tutoring or maybe even pre college summer programs.  Taking these steps is definitely smart especially if you are looking for financial aid and grants.  Yet, it is also very important that you realize and make plans for the fact that high school and college are radically different.  Having the proper mental outlook will serve to make your transition from high school to college a smoother one.

Living On Your Own

Regardless of whether or not you are living at home or go away for college, in a very real sense, you will be on your own.  In high school, you may have had a degree of assistance in how you were performing.  Your teachers, parents and guidance counselors were all keeping an eye on whether or not you were “on track” or were having problems.  College comes with a newfound level of freedom, but that also means a degree of responsibility.  College professors don’t care if you pass their class or not.  In high school, you may have had teachers that wanted to pass you and wanted to see that you had good grades.  But don’t expect this to happen in college!  In college, you are expected to be an adult and look after yourself.

Another aspect of this new freedom is that you may not have the adult or parental supervision that you once enjoyed.  This can lead to all sorts of decisions that you might not otherwise have made in the past.  Understanding that you are entering a new phase of your life and mentally taking steps to keep your “wits” about you is something you need to do in advance.

You Will Likely Be Studying More

Every college experience is different, but one common discovery among college freshmen is that there is more work involved.  The odds are excellent that you will be studying more hours in order to get good grades.  You may have found that you were able to get through high school with a modest level of work, but in college this may not be the case.  This means that you might not have as much free time as you once enjoyed.  However, over time, you will learn new time management skills, which will help take some of the stress out of your college workload.

Being mentally prepared for a new situation can be difficult, but working to prepare yourself ahead of time can serve to reduce the stress level.  Every new situation comes with a degree of stress, fear and confusion, but taking the time to simply acknowledge and realize that college will be different from high school is one of the best steps you can take to ensure a smoother transition.

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5 Courses For Video Game Degrees

Monday, December 5th, 2011

If you are looking to go into the world of video games on a professional level, there are many degrees out there.  However, there are also lots of courses that can help you make your dream come true.  Below are just a few of the classes you may come across in the search for a video game degree.
1.    Video Game Software – There is a software for just about everything, including video game design.  Learning it is a must for anyone looking to go into the field.  Just a few of the more popular choices include DARKBasic, Game Editor, and Game Maker.
2.    3D – Because more and more games are being built on three dimensional models, it is crucial to know as much as you can.  3D classes can teach everything from game design to modeling and even modding.  There are also courses for 2D.
3.    Mobile Games – If your preference is creating and designing games for mobile devices, there are classes for that.  There are even courses that can teach you how to make games specifically for the iPhone or iPad.  The courses can also teach you how to use software specifically designed to design games for the Apple devices.
4.    Animation – Because video games can be sophisticated cartoons, animation is also a common class offered when getting a video game degree.  This is doubly so for those going into the design or graphics aspect of gaming.
5.    Programming – Another must for video game design is programming.  Whether it be Java or C++, programming is a necessary component of video games and often has to be taken at several levels to get a degree.

Check out online video game degree options in our search tool.

This article was submitted my Sara McDowell. She owns the site Video Game Design Degree and is an avid Gamer.

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