Cut Through College Marketing Clutter

The college selection process can be less stressful if you cut through the marketing clutter to discover how colleges approach teaching and learning in and out of the classroom.

• Don't just rely on shortcut sources such as rankings, guidebooks, and popular college review websites.
• Drill down into the college website. Learn about clubs and extracurricular activities that align with your  interests. Your knowledge of these activities can also be helpful for your admissions essay.  
• Contact the college. Contact an admissions representative and introduce yourself by asking a well-researched question.
• Visit the campus. Talk with students and faculty about their experiences and expectations, and of course, speak with your admissions counselor.   
• Follow along online. Read the student newspaper online and experience the college through Facebook.

Once you have assessed institutional characteristics, you will find that your choices are broader than you imagined.

Tips for Coping With Test Anxiety

A bit of nervousness before a test can be a good thing. It's only when it gets out of hand that it's a problem. The following tips can help overcome feelings of self-doubt.

• Make sure you are adequately prepared. Give yourself enough time to learn the material.
• Get a good night's sleep. Adequate rest is more beneficial than studying until late.
• The day of a test, be sure to eat a good breakfast. 
• Arrive early. Feeling rushed will amp up feelings of nervousness.
• Keep a positive mental attitude. Visualize success and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. If you find yourself becoming anxious, stop and regroup.
• Sometimes, a few quick answers can be used to get the ball rolling before turning to more difficult questions. Always read directions carefully.

Parents and students voted Key Academics the philly.com Readers Choice award and Montgomery Media's Best Of Montco award. Our tutors improve test scores and grades and make students more self-sufficient. For more information, please call 610-940-1625.

Reading Skills Needed For ACT Science Test

Accepted at all U.S. colleges alongside the SAT, the ACT offers students a choice in admissions tests. Some students avoid the ACT, though, because of its Science section. 

Fear of the ACT Science section is often misplaced. (There are also science questions throughout the SAT, although there is no specific Science section.) The ACT Science test uses scientific language and reasoning, but rarely requires any specific knowledge from science classes. The section contains two to three data representation passages, three to four research summaries, and a passage that compares the commentary of two or more scientists. 

Many of the skills tutored by Key Academics for the ACT Reading section, such as staying engaged and mapping a passage, can also be applied to the Science test. Key Academics also offers actual ACT and SAT tests that are analyzed to determine which test will produce better results with tutoring. For more information, please call 610-940-1625 or visit www.keyacademics.com.

One-To-One Help With AP Homework And Exams

Key Academics tutors use their expertise to build prep plans that factor in students' individual study habits and goals to make sure each gets the most out of an AP class and test. 

AP courses are among the most rigorous a high school has to offer. They can lift a GPA above a 4.0, thanks to transcript weighting. And if you take the exam (usually right after taking the class) the course may be  exchangeable for college credit. The exam fee is $94, significantly cheaper than taking the equivalent class in college. Another potential advantage is that many students thrive on the courses' high expectations. 

Nearly three million students at 22,000 high schools will take Advanced Placement exams in May 2018, twice the rate of 10 years ago.

Key Differences Between The SAT And ACT

Have questions regarding which college admissions test is right for your student? A chart that outlines the key facts and differences between the SAT and the ACT is available as a free download from Key Academics. 

However, a better way would be to contact us about taking free, in-home complete diagnostic tests for one or both exams. Upon completion, our expert Program Director will discuss with you the results of a computerized test analysis. 

Download the SAT versus ACT chart here.

What Colleges Want in an Applicant (Everything)

"The admissions process is a maddening mishmash of competing objectives, and an attempt to measure the unmeasurable: you. No, it isn’t fair, and likely never will be," notes the N.Y. Times. "Generally, nothing carries more weight in admissions than grades (plus strength of the high school curriculum) and ACT/SAT scores," the Nov. 1 article noted. Read more at
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/01/education/edlife/what-college-admissions-wants.html

5 Tips For Scoring College Scholarships

The National Scholarship Providers Association designates November as National Scholarship Month. For high school seniors and college students looking for #scholarships to help fund the cost of school next year, now is the time to begin the search.

Local private scholarship deadlines tend to be in the spring, but applications for some of the biggest national scholarships are due in the next few months. These scholarships are based on merit, not financial need, although family income can be a factor in some cases.

Click here for five ways to maximize your chances of getting money that can help with your college bills.