High School Students

Are test scores important? You are more than your scores. — In the fall of my junior year, we were sent to homeroom to collect our PSAT scores, and it was impossible to keep the results private. “What did you get?” everyone wanted to know, already comparing themselves to friends, classmates, famous people, and the “average student profile” on the websites […]

You Are More than Your Test Scores

This entry was posted in Admissions on November 14, 2016 by Gwen Elise

A student prepares to take high school standardized tests one morning after getting off of the bus. — Standardized tests are notorious for being the bane of high school students’ existence. School-mandated PSAT/NMSQT tests during junior year followed by ACT and SAT testing is enough to induce anxiety, but when you throw on AP exams, IB exams, SAT Subject Tests, and CLEP tests, it seems amazing that anyone […]

Preparing for Standardized Tests

This entry was posted in Finishing High School on November 7, 2016 by Megan Clendenon

Seven Reasons to Apply Early Action — Information from this article previously appeared here. We’ve revisited this topic to remind students about upcoming EA deadlines. Early action (EA) is an admissions policy that allows prospective freshmen to get a head start on the college application process. Applicants who have taken standardized tests and completed all other application […]

Seven Reasons to Submit Early Action Applications to Colleges

This entry was posted in Admissions on October 27, 2016 by Gwen Elise

Four Things to Focus On to Prepare for the PSAT — The PSAT is an exam created by the College Board, and its primary purpose is to prepare high school students for the SAT. If you’re a junior, taking the test also gives you a shot at qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Younger students may take the PSAT 8, […]

Four Things to Focus on 24 Hours before the PSAT

This entry was posted in Admissions on October 14, 2016 by Katelyn Brush

Seven Ways to Perfect Your Personal Essay — Writing a college admissions essay is nobody’s favorite thing. The prompts are often vague. You have a word limit that seems way too short. You’re under an incredible amount of pressure to write a thoughtful essay that expresses your personality and showcases your writing abilities. The combination is downright unpleasant. […]

Seven Ways to Perfect Your Personal Essay

This entry was posted in Admissions on October 12, 2016 by Megan Clendenon

A Quick and Easy Breakdown of the College Application — College applications can be due any time from November to January each year, depending on if you choose to apply early or regular decision. If you’re applying to a school that has rolling admissions, you may even be able to submit an application during the summer after graduation and still […]

A Quick and Easy Breakdown of the College Application

This entry was posted in Admissions on October 4, 2016 by Megan Clendenon

Eight ACT Prep Tips for Overwhelmed Seniors — You have just over a month to study for the September 9th ACT. On top of that, you are putting the final touches on your college admissions essays and trying to keep up with the demands of schoolwork and extracurricular activities. It’s a lot to deal with; I’m not going to deny […]

Eight ACT Prep Tips for Overwhelmed Seniors

This entry was posted in Study Skills on October 3, 2016 by Megan Reynolds

Should You Take a SAT Subject Test? — As someone who writes a lot about college admissions, I have to come clean. Back when I was a senior in high school, I knew none of it. I was wildly unprepared for the college application process. Not only was I behind in most of the things I should have […]

Should You Take Any SAT Subject Tests?

This entry was posted in Admissions on September 19, 2016 by Gwen Elise

Devin Cherry tells his college story about becoming a teacher. — Devin Cherry grew up in Kentucky and attended three different schools over the course of his postsecondary education: the University of Louisville, Murray State University, and University of the Cumberlands. He earned a Bachelor’s of Science in environmental geology from Murray State after transferring from the University of Louisville, and […]

My College Story: From Student to Teacher

This entry was posted in My College Story on September 17, 2016 by Student Caffe Staff

What Should I Ask My Guidance Counselor about College? — High school guidance counselors are often overloaded with assignments, especially in public schools. In fact, in 2013, the national average student to school counselor ratio was 482 to 1. Even though your counselors are in-demand, be patient and hold out for those meetings. Behind their crazy schedules and back-to-back meetings […]

Questions to Ask Your Guidance Counselor before Applying to College

This entry was posted in Admissions on September 16, 2016 by Katelyn Brush

Should You Take the SAT or the ACT? — Getting into college is a process that begins years before actually stepping foot into a college classroom. Long before move-in day, applicants must understand the differences between the two big college entrance exams, the ACT and the SAT. These standardized tests are not easy, and they may not even be […]

Should You Take the ACT or the SAT?

This entry was posted in Study Skills on September 13, 2016 by Katelyn Brush

The Three Things You Need to Know about College Admissions — It’s only August, but the time is ripe for high school seniors to create a list of schools to which they want to apply and begin working on their college applications. For those of you who aren’t seniors, there are still plenty of things on your to-do list. Juniors should […]

Three Things You Need to Know about College Admissions

This entry was posted in Admissions on August 31, 2016 by Megan Clendenon