The Week Before

• Get plenty of sleep each night from now until the exam. A full 8 hours the night before the test is good, but building up to that is even better. Your body and brain need to rest so they can be ready to focus the day of.
• Read newspaper articles in their entirety. Do this every day. It’s easy to skim articles when you see them online, but getting in the habit of reading an entire article on paper in front of you will prepare you for the test. Really ambitious? Write a few summarizing sentences describing the article and your response to it.
• Check the ACT Test Prep website for their Question of the Day!
• Get together with friends who are taking or have taken the test to discuss it. They can offer you pointers and you can quiz each other on vocabulary.

The Day Before

• Get everything you need ready to go in one pile the night before. Seriously do this! It will make your life so much easier to wake up early, grab your backpack and go. This includes your calculator, photo ID, admission ticket, and pencils.
• Double and triple check your test center address, the route you’ll take to get there, and your reporting time.
• Go to bed at a reasonable hour!

The Day Of

• Eat some breakfast! Even if you are not normally a breakfast person, eat or drink something so you aren’t operating on a completely empty stomach.
• Pack a snack to have during your break to keep your fuel levels up!
• Bring water, but don’t chug it before you enter the test. You’re going to be in there for a while and you don’t want your brain focusing more on the bathroom than the test questions.
• Bring a sweater – some test centers might be cold! Again, you don’t want to be uncomfortable or focus too hard on anything other than the test.

The Day After

• Let it all go! You’ve done all you can and now the only thing you need to do is wait for the results.
• If you get the results and you’re less than pleased, register to take the test again and spend more time on practice questions this time around.
• If you get the results and you are satisfied, CONGRATS! You did it.

For more information on college admissions and preparations, visit Cappex and make your profile today!

Here are some things to keep in mind as you survive your first summer home!

Talk to Your Parents

Seriously. Both you and your parents have very different expectations of what life should be like with you living under their roof again. The sooner you discuss things like curfew, the sooner you can get on the same page and avoid unnecessary squabbles.

Embrace High School Friends

When high school friends first see each other after freshman year, everyone can seem different. All of us go through changes in college. You may not feel it, but you will have grown a lot in that first year of school and act differently than you did at the end of your senior year. Know that many of your friends might seem like different people or you might seem very different to them. Embrace these changes and avoid judgment. We’re all just figuring out who we are. Focus on the friends you still connect with and are most important to you.

Stay in Touch

You probably met a ton of new friends in college – stay in touch with them! It will feel nice to commiserate about being away from school with someone who knows how great your school is and went through that first freaky year with you. While its perfectly normal to miss these friends, don’t dwell on the fact that you’re not together – plan a fun visit or things you can do together when you’re all back at school in the fall.

Harness Your Independence

You’ve been living on your own essentially for nine months. It’s hard to strike a balance between independence and dependence living at home, but if you embrace responsibility and show your slightly more mature side, life at home will run more smoothly.

Get in Shape!

Did the Freshman 15 get the best of you? Use this summer to eat healthy and spend your spare time getting back in shape. Nothing will feel better than going back to school as a Sophomore knowing you can tackle anything your second year throws at you!

Find out more about surviving college on Cappex! Make your profile today.

Other players include Steve Bartkowski from Berkeley, Tommy Kramer of Rice, running backs Charles Alexander of LSU, Otis Armstrong of Purdue, wide receiver Art Monk from Syracuse, Notre Dame tight end Dave Casper, offensive linemen Jonathan Ogden of UCLA and John Wooten of Colorado, split end Hal Bedsole of Southern California, defensive tackle Gabe Rivera of Texas Tech, Kansas State linebacker Mark Simoneau and defensive backs Greg Myers of Colorado State and Scott Thomas of Air Force.

The chairman of the National Football Foundation Archie Manning said, “”We are extremely proud to announce the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame Class. Each year the selection process becomes increasingly more difficult, but Gene Corrigan and the Honors Court do an amazing job of selecting a diverse group of the most amazing players and coaches in our sport’s rich history. This class is certainly no exception, and we look forward to honoring them and celebrating their achievements throughout the year ahead.”

Coach Jimmy Johnson is a famous character. According to Fox Sports, “Johnson spent five seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State, then went on to a highly-successful five-year run at Miami-Florida. The Hurricanes were 52-9 under Johnson with five New Year’s Day bowl appearances, and his 1987 squad won the national championship with a 20-14 victory over Oklahoma in the 1988 Orange Bowl.”

Another standout of the class is Art Monk. Fox Sports says, “Monk, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2008, was the top player in the East as a freshman in 1976 and again as a senior in 1979. He led Syracuse in receiving for three straight seasons and helped the school to its first bowl win in 13 years with a 31-7 victory over McNeese State in the 1979 Independence Bowl. A first-round pick of Washington in 1980, Monk spent 14 seasons with the Redskins, winning three Super Bowl titles, and one year with the Jets.”

Cuban states, “It’s far too easy to borrow money for college.  Did you know that there is more outstanding debt for student loans than there is for Auto Loans or Credit Card loans ? Thats right. The 37mm holders of student loans have more debt than the 175mm or so credit card owners in this country and more than the all of the debt on cars in this country. While the average student loan debt is about 23k. The median is close to $12,500. And growing. Past 1 TRILLION DOLLARS.”

Cuban championed non-traditional higher learning institutions and was critical of colleges tuition raises:

“While colleges and universities are building new buildings for the english , social sciences and business schools, new high end, un-accredited, BRANDED schools are popping up that will offer better educations for far, far less and create better job opportunities.

As an employer I want the best prepared and qualified employees. I could care less if the source of their education was accredited by a bunch of old men and women who think they know what is best for the world. I want people who can do the job. I want the best and brightest. Not a piece of paper.

The competition from new forms of education is starting to appear. Particularly in the tech world. Online and physical classrooms are popping up everywhere. They respond to needs in the market. They work with local businesses to tailor the education to corporate needs. In essence assuring those who excel that they will get a job. All for far far less money than traditional schools.”

Cuban was also highly critical for traditional universities unwillingness to offer courses online. In addition he blaims student debt for lack of growth in the US economy:

“The biggest problem the economy has is the enormous student debt new college grads and those leaving college find themselves with. In the past leaving college meant getting a job and getting a used car and/or an apartment with some friends. Yes there was student debt, but it wasn’t any where near your car payment. You could still afford the car and the apartment. Now its the exact opposite. Today, the minute you graduate college you face the challenge of debt against a college education whose value is immediately “underwater”

As a result spending habits have changed dramatically. Now when you leave school you move back home. You take public transportation or borrow your parents car. The only thing new you buy is the cheap work outfit you need. Savings ? Forgettaboutit. It’s not happening. Your entire focus is on hitting your monthly nut for school debt , credit card and maybe a car or apartment. The crush of college debt has taken an entire generation of graduates, current and future out of the economy. Which is exactly why the economy hasn’t grown and won’t grow beyond microscopic growth rates we have seen so far.

So until we get the meltdown in college education, don’t expect much improvement in the economy. Who gets elected won’t make a dang bit of difference.”

Remember, doing well on your AP exams can help save you time and money in college by allowing you to pass out of certain prerequisites.

Here’s the schedule for next week:

And here’s something for a little fun that you can share:

Good luck to you all!

What has your experience with AP exams been like? Share in the comment field below!

Here is the breakdown for approaching test dates:

SAT

May 5th SAT
Registration for this date has passed; however, if you’re taking that test, good luck! Remember to eat a good breakfast, bring plenty of number two pencils and erasers, and show up early to the testing facility

June 2nd SAT 
Registration for this test date is quickly approaching. Registration for this test closes on May 8th. Late registration is May 22nd. Remember, all deadlines expire at midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on the day of the deadline.

ACT

June 9th ACT Registration for this date is fast approaching.  To register without a late fee for the June test, you must register by May 4th at the latest. Have you taken either test already and received your scores? With the Cappex What Are My Chances (TM) Calculator you can get a handle on what are realistic admissions options for you with those scores and help you narrow down where you should be applying. It is always important to have combinations of safety, realistic and reach schools. Utilizing Cappex along with your guidance counselor is a great way to figure out where you should be applying. Remember, the results of your SAT/ACT tests are not the end of the world. If you do not do as well as you hoped on your first or second try, you can always take the test again! So do your practice tests, study your vocabulary words, and walk in to the test with confidence and a calm demeanor! RELAX!

The major points to consider when reviewing two or more award packages is the total cost of attendance for all schools, and how those schools plan to assist you financially. For the most part, a more expensive school will cost you the most, as much of your aid may be in student loans, which you’re required to pay back after graduation. But by taking a closer look at how your needs are being met, you may find the best deals where you didn’t expect them. If your need is mostly being met with grants and scholarships (money you’re given as opposed to having to pay back) at an expensive school, it may in fact be about the same price to attend that school as it would a cheaper school. It may even BE cheaper. Compare the schools by figuring out what you’ll end up paying for each one. Luckily, technology has granted us with a faster, easier, and more simple way to understand the big picture.

According to a recent article entitled “New Way to Compare Financial Aid Awards” by Beckie Supiano published in The Chronicle of Higher Education, a new web site created by The Consumer of Financial Protection Bureau can allow for students and parents to see the big picture just by typing in a few bits of information.

The interactive web site allows for students and parents to enter the colleges for which they have received an award letter, followed by how much money they are getting from various programs, and how much money they expect to contribute on their own. The web site can then rate on a scale of high to low how much debt you’re likely to accumulate by attending. The web site can also give students an idea of how much money they can expect to pay on a monthly basis in student loans once they’ve graduated. For students who have not yet applied to college, the web site can show the average amount students generally receive from different programs. In addition, the web site can supply average graduation rates for the institutions you’ve selected. It’s the hope of The Consumer of Financial Protection Bureau for all schools to adapt a system like this web site for students and parents to truly understand what they’re getting involved in, financially; however, according to the article, many institutions in general were not interested in this type of format. If you’re applying for an associates or bachelors degree, see what you’ll be paying for college!

Want to search for scholarships or find your perfect college fit? Make your profile today on Cappex!

The new policy, ScoreSelect, allows for students to be able to choose what test scores they want sent to colleges. Previously, a student could take the GRE three times, and all three scores for all sections would automatically be sent to potential colleges. With the new policy, a student could take the GRE three times, and then choose the highest score for each of the sections to be sent to colleges. ScoreSelect will be available for test takers starting in July of 2012. According to ETS (Educational Testing Service), this will allow students to take the test more confidently.

There are mixed feelings regarding ScoreSelect. While some believe this will reduce stress for test-takers, others believe that if students can choose to submit only their highest scores after taking the test multiple times, colleges will just hike up the minimum GRE score for acceptance, making acceptance into graduate school even harder.

While ScoreSelect will be made available for those who wish to use it, students may also continue to use the old system that sends all test scores to all colleges, or just the most recent test scores to all colleges.

What does this new policy mean for test takers? The following is a list of pros and cons for ScoreSelect:

Pros:

• Students will likely be less stressed on test day, which may allow them to perform better.
• Taking the test multiple times will increase your familiarity with the test’s structure.
• Students may feel more in control of their graduate application by having the ability to choose what scores are being sent.
• Students may feel the higher scores are the more accurate readings of their abilities.

Cons: 

• Students will likely be less stressed on test day, which for some students, may allow them to perform poorly.
• Students may be less inclined to spend time studying for the GREs if they assume they can have do-overs.
• With the ability to pick only the highest scores, students are more likely to take the test more often, which means more money is being spent on it.
• College admissions boards will no longer have a gray area in which they could argue a lower-than-average score was due to a bad test day. Potential colleges will view GRE scores as your highest ability.

Want to search for scholarships or find your perfect college fit? Make your profile today on Cappex!

Pat Summitt Steps Down

After 38 years on the job as head coach of the Tennessee Women’s Basketball program, Pat Summitt has passed the keys to Holly Warlick. Coach Summitt retires with the most wins of any coach in college basketball history (man or woman). She added an NCAA record 8 National Championships to those 1,098 wins.

Coach Summitt turns 60 next month. She is stepping down in large part due to early on-set dementia. She disclosed this condition last August and will focus her energies now on battling the illness. Summitt will remain a part of the Tennesse staff as “ head coach emeritus” and will help mentor current players as well as recruit new players. Holly Warlick will be taking the reigns after 27 years as an assistant to Coach Summitt. Coach Summitt said:

“I made a choice early in my career to challenge myself to step up my game each and every day. You can be sure I will take this same attitude into my new role as head coach emeritus and continue to teach our players the same commitment. I can promise you ladies, I’m here for you.”

Warlick added:

“Today I feel like the luckiest person in the world. I get to coach at a school that has always been in my blood and this is my home. It only took me 27 years to get to this point — I didn’t want to rush it. So I told Pat to take all the time she needed.

People have asked me, why have you not left? And I simply say, why would I? Why would I leave a place that is rich in tradition, has an unbelievable administration that has always supported women’s basketball, and have the most incredible, supporting fans in the country?”

State AG Deems Santa Monica College Tuition Plan Illegal

To combat budget shortfalls, Santa Monica College came up with a plan to charge more per credit for classes that were in higher demand and filled up quicker. Now the California Attorney General has deemed this plan illegal. They would have charged almost four times as much per class for the in demand classes. More than $800 million has been cut from California community colleges in recent years. Santa Monica College says they have not yet received an official opinion on the matter and thus would not comment on it.

Any news going on your college campus? Share in the comment field below!