Experts in College Readiness
Standardized Tests • Academics • Admissions
If you’re applying to college or plan to apply to college in the near future, I’m sure you’ve started wondering what it takes to get into your top choice school. While the college admissions environment changes from year to year, depending on the scope and aptitude of the applicant pool, past admissions data does help to determine where you stand in terms of your GPA and SAT/ACT scores and gaining admission to a particular university. Read more…
Alan Gelb, author of “Conquering the College Admissions Essay in 10 Steps,” delivers tips on how to keep a college essay within bounds in The Choice’s recent article, “Advice on Whittling Your Admissions Essay.”
As most college admissions essays require that students don’t exceed 500 words, college essay expert, Gelb reveals that it is essential to stick to the crux of your story and the message you’re trying to convey. Excess verbiage typically doesn’t lead to a better essay. We encourage you to check out his article for good suggestions on keeping the word count down.
As media outlets continue to report on the Long Island SAT cheating scandal and the College Board’s investigation into the matter, we are once again reminded of the intense pressures students feel to do well on college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT. A-List Education founder and president, Scott Farber, was called on by CBS News to offer his insight and expertise into the recently hot topic. Watch the video below to hear Scott’s thoughts as Jim Axelrod reports on the New York SAT cheating scandal that prompted The College Board to conduct an international review of SAT security procedures.
A-List Education founder and president, Scott Farber, was recently interviewed by WPIX morning news. Watch below as he further discusses the Long Island SAT cheating scandal and the stresses and pressures that surround college entrance exams.
A-List Education founder and president, Scott Farber, was recently interviewed by WXBR where he had the opportunity to talk about A-List’s extensive range of services: SAT, ACT, LSAT, SSAT, ISEE, & Regents tutoring, customized educational nonprofit programs, ACT and SAT professional development, and college application and essay services.
Have a listen to learn more about A-List and its mission: Scott Farber_WXBR1460_interview
Scott being filmed for an appearance on "Inside Edition."
The college essay is an essential component of any college application. While this doesn’t necessarily mean it holds the same level of importance as your GPA or SAT/ACT scores, it can help distinguish you as a candidate for admission to a college. In an applicant pool filled with students falling in the same score range, it may be your essay that sets your application apart.
Check out some videos below of A-List Education’s President, Scott Farber, discussing the essay’s significance and offering his advice on writing a standout college essay. And don’t forget to give College Essay Organizer (CEO) a try for a simple way of finding all your college essay requirements, and writing the least number of essays for all your colleges; watch the intro to CEO video below to learn more!
The Founding of College Essay Organizer:
The Founding of College Essay Organizer from College Essay Organizer on Vimeo.
How Important is the College Essay?
How Important Are Your College Essays? from College Essay Organizer on Vimeo.
How to Get Started on Your College Essays:
How Do You Get Started On Your College Essay? from College Essay Organizer on Vimeo.
Common College Essay Mistakes (& How to Avoid Them):
Common Essay Mistakes from College Essay Organizer on Vimeo.
What to Write When College Ask Why You’re Applying:
What To Write When Colleges Ask Why You’re Applying from College Essay Organizer on Vimeo.
How do You Know When Each Essay is Done?
How Do You Know When Each Essay Is Done? from College Essay Organizer on Vimeo.
Check out this useful Q & A featuring expert answers on financial aid and how to pay for college from CollegeData.com!
Check out this telling article on early decision.
Cohen, Steve. “Early Decision: College Admission’s Secret Handshake” Forbes. September, 27, 2010.
Hi A-Listers, you can save a lot of time during the college admissions process by using the Common App. Check out this article to see what colleges recently started using the Common Application!
Steinberg, Jacques. “Columbia, Michigan and Connecticut Among 25 Colleges to Add Common Application.” The New York Times: The Choice. March 23, 2010.
When applying to college, SAT preparation is important, but there is more to the college admissions process than standardized test preparation and SAT scores. The college essay gives you the opportunity to share a part of yourself that an SAT score or high school transcript cannot convey. Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Harvard College, William R. Fitzsimmons, recently wrote in a piece for The New York Times, “One of the great clichés of college admissions is the exhortation that students find their own voices in the essay (and interviews)—and ‘be themselves.’ It’s a cliché because it’s good advice.”
At this point, you’re probably well on your way to having an impeccable college essay that will blow admissions officers away, but you also probably feel like you have been working on it forever! Remember the difference between a good college essay and a great college essay is that extra time you put into the writing process, so don’t skip out on the crucial final stages!
English author, Samuel Johnson once said, “What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.” The college admissions essay could be one of the most important essays you ever write. Taking the time to write it well and to really find your voice in your subject matter could pay off—big time.