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How to get into a Better College - The Efficient Way!

Shortcuts to achieve more with less!

presented by Danh Le, Director of Underground Academy

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Who Am I?

-Salutatorian of Gates Chili HS Rochester, NY (2004)

-234/240 PSAT (2002)-Top 100 score in Nation

-2400 SAT

-34/36 ACT composite score

-800 on SAT II Physics, Math IIC, Writing (2003)

-Perfect 5 on 11 AP exams

-After Sophomore and Junior year, had a $10000 summer internship with Metlife

-Univ of Rochester BA in Mathematics-Statistics and BA in Economics (3.95 GPA). Magna Cum Laude, 2008

-Actuarial Associate at Metlife, 2008-2009

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Contents

  1. What Colleges Look For
  2. Tests vs. School
  3. AP's vs Honors vs NonHonors
  4. How to evaluate your status at a School
  5. Early Decision/Action
  6. SAT Optional Tests

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Contents

  • What Colleges Look For
  • Tests vs. School
  • AP's vs Honors vs NonHonors
  • How to evaluate your status at a School
  • Early Decision/Action
  • SAT Optional Tests

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What Colleges Look For

School Record

-GPA

-Class Rank

-Rigor of Curriculum (AP, IB, honors)

Personal Traits

-Leadership Qualities

-Letters of Recommendation

-Essays

Standardized Test Scores

-SAT

-ACT

-SAT subject tests

Outside School

-Extracurriculars

-Work Experience

-Community Service

Institutional Priorities

-Connections

-Athletic ability

-Superior talent or gift

-Donation Potential

-Underrepresented ethnicity

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What to Focus on

http://sat.ericginsberg.com/2010/03/athletics-academics-the-sat-how-much-colleges-care/

Why SAT's matter

25 / 75 Percentile Math scores of top schools

Harvard 700-800

Yale 710-790

Princeton 710-800

Stanford 690-780

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Contents

  • What Colleges Look For
  • Tests vs. School
  • AP's vs Honors vs NonHonors
  • How to evaluate your status at a School
  • Early Decision/Action
  • SAT Optional Tests

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Tests vs School

  1. College App data
  2. The Law of Averages - Your enemy
  3. Superscoring - Your ally
  4. Summary: 80/20 Rule
  5. If you have a good GPA (SUNY Scholarships) schools for full ride
  6. My Story to a 2400
  7. If you have good test scores
  8. SAT or ACT
  9. How many times to take it

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Tests vs School:

Graphical Charts

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Tests vs School

RIT's admission data

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/GPA-SAT-ACT-Graphs/ss/rochester-institute-of-technology-admission-gpa-sat-act.htm

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Tests vs School

The Law of Averages - Your Enemy

Student A

Sem 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

sem. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

cum. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

Student A

Sem 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

sem. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.9

3.9

3.5

cum. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

Student A

Sem 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

sem. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.9

3.9

3.5

cum. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

??

??

??

Student A

Sem 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

sem. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.9

3.9

3.5

cum. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.15

??

??

Student A

Sem 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

sem. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.9

3.9

3.5

cum. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.15

3.26

??

Student A

Sem 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

sem. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.9

3.9

3.5

cum. GPA

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.0

3.15

3.26

3.29

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Tests vs School

Superscoring - Your Ally

list of schools that Superscor: (always confirm) http://prepmatters.com/node/119

http://www.freetestprep.com/blog/resources/list-of-colleges-and-universities-that-superscore-the-act-test/

Student A

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Avg

SAT Math

500

SAT CR

450

SAT W

550

total

1500

Student A

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Avg

SAT Math

500

530

SAT CR

450

470

SAT W

550

500

total

1500

1500

Student A

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Avg

SAT Math

500

530

520

SAT CR

450

470

500

SAT W

550

500

530

total

1500

1500

1550

Student A

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Avg

SAT Math

500

530

520

515

SAT CR

450

470

500

475

SAT W

550

500

530

525

total

1500

1500

1550

1515

Student A

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Avg

SAT Math

500

530

520

515

SAT CR

450

470

500

475

SAT W

550

500

530

525

total

1500

1500

1550

1515

Student A

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Avg

MAX

SAT Math

500

530

520

515

530

SAT CR

450

470

500

475

500

SAT W

550

500

530

525

550

total

1500

1500

1550

1515

1580

Your "SUPERSCORE"

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Tests vs School: Understanding Percentiles

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Tests vs School

If you have a good GPA, Guaranteed Scholarships

University of Alabama Full tuition Out-of-State Requirements: 3.5 GPA, 32 ACT or 1400 SAT (CR+M)

Troy University: Full Ride (Tuition+Room+Board) Requirements: 3.7 GPA, 31 ACT or 1380 SAT (CR+M)

University of Arkansas at Monticello Full Ride Requirements: 3.0 GPA and Top 10% Rank, 30 ACT

Florida A&M Full Tuition and Fees Requirement: 3.5 GPA, 1800 SAT (CR+M+W) or 27 ACT

Louisiana Tech University Full Ride Requirements: 3.0 GPA, 32 ACT or 1400 SAT (CR+M)

Ohio University Full Tuition Requirements: 3.0 GPA, 32 ACT or 1400 SAT (CR+M)

Texas State University Full Tuition Requirements: Top 15% Rank , 32 ACT or 1400 SAT (CR+M)

Newberry College Full Ride Requirement: 3.5 GPA, 32 ACT or 1400 SAT (CR+M)

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships-11.html

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Tests vs School

Studying can easily be better than summer jobs

If you get $20,000-$40,000 scholarship

x4: ----> $80,000-$160,000

If it took you 200-400 hours

On the low end, each hour is worth $200/hr!

On the high end, each hour is worth $800/hr!

vs $7-$10/hr at a summer job

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Tests vs School

My Story

My PSAT

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

Math

CR

W

total

My PSAT

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

Math

58

CR

45

W

48

total

151

My PSAT

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

Math

58

68

CR

45

49

W

48

51

total

151

168

My PSAT

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

Math

58

68

80

CR

45

49

74

W

48

51

80

total

151

168

234

Result: Full-Tuition at Colgate University, Full-Ride at TCNJ