<p>Inspiring, Drummerdude. Yale is lucky to have a student with your determination and perserverance. Best of luck and please keep in touch!</p>
<p>
[quote]
I was accepted at every college I applied to: Harvard, Yale, UChicago, and Georgetown
[/quote]
lucky guy!</p>
<p>Drummerdude, your situation is almost exactly like mine! My school rarely sends grads to ivies or any top schools. We're in the ghetto, 50% low income and English as second language, drug/crime ridden, etc. Our graduation rate and the percentage of students that actually go to college is very low also. The only schools our teachers and counselors encourage us to apply to are the state schools. Our average SAT is way below national average, and most people are totally ill-informed about college admissions.</p>
<p>Anyways, like you, I found CC at the beginning of my senior year, and up until then, I always thought I'd go to a state school like everyone else, and didn't even care about what school I went to. The information I found on here helped me with my SATs, which schools to apply to, my application essays, etc., and the support here is incredible. B/c of CC, I was able to find my way through the application process. I've been admitted to both Stanford and Yale, two schools I have never ever expected to attend. If it weren't for CC, I wouldn't even have applied. CC has made dreams come true for many of us.</p>
<p>Congratulations, pagEL60. Thanks for posting!</p>
<p>Thank you to you, Northstarmom! I remember you helping me through tons of stuff in the beginning. :)</p>
<p>wow!
first of all CONGRATULATIONG for getting into YALE and getting accepted by HARDVARD! CONGRATULATIONS...
tht was one heck of a post..
and even I want to thank CC!! I havent got into any college yet or even applied but I still want to thank everyone at CC for posting all the tips and helping out everybody like me here!!! Even if I dont get into the colleges I want to attend, Id still be ever-do grateful to CC for making the college process so clear and comprehensive for me and for many others like me :)
THAANK YOUUU</p>
<p>Congratulations!
I hope you enjoy your time in Yale. You've probably shown that anyone can go there if they know what to do.
I wish you luck in life.</p>
<p>hi entomom-just joined cc today and tried to download pdf file of Xiggi method...but page has expired...any suggestions...from reading cc for the last 2 hours, I see you are well informed Many thanks</p>
<p>Hi Barbara, Welcome to CC! Much like drummerdude, I have been on this site for a couple of years and have learned so much. You just have to be careful and look for those posters who have experience and give reasoned advice. And even then, each kid has different needs and likes. </p>
<p>For the summary of Xiggi's method go to: <a href="http://www.admissionsadvice.com%5B/url%5D">www.admissionsadvice.com</a>
Go to Join the Discussion, Preparing for College, Test Prep, Xiggi's musings</p>
<p>It is a wonderful site, both for the blog entries and the discussion group. Hope to see you there!</p>
<p>Thanks so VERY much!!</p>
<p>In the original post, you mentioned the "Ziggy" method for passing SAT/ACTs. What does that mean?</p>
<p>sorry I just found out that evry1 else had asked about Xiggi's method too!
Now I know; Thanks! =)</p>
<p>Thank you for posting this!</p>
<p>I was in a very similar situation, going to a school where the state university and local CC reigns for the 40% who pursue post-secondary education. I introduced the SAT II's, SCEA, and a lot of other concepts to some of my peers thanks to info from this website. And had I not stumble across this website, I wouldn't have so frantically tried to retake tests, gather awards and EC's, and keep my schedule as tough as possible. Although my story didn't turn out as happy as the OP's (rejected twice, waitlisted three times for OOS schools) I did reap a hefty scholarship from a very strong albeit lesser-known college that I will be very happy to attend. Without CC, I would have had to go against my home state Buckeyes and succumb to the large Florida congolmerate that is the Gator Nation. </p>
<p>Thanks CC!</p>
<p>Haha you have all graciously reminded me that it is Xiggi, not ziggy, which would explain why no one is able to find any info. Oops. But anyway, I'll post what I've been PMing people who ask about it. Feel free to add/subtract from this freely:</p>
<p>The "xiggi method" is very simple. Instead of reading through a bunch of crap about "strategies", doing vocab workbooks, or any of those other things, just take practice tests. And not just any practice tests -- ONLY use tests that are officially released by the ACT or SAT/College Board (which would be the red book and the blue book, respectively). You can also get practice tests by order (or sometimes in your guidance department for free) from the company. The other companies (Princeton Review, Barron's, Kaplan) really don't know the ACT or SAT very well, and at any rate not as well as the actual companies. Note that a large portion of both the ACT and SAT books are about "strategies". Ignore that part. They may help the person who has no idea what is going on, but they mostly just hinder someone who can already score fairly high without studying (for example, rather than just telling you how to do a math problem, they might suggest ways to eliminate bad answers). When it is time to study, start by doing the questions in small segments, frequently stopping to check all your answers. Look back at EVERY question, whether you got it right or wrong, and think about why you put what you did, and if there any patterns you can find. You can do this in 5 minute segments or for longer periods of time. Eventually, you should progress to doing whole ACT or SAT sections at a time, still checking the answers and looking at WHY you got a particular question right or wrong. You will probably come across many wrong answers that you slap yourself for missing, but some that need consulting with CCers or your teachers to determine the right answer. Remember: besides familiarity with the test, the point here is to learn WHY the answer is what it is. It does no good to take the tests if you do not correct your mistakes. Grdually progress to using time limits. If you ever run close to the time limit, remember that on the ACT you get a warning at 5 minutes, and no warning on the SAT. So practice with a clock that you are blind to, which will be a more accurate simulation of the actual test. Eventually, you should take a couple of full length tests on a Saturday morning or something, with timing and as realistic conditions as possible. This method helped me gain 150 points on the SAT, about 20-30 points each on three SAT IIs, and a point on the ACT, and has had much more dramatic results for other students. It is also cheaper, easier, and more effective than Princeton Review or Kaplan classes, which mostly reiterate what is in their books and are not geared towards top scorers in the least.</p>
<p>This is a deservedly featured post. Thanks for sharing a summary of important facts one can learn on CC, and congratulations on the great college admission results. </p>
<p>
[quote]
One of the smartest kids in my class thought he was going to apply to Berkeley, JHU, and other top schools. Until he found out that SAT IIs were required, and it was too late to take them.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is quite an important point. Lots of teachers in my part of the country have not heard about what role SAT II tests play in college admission.</p>
<p>Congrats, drummerdude, and to all of you who have had your dreams come true! And DD, congrats on being mentioned in the NYT article! You should be proud! It is an honor and a pleasure to share, help, and learn from such fine students. BTW, which college will you be in at Yale?</p>
<p>congrats to drummerdude and to pagEL60..please let us hear some updates now and then.</p>
<p>Also..remember when in the freshman buzz when everyone is new, ..Stanford and Yale wanted YOU just as you are today. Be yourself and take that as far as it goes..that is what they are counting on. Run your own race. Celebrate your new friends who will also have unique qualities and you will in turn be celebrated and appreciated.</p>
<p>congrats dummer!
I'll add to this thread that I definitely feel like I owe CC a lot.
as a homeschooler I would have had no idea about any of this college application stuff without CC. I had no idea about visiting colleges, what to do in interviews, all the sat threads were helpful. so CC really got me through the process. and of course it also helped me refine the absolutely neseccary skills of procrastination!</p>
<p>You should write a book.</p>
<p>Wonderful story. Thank you for sharing! It just goes to show what hard work and determination can do. I'm sure that came through in your essays to the school. Believe me, those schools know the "profile" of your high school. Those institutions knew how fortunate they would be to have you at their school</p>
<p>All the best to you.</p>