stressed to tears?

Test Preparation
1

<p>My dream college is thousands of miles away and I am determined to go there. (Auburn University in Alabama)</p>

<p>I already know that my 3.7 GPA is enough to get me in as well as the okay ACT grades I assume to get.</p>

<p>However, I am not financially able to get myself into college there, and because of a difficult family situation, I have to get a full scholership to go. (And I am shooting on not having to use any financial aid)</p>

<p>For this, I have to get at least a 34 ACT or be a national merit finalist. I am a smart person, and I know with enough preperation and determination, I could do it.</p>

<p>However, with the PSAT coming up in a few months, I am going stress-crazy beyond beleif! (Anyone know generally how well I have to do on this test to be a finalist? What I am going to find generally on it?)</p>

<p>So far my practice test scores arn't nearly good enough and my sense for the problems on the test are not at all good enough either!</p>

<p>I am stressing out and I even cried today.</p>

<p>Any advice to getting to me goal?</p>

2

<p>eat a donut, or take a bubble bath or something!</p>

3

<p>You're gonna be a junior right? Do something crazy...go on a service trip to Africa or raise a ton of money for a cause, or something really unique. Make yourself known to the school via email and stuff....oh and study like crazy, non-stop for standardized tests...time yourself, take sat and act and see which one u do better at...get barrons 2400 and the collegeboard sat book...memorize vocab...for act it's pretty much just practice...take the hardest schedule you can and keep your gpa up.</p>

4

<p>It's good to have a cry sometimes. Just work really hard and practice over and over till you're getting what you want on your practice tests. Don't burn yourself out; let go and have fun every once in a while.</p>

5

<p>Thanks guys. Yeah, I think the problem of mine is that I get so attached on the thought of "it's so hard to get the score I need, what if I just..can't...do..it" and then I never allow myself a spare minute of "chill out" time. But at the same time, it's coming up, I am not as mentally talented as others, and I am scared.</p>

<p>Also, about the trip to Africa. Well, I can't afford that, but I will try my hardest to get involved in something that looks good. I am doing the whole "be in clubs thing" (which I am sure colleges can see right through sometimes), I am in a junior orthopedic guild, and have a high school history of a couple sports. </p>

<p>And I am a bit scared about the "hardest classes" thing. You see, registration for AP classes is long past and I did not sign up for anything but regular classes (Yes, I am going to be a junior). And I have to turn in my transcript at the end of junior year.</p>

<p>So...to say the least, I am scared. But I will study, study, study. I just wish my family had enough money/care to get me some tutoring or classes or something...</p>

6

<p>Aww. Hey, chill, relax a bit. Breathe...=)</p>

<p>PSAT is like the SAT. The format's all the same except you have less questions and no essay (and only 5 sections!) If you prep normally for the SAT, it's already good practice for the PSAT. Go ask your school counseling office whether they have a "Taking the PSAT" booklet published by the College Board (it's free) - you can use that to measure your ability and practice.</p>

<p>You don't need a class or tutor to do well. If you can buy prep books (if money is a problem, you can also visit your library or ask some friends/seniors for the books that they don't need anymore - I'm sure someone will help you out), you still can do fine on your own. Prepping for SAT is all about determination and perserverance. If you stick to it, you will get it. I've seen what they do in those $999 PR classes - I'm telling you, those are for people who need a proctor to sit them down to study. Those classes aren't really teaching you anything that's not in their books! If you have enough self-control and moral strength to pull through with it, you will get the score that you want. It's all in your mind, you just gotta put your head to it.</p>

<p>As for Finalist, it's not terribly difficult, but the first thing you gotta do is you need to find out your state's Semifinalist cutoff for the PSAT first. I don't know which state you live in, but the majority of the cutoffs are between 210 and 220 (there are some states below 210, though - like Nevada, Wyoming...). If you're in a big state, you should prepare to score around 220. How the PSAT works is that if you score above a certain line in your state, you become a semifinalist (there's 16,000) of them in all of US. After you become a semifinalist, 15,000 of them (that's almost all of them) become Finalists (you gotta write an essay first and ask your counselor to submit a recommendation - they'll send all the info to you once you're confirmed). But in any case, you gotta prepare to score above 210 to 215 first.</p>

<p>Don't worry too much about your college applications...just keep on doing the things you like to do and show leadership in the things that you do. You definitely do not need to take a trip to Africa to make it into college (well, at least I didn't!!). What really matters to college is your initiative to make a difference and to step out - you can do that in so many ways.</p>

<p>When it actually comes time for PSAT or ACT though, relax and know that no matter what happens on the test, you've done your best to prepare for it and you've given it your best shot. You don't ever <em>have</em> to get a score - I believe that your best score comes when you believe in yourself and accepts whatever outcome you end up with.</p>

<p>Oh, and when you register for senior classes, register for some AP classes! Colleges will still see your senior year schedule, and it's good to show them that you're still keeping it up. In late junior year, visit the school, leave your name at the admission office (if it's possible) - let them know you want to go! Sometimes an extra step never goes wrong.</p>

<p>Good luck with your studies! I know you can do it. ^___^</p>

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<p>hey can someone tell me how to make my own thread. i just joined today</p>

8

<p>Aw thanks oasis! </p>

<p>Your advice is really good! My state is Washington, and I suppose that there is a lot of people here...and some really smart people too...so I assume that the cutoff will be high. </p>

<p>I am doing a good job practicing the writing and reading sections and I see hope for myself in those categories, but I am getting really scared about math. I am really bad at math...and even after going over how to do certain problems and stuff like that, it just seems like it never clicks! So right now, that's my worry.</p>

<p>Also science on the ACT, not doing so good with that either.</p>

<p>Oh my parents will buy the books, I bought 2 already and about 5 on hold at the library. (Including "algebra for the clueless)</p>

<p>I guess it just seems to me that there are some REALLY serious and smart people on here getting the grades that I need and it makes me feel like I have to be like them to do well.</p>

9

<p>focus on doing well and doing your best rather than trying to get a score to please a school. your mind may change once you actually go out to visit schools or once you get your test scores. the right thing to do would be to study your butt off. the wrong thing to do is go into the test thinking "i have to get every question right or else i cant go to college because i cant afford it." there are also a lot of scholarships or financial rewards out there (not just from the school) that you can apply to</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

10

<p>Honestly, don't be too stressed out about the PSAT, because becoming a Semifinalist or Finalist won't really do much for you in the end. Whether you get the actual scholarship from them or a college or corporate sponsored scholarship, it will only yield about $2000, and seeing as how you are more concerned with getting a full scholarship, that probably won't cut it. You are a junior, so now won't be the time to start applying for scholarships, but start to look at some websites which detail scholarships which are more oriented towards your intended college major or your background, interests, etc. I know that the College Board website can do something like this for you, so now may be the time to start looking at that. Other than that, your main job in junior year is to keep your grades up and rock the standardized tests, but try not to let yourself fret about those things too much. Just practice and do the best you can on them, and make sure that you take the opportunities to be involved in creative or unique extracurriculars. Grades and test scores are like checkpoints to colleges: if they are within an acceptable range, you have a decent chance of getting in, but what really sets you apart are those ever important ECs and application essays, which will truly let you introduce yourself to colleges, more than any test score can ever do.</p>

11

<p>thanks funkydesi!</p>

<p>I was wondering, everyone talks about unique extracurriculars. What qualifies as unique?</p>

<p>Also, the university that I want to get into guaranties full scholarship to national merit finalists that put that university as first choice.</p>

12

<p>Bagpipe playing would be considered unique. Curing cancer would too. But if you don't have the means to do either, simply find something to do that you really enjoy, and try to involve yourself with it as much as you can or want to. For colleges, it is more about the depth of your involvement with ECs instead of the breadth, or how many ECs you take. Also, as a bit of advice, if you truly want to do something unique, don't merely just do the regular NHS or Key Club or something which millions of other HSers will do (not that they are not important or any less prestigious or anything). Look into summer jobs and internships or something, anything which really interests you which you can gain a greater appreciation for. That's what unique really means (that and the bagpipe playing thing)</p>

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<p>Alright! I know that my boyfriend did a bit of an internship at a hospital for a couple years, maybe I can find something like that, since I am interested in going into nursing!</p>

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<p>Unique doesn't have to mean doing something exotic or cool that only 1 in 100,000 people will do. Unique means taking advantage of the resources you have and using them to your greatest potential. It means seizing your chances of volunteering, working, doing ECs in your town and school and making an impact with them. You don't have to travel overseas to cure AIDS, nor do you have to go to Scotland to pickup bagpipe playing (although, admittedly, it would make quite a cool EC).</p>

<p>Don't judge yourself by the standards presented at CC. You are looking at a remarkably small subset of the high school population in America that is composed of mostly coughoverachieverscough. For some students, they probably wouldn't even go to school with more than 5 students of CC caliber in their class. I probably haven't heard anyone complaining of a 790 until I visited CC a couple years ago.</p>

<p>Go out and explore what's available to you and make the most of them! =)</p>

15

<p>Thanks buddy! </p>

<p>I hope that community service is something that colleges will look at as well. Because I am in a group called "Keystone" which is a community service organization that does some pretty neat stuff, and although I only did 24 hours of community service last year, I am planning on significantly raising that number.</p>

<p>I wonder, is having a leadership role in a club that I really enjoy (german club), a good idea?</p>

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<p>Leadership in the activities that you care about is most definitely one of the best ways you can demonstrate your initiative and ability through your ECs.</p>

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<p>I (used to now) live in Alabama, and while being unique is good, most of the scholarships to Auburn are based on grades/ACT alone so I would work REALLY hard to get that 34/1500 rather than trying to demonstrate your ability on ECs. I don't know if you were just looking in Alabama specifically, but the University of Alabama is a bit easier to get a full ride (I think it's a 32 for OOS) if you want to look there.</p>

18

<p>Hi kc,</p>

<p>I'm a parent and I respect your determination to do everything you can to be able to be able to attend your dream school. I'm assuming you know a lot about Auburn and are sure it would be a perfect fit.</p>

<p>I'm just a bit worried that you sound entirely focussed on getting a full ride at one and only dream school. Having watched kids apply to college for a number of years now, I'm struck by the element of unpredictability in admissions. Having a dream school is fine, but it seems to me that now that you are a junior and have a clear idea of what you're looking for, it would be very smart for you to explore your options a bit and come up with several other schools that -- even though you don't love them as much as Auburn -- seem like places you'd be very happy to attend. (No safeties or matches that you hate or would be disappointed to attend; work until you find places that you can put at the top of the "not Auburn" list, and imagine yourself attending with a smile.)</p>

<p>With money being a big issue, it would be wise to look into schools that would be delighted to have a student with your credentials, and are known to give merit money to students with your numbers. There are some threads that specifically deal with the topic of good colleges that offer merit money, and you might want to check out some of those schools. Please think about applying to several; you don't want $ to be the thing that holds you back, and with some advance planning, starting now, you could find yourself some fine back-ups.</p>

<p>All of the things you are thinking about doing to have high scores and enhance your ec's and community service for Auburn will also increase your attractiveness to other schools. It's just that with the enormous number of kids applying to college in the next couple of years, it seems dangerous to be fixated on just one school.</p>

19

<p>I think the best advice I could give is try to convince yourself you don't really care when in fact you do. I know that's not easy to do, but that kind of stress won't help you perform up to your abilities.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>