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High Scholarship Earners - Which test and at which grade did your high schooler take?


Momto4inSoCal
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I'm trying to map out a high school plan but there are so many different test and I don't really want to constantly be testing my kids but we really need any help financially they can get so if we need to test we will. By testing I mean ACT, SAT, PSAT, SAT Subject test. I've read some people do them multiple time but if you do all of these test and the ACT and SAT more than once that is quite a few test? Do colleges really need this many test?

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How many and what kinds of tests you need depends entirely on the college.

 

DD took the PSAT and SAT, got National Merit scholar, took the ACT twice, and four SAT2 subject tests (3 were required by multiple of the colleges she applied to). The test scores got her admitted into her university which has an 8% acceptance rate. They only give need based aid, besides a small amount for NM.

 

DS took the ACT once and earned a nice scholarship at his university. But his score would not have gotten him into his sister's school.

 

Which tests, how many, and how many repeats depends completely on the kind of school you are shooting for.

Edited by regentrude
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PSAT is required of all students at our hs. It's also needed for NMS consideration. I had my dd take the SAT first but she didn't do well, so she then took the ACT and received a much higher score. AFAIK colleges only require one of those tests. My advice would be to take one and see how your child does. If not great, try the other. If you're not happy with either score received, they can study and retake whichever one they think they'd do better on. You usually only have to submit one test score (the highest or a mix in order to superscore) though I think there may be some super selectives (ivies?) that require you send all the tests you've taken. Only certain schools require SAT subject tests. My dd didn't take any of those because none of her schools required it. However, several of her schools said she could submit the standardized test of her choice, including SAT subject tests, so if she had taken and really rocked those, she could have submitted them. Hope this all makes sense.

Edited by whitestavern
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- Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of high ACT or SAT test scores.

- A very high PSAT score in 11th grade that puts the student in the National Merit Finalist category also has the potential of scholarships.

- SAT Subject tests are usually used as confirmation of homeschool grades, or they may be required for admission to a few colleges.

- AP tests are usually used to boost chances of admission at competitive, selective, top tier colleges. High AP test scores also can earn college credit by exam, in advance of entering college.

- CLEP tests are used to earn college credit by exam, in advance of entering college.

 

At a minimum, every student should take either an ACT or SAT by the end of high school in order to meet possible future college admission requirements.

 

But know your students -- if they have test anxiety or just don't "click" with how to test, I wouldn't push for lots of tests. For those who are good testers, then multiple tests of different kinds may expand their options. Test prep is advisable for all students. If you have a student right on the edge of more scholarship money if they can just bump up their test score a little bit more (1-2 points on the ACT, 100 or less points on the SAT), then consider investing in a tutor or a test prep course that guarantees that amount of increase, and invest the few hundred dollars to possible land a much larger scholarship).

 

Also, it's a good idea to be realistic in your expectations about how much of a scholarship your students will get. Scholarships only make up about 25% of all financial aid offered (loans, grants, and work study make up the rest of it). There are very very FEW full-ride (all expenses paid) scholarships, and you must be exceptional to land those. There are more full-tuition (just tuition & fees is fully paid), but still not very common. Most scholarships are partial scholarships, and from what I'm seeing, you can roughly expect a student with good test scores to land a 1/2-tuition scholarship. That will still leave you with 1/2 and all the other expenses (room & board + books & supplies + transportation + other expenses) to deal with.

 

Our experiences with high school testing:

We kept tests to a minimum, as neither DS was heading for a high-end college. So no AP, CLEP, or SAT Subject tests.

 

DS#2 has mild LDs, so testing is not his strong suit ;) . No need to put him through the stress more tests than absolutely required for possible future college admissions (he ended up doing one each of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT).

 

DS#1 earned a 2-year full-tuition scholarship to the community college, and then later earned a renewable 1/2-tuition transfer scholarship to a 4-year college. He did 1 each of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests. The PSAT was high, but no where near scholarship range (usually need to be in the 99th-percentile). His SAT and ACT tests were good enough for partial scholarship money to ordinary colleges.

 

Below is a copy-paste "replay" of a run-down I posted in a previous thread, in case it helps. BEST of luck in planning out your high school testing needs! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

___________________________________________

 

PSAT (Preliminary SAT)

cost = $14-20 (approx)

length = 2.5 hours (approx)

when given = once a year, mid-October

when to take it = 11th grade (for potential scholarship $$); 9th/10th grade (if there's room at the testing location for younger students) for extra practice

where given = at most high schools (PSAT location search engine)

purpose #1 = practice test for the SAT

purpose #2 = when taken in 11th grade and score 98-99% = possible NMS-awarded scholarship $$ or college-awarded scholarship for NMS Finalists (National Merit Scholarship). As a result, many families have students take the PSAT in 10th or even also in 9th as practice for when it "counts" in 11th grade

what to do = Directly approach a local high school to register/pay — start the process in late Aug / early Sept, in case it takes several schools to find one that works with homeschoolers; get a receipt when you pay; call closer to the test time to verify that your student IS on their list; schools order the tests in late Sept./early Oct., and don't always have extras for last minute sign-ups.

prep = PSAT sample questions

on test day = what to bring/not bring

 

ACT

cost = without essay = $36.50  /  with essay = $50 (fee waiver info)

length = 4-5 hours (approx)

when given = 2nd or 3rd Saturday of Sept / Oct / Dec / Feb / Apr / Jun

when to take it = 11th or 12th grade; 9th/10th grades for practice, or for "super scoring"

where given = test centers -- usually at a few high schools or university (ACT test location search engine)

purposes = tests readiness for college / confirms "mommy grades" on the transcript / college admission / a way colleges award scholarships

what to do = register/pay online, 6-8 weeks in advance of desired test date and location -- includes uploading a specific-sized, recent photo of the student; print off "admission ticket" receipt and bring, along with a state-issued photo ID or passport, on test day (ACT Test Day Checklist)

 

SAT (also known as SAT Reasoning Test)

cost = $51 (fee waiver for low income)

length = 4-5 hours (approx)

when given = 1st Saturday of Oct / Nov / Dec / Mar / May / Jun; 3rd Saturday of Jan

when to take it = 11th or 12th grade; 9th/10th grades for practice, or for "super scoring"

where given = test centers -- usually at a few high schools or university (SAT location search engine)

purposes = tests readiness for college / confirms "mommy grades" on the transcript / college admission / a way colleges award scholarships

what to do = register/pay online, 6-8 weeks in advance of desired test date and location -- includes uploading a specific-sized, recent photo of the student; print off "admission ticket" receipt and bring, along with a state-issued photo ID or passport, on test day (Test Day Tips & Policies)

 

SAT Subject (also known as SATII test)

cost = $24.50 = first test, $13 each additional test (fee waiver for low income)

length = 1 hour; can take up to 3 SAT Subject tests in one day

when given = same as SAT -- but not all subjects tested on all days (test schedule)

when to take it = as soon after completing the course as possible for "freshness"

where given = at the SAT test centers (location search engine)

purposes = shows understanding of high school level material in that subject / confirms "mommy grades" on the transcript / college admission requirement for some colleges (list of colleges require / recommend / consider SATII tests)

what to do = register/pay online, 6-8 weeks in advance of desired test date and location -- includes uploading a specific-sized, recent photo of the student; print off "admission ticket" receipt and bring, along with a state-issued photo ID or passport, on test day (Test Day Tips & Policies)

 

AP (Advanced Placement)

cost = $100 (approx)  (AP financial aid for low income families )

length = varies on the subject (1.5 to 3 hours, approx.)

when given = two weeks in May (test schedule); not every test given at every location each year

when to take it = 11th & 12th grades are typical, but earlier if completed the study/coursework

where given = at some local high schools 

purposes = tests understanding of advanced & college level material while still a high school student / proof of "mommy grades" and advanced work on transcript / help with admission to top tier & competitive schools / depending on the score (and the school), some colleges grant college credit for AP, or allow freshmen into honors programs due to AP

what to do (for homeschoolers) = at least a year in advance of the test desired, locate a school willing to allow homeschooled student to test with their students, pay the fee, study AP coursework over the school year (student can take AP test without taking an AP class); on test day be sure to bring state-issued photo ID

 

CLEP (College Level Examination Program)

cost = $80-125 (approx)

length = varies

when given = varies (you schedule appt. with the test center)

when to take it = as an adult; or 11th & 12th grades -- but earlier if completed studying

where given = community colleges and universities

purposes = test for college credit / proof of "mommy grade" on transcript

what to do = online registration for scheduling a specific test/location; use CLEP study materials to prepare for the test; on test day bring payment and state-issued photo ID

pros /cons = no grade or GPA attached to CLEP redits; can be a quicker, cheaper way of accruing college credits to cut college costs, or fill in missing general ed. course requirements; accepted by many but not all universities

 

 

How to Know What Test (If Any) to Take?

In deciding which test(s) your student should take, it helps to know the answers to questions such as:

- what college program/degree are they going for 

- what schools do they plan to apply to

- do those schools grant credit for CLEP, AP, dual enrollment

- do those schools require SAT Subject tests

- are those schools competitive, so that AP tests help with admissions

- do APs open doors at those schools to honors courses or special programs and research opportunities to freshmen (or do they not make a difference)

- how big of a factor are finances to your student going to college

* high ACT / SAT scores are used by colleges to award scholarship $$

* high score on the PSAT can lead to scholarship $$

* high AP and SAT II scores show high level of work and can lead to scholarship $$

* CLEP tests, when accepted by the college towards the degree program, can reduce overall time at the college (and hence, reduce cost of college)

 

The PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP, and CLEP tests are all for college-bound high school students. If you are unsure your student will go on to a 4-year university (or even a 2-year college) after high school graduation, at the least, I recommend taking one SAT or ACT test, just to "have it in your back pocket" in case the student's post high school plans change late in the game, or a year after graduation.

Edited by Lori D.
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To add to the above, a sufficiently high PSAT can also lead to designation by the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP), which can lead to scholarships at some (not a ton of) colleges.  The threshold for NHRP is something like top 2.5% of Hispanics by region, uses the 4-digit PSAT score, and is much lower than the Selection Index required for National Merit.  NHRP is a national award.

Edited by wapiti
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... we really need any help financially they can get...

 

Since finances are a concern, look in to the many alternatives for paying college. (As mentioned above, scholarships make up only 25% of all financial aid out there, and most scholarships are only partial awards, not full-ride (all expenses paid) or even full-tuition (all of tuition & fees paid fully.)

 

Check out these past threads for alternative ideas for paying for college:

- "s/o Cautionary Tale: High Costs of College -- a brainstorm $$ ideas thread!"

- "How are YOU managing to pay for college?"

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Colleges that award automatic scholarships based on test scores and GPA usually have the information stated on their websites.

Most of these scholarship awards are based on either achieving National Merit (based on PSAT scores) Finalist status, or a high SAT or ACT coupled with a strong gpa.

 

The vast majority of the schools that require SAT Subject Tests are the highly selective schools that typically don't offer any merit-based awards. For merit-based automatic awards, I would focus on the SAT or ACT.

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To add to the above, a sufficiently high PSAT can also lead to designation by the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP), which can lead to scholarships at some (not a ton of) colleges.  The threshold for NHRP is something like top 2.5% of Hispanics by region, uses the 4-digit PSAT score, and is much lower than the Selection Index required for National Merit.  NHRP is a national award.

 

OP if your DC meet the requirements for being considered Hispanic for the National Hispanic Recognition program, that is another very good reason for them to take the PSAT/NMSQT exam during October of their Junior year.  My DD was in the upper 2.5% (approximately 5K of approximately 260K Hispanic/Latino test takers) and that will be a "plus" on her University Applications. 

 

My DD will be taking more tests than I would like this year, but that's part of the process of heading towards university and it is necessary. 

Edited by Lanny
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How many and what kinds of tests you need depends entirely on the college.

 

Which tests, how many, and how many repeats depends completely on the kind of school you are shooting for.

 

What she said!

 

Look at the colleges your student is thinking of applying to. For top merit aid, you want to go over and above what they recommend.....

 

My kids' route --

 

PSAT both sophomore and junior years

SAT -- one and done, March of junior year

 

~5 AP's -- scattered over sophomore, junior and senior years, though you want at least some during sophomore and junior years so colleges can see the scores

 

~4-5 SAT-2's, taken as relevant classes were finished. They did bio after 9th grade, chemistry after AP chem, physics after AP physics, English lit after their junior year, US history after APUSH, and math after precalculus. They took the SAT-2's scattered over enough years that only one kid ended up once doing two on the same day. Cautionary note on the SAT-2's -- get a study guide and use it so that your student knows that his/her classes are rigorous enough to score well. Usually only honors students take SAT-2's, so challenging coursework is a prereq for scoring well.

 

We probably went overboard, but my kids sort of enjoyed the SAT-2's and they really needed the merit aid.....

 

While some merit aid is given purely on academics, a lot of merit aid is given to students for their overall desirability on campus. Do remember that for many colleges extracurriculars are an important part of the merit aid equation!

 

 

Edited by Gwen in VA
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My kids are not super high achievers. They got decent scholarships are schools that are not highly selective. For my two ds that have been through this their scholarships were earned on the basis of GPA and ACT.

 

For the kids that are good students but not super high achievers that are competitive for highly selective schools are top competitive scholarships they may only need ACT. Mine were not National Merit level so they did't do the PSAT, one took a few APs but that had no bearing on his scholarships.

 

Know your kids and their goals. Some kids really only need the ACT or SAT. Of course if there is a chance at National Merit, they should try the PSAT but many bright kids just aren't in that percentile of test takers.

 

My boys took an ACT sophomore year to have an idea where they were and a couple more times until they were comfortable with their scores and figured they were not going to improve much more. I do not wish they had taken more tests. For some kids it just isn't necessary. I knew my kids, as special as they are to me, were not going to be in the running for big competitive awards. They took their automatic merit money and moved on.

 

My next son is a stronger student and may do more. (I really feel like I answer every question here with "it depends")

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My DD1 took the PSAT her Junior year and then 3 ACTs. She was dual enrolled and her program required 3 ACTs. Based on her ACT score she landed a place in a top 10 LAC which meets 100% need.

 

DD2 will probably do similar though she may add an ACT or SAT depending on her next ACT. She considered taking an AP or two but they conflict with her dual enrollment finals.

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- Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of high ACT or SAT test scores.

- A very high PSAT score in 11th grade that puts the student in the National Merit Finalist category also has the potential of scholarships.

- SAT Subject tests are usually used as confirmation of homeschool grades, or they may be required for admission to a few colleges.

- AP tests are usually used to boost chances of admission at competitive, selective, top tier colleges. High AP test scores also can earn college credit by exam, in advance of entering college.

- CLEP tests are used to earn college credit by exam, in advance of entering college.

 

At a minimum, every student should take either an ACT or SAT by the end of high school in order to meet possible future college admission requirements.

 

But know your students -- if they have test anxiety or just don't "click" with how to test, I wouldn't push for lots of tests. For those who are good testers, then multiple tests of different kinds may expand their options. Test prep is advisable for all students. If you have a student right on the edge of more scholarship money if they can just bump up their test score a little bit more (1-2 points on the ACT, 100 or less points on the SAT), then consider investing in a tutor or a test prep course that guarantees that amount of increase, and invest the few hundred dollars to possible land a much larger scholarship).

 

Also, it's a good idea to be realistic in your expectations about how much of a scholarship your students will get. Scholarships only make up about 25% of all financial aid offered (loans, grants, and work study make up the rest of it). There are very very FEW full-ride (all expenses paid) scholarships, and you must be exceptional to land those. There are more full-tuition (just tuition & fees is fully paid), but still not very common. Most scholarships are partial scholarships, and from what I'm seeing, you can roughly expect a student with good test scores to land a 1/2-tuition scholarship. That will still leave you with 1/2 and all the other expenses (room & board + books & supplies + transportation + other expenses) to deal with.

 

Our experiences with high school testing:

We kept tests to a minimum, as neither DS was heading for a high-end college. So no AP, CLEP, or SAT Subject tests.

 

DS#2 has mild LDs, so testing is not his strong suit ;) . No need to put him through the stress more tests than absolutely required for possible future college admissions (he ended up doing one each of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT).

 

DS#1 earned a 2-year full-tuition scholarship to the community college, and then later earned a renewable 1/2-tuition transfer scholarship to a 4-year college. He did 1 each of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests. The PSAT was high, but no where near scholarship range (usually need to be in the 99th-percentile). His SAT and ACT tests were good enough for partial scholarship money to ordinary colleges.

 

Below is a copy-paste "replay" of a run-down I posted in a previous thread, in case it helps. BEST of luck in planning out your high school testing needs! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

___________________________________________

 

PSAT (Preliminary SAT)

cost = $14-20 (approx)

length = 2.5 hours (approx)

when given = once a year, mid-October

when to take it = 11th grade (for potential scholarship $$); 9th/10th grade (if there's room at the testing location for younger students) for extra practice

where given = at most high schools (PSAT location search engine)

purpose #1 = practice test for the SAT

purpose #2 = when taken in 11th grade and score 98-99% = possible NMS-awarded scholarship $$ or college-awarded scholarship for NMS Finalists (National Merit Scholarship). As a result, many families have students take the PSAT in 10th or even also in 9th as practice for when it "counts" in 11th grade

what to do = Directly approach a local high school to register/pay — start the process in late Aug / early Sept, in case it takes several schools to find one that works with homeschoolers; get a receipt when you pay; call closer to the test time to verify that your student IS on their list; schools order the tests in late Sept./early Oct., and don't always have extras for last minute sign-ups.

prep = PSAT sample questions

on test day = what to bring/not bring

 

ACT

cost = without essay = $36.50  /  with essay = $50 (fee waiver info)

length = 4-5 hours (approx)

when given = 2nd or 3rd Saturday of Sept / Oct / Dec / Feb / Apr / Jun

when to take it = 11th or 12th grade; 9th/10th grades for practice, or for "super scoring"

where given = test centers -- usually at a few high schools or university (ACT test location search engine)

purposes = tests readiness for college / confirms "mommy grades" on the transcript / college admission / a way colleges award scholarships

what to do = register/pay online, 6-8 weeks in advance of desired test date and location -- includes uploading a specific-sized, recent photo of the student; print off "admission ticket" receipt and bring, along with a state-issued photo ID or passport, on test day (ACT Test Day Checklist)

 

SAT (also known as SAT Reasoning Test)

cost = $51 (fee waiver for low income)

length = 4-5 hours (approx)

when given = 1st Saturday of Oct / Nov / Dec / Mar / May / Jun; 3rd Saturday of Jan

when to take it = 11th or 12th grade; 9th/10th grades for practice, or for "super scoring"

where given = test centers -- usually at a few high schools or university (SAT location search engine)

purposes = tests readiness for college / confirms "mommy grades" on the transcript / college admission / a way colleges award scholarships

what to do = register/pay online, 6-8 weeks in advance of desired test date and location -- includes uploading a specific-sized, recent photo of the student; print off "admission ticket" receipt and bring, along with a state-issued photo ID or passport, on test day (Test Day Tips & Policies)

 

SAT Subject (also known as SATII test)

cost = $24.50 = first test, $13 each additional test (fee waiver for low income)

length = 1 hour; can take up to 3 SAT Subject tests in one day

when given = same as SAT -- but not all subjects tested on all days (test schedule)

when to take it = as soon after completing the course as possible for "freshness"

where given = at the SAT test centers (location search engine)

purposes = shows understanding of high school level material in that subject / confirms "mommy grades" on the transcript / college admission requirement for some colleges (list of colleges require / recommend / consider SATII tests)

what to do = register/pay online, 6-8 weeks in advance of desired test date and location -- includes uploading a specific-sized, recent photo of the student; print off "admission ticket" receipt and bring, along with a state-issued photo ID or passport, on test day (Test Day Tips & Policies)

 

AP (Advanced Placement)

cost = $100 (approx)  (AP financial aid for low income families )

length = varies on the subject (1.5 to 3 hours, approx.)

when given = two weeks in May (test schedule); not every test given at every location each year

when to take it = 11th & 12th grades are typical, but earlier if completed the study/coursework

where given = at some local high schools 

purposes = tests understanding of advanced & college level material while still a high school student / proof of "mommy grades" and advanced work on transcript / help with admission to top tier & competitive schools / depending on the score (and the school), some colleges grant college credit for AP, or allow freshmen into honors programs due to AP

what to do (for homeschoolers) = at least a year in advance of the test desired, locate a school willing to allow homeschooled student to test with their students, pay the fee, study AP coursework over the school year (student can take AP test without taking an AP class); on test day be sure to bring state-issued photo ID

 

CLEP (College Level Examination Program)

cost = $80-125 (approx)

length = varies

when given = varies (you schedule appt. with the test center)

when to take it = as an adult; or 11th & 12th grades -- but earlier if completed studying

where given = community colleges and universities

purposes = test for college credit / proof of "mommy grade" on transcript

what to do = online registration for scheduling a specific test/location; use CLEP study materials to prepare for the test; on test day bring payment and state-issued photo ID

pros /cons = no grade or GPA attached to CLEP redits; can be a quicker, cheaper way of accruing college credits to cut college costs, or fill in missing general ed. course requirements; accepted by many but not all universities

 

 

How to Know What Test (If Any) to Take?

In deciding which test(s) your student should take, it helps to know the answers to questions such as:

- what college program/degree are they going for 

- what schools do they plan to apply to

- do those schools grant credit for CLEP, AP, dual enrollment

- do those schools require SAT Subject tests

- are those schools competitive, so that AP tests help with admissions

- do APs open doors at those schools to honors courses or special programs and research opportunities to freshmen (or do they not make a difference)

- how big of a factor are finances to your student going to college

* high ACT / SAT scores are used by colleges to award scholarship $$

* high score on the PSAT can lead to scholarship $$

* high AP and SAT II scores show high level of work and can lead to scholarship $$

* CLEP tests, when accepted by the college towards the degree program, can reduce overall time at the college (and hence, reduce cost of college)

 

The PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP, and CLEP tests are all for college-bound high school students. If you are unsure your student will go on to a 4-year university (or even a 2-year college) after high school graduation, at the least, I recommend taking one SAT or ACT test, just to "have it in your back pocket" in case the student's post high school plans change late in the game, or a year after graduation.

 

Thank you this is super helpful! We will probably do a combination of Dual enrollment, clep, ap's to try and get some credits for free or low cost. 

 

To add to the above, a sufficiently high PSAT can also lead to designation by the National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP), which can lead to scholarships at some (not a ton of) colleges.  The threshold for NHRP is something like top 2.5% of Hispanics by region, uses the 4-digit PSAT score, and is much lower than the Selection Index required for National Merit.  NHRP is a national award.

 

We would qualify for this I'm hoping to find other scholarships like this to help cut cost. 

 

Keep in mind that unless the scholarships are automatic that test scores, NMF, and GPA are only part of the consideration.  

 

What else should we be focused on? Extra curriculars? My oldest wants some career in art, graphic design, video game design etc so she will be in a lot of art classes her high school years. I'm not sure if that will lead to scholarships though?   

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DS took the PSAT (National Merit Commended) and the SAT (just once was good enough) plus good AP scores 5, 5 and 4 for his Junior year (self reported).

No SAT subject tests they were not required at the colleges he was looking at.

 

He got a nice scholarship.

 

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What else should we be focused on? Extra curriculars? My oldest wants some career in art, graphic design, video game design etc so she will be in a lot of art classes her high school years. I'm not sure if that will lead to scholarships though?   

 

We haven't found great art scholarships at most of the schools, but dd is looking at regular universities with art departments (not art schools). 

 

She is currently on day 2 of interviews at the same college, but different scholarships. They are not art-related, but yesterday they did seem intrigued that she has plans to combine art with business, and had specific reasons why this is a good idea, and how businesses can use art to motivate and inspire.  

 

I'll let you know if it pans out at the end of March, lol. She has good but not top-level stats, and good but not amazing extracurriculars, so she needs something else to catch their eye. 

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Thank you this is super helpful! We will probably do a combination of Dual enrollment, clep, ap's to try and get some credits for free or low cost. 

 

You really have to weigh all the pros and cons of all the options open to you to figure out which works best for THIS student and THAT school. For example:

 

Remember that AP is a test that represents a full year intensive course, so unless your student is highly motivated and interested in that particular subject (i.e., Government, or English Literature, or Biology, or Calculus... ), doing it as AP can take away time and energy and opportunities to focus on your student's high interest area of Art, Graphic Design, and the Programming that goes along with Video Game Design.

 

Also, to make CLEP tests worth the time/money, you really need to know what colleges your student is likely to attend, and look up on their websites which specific CLEP tests they accept as credits toward required courses for the college degree. CLEP is more flexible than AP in that you can mostly use what you want for your high school course, and then spend 1-2 months studying the CLEP book before taking the test. On the other hand, AP is more widely accepted for credit than CLEP (although CLEP is accepted at almost 3000 schools).

 

Similar with dual enrollment. If you want the courses to count towards a college degree, look into which credits specifically transfer from the local community college to the university of interest.

 

Also, check the college policies on how many total credits the student can transfer and it counts towards the college degree -- the combined amount of AP + CLEP + dual enrollment; often it is no more than 60 credits.

 

AND, you need to look in to the college policies on how many college credits can the student bring in and still be considered a freshman. For some colleges, there is no limit. For some it is 60 credits. For some it is 23-24 credits, and some only allow 12 credits. If your student has more than the maximum, they are considered a transfer student, rather than a freshman.

 

Why freshman status is important is that the most amount of scholarships, and those for the largest $$ amount and that are renewable (good for more than 1 year) are awarded to freshmen. There are far fewer transfer scholarships, and they are usually for smaller amounts of $$, and are usually 1-time awards (not renewable). So with some schools, you can save money initially through the test-for-credit or dual enrollment options which also reduce total time at a 4-year college -- but then not be eligible for much scholarship money for the remaining 2-3 years needed to complete the degree.

 

 

What else should we be focused on? Extra curriculars? My oldest wants some career in art, graphic design, video game design etc so she will be in a lot of art classes her high school years. I'm not sure if that will lead to scholarships though?   

 

Sure! Extracurriculars can absolutely sometimes lead to scholarships -- as well as having an advanced set of classes or a portfolio that shows advanced work. :) There are also scholarships awarded for creating a poster or other work of art -- see the Scholarships website list: "Art-Design Scholarships".

 

 

...I'm hoping to find other scholarships like this to help cut cost...

 

But again, if finances are really tight, I strongly recommend NOT putting all the eggs in the scholarship basket, but be looking into creative, alternate methods of funding college. Check out those threads I linked in an above post to start seeing what options might be a fit.

 

Good luck! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited by Lori D.
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The biggest thing to remember is that "high test scores for good merit aid" has a couple of caveats -- "high test scores >>relative to the applicant pool<< help you get merit at >>at schools that have high merit aid budgets<<"

 

The merit aid "game" is won or lost in the fall of senior year when you finalize your college list. Either you've found schools that give merit, or you haven't. Either your application is typical of previous awardees or it's not.

 

Unless you are completely broke, you need to have financial safety plans that do not depend on merit aid. A community college. A commuter school where you don't pay room and board. A less-popular branch of your state system that costs less and/or tends to award more merit than the popular flagship campus.

 

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The biggest thing to remember is that "high test scores for good merit aid" has a couple of caveats -- "high test scores >>relative to the applicant pool<< help you get merit at >>at schools that have high merit aid budgets<<"

 

The merit aid "game" is won or lost in the fall of senior year when you finalize your college list. Either you've found schools that give merit, or you haven't. Either your application is typical of previous awardees or it's not.

 

Unless you are completely broke, you need to have financial safety plans that do not depend on merit aid. A community college. A commuter school where you don't pay room and board. A less-popular branch of your state system that costs less and/or tends to award more merit than the popular flagship campus.

We have some funds toward college just not a lot especially considering we have 4 kids. Granted they may not all go to college but even if only 2 kids want to get a bachelor's, at 35k-75k a year it's just not going to happen. We are looking into all of our options and I want to make sure we've explored every route. My oldest is going into 8th grade so I am hoping with careful planning we can get them into a college without loading them with debt. We've broken down schools by cost and we have considered community college. The community colleges near us actually have a pre engineering degree and a transfer graphic design degree which is what both my dds are interested in. They are both in robotics and the class is run by students from the college one of my dds say she would like to go to. We do have a cheap plan but my kids are young and they could change there mind so I just want to have a plan for multiple avenues we can go down. I want them to have as many options as we can afford. Edited by Momto4inSoCal
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Our kids have 2 options: earn enough merit $$ to attend a college they want** or live at home and commute to the local U.

 

(**Want is defined as having the major they desire and fits most of their general needs at a price we can afford after they receive their merit awards. It is not defined as "the" school they want to attend simply bc they want to attend there.)

 

Our older 5 have all managed to attend colleges that have offered what they have wanted to pursue their goals, though our Aspie we forced to drop out bc we refused to continue to pay (long story, but part of it was based on the fact that he refused to take classes toward a degree and only wanted to take the classes he wanted.) Of the other 4, 3 have lived away from attending 4 yr colleges, and the other lived at home and attended locally for 1 yr of prerequisite courses and then entered an Allied Health program for occupational therapy assistant at a distant CC. (There was only 1 program in our entire state, so we had to pay for housing for her to attend that CC, but that combined was cheaper than tuition at the local U.)

 

Of those 4, one is a chemE, one is an OTA, one is a graduating sr with a physics/math double who will be going to grad school in the fall, and one is a freshman majoring/minoring in business/language areas.

 

Our current 10th grader says she wants to live at home and attend the local U. We'll see if that lasts or not. The 2 younger than her--one wants to be a baker and own her own bakery and the other is only in 2nd.

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We have some funds toward college just not a lot especially considering we have 4 kids. Granted they may not all go to college but even if only 2 kids want to get a bachelor's, at 35k-75k a year it's just not going to happen.

Most families are not paying sticker price, especially at private universities. It might be interesting to run a net price calculator on a few schools that are popular with the local high schoolers then run the calculator for Harvard or some other super generous school and see the range of actual prices you get.

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Ds was homeschooled until halfway through 8th grade. He then enrolled in a small charter high school where he was bumped up a grade.

 

Ds took the ACT through Duke TIP as a 7th grader. This score doesn't "count" other than enrolling in Duke's TIP programs. I felt it was good practice with pacing, etc. He did well (National recognition, we went to Duke's campus for the awards ceremony) and participated in two summer programs with Duke TIP.

 

His charter high school required that either the ACT or SAT be taken once a year (they dropped that requirment after a high score was achieved). They also gave the PSAT to all 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. He was not enrolled in the fall of what wound up being his 9th grade year, so he only took the PSAT in 10th and 11th. Right after ds enrolled he took the ACT for his first "official" test (so this was actually when he would have been an 8th grader by age). Close but not quite where he wanted to be. His October 10th grade PSAT score indicated NM was likely if he did well on it his junior year so he took the SAT in the 10th grade with the goal of achieving a qualifying score for NM (which he did and then some) to get that out of the way. He took the ACT again in the fall of 11th grade and achieved his desired score. He took the MATH II Subject Test in 10th grade and the SAT Chemistry Subject Test in 11th grade. Had he not applied to a college that wanted three subject tests, he would have had all of his testing (other than AP exams) completed by spring of his junior year. He wound up taken the English Lit Subject Test in the fall of his senior year. Thus (not counting the talent search through Duke TIP), he took the ACT twice and the SAT once.

 

Recap:

9th - ACT

10th - PSAT (October), SAT (Febraury), SAT Subject Test Math II, 2 AP exams (spring)

11th - PSAT (October) ACT (February - I think? Maybe October?) SAT Subject Test in Chemistry, 3 AP exams (spring)

12th - SAT Subject Test in English Lit (fall) 5 AP exams (spring)

 

I am a BIG fan of getting testing out of the way as soon as it is feasible. This is often driven by where the student is in math. Ds was accelerated in math (took BC Calc in 10th grade), so I realize this may not always be possible. Subject tests should be aligned with AP courses where applicable. Ds, however, did not take the Subject Test in World History (even though he took AP World and received a 4 on that exam). We didn't look into his taking it until he was a year removed from the AP course. A pre-test indicated impending disaster - it was just too factoid-ish and too much had been forgotten. If a student is planning on applying to many schools, the fall of senior year is crazy busy enough without the pressure of trying to get those ACT or SAT scores up. Test early if the student is ready, and align Subject Tests with coursework!! This is my best advice!!!

 

Ds took 10 AP exams (11 courses since he did AB and BC in one year - BC counts as one test). Two in 10th grade, three in 11th grade, and 5 in 12th. He had five 5s, four 4s and one 3. Had he homeschooled all,the way through, we would have gone the DE route instead of the AP route. Maybe with a couple of online AP courses mixed in. I do think the strategy is different for those who homeschool all the way through. DE seems the much easier way to go. We could have done that through either a CC or our state flagship or a combination of both.

 

He received the equivalent of two full rides and one full tuition scholarship at three SEC schools (his safeties). The full rides both included his participating in and "winning" some competitive scholarships involving weekends and interviews. At three privates he was awarded between $20k - $23k per year. Two of those were matches and one was a reach. He applied to a total of 11 schools - 3 safeties, 2 matches, and 6 reaches. He had 9 acceptances, 1 waitlist, and 1 rejection (his only Ivy).

 

Not sure this has been mentioned, but keep in mind that merit scholarship,dh sips often require the student to maintain a certain GPA to retain them.

 

I would have loved to have homeschooled all the way through, but Ds "fired" me - ha ha! In hindsight, it was definitely for the best. He was surpassing what I could teach him, and he did not want to do DE because he wanted to be with kids his own age. Thankfully, we had the perfect fit in a small, local charter school that emphasized academics and was full of fun, quirky, nerdy kids.

Edited by Hoggirl
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I think Hoggirl is subtly making an important point that top scholarship winners and kids admitted to those schools that meet full need and define that need generously are sharp, often clearly gifted. If you're having trouble keeping your kid's brain full, that's a good sign for merit aid prospects.

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We had the "attend the local 4 year school or we will pay the equivalent" rule too, but it didn't work out so well for us.  Oldest needed a private school.  But he went to CC first.

 

Because he went to CC first and proved he was 3.8GPA material after 4 semesters, his school didn't ask for his SAT or ACT scores.  He got a nice merit scholarship based on his grades.  Still not cheap, but we are making it work with him paying a portion and we are paying most.

 

Middle is going away to a state school for $12K per year, including books and fees and room/board.  We are thrilled for him.

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Luckily we have a ton of good school that are local. The school DD currently wants to attend is a state school so it's not too expensive and has a really good engineering program although it's an impacted major so she'll need to get in. We are within driving distance of Cal Tech but I've never brought it up and I wouldn't push either DD in that direction. While I prefer to aim high I am also realistic about what our possibilities are.

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Luckily we have a ton of good school that are local. The school DD currently wants to attend is a state school so it's not too expensive and has a really good engineering program although it's an impacted major so she'll need to get in. We are within driving distance of Cal Tech but I've never brought it up and I wouldn't push either DD in that direction. While I prefer to aim high I am also realistic about what our possibilities are.

 

We used to live about 5 miles from Cal Tech.  

 

I will tell you that friends are reporting to me that SoCal schools for engineering are getting harder and harder to get into.  One friend in particular said that her son went to a private school in OC with an over 4.0 and 30 on the ACT and didn't get in to any UC schools for engineering.  He did get in to some out of state schools and last I heard he was looking at Purdue.  Plan B was a private school, which wasn't big with scholarships because they didn't have to be due to the amount of students trying to get in.  I *think* it was Loyola, but I would need to double check.

 

I don't know if he looked at either of the Cal Polys.  I think he tried for SLO and didn't get in, but it was a year ago.

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We used to live about 5 miles from Cal Tech.  

 

I will tell you that friends are reporting to me that SoCal schools for engineering are getting harder and harder to get into.  One friend in particular said that her son went to a private school in OC with an over 4.0 and 30 on the ACT and didn't get in to any UC schools for engineering.  He did get in to some out of state schools and last I heard he was looking at Purdue.  Plan B was a private school, which wasn't big with scholarships because they didn't have to be due to the amount of students trying to get in.  I *think* it was Loyola, but I would need to double check.

 

I don't know if he looked at either of the Cal Polys.  I think he tried for SLO and didn't get in, but it was a year ago.

Have them look at New Mexico Tech - good school - and would certainly qualify for the WUE scholarship with those scores.

A lot warmer than Purdue :)

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Have them look at New Mexico Tech - good school - and would certainly qualify for the WUE scholarship with those scores.

A lot warmer than Purdue :)

The other AZ and NM schools also have merit and/or WUE and more of the "big school" feel comparable to the UCs.

 

New Mexico Tech is a nice engineering school, but small -- no big sports ball.

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Have them look at New Mexico Tech - good school - and would certainly qualify for the WUE scholarship with those scores.

A lot warmer than Purdue :)

 

He is already in college now, so I know he already picked something.  

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We used to live about 5 miles from Cal Tech.

 

I will tell you that friends are reporting to me that SoCal schools for engineering are getting harder and harder to get into. One friend in particular said that her son went to a private school in OC with an over 4.0 and 30 on the ACT and didn't get in to any UC schools for engineering. He did get in to some out of state schools and last I heard he was looking at Purdue. Plan B was a private school, which wasn't big with scholarships because they didn't have to be due to the amount of students trying to get in. I *think* it was Loyola, but I would need to double check.

 

I don't know if he looked at either of the Cal Polys. I think he tried for SLO and didn't get in, but it was a year ago.

Engineering is highly competitive. A friend's daughter just got rejected from SLO and waitlisted at UC Davis. She is top 10% at a competitive suburban high school, has a 4.3 GPA, 11 APs, high SAT scores, and good leadership and extracurricular involvement. Her major is Computer Science.

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I'm trying to map out a high school plan but there are so many different test and I don't really want to constantly be testing my kids but we really need any help financially they can get so if we need to test we will. By testing I mean ACT, SAT, PSAT, SAT Subject test. I've read some people do them multiple time but if you do all of these test and the ACT and SAT more than once that is quite a few test? Do colleges really need this many test?

 

Confession upfront.  My kids tend to be pretty strong test takers.  Our experience was that often taking an end of the year standardized test was much simpler than doing a narrative annual progress report or making a portfolio.  I also liked that I didn't rely on someone else's interpretation of meeting progress.  So my kids have taken a lot of tests over the years.

 

 

ACT/SAT  - The vast majority of 4 year colleges/universities require a score from one of these.  Target scores vary wildly from college to college.  There are concordance tables such that most schools will be able to compare an ACT score from one student with an SAT score from another.  Some students do better on one test than the other.  However, the SAT was revised around 2016/17 and the difference between the format of the two tests has gotten smaller.  Many students find that they do better on subsequent sittings (from a combination of studying, familiarity with the format, and comfort with the test setting).  Timing:  Be aware of the fact that the tests are offered on limited dates throughout the year.  Scores take several weeks to arrive.  A student who intends to apply for early action/early decision or who wants to be eligible for institutional scholarships that are based on early applications will probably want to have a solid score by early fall of senior year.  That may mean starting with test taking junior year.  (My kids were applying to summer programs with applications in winter of junior year, so they needed strong SAT scores in hand by Nov junior year.  On the other hand, our local university accepts ALL students who hit college benchmark scores in the mid 500s.  So much less stress for students headed there.)  Registration for each is done online.

 

PSAT - This can  be a way of practicing for the SAT.  The junior year sitting is used as the qualifying score for the National Merit Scholarship.    Some universities offer significant scholarships for students who are National Merit Scholars (Again, this varies wildly.  Some schools offer no merit aid, because the entire student body would qualify).  However, NMS is typically the top 1% of high school students.  Competition can be very fierce in certain high scoring states.  Registration must be done through the high school where the test will be taken.  Offered in October.

 

SAT Subject Tests - These are 1 hour tests of high school level mastery of specific content areas.  Tests are given at the same time as the reasoning SAT.  (You can't take both on the same date.)  Students can take 1-3 subject tests on any given test sitting.  These are required by some universities of all students.  Other schools may require them from any homeschool applicant.  Pay attention to which tests or test categories are required (ex. a math and a science, or Math 2 and Physics or Chemistry, or any three).  Same timing caveats as the ACT/SAT.  If you need scores in hand by Nov 1, the Oct test date might be too late.  Registration is online.

 

 

 

What this might look like in practice:

 

Spring sophomore year - ACT test taken for annual proof of progress

 

Oct junior year    SAT test  (scores in hand for summer program applications due in Dec-Feb junior year.  This score was turned in to the state at the end of the year as proof of annual progress)  

 

PSAT test also taken.  If the student makes the cutoff to be a semi-finalist, the Oct SAT will count as a corroborating SAT score

 

Dec junior year    SAT Subject tests (Latin only offered twice a year.  June date has conflicts with summer plans.  Student took Latin, English, and Math 1)

 

March junior year  SAT Test taken to see if he can raise scores

 

August senior year  SAT Subject tests (Student wants to take Math 2 exam now that he has completed pre-calculus.  He also sits for Biology and Chemistry so that he has science Subject test scores)

 

So for this kid, the bulk of the tests were taken junior year.  By the time senior year and the heavy college application season had arrived, test taking was mostly done and he had shifted to completing college applications.

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There are concordance tables such that most schools will be able to compare an ACT score from one student with an SAT score from another. 

 

Scores take several weeks to arrive.

 

To add to the above, a new concordance table is expected to be published this summer.  The turnaround on SAT1 scores is now down to about two weeks.

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To add to the above, a new concordance table is expected to be published this summer.  The turnaround on SAT1 scores is now down to about two weeks.

 

 

It's good that the turnaround is faster now.  There were some periods a couple years ago when the expected 3 weeks dragged on to 4-6 weeks.  I think it's also good to build in a buffer for when bad things happen.  Kids get sick, snowstorms roll in, emergencies crop up.  A few years ago, we had AP tests postponed because the school district closed for several days of wild fires.  

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