Daily Diligence is the Key to College Admissions

I last posted a blog in early November with a stern admonition not to fall into the abyss of the junior year Dark Ages. To move away from history and to borrow a metaphor from the sports world, if the fall is the pre-season and the winter the regular season, we are now at the beginning of the post-season.  And like any good sports team, you should be buckling down for your very best effort over the last few months of the school year.

As for your academic performance, i.e., your grades (which are ALWAYS the first things admissions committees will look at), now is a great time to assess your strengths and weaknesses. Like any good business, you must do an inventory of your stock in trade, keeping your money-makers and getting rid of unsaleable goods: which note-taking, test-studying, and paper-writing skills have served you well this year, and which do you want to change? Have you been availing yourself of accessible resources to help you in your quest for the best grades you can earn? Do you seek extra help from your teachers? Do you confer with your smart classmates on a regular basis about your courses and assignments? Do you contact CollegePrepExpress, LLC for tutoring, studying techniques, motivation, and writing help on a regular basis or as needed? 😉  Assessing how you’re doing and adjusting as necessary will make you a better student and enable you to earn better grades.

With regard to standardized tests, juniors are smack dab in the middle of it. Freshmen and sophomores should be thinking about Subject tests in math, science, and history.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed with upcoming SATs in March and May, ACTs in April and June, and SAT Subject Tests in June.  It’s a LOT to manage, no doubt.  But the key to maintaining some semblance of equanimity (a great SAT word, btw) is to DO something everyday.  Anxiety only increases when we sit and stew; serenity and confidence increase when we move productively toward our goals.  Just a

s the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so too does standardized test prep!  Don’t put it off!

In order to help break down the process into manageable steps, CollegePrepExpress, LLC has designed a 25-30 min a day program, combining studying relevant material with taking practice tests.  On the

Private DOWNLOADS section of this site you will find a Bi-Weekly Daily To-Do Checklists for both the SAT and the ACT.  One night you’ll do 25-30 min of studying relevant material, and the next night you’ll take a practice section.  Every two weeks you complete a full SAT or ACT and have around 3 1/2 hrs of studying under your belt.

As with anything else meaningful and worthwhile in your life, what you do EVERY DAY is important.  Set some daily goals, whether for school or standardized test prep, WRITE THEM DOWN, and get busy.  Plan your work and work your plan.  The Bi-Weekly Daily To-Do Checklists are there for the taking.  And we’re here to help!