Huntington Learning Center Shares Four Things Colleges Are Looking For

Huntington Learning Center Shares Four Things Colleges Are Looking For When college is on the horizon for your high school student, its easy to get overwhelmed thinking about the entire process. From researching financial aid to exploring schools to applying, theres a lot to do in a relatively short period of time. Keeping the big picture in mind is important, says Co-Founder and CEO Elieen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center. Parents and students can easily get bogged down with the college tasks, but forget to focus on what really matters, she says. Teens should put most of their effort toward being the best student they can be in order to be attractive candidates for admission to the colleges to which they apply. And what exactly are colleges looking for? Here are four of the most important student traits, as detailed in the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2017 edition of the State of College Admission report: Strong grades No surprise, the NACAC reports that grades, admissions officers top decision factor for first-time college students, are extremely important to colleges. This includes both grades in college preparatory classes as well as all other classes. And dont think that all As are created equal. Your teens strength of curriculum matters as wellmeaning, admissions officers will look for Advanced Placement classes, honors classes, International Baccalaureate, and other similar classes that give them an idea how your teen might perform at college. SAT or ACT scores While a students GPA is one important measure of achievement, his or her scores on a standardized college admissions exam are another good way to assess knowledge of the subjects needed for college. These exams also are intended to evaluate readiness for college, measuring students ability to apply what they learn in school outside of the classroom. Writing skills Not all colleges require an admissions essay, but those that do so are looking to get to know prospective students off paper and get a feel for their ability to articulate experiences. Of course, admissions officers are also interested in understanding whether applicants can communicate effectively and organize their thoughts and have a good command of grammar and writing style. Writing, after all, is an invaluable skill at college and something your teen will be expected to do in just about every class. Passion Colleges seek to create a rich campus community with a diverse student body. Although the factor, extracurricular activities was ranked by the NACACs report as being of considerable importance by just 7.9 percent of colleges surveyed, strong essay came in at 18.9 percent and students demonstrated interest in the college at 13.7 percent. These latter two factors prove that students who express their interests, passions and poignant experiences effectively and take initiative to show their interest in a college will set themselves apart and increase their chances of admission. Huntingtonreminds parents to encourage their teens to check out specific admissions information on each colleges website. Often, colleges are forthright in sharing what theyre looking for in candidates, she says. At any school, however, academic performance and strong preparation is of utmost importance. If you have questions about making sure your teen is ready for college and has a strong resume in place, call Huntington at 1-800-CAN-LEARN. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2017 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

I Didnt Get the GCSE Results Needed for Sixth Form College

I Didn't Get the GCSE Results Needed for Sixth Form College So, you didn't get the GCSE results needed for your chosen Sixth Form College. Before you try any one of our options below,  first  contact your chosen college as soon as possible! They might let you in, anyway. If not, don’t worry! There are still options. Exam resits Speak to your chosen college before deciding to re-sit; some colleges may allow you to re-sit GCSEs alongside your AS Levels. It is true that many students do far better in re-sits, but your teacher will know your capabilities well. If your teacher believes you won’t improve, it might not be worth the effort. Remember that resitting exams can be lonely and will increase your workload. A-Levels are a big step up from GCSEs so bear that in mind when deciding. If you decide to take another year to prepare for Sixth  Form and get better GCSE results that’s perfectly okay â€" you really don’t have to go through AS and A2 exactly when everyone else does. You don’t have to re-sit at the same school either.  There are 5th   and 6th form colleges that specialize in putting students through GCSE resits â€" or you can always study at home, with a private tutor if necessary, and sit your exams as an External Candidate. An experienced tutor should be able to help you with this. Ask for a remark If you feel your mark does not reflect how well you performed, you can request a remark. The more subjective the subject is, the more chance the score could change. In other words, you’re more likely to get a remark in English or Humanities subjects than in Maths and Science. For the less subjective subjects it might be worth just asking for the ‘clerical’ remark service (i.e. did the examiner miss out any questions when marking, or add your marks up wrong?) which is often cheaper. Ask your subject teacher for advice on this and  bear in mind your mark could go down as well as up, so if you’re just a few marks above a grade boundary this could be a risky strategy! Search for another college Search for another college with lower entry requirements. You’ll need to contact the college admissions to check if there are still free places. As always, ask your school careers adviser for help and advice on this. Don’t make a rushed decision; it takes time to  discuss the pros and cons for each college choice. Retake the year You could retake the year to achieve the grades required to attend your chosen College. Before going ahead with this option, contact your chosen college and check that they will accept you if you were to retake the year. Remember that retaking the year might be difficult and could be lonely, but many students find A Levels a big step up from GCSEs, so there could well be advantages in taking one more year to prepare yourself for 6th form. Other Options You could consider other options such as vocational courses or apprenticeships. Again, speak to your careers adviser for help and guidance.