Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:03:11 -0400WeeblySun, 13 Nov 2022 20:55:28 GMThttp://www.educationallyaware.com/blog/what-does-fall-mean-to-youWell, it finally feels like autumn. The weather is cooling and the leaves are falling to the ground. Those who are applying to college have just submitted their Early Action and Early Decision applications to their ideal colleges. For those who have back-up colleges, you might want to begin working on their supplemental questions now, so that you aren’t overwhelmed with work and emotions if you don’t get into the college of your choice.
If you are a junior, EA suggests that you take advantage of the long weekends to visit colleges because the current students are walking around campus. Sign up for a tour and an information session in advance. Remember when you are on a campus, take a few photos and pick up a newspaper. When you leave campus, make a list of the pros and cons of that school. Your memory of the school will be clearest as you are leaving and the conversation will be the most intense. You have two choices: record your thoughts on your phone or write them down as soon as you get back into the car. Those initial impressions are usually very accurate. Once you visit a few campuses, things can get a little fuzzy that is why your notes to yourself are important.
Okay, so you have decided on school A, B, and C. Now you need to figure out what needs to be done to get accepted. The Internet makes this fairly simple: research the website for each school. Determine what is required to gain acceptance and set up a plan NOW! Think about activities, grades, and the SAT and ACT. Although it is optional for many schools, some still require it. You also want to consider how an admissions officer might view your application without the test. Also remember that SAT and ACT scores can be used for scholarships.
Hope these EA suggestions are useful! Contact us or visit our website to learn more about how we can help. #students #help #schools #collegesanduniversities #collegeadmissions #satprep #actprep #collegeplanning
]]>Sun, 02 Oct 2022 23:58:12 GMThttp://www.educationallyaware.com/blog/find-your-target​We haven’t felt the chill of autumn in almost a year, but it is in the air this weekend. Many people are thinking about how lucky we are in the northeast to have been spared the wrath of Hurricane Ian. And although we think about people in other parts of the nation, who haven’t been as fortunate, we need to focus on the quality of our lives here. At EA, we are hoping to help high school students move forward in their quest toward college.
The junior year of high school is filled with academic, extra-curricular, and social demands, which often exceed what a student has experienced. Combine these pressures with thoughts about college, and it becomes apparent why many students have difficulty dealing with these different aspects. For many, including test preparation (SAT or ACT) as part of the schedule often falls to the wayside. However, without paying ample attention to at least one of these tests, applying to the ideal college might result in disappointment that could be avoided by a greater awareness of the college application process and/or developing the academic skills required for a more seamless transition into college. Of course, the quintessential problem becomes how to incorporate more tasks into an already full schedule.
First, it is important to recognize that you will get all the tasks done, but thinking about them in a calm and organized way will smooth the process. And remember that for almost everyone, even thinking about going to college can be fraught with stress, both parent and child. For a student, it is a combination of wanting to go to the "perfect" college but not wanting to leave everyone and everything that is familiar. Combining this with the reality of the amount of effort required to prepare for the SAT and/or ACT, determining the colleges that are "reach, target, and safety" schools, as well as the written work to complete applications, can produce a high level of tension. A student's motivation, self-confidence, and skills will influence the response to this situation. For a parent, the concern about how much college will cost and the value of that expense becomes a concern. Additionally, parents want to help their children minimize stress while still achieving all the college application requirements in a timely manner.
With all these pressures, EA Test Prep would like to offer some suggestions to ameliorate the tensions that can develop. To achieve this, periodically, we will post ideas to make this a less troublesome process as well as alert parents and students to upcoming events that might be valuable.
As a junior in high school, take out a calendar and count the months until next September. Then write, in pencil, on the calendar when college applications are due for next year. Although this can be a bit of an exaggeration, depending on the college, it lets everyone see that there is plenty of time to get everything accomplished. For example, if you don’t achieve an adequate score on the SAT or have not properly researched colleges then there is time to correct errors if you plan ahead. Write the following information on your calendar:
· Every date that the SAT and ACT can be taken and circle the preferred test date
· Dates to visit colleges (Although students may not have chosen a college, planning dates to visit schools makes the process seem real.)
· Dates to meet with the high school college counselor regarding "reach, target, and safety" schools recommendations
· Dates to meet with a tutor to prepare for the SAT and/or ACT
Once this is accomplished, place the calendar in a prominent place so everyone can review it. Don’t forget to add any high school event related to college like when the high school hosts a College Night.
Remember EA can make this process easier.]]>Sun, 25 Sep 2022 21:58:46 GMThttp://www.educationallyaware.com/blog/september-25th-2022Sun, 11 Sep 2022 23:37:00 GMThttp://www.educationallyaware.com/blog/youve-got-questions-weve-got-answersThe school year has begun, and most students are in a period of adjustment. For many, they feel overwhelmed by the pressure to resume their academic lives, especially if they are juniors in high school and are college bound. For everyone who is feeling like they are stitching different aspects of their lives (remembering the fun of the summer, returning to school, building a school community, participating in a sport or a theater production, etc.) together, this is a wonderful time to take a deep breath and give yourself a moment to readjust to the demands of going to school because a junior needs to focus on the college application process this year. Be gentle with yourself and remind yourself that you are just ending a two-month vacation and it takes time to build up the academic strength that you might have had at the end of your sophomore year. But here at EA, we know you can excel because we witness students do it each year.
If you are planning on going to college, have some family discussions about how to proceed in the college process. Ask yourself questions and write down the answers. One question you should definitely ask yourself if you have a very specific career plan like you want to become a chemical engineer or a virtual reality designer, is: “Which schools have that program?” Simply use Google to search for those schools and then ask more general questions, like those below, once you have found them.
The EA Team wants to offer you some questions you could ask yourself to begin this process. You might have an immediate answer or some of them might require some serious thought or check with a college counselor. Here are some useful ones to ask.
Do I want to go to a college in a city or do I prefer a suburban or rural environment?
Do I prefer a huge school like Michigan or a small one like Wheaton?
How much money can my family afford to spend on college?
Have I matched my grades and SAT/ACT scores to those required by the college of my dreams?
How hard am I willing to work to get into the colleges of my choice?
Remind yourself that there are ways to assist yourself to achieve what you want, and at EA, we are happy to help. We want everyone to know that EA offers academic coaching, and assistance with completing all parts of the Common Application, as well as SAT and ACT preparation courses. Our next six-week SAT session begins in two weeks, and we have a few spaces left, so please join us.
Give us a call (educationallyaware@gmail.com ) or send us an email(educationallyaware@gmail.com ) or just visit our website. Let us know if we can help a little or a lot. And remember, there is always an answer to any concern.


]]>