Shift - College admissions in a changing world

Universities went test-optional en masse during the COVID-19 pandemic, because students literally couldn't take the SAT or ACT tests. Now that the pandemic is no longer preventing people from taking exams, do test-optional policies still truly mean that submitting SAT or ACT scores is optional? Scott Clyburn, founder and director of North Avenue Education, has been a professional educator since 2005 and has advised thousands of students on their college applications. In this episode, Scott shares what the data from the last three years shows about test-optional admissions, their impact, and whether you should really submit to your top choice school without a test score.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Brian Stewart, founder of BWS Education Consulting, has been a tutor for 18 years and has worked with thousands of students on both the SAT and ACT exams. In this episode, Brian shares what he tells his clients about taking the SAT versus the ACT, and how to determine which test you will score the best on for yourself.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

If Harvard accepted every 4.0 GPA superstar STEM student into their class, it'd be full twice over. So how do they decide who gets admitted and who doesn't? Nat Crawford, Stanford PhD, founder of Improve Your English and college admissions counsellor, works with superstar STEM students in the San Francisco Bay Area every year. In this episode, Nat shares why he sees these students fail to get into Ivy League schools, what he advises them to do to improve their applications, and the lessons you can take away for your own application.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Now that the digital SAT is almost here, how is the test going to be different? Rachel Elmer and Emily Lubejko are testing and college admissions experts from Private Prep, a national test preparation and college admissions firm. In this episode, they share their learnings from the College Board's releases and their own research about how the digital SAT content will change compared to the old paper SAT, and give advice on how students should change their preparation to achieve the best possible score.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

FAFSA formulas are changing and if you're looking to receive federal financial aid for your college tuition, you need to know what's what. Tom Leahy, founder of Optimum Education, has advised students and families on receiving federal financial aid for decades. In this episode, Tom gets you up to date on how FAFSA formulas are changing, who will be affected, and how to navigate the changes to ensure you can still receive as much aid as possible.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Sure, we know that grades, test scores, et cetera all matter for college admissions, but how much do they matter and what priority is each given in the applicant review process? David Blobaum is one of the co-owners of Summit Prep and a nationally recognized expert on the SAT, ACT, and college admissions. In this episode, David walks you through all of the things that a college admissions office looks at, including grades, test scores, essays, extracurriculars, and how they stack up in terms of importance and emphasis.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Rejection letters don't have to suck. Chris Sanderson founded Sanderson Test Prep in 2011 and has seen a lot of students receive rejection letters from colleges. In this episode, Chris shares why he believes students should reframe rejection letters from a negative to a positive, and how to change your mindset to feel good about what you've accomplished.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

College transfers are more common than you think, and if you're not enjoying your time at school, it's okay to consider it! Jamie Smith, founder of Jamie Smith IEC and an educator since 1997, has helped hundreds of students transfer colleges for all kinds of reasons. In this episode, she walks you through the transfer process and  shares specific tips for people looking to transfer from a community college to a four year university.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Anxiety disorders affect anywhere from 15-30% of teens, according to recent studies, and many more are anxious in high stress exercises like their SAT or ACT exams. Brian Stewart, founder of BWS Education Consulting, has been a tutor for 18 years and has worked with thousands of students, including hundreds with test anxiety. Brian shares his preparation tips to get you in the right mindset for test day, and test day tips that will help you manage your anxiety.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

College is becoming more expensive ever year like clockwork, making the debt burden for students larger and larger. How can you minimize your student loan debt? Shane Bybee has run Bybee College Prep for almost a decade and has helped thousands of students get into college and deal with the cost. In this episode, Shane shares why he has students think about cost from the get-go and how to reduce your student loan debt burden as much as possible.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.