Connecticut seniors: SATs are the one big area of change

I have had upcoming seniors improve their SATs by 200 points.  This single factor changed their college admissions possibilities and often generated offers of thousands of dollars in merit aid.

I note this because some seniors tell me that they hope their senior year grades will shift their college prospects.  Some bad news on that front:  cumulative GPA is what matters most, although an upward trend is helpful.  1 semester (or 2 quarters) mixed in with 6 previous semesters  (12 quarters) will not dramatically shift anything.  And, as I’m sure everyone knows, the back end of senior year is irrelevant.

I kiddingly ask seniors who urgently inquire about what they can do to increase their college admissions chances whether they plan on becoming a top musician or create an impactful charity.

They usually get the point: for most, the only thing they can do to radically change their college admissions chances is to do better on the SAT.