Parents of Connecticut High School Juniors: Test prep time

By General Education Advice

Every year, I work with seniors who are scrambling either in the summer or the fall to raise their SAT scores.

At that point, they know where they want to apply.  They realize that whatever nonsense they were told regarding the SAT’s lack of importance… was nonsense, at least for colleges that are of interest to Connecticut suburban types.

All those test optional schools… well… with the colleges are not particularly strong or has proven to be the case over the last 4 years, test-optional was not really test-optional for the typical suburban Shoreline, CT student who is striving for higher level schools.

When I say typical, I mean without any unusual hook.

The stories about students from Guilford-Stonington who gain admission to top tier schools without SATs usually lead with… “he’s a recruited athlete” or “her mom works there” or “she’s from Senegal” etc.

In working with our students in college counseling, I point to subjective factors that they can control: join clubs, show your passion, write compelling essays…

These factors matter but the Academic Index – Grades plus scores – still provides entry to being carefully reviewed.

“I have a 4.12 weighted GPA.”

How I hate to disappoint but not only has grade inflation made the straight A/A- student commonplace but the increasingly odd grading systems have made top grades indecipherable from school to school.

On this point, most parents/students have an incredibly provincial understanding of their place in the broader world.  “Jane is one of the best students in her school.”  Great. But you are in a relatively small school in Connecticut and every school has a handful of best students.

What separates a straight A student from Old Saybrook from one at Valley Regional, a higher SAT score.

Consider the following: Paul has a 96 average from Lyme-Old Lyme High School.  Pete has a 96 average from East Lyme High School.  Their activities are within reason highly similar. Paul has a 1200 SAT.  Pete has a 1300.

Get it done now.  You’ll be happy as a senior.