Should you take the ACT or the SAT, and new score policy explanation

After the past few posts on test scores, I’m pretty bored with the subject. Nevertheless, amid reports that ACT scores are down this year (overstated – they’re just down 0.1, and that’s equal to 2006 scores), I hear again the question about whether the SAT or the ACT is better. Before I answer, I’ll remind [...]

Will low SAT or ACT scores ruin my admission?

As simple as the question sounds, it’s hard to answer. As I wrote in the last couple of posts, by and large your test scores are FAR less important than your overall academic records. They do count, however, and usually a lot more than most of the noncognitive factors (essays, recommendations, leadership, etc). Even so, [...]

Shameless Plug: Mason students get more awards

A couple years ago our Provost took the unusual step of hiring a full time faculty member whose only job is to help our students obtain academic awards and fellowships. The results have been impressive with students winning more Fullbrights and Truman Scholarships, among others. This is probably another reason Mason rates the highest among universities [...]

Can you improve your SAT/ACT score?

Even though I do my best to convince students and families that the standardized tests, the SAT and the ACT, aren’t nearly as important to admission as the media might lead you to believe, I still get begged for advice on how to do better. Can test prep help? The College Board swore prep courses [...]

Shameless Plug: Mason in the news

The media attention driven by Mason being ranked as the Number One School to Watch in the Nation reminded me about all the attention Mason faculty receive. I get asked all the time how we get them so much coverage in so many places. The truth is that our faculty (and students) tend to not [...]

SAT and ACT test use in college admissions

Over the next few days, I’ll try to get to some of the questions that have come in on essays, recommendations, etc. First, however, a bit about how we use the SAT/ACT, mostly repeating myself from a post last November: All I really remember about taking the SAT is dots. A LOT of dots. I [...]

Mason is voted #1 the place to be!

I can’t bring myself to label this one a shameless plug. I’ve been sitting on this news for a couple of days, but since they finally put it on their website, it’s time to let loose: Disclaimer – if you read this blog you already know that I think most of the rankings are not [...]

Admissions and courses – to AP or not AP (or IB…)

After the last few posts on grades some questions were swirling about how we judge courses students take, so I’ll steal liberally from my old posts and add some new stuff to create an overly verbose answer. In answering this question, admissions officers have been infatuated with the word, “rigorous.” I believe this is because [...]

Shameless plug: D.C. area location is THE BEST

Not long ago I posted a brag when Forbes Magazine listed the D.C. area as one of the 10 best places in the U.S. for college graduates. One of my minions (that would be Emily A, who you may periodically see cleaning up my messes on these pages) has been gently reminding me (one COULD [...]

More (and more and more) on grading scales

A few posts back I announced that I’m on a panel with some other folks talking about the local grading scales with a moderator from USA Today. The last time I dug into the subject here on the blog I got some great feedback (including being called full of excrement). Since that kind of robust [...]