1. There is more than one college out there where you can be happy. Don’t fixate on one school as a do- or-die option.

2. Location is very important, although it’s not the only factor you should be considering. Don’t neglect type and size as well as competitive level. And definitely visit the school before signing up

3. Interviews, if they’re available are generally a good idea. So is spending a night on campus.

4. SAT and ACT tests are not the same as IQ tests: they can – and should – be strenuously prepared for.

5. Take the most challenging classes you can do well in – a B+ in AP Calculus is more impressive than an A in Math for Poets.

6. Parents will be involved in the college selection process but they need to let their children take the lead – college selection is often the first adult decision of a young person’s life.

7. The application essay is not the place for a hard-sell summation of why you’d be an awesome addition to College X – it’s a place to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and let them hear your authentic “voice.”

8. A binding early decision application is only a good choice if you are absolutely, positively no- holds-barred certain that you know what your first choice school is. Remember, if you are accepted Early Decision you must withdraw your other applications and attend that school.

9. The FAFSA student aid form is required for all federal grants, loans, state aid and many college aid programs – it’s the most important app you’ll fill out for financial aid.

10. Don’t wait till your junior year of high school to prepare for applying to college. From freshman year on, your course choices, extracurricular activities, grades, and financial arrangements will affect your decisions and choices when it comes to college.

The popular conception that the SAT rewards natural ability while the ACT rewards preparation is accurate to some extent, but this certainly doesn’t mean that it’s useless to attempt to study for the SAT. The preparation will not rely as heavily on the memorization of “tricks” as does ACT preparation, but the principle that a less capable student who is familiar with the test will do better than a more capable student who is seeing it for the first time still holds true. If nothing else, a good deal of precious time is saved by memorizing the directions for each part of the test in advance!

The most important difference, of course, is the SAT’s infamous scoring system, in which a wrong answer (- ¼ pt.) hurts a student more than a blank (± 0 pts.) one does. While it’s important to be aware of this, it’s also important not to let it drive you crazy. Too many good students get bogged down in furious odds-calculation about how many to leave blank, or scare themselves into leaving questions blank that they would have gotten right if they’d trusted their instincts. Suffice to say, if you can eliminate two of the choices, it is in your interest to guess.

The SAT has changed since the days when your parents, or even some of your older siblings, took it. It is now out of 2400 points, not 1600; there is an essay portion; the Verbal section has been split up into Writing and Critical Reading sections; and the verbal analogies, once the most famous element of the test, have been eliminated altogether.

But some things never change: vocabulary skills are still a major concern. Accordingly, many students attempt to prepare by memorizing long lists of “big” words. While this may be helpful for students who have exceptionally good memories and a lot of free time, most will find it more beneficial to memorize Greek and Latin word roots, and to work on getting better at figuring out what a word probably means. Luckily, the vocabulary questions are fill-in-the-blank within sentences, rather than just flatly asking you what a word means. This fact, combined with certain methods of dividing the choices (e.g., does the blank call for a word that means a good thing or a bad thing?), means that word-root knowledge will almost always help a student eliminate enough choices to render it statistically advantageous to guess. Remember, don’t be afraid to guess a word you don’t know if you have eliminated the other choices!

Be aware that the grammar portions of the SAT Writing section tend to emphasize “harder” rules than does the English section of the ACT: expect a lot of questions involving misplaced modifiers, parallel phrasing, subjective vs. objective case, and preposition choice.

On the Critical Reading section’s short and long passages, quickly read all you are given, but remember to review for the “main idea” by rereading the first and last sentences of each paragraph. Often, a couple of wrong answers can be eliminated simply because they contradict the main idea. Beyond that, be careful of choices that are too detailed or too absolute (for example, ones that contain the words “always” or “never”). Remember that it only takes one word to make an answer wrong!

Is the SAT more difficult than the ACT? Perhaps. But just like any test, it is primarily a test in how to take a test. Learn what to expect, and although you will still be challenged, at least you won’t be surprised.

Standardized tests are an important component in the college admissions process. Many schools place a great deal of faith in these tests as indicators of how well a student will do in college, and base a good part of their decision on test scores. The SATs and ACTs are the two national, standardized tests administered today.

At some point you will have to decide which test to take – or should you take both?

Most colleges will accept the results of either test, but you should check and make sure that’s true of the schools that interest you. Both tests take roughly the same amount of time to complete and are given throughout the school year, but there are significant differences between them.

The SAT tests critical thinking and problem solving, as opposed to the subject matter taught in school. It is composed of a math section, a verbal section and a writing portion.

The ACT, on the other hand, tests the core high school curriculum taught in most schools. Unlike the SAT it includes a section of science questions, and is sometimes considered to be a better test for students who are strong in science. Yet, I have seen average students do relatively well in this part of the ACT.

The tests are also scored differently – the ACT does not penalize students for incorrect answers (in other words, it’s safer to guess with the ACT).

But nobody should rely on guesswork when taking these important college admission exams. Both tests are challenging and you should prepare for them rigorously. There are many excellent guide books available for both, as well as test prep classes and tutoring centers. Because of the amount of preparation they require, it is not a good idea to take both – your study time will be better spent preparing for just one test. To find out which is best for you, take a sample of both tests and see where your strengths lie.

With all the uncertainty students face around college admissions, it would be wonderful if there was a simple yes or no answer to every question. Unfortunately, there are some areas where the answers aren’t black or white. And the score choice option – for both the SATs and ACTs – is one of those extremely gray areas.

Since March 2009, the College Board has given students the choice of whether or not they want the scores from a particular test date to be reported to colleges. According to their website, this step was undertaken to reduce test-day stress on students, allowing them to put their best foot forward by giving them the option of not releasing their scores.

Since then, some elite colleges and universities have rejected this policy and are still requiring students to report scores from all sittings; the College Board’s own website admits that “colleges continue to set their own score use practices, which may vary from college to college.”

The ACT has always had a score choice policy, but apparently some selective colleges are now ignoring that as well, and will look at all the ACT scores a student obtains. This disregard of SAT and ACT score choice policy is not widespread right now, but it is possible that other colleges may follow suit. For now, there is a great deal of uncertainty, creating confusion and stress for college applicants, their families and high school guidance counselors.

Although there are, unfortunately, no black or white answers, the most logical advice is not to take any standardized tests as a lark, just to “see how you’ll do.” The SAT and ACT tests should be diligently prepared for, and despite score choice policies currently in place, it’s wise to assume there’s a chance that the college of your choice will choose to see your test scores.