What Would YOU Do with $51?

   What would you do with $51? Go to an amusement park? Buy a new video game?
   How about receive 12 credit hours in college?
   Impossible, you might say.
   Don't worry, I said the same thing at first, but I soon found out that it is completely possible to earn 12 credit hours in college by only spending $51.

What is an SAT Subject Test?

   An SAT Subject Test (AKA SAT II) is a one hour multiple choice test that assesses your skills in a particular subject. Some examples include US History, Literature, Spanish Language, etc. They are given during the same time as the SAT and you can take up to 3 tests in one sitting.
   Each test is scored like an individual SAT section (out of 800).

 
How much does an SAT Subject Test cost?

  Here's where I get the $51 figure from: a flat registration fee of $24.50 is charged, with each test that you are taking costing an additional $13 per test (except foreign language with listening tests, which cost $24 additional to the flat registration fee).
  So, if you take two SAT Subject Tests, it will cost you about $51.


What is this about college credit?

   Well, at my college (UGA), I can receive credit hours for my SAT Subject test scores. For example, I could take the US History and World History exams, score a 650+ on both, and receive 6 credit hours from each test. I am not sure if all colleges offer credit for SAT Subject tests, since it varies from school to school, but it is definitely worth checking into. After all, if you apply for an Ivy League school, you will probably have to take subject tests to meet the application requirements anyway; you might as well take care of some credit hours at your back-up school in the process.


   SAT Subject Tests are definitely something that fall under the "things I wish I would have known about more while I was applying for college" category. I took the US history and Literature tests, but I only took them for my application requirement for Princeton. I really wish now that I would have taken more of the tests after I completed the corresponding course, which could have helped me get some more college credit hours. For students who are comfortable with subject material but maybe lacking on a skill required in an AP exam (for instance, essay writing), then the SAT Subject Tests can be a good alternative.
   So, how much money could you save by taking the SAT Subject tests if you're going to UGA? If you take two tests and receive, say, 12 credit hours (6 for US History and 6 for World History, for example), you will spend $51 on your tests. Tuition alone for those same 12 credit hours would cost $4,014 for in state students and $13,119 for out of state students. That's thousands of dollars that can be saved by just taking an hour long test.
   Check into the credit hours offered by various colleges for SAT Subject Tests, and try signing up for a few. If you don't have AP or IB classes at your school, this is a great alternative to show mastery in a subject area.
   Seriously, consider signing up for these tests. Your bank account will thank you for the thousands of dollars you could save.

Sources:
UGA Testing Credit: http://www.reg.uga.edu/creditFromTesting/satIIsatII_credit_equivalencies
Subject Test Cost: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-subject/register/fees
Additional Info: http://sat.collegeboard.org/about-tests/sat-subject-tests/faq
 

Early Action and Early Decision Applications

   There is a valuable option offered by many colleges called Early Action or Early Decision. Believe it or not, the subtle difference between "action" and "decision" make a huge difference on the application process.

   As it so happens, the two schools that I applied to (UGA and Princeton) each use a variation on one of the above systems for early applications. Before I go any further, let me make it clear that the system(s) used by colleges may go by many different names, but these are the general characteristics associated with each system.

The Early Action System

   A lot of schools, including the University of Georgia, have a non-binding Early Action system. In this system, an applicant may apply and submit their application by mid-October to November and receive a decision by December. 

   The application for an Early Action system may or may not be shorter than the regular application, but it usually is. The length of the Early Action application is decided on a school-by-school basis. The outcome of an Early Action application can be either acceptance, rejection, or a deferment off to the regular decision application.

   Unless combined with some of the terms found below, Early Action applications are typically non-binding. 

The Early Decision System

   The Early Decision application, on the other hand, is binding. It is like a contract that you enter in with a particular college: if you submit your application and are accepted, then you must attend that school. If you are accepted by an Early Decision school, you will typically be offered a financial aid package by that school agreed upon in your contract by you and your family.

Some Lingo You NEED to Know:

• Non-binding- your application is just like a regular application, and you can either accept or decline the school's offer of admission.

• Single Choice- if this is placed in front of an application system, it means that you are only allowed to apply to that particular school early. You may not apply to any other schools with an early decision or early action application, but you may apply to other schools with a regular application. Single choice is still non-binding unless otherwise stated. (For example, Princeton has this kind of early admission option, but allows you to apply to a PUBLIC institution as well)

• Binding- your application is like a contract; if you submit it and are accepted, you agree automatically to commit to that particular school

• Restrictive (Early Action)- you may apply to as many schools as you want Early Action, but no Early Decision applications 

Useful Websites:

• http://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/applications/early
• http://theivycoach.com/newsletter/early-action-vs.-early-decision/

Quick Advice from College Students

"Take the PSAT seriously. The national merit  scholarship is good to have on a resume."

- Mitcham (Georgia Tech)

"When you're thinking about writing your college  essays, don't choose anything you feel like you're expected to write about. Write about something that is deeply important to you, something natural - something you're excited to talk and write about. That  enthusiasm and passion will come across whether you're writing about traveling to a new country or making your favorite mac n' cheese."

- Anna (Colorado College)

"Ignore the reputation of a school when you look at it -
- instead, try to envision yourself there. Your 
experience in college is more important than the name 
of the college, if that makes sense."

- Megan (University of Georgia) 

Zinch: The Quick Report

   There are many scholarship and college services out there, but one of the most common is called Zinch. Zinch is a kind of linkage institution that links your profile to colleges and offers you many scholarship opportunities. A profile is free and easy to create.

 What's good about Zinch?
   Zinch's scholarship database is nearly unmatched by anyone. Hundreds of scholarships can be found with the click of a mouse, and many of them require short essays or no essays at all. Zinch also offers weekly scholarships that are fun and easy to apply for as well as scholarships from other organizations. If you're looking for a scholarship database, this is the one to use.
   Additionally, the college profiles are easy to navigate and provide useful links to that particular school's webpage. The organizer that allows you to list various schools and categorize them based on "interested," "applying," or "accepted" also helps to keep your brain straight.

 What's not so good about Zinch?
   Zinch provides access to many scholarships, but many of these are nation-wide and extremely difficult to win.
  When Zinch advertises that they have hundreds of colleges connected with them, they mean it. You will receive contact requests from TONS of schools, most of which you will not be interested in at all. Luckily, the messages will be kept to the inbox on your Zinch account (unless you choose otherwise), so it will not flood your email inbox with unwanted emails.

Tips for Success:

• Fill in as much information on your profile as you can. Don't worry- personal contact information is hidden from the general public and only visible to you, but if you're not comfortable with providing it, don't. Make sure to fill in your interests and such.
• When using the scholarship database, make sure to "like" scholarships that you are interested in to be able to find them easily.
• Apply for the weekly Zinch scholarships, but be warned that a lot of people apply and the chances of winning are slim.
• Share scholarships with your friends- if they win, you might still receive some money from Zinch.
• When applying for a scholarship, always check the website for the final say! Sometimes (not often), the information on Zinch is from the previous year and might contain old information or essay prompts.

My Personal Experience:

   Zinch features mainly large, nation-wide scholarship contests that are difficult to win. I applied for many a scholarship on Zinch, but did not have huge success. I received some minor scholarship money or items. Despite this, I often found out about local scholarships in a round about way by clicking on links provided in the Zinch scholarship database. Additionally, by applying for these scholarships, I found out about institutions that offer internships that I might be interested in in the future.

The Verdict:

   Create a Zinch account, and use it. Even if you do not get any scholarships, there is still valuable experience to be had in applying for the scholarships. The college organizer tool is useful in itself, and I recommend making an account and using this tool to help you keep track and get in touch with colleges.

Welcome and About This Blog

  Welcome to my blog, College Help for Georgia Students! Applying for college can be a confusing process, made even more confusing when you do not have the "inside view" on the process. I applied to college and for financial aid, and have stumbled across lots of tips, tricks, and things that I wish I would have known before I started the whole process. Now, I want to pass those things along to you to help make your college application experience a little easier.
  First off, a little bit about me: my name is Claire and I am, at the moment, an upcoming freshman at the University of Georgia. I attended a Georgia high school and participated in the band program, many clubs and honor societies, and the Advanced Placement program. I applied only to two colleges: the University of Georgia and Princeton University. I was accepted into the honors program at UGA and put on the waiting list for Princeton.
  I would like to make it very clear that I am not an admissions counselor and/or officially certified to be offering college admission advice in any way, shape, or form. I just wish to pass along to you some information that I found useful in the college application process as well as personal experiences that you can (hopefully) use to help you with your application.
  Once again, welcome, and let me know if you have any questions.
  Thanks for reading!
  Claire