Stress and Strive

Hey everyone! This week has been extremely stressful because I have AP (Advance Placement) and IB (International Baccalaureate) exams every day! These are tests high school students can take to earn college credit after completing the challenging high school course. Seniors take the most AP and IB exams because we are enrolled in the most pre-college classes. I am taking 8 AP and IB tests this year! Yikes! It is a ton of work, but it will all be worth it when I receive college credit and my IB diploma at the end of the year.

The Prom Princesses during a pep rally

Even though I am stressing over work, it doesn't mean that my school life has to be boring. I graduate from high school in about a month and a half, and many schools graduate in less than a month, so there are many fun senior activities going on! We have a senior picnic, awards ceremony, and of course, senior prom. I am honored to be on the Prom Court this year! This means that 5 girls and 5 boys from the senior class are nominated to be Prom Princes and Princesses, and the seniors vote at prom for 1 King and Queen. I get to do be involved in activities at school since I am a prom princess, like dressing up in silly outfits at pep rallys! The tradition of a Prom King and Queen is just another way to bring the senior class together before graduation. My school is also putting on an end of year musical. This year, it is Les Misérables! This is a wonderful musical and the fact that my friends are preforming in it makes it even better. As the testing winds down, the activities get more fun! Once testing season is officially over at the end of next week, I will be able to enjoy the end of my senior year.

Me at my school musical, Les Misérables

How do you celebrate the end of a school year? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Mail Call

Hey everyone! Since we are getting into the prime time for testing and admissions, colleges start to search the country to find prospective students. Sure, it is up to the students to choose the college they want to go to, but colleges never want to miss out on any great students because they didn’t know about the school. That is why colleges send you information letters, lots of them. 
There are over 2000 colleges and universities in the US, and many of these colleges market themselves to attract highly qualified students.  So even though high school students are trying to make themselves look good for the colleges, the colleges are trying to make themselves look good to possible students. They use each student's test scores on the SAT and ACT and other information to find students they would like at their school. Once you start taking your college admission standardized tests, you include your email and your home address. Once the colleges receive word of your tests scores, they start sending you letters if your test scores are in the preferred range for that specific school. They try their hardest to contact students through mail, email and even phone calls home.They want all the best students they can get at their schools, so this sort of advertising helps all students know about schools they might not have known about before. But don’t worry, the test scores colleges see when they are sending out letters do not affect your application. You have plenty of time to get a score you are happy with, and colleges will even let you super score your test! (Meaning you can take your top scores from each section from different tests to combine and create a super score). Although these hundreds of letters are annoying at times, it is the best way to find out about colleges you never would have thought of before. And that’s worth it. So when you start taking standardized tests don’t be afraid to fill in your email and your house information, because it just might lead you to the college of your dreams.

Would you use college letters to find your college? Let me know in the comments! 

xoxo

Subject Specifics

Hey everyone! I have been telling you guys about all my tests, but this weekend I got to add three more to my accomplished list. This weekend I took SAT Subject Tests. The SAT Subject Tests are not like the regular SAT, but they are also needed for the college application process. These tests are each one hour solely on specific subjects like ranging from science, math, history, and English subjects. They are to give colleges insight on specific strengths in subjects not on the SAT. Most colleges nowadays don't require these tests, but they recommend them. So they are always an important thing to add to your college process. You can take 3 tests up in each sitting, and there are only a couple of opportunities a year to take the tests. Although it is hard to take more tests, it is a good opportunity to show colleges your hidden strengths in certain subjects!

If you want to find out more about subject tests, check out the official subject test website by clicking here!

What subject test would you take for college?

Let me know in the comments!


xoxo

Its Testing Time

Hey everyone! This week at my school we have been taking a series of tests for the state of California called CSTs. So what is CST testing you may ask? It stands for California State Testing. Students grades 2nd through 11th take multiple choice tests on different subjects like English, history, math, and science specialized with the subjects they are taking that year. I took tests on English, United States History, Physics, and Calculus this year. Each state has there own version of these tests which tell the state how well the schools are teaching students. It helps educators know if their teaching methods are working. The results are important to schools, which can be sanctioned by the state for multiple years of low performance. That is why it is really important for students to try their hardest on the tests. Schools offer many incentives to get schools to preform well on the tests like closer parking spots and free admittance to dances for the top scores and most improved scores. May is a month full of tests, but knowing that you are helping your school and your education makes it all worth while.

Check out this website for any other questions you have about US state testing!
CST Website
What tests do you take in May at your school?

Let me know in the comments!

xoxo