Making Your College Application Stand Out Using AP Tests and SAT Subject Tests

America’s most elite universities are accepting fewer applicants than ever before, according to a report by The New York Times, with schools in the top percentile rejecting over 95% of all applicants—an astounding figure. This trend extends to universities across the board, as college enrollment continues to rise in numbers and in competitiveness.

So what does it take to stand out to college admission committees come application season?
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In addition to the requisite good grades and solid SAT or ACT scores, there are two additional ways to ensure that a student stands apart from the pack: AP classes and test scores and the SAT Subjects Tests.

How AP Classes and ACT Tests Make a Student Stand Out

The benefit of AP tests are twofold: a good score on an AP test can make a definitive statement about a student’s commitment to taking on academic challenges, and it can help students satisfy certain college credits—valuable both financially and time-wise.

AP stands for Advanced Placement, and only a marginal percentage of American high-schoolers successfully complete these upper level courses. Subjects range from various languages to studio art to science to history, and many more. Undertaking an Advanced Placement course shows college admissions committees that a student is serious about his or her education and is unafraid to take on challenging, near-college-level work in subjects that highlight her skills and interests. Beyond that, scoring at least a 3 or higher on an AP Exam increases the likelihood that a student will be awarded college credit, freeing up valuable time to pursue an additional major or minor, explore alternate fields, pursue an internship, graduate early, and save money.

AP Tests, while laden with benefits, do require extra preparation and commitment.  We provide one-on-one AP tutoring services so that students can ace their AP Exams, potentially earn college credit, and make their college applications that much more impressive. 

How SAT Subject Tests Can Impress College Admission Committees
Most students and parents are familiar with the SAT or ACT tests. What many do not realize is the important role that SAT Subject Tests can play in taking a student’s college application from standard to exceptional.

SAT Subject Tests are separate standardized tests that students can take in a specific subject matter, including literature, history, math, science, languages, and more. There are 20 different SAT Subject Tests, and each is graded on the same 200-800 point scale as the standard SAT exam. Each test takes 1 hour, and tests a student’s specialized aptitude in a particular field. To be clear, SAT Subject Tests are indispensable in highlighting a student’s specialized knowledge. For instance, if a student is applying to a competitive engineering program within a university, taking the SAT Subject Test in science or math indicates a student’s interest and mastery of the material.

SAT Subject Tests can emphasize a student’s academic strengths and set him or her apart from the rest of the applicant pool. If a student chooses to use this method to bolster their applicant status, it is vital that he or she gets the results necessary to make an impact. SAT Subject Test tutoring is an excellent way to strategize before the examination, pinpoint trouble areas, run through practice tests, and identify strengths.

Whether a student is prepping for AP exams, the SAT Subject Tests, or both, we have the tutor or small group class to ensure a student’s success. Though the college admission process can feel like a daunting prospect, proper strategy, preparation, and guidance can ease nerves, bolster scores, and lead to a prosperous college application season.

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