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Post by aaronjh on Dec 10, 2007 18:42:39 GMT -5
Shit, I hope I go up that much. That'd put me at a 2210. Did you study at all? I studied a bit for PSATs, and went up 110 points on the SAT. 250 is only likely if you went into PSATs raw, and plan on taking the SAT two or three times.
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:42:59 GMT -5
Also, in terms of the actual college, really try and pick a college that you think you can be happy at. It's sounds obvious, but when you have a few staring you in the face next May, it might not be as obvious.
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Post by nova on Dec 10, 2007 18:43:24 GMT -5
Yeah. My cumulative, weighted GPA is probably going to be around a 4.1 - 4.3 for all 4 years, and I'm pretty confident I'll do very well on the tests. My extra-curriculars could be better, but oh well, I've added more this year & will add more next year, so hopefully it doesn't hurt me too much. My essays & such will probably make the difference I would assume, that & my dad knowing some of the higher-ups at Penn.
I'm not expecting to go to an Ivy and it won't bother me either way too much, since I'd still end up at a quality school.
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:43:27 GMT -5
Shit, I hope I go up that much. That'd put me at a 2210. Did you study at all? I studied a bit for PSATs, and went up 110 points on the SAT. 250 is only likely if you went into PSATs raw, and plan on taking the SAT two or three times. Yee!
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:44:46 GMT -5
Yeah. My cumulative, weighted GPA is probably going to be around a 4.1 - 4.3 for all 4 years, and I'm pretty confident I'll do very well on the tests. My extra-curriculars could be better, but oh well, I've added more this year & will add more next year, so hopefully it doesn't hurt me too much. My essays & such will probably make the difference I would assume, that & my dad knowing some of the higher-ups at Penn. I'm not expecting to go to an Ivy and it won't bother me either way too much, since I'd still end up at a quality school. Try and find leadership positions in your extracurriculars. It's huge. Also, it allows you to BS on your applications on how important the position was to you, and what it meant to have that type of influence in the organization. When you have a bunch of those essays to write, you're going to like having some things to BS on.
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Post by nova on Dec 10, 2007 18:45:11 GMT -5
Shit, I hope I go up that much. That'd put me at a 2210. Did you study at all? I studied a bit for PSATs, and went up 110 points on the SAT. 250 is only likely if you went into PSATs raw, and plan on taking the SAT two or three times. Soph year, I didn't study & got a 166. This year, the night before I browsed the packet we got which summarized what type of questions would be asked for maybe 15-20 minutes. That was the extent of it, and I got a 196. I won't get a tutor for the SAT's, but I'll definitely prep & study for it, and I do plan on taking the SAT's at least twice.
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Post by aaronjh on Dec 10, 2007 18:45:13 GMT -5
Nova, I'd say the most important thing you should do is take a lot of practice tests, if I could make a suggestion. If you take a class, or even a tutor, take an extra test here or there. My scores went up with every test, and my verbal definitely peaked because I took extra tests the week beforehand. Also, don't focus on the writing at all. Just don't.
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Post by Adelaide on Dec 10, 2007 18:47:25 GMT -5
And don't list "mudding", "packing lips" and "7 time Ponus Ridge Beirut Intercontinental Champion" as some extra-curricular events!
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:47:45 GMT -5
Nova, I'd say the most important thing you should do is take a lot of practice tests, if I could make a suggestion. If you take a class, or even a tutor, take an extra test here or there. My scores went up with every test, and my verbal definitely peaked because I took extra tests the week beforehand. Also, don't focus on the writing at all. Just don't. He's right. Don't bother with the writing. It's a huge waste of time, colleges don't even look at it (at least, they didn't for us this year, I'm not sure when they will start), and it's pretty easy to get a great score on it assuming you can write well. I don't love the idea of not having a tutor. My math tutor got me up 100 points, although again, I didn't study AT ALL for math before I took it originally. If you don't like the idea of a tutor, Aaron is right, just take constant tests. I think the easiest thing to guarantee is a high math score, because so much of the verbal is based off of the passages that they provide for you. Just be prepared for it all, and it'll be fine.
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Post by aaronjh on Dec 10, 2007 18:47:50 GMT -5
Did you study at all? I studied a bit for PSATs, and went up 110 points on the SAT. 250 is only likely if you went into PSATs raw, and plan on taking the SAT two or three times. Soph year, I didn't study & got a 166. This year, the night before I browsed the packet we got which summarized what type of questions would be asked for maybe 15-20 minutes. That was the extent of it, and I got a 196. I won't get a tutor for the SAT's, but I'll definitely prep & study for it, and I do plan on taking the SAT's at least twice. Yeah, just practice the tests on your own a lot. Mark will disagree, but don't rely on taking it a second time as your security blanket. Think in terms of doing amazingly on your first try, because that would impress your reach schools. Also, you don't want to be worrying about SATs in fall of senior year.
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Post by Adelaide on Dec 10, 2007 18:50:48 GMT -5
The only thing I can tute in this conversation with these scholars is on your essay write about something you know about very well. I got a perfect 12 on mine writing about how the Detroit Pistons teamwork and lack of one leader was greater for their team and the NBA then that of the Lakers having one single superstar. I could of bullshitted some thing about Panda's or Ecosystem or some gay shit but I wrote a great essay on something I knew and I propelled.
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:50:55 GMT -5
I didn't rely on taking it twice as a security blanket, I just studied the wrong things the first time. I did a lot of writing with my tutor, which was a waste of time. We did no math, and very little verbal. I went in thinking I was prepared, when I actually wasn't at all. As for it impressing the reach schools, that's overblown. They look at your SAT score, I don't think they weight how many times you take it. Or so I was told. But yeah, try and get it done as a junior. I'd suggest (if you're taking it twice), to take it April and June of junior year. That gives you two shots at it, and leaves you the opportunity of taking it a third time early senior year if you need to (but if you're truly prepared, you won't need to).
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:51:56 GMT -5
The only thing I can tute in this conversation with these scholars is on your essay write about something you know about very well. I got a perfect 12 on mine writing about how the Detroit Pistons teamwork and lack of one leader was greater for their team and the NBA then that of the Lakers having one single superstar. I could of bullshitted some thing about Panda's or Ecosystem or some gay shit but I wrote a great essay on something I knew and I propelled. I 12'd it all three times, but on the last one I wrote about sports too, I forget what the topic was, because I no longer cared about the writing section and needed to up my verbal and math. I think they reward creativity in answering the question.
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Post by aaron2344 on Dec 10, 2007 18:53:07 GMT -5
The only thing I can tute in this conversation with these scholars is on your essay write about something you know about very well. I got a perfect 12 on mine writing about how the Detroit Pistons teamwork and lack of one leader was greater for their team and the NBA then that of the Lakers having one single superstar. I could of bullshitted some thing about Panda's or Ecosystem or some gay shit but I wrote a great essay on something I knew and I propelled. amazing
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Post by Adelaide on Dec 10, 2007 18:53:30 GMT -5
The only thing I can tute in this conversation with these scholars is on your essay write about something you know about very well. I got a perfect 12 on mine writing about how the Detroit Pistons teamwork and lack of one leader was greater for their team and the NBA then that of the Lakers having one single superstar. I could of bullshitted some thing about Panda's or Ecosystem or some gay shit but I wrote a great essay on something I knew and I propelled. I 12'd it all three times, but on the last one I wrote about sports too, I forget what the topic was, because I no longer cared about the writing section and needed to up my verbal and math. I think they reward creativity in answering the question. Do you have some kind of automated answering service because I swear as soon as I post something and refresh you have a new post waiting.
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Post by aaronjh on Dec 10, 2007 18:54:50 GMT -5
I fucking tanked my essay. Got an 8. If I had a 12, I'd be at 780 writing. I'd say get the essay down, because I couldn't think of shit and mine blew.
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:54:55 GMT -5
I 12'd it all three times, but on the last one I wrote about sports too, I forget what the topic was, because I no longer cared about the writing section and needed to up my verbal and math. I think they reward creativity in answering the question. Do you have some kind of automated answering service because I swear as soon as I post something and refresh you have a new post waiting. I could say the same thing about you.
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Post by Adelaide on Dec 10, 2007 18:56:16 GMT -5
Do you have some kind of automated answering service because I swear as soon as I post something and refresh you have a new post waiting. I could say the same thing about you. Touche.
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Post by Mark on Dec 10, 2007 18:56:31 GMT -5
I fucking tanked my essay. Got an 8. If I had a 12, I'd be at 780 writing. I'd say get the essay down, because I couldn't think of shit and mine blew. Martin. Luther. King. Seriously, you can 12 it every time by applying ANYTHING they throw at you to him, and then a novel. It's the easiest thing in the world. I can honestly tell you more on AIM later, because the essay was my thing. My tutor told me how to get a 12, I did it every time (except the last time, but oh well, still 12'd it, I'm brilliant) and kept getting 12s. There is a format she claims they love, and well, they did.
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kjkeelty
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Celtics
Go Green
Posts: 802
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Post by kjkeelty on Dec 10, 2007 19:06:38 GMT -5
One of the low points of my college career. Thanks for bringing it up, though. It was the last start of my senior year. We had lost a couple tough games the previous week, and it was clear we weren't going to any postseason. So the coach was nice enough to let me start the finale against Bates. He figured it'd be nice for me to go out with a win, since Bates really wasn't that good. Tripp hit that HR in the 3rd, gave us the lead. But we weren't hitting, not adding any runs on against a pretty average pitcher. How he pitched a 1 hitter, I'll never know. Just one of those days. They weren't hitting me at all either, a hit here and there, but nothing significant until the 8th. They hadn't hit my cutter all day, but in the 8th I threw a bad one and the kid knocked it out. I pretty much knew we were doomed at that point, since we weren't hitting at all. I lost focus a bit, and gave up another homerun. I think it was a changeup. I'm bitter about that game to this day. But thanks for reminding me.
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kjkeelty
Starter
Celtics
Go Green
Posts: 802
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Post by kjkeelty on Dec 10, 2007 19:09:08 GMT -5
What level do you coach on? I just coach High School ball, JV team. I coach the Fall baseball team as well, just recreational. No pay for that, but it's almost all the same kids I coach during the school season.
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Post by nova on Dec 10, 2007 19:14:37 GMT -5
Yup, I plan on taking it March & May/June of this year, and then possibly early senior year.
I plan on taking practice tests over the next few months as well as studying the SAT book and possibly getting some help with my math teachers on specific concepts that I see I'm struggling with.
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Post by ducky on Dec 10, 2007 19:36:42 GMT -5
I'm going to Portland Community College, not sure where I'll transfer. Probably stay on the west coast...Portland State has a good Computer Science program, so that's probably where I'll be going.
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Post by yankeesgm on Dec 10, 2007 20:11:21 GMT -5
Late on this, but i went to New Jersey Institute of Technology---went there for Architecture & IT, for 5 years...and then a Masters in Planning for a year---graduated in May of '06.
Rare that I see this many folks from Jersey---where you guys from?
I was born/raised in Jackson---so I am very familiar with Toms River...work in Princeton now and live in nearby Plainsboro, across Route 1, near the new village...
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Post by nova on Dec 10, 2007 20:14:20 GMT -5
South Jersey, specifically Cinnaminson.
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