Category: 11th Grade
Juniors: Should You Take the SAT or ACT This Year?
Watch our expert counselors answer some of your most pressing testing questions. Check out the recording of the IvyWise Live webinar The Future of Standardized Testing.

In years past, the vast majority of high school juniors planned on taking the SAT/ACT. However, with an increasing number of schools extending their test-optional admissions policies, some students may be wondering whether it is still worthwhile to study for these exams.
College Board Eliminates SAT Subject Tests Permanently
ACT Superscoring: Colleges that Superscore the ACT
Here are the Colleges that Superscore the ACT
Superscoring is the practice of considering only the highest section scores across all SAT or ACT test scores that are submitted when evaluating applications. Many schools already superscore for the SAT, but superscoring for the ACT has not always been widely practiced.
How Parents Can Support Students During Remote Learning
Make the Most of Time Spent Social Distancing with Your Kids
For students who are used to juggling coursework, extracurricular activities, and time spent with friends, the transition to remote learning has proven extremely challenging. While every student will react to all this time at home differently, parents can play a powerful and important role in helping students make the most of this experience.
How to Make the Most of Virtual College Tours
Maximize Your Virtual Tour Experience with These Tips
Typically, fall is a popular time for high school juniors and even some younger students to embark on a set of college tours meant to help future applicants better envision their best-fit environment. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most college touring options have gone virtual for the time being.
IvyWise Live Q&A: Coronavirus and College Admissions
Join Our Facebook Live Webinars April 15 & 17 to Learn More About How To Prep for College Admissions Process This Fall
Tune in to IvyWise Live on our Facebook page next week, where College Admissions Experts Christine, Scott, Nat, Zach, and Rachel will discuss how students can prepare for the college admissions process this fall and answer your most pressing college prep questions.
What are Your Goals for 2020?
Our Suggestions for Academic Resolutions for 2020
With the New Year right around the corner, now is the perfect time to reflect on your academic progress and set goals for 2020. Whether you’re prioritizing test preparation or hoping to boost your grades, every student can benefit from setting resolutions that relate to their academic journey.
How to Set Test Prep Goals for 2020
Get a Head Start on Planning for the New Year
With the new year right around the corner, now’s the time to start thinking about your test prep goals for 2020. Whether you’re a freshman who is just beginning to think about college, a sophomore gearing up to start test prep, or a junior who is already in the thick of it, there are concrete steps that you can take in 2020 to get closer to achieving your test prep goals.
Juniors: 4 Tips to Help You Plan College Visits This Fall
3 Tips to Help You Build Your Balanced College List
31 College Prep Resources for High School Juniors
College Prep Goals for 2017
5 Tips for Choosing High School Classes

As students prepare to head back to school, many are examining their class schedule, gauging how difficult the next academic year will be and how they will achieve their grade goals. But it’s not just grades that colleges consider when evaluating applicants for admission. Colleges are also looking at the classes applicants are taking, how challenging they are, and how those courses align with students’ interests and academic goals.
College Prep 101: How to Stay Organized When Applying to College

When I started formulating my balanced college list, I really was unsure what type of university or college I was looking for. I didn’t have a particular major in mind, all I knew was that I wanted to make sure I chose a school that would foster my own academic and professional growth while being a place I would be comfortable and proud to call home.
2016-17 Common Application Changes
College Visit Dos and Don’ts For Students and Parents

College visits are a critical part of the college search process, and it’s important for students and parents to make the most of their time on campus. Before you head off to prospective colleges, make sure you know what – and what not – to do while you’re there!
Juniors: How to Get Organized Before Applying to College
When Should Juniors Start On Their College Applications?

Recently, the Common Application announced that the prompts for the 2016-17 application season will remain the same as last year, and that, instead of waiting for the Aug. 1 open date, current high school juniors can create accounts now that will roll over into the fall admission cycle. This is a big move, as the Common App stands to have some competition from the Coalition App, which plans to launch its “locker” feature soon and new application this summer. But what does this mean for current juniors, who are already under enough college prep pressure that these colleges supposedly want to help alleviate? How early is too early to get started on your college application essays?
College Trivia and Fun Facts

If you’re a high school junior applying to college next year, chances are you’ve been on a college visit or two and have spent a considerable amount of time researching different colleges and universities. Many students who have only a limited view of what colleges are like are sometimes shocked to find out how vastly different most institutions are from one another in terms of size, campus life, academics, athletics, and more. During your research and visits it’s likely you’ve learned a lot and picked up some interesting college facts along the way! Now it’s time to put your knowledge to the test with these fun questions.
How to Stay Productive Over Winter Break

The holiday season is here, and students are getting a much-needed break from their normal school schedule. While it’s necessary for students to take some time to recharge, many often become restless after a few days and may need some productive ways to pass the time.
December College Planning Checklist

The end of the fall semester and the fast-approaching Regular Decision deadlines, coupled with the release of early decisions, makes December an especially busy, and crucial, month. Students need to prepare for finals and standardized tests, while also juggling extracurricular commitments and, for seniors, the added stress of finishing college applications.
Back to School Tips for High School Students

Your next year of high school is around the corner, but don’t fret! IvyWise is here to help you plan for the future, and prepare for what’s to come. Whether you’ll be entering high school for the first time, or already planning for college next year, we have advice to help you start the year strong, and maintain the drive through the fall, winter, and spring.
2013-2014 Common Application Essay Questions
Time Management Tips for Students
Creating a time management game plan can help you juggle tasks efficiently and effectively
It’s a new semester, and whether you’re in high school or college, that means getting back into the swing of balancing schoolwork, clubs, sports, friends, and a good night’s sleep. Energy and sanity can run low when a pile of work is never ending. Managing good grades, performing well at a big game or academic competition, spending quality time with family, and maintaining a social life can be exhausting. That’s why every student should invest in a time management game plan.
New Year’s Resolutions for Students
The new year is a great time for new college admissions and academic goals
It is a new year, and in the spirit of starting fresh people all over the world are setting New Year’s Resolutions. As a student, setting goals both personally and academically is important, especially when preparing for college admissions. Whether you are a freshman, senior, or in between, there is always an aspect of the application and college planning process that you could be working on, and planning ahead is always a good idea. So use the inspiration of the New Year to prepare for many successful years ahead and happy 2013! However, a list of goals could be endless, so we have put together some attainable resolutions that will help you in the journey to college admissions.
Finding Your Best Fit School: Spotlight on Stanford
Wacky College Courses

Did you know that at some schools you can take a classes on Harry Potter, how to watch the TV show The Wire, and even one on Lady GaGa’s (actual) fame? Many colleges these days are offering interesting course selections that take pop culture and familiar icons and use them as tie-ins to deeper, more intellectual ideas and lessons.
College Campus Life: Wacky Student Clubs and Organizations
College Campus Life Considerations: Dorm Life

For high school sophomores and juniors, fall marks the first steps in the college search process. Many schools have a mid-October fall break, and students and families often use this time to go on college visits. At IvyWise, our team of expert counselors always stress the importance of the college visit. Not only does it give you the opportunity to show demonstrated interest, a factor that admissions officers take into consideration when reading applications, but it also gives you the chance to get a feel for campus life first-hand.
Test-Optional Colleges and Universities
The Value of Community Service in Your College Application

When discussing the different elements of a college application, we often bring up the significance of the “brag sheet.” At IvyWise, we can’t stress enough how important a complete and comprehensive brag sheet is to the admissions process. Your brag sheet lists all of your extracurriculars, employment, summer experiences, honors, awards, interests, hobbies, and, very notably, community service.
College Recommendation Letter Tips from Freshman to Senior Year
Recommendation Letter Roundup
One of the most critical elements of a stellar college application is a collection of glowing recommendation letters from counselors, teachers and other administrators you have interacted with during your four years of high school. Recommendation letters play a critical role in painting a picture of how you relate to and interact within your academic and extracurricular activities.
College Applications: How to Address Red Flags
College Applications: How to Address Red Flags
As the academic year winds down, students finishing their junior year may be looking to get a head start on the college application process. Almost every student gets nervous about college applications, but for students who have to explain an infraction, grade dip, or extenuating circumstances, there’s an even higher level of anxiety. Are you afraid that a “red flag” on your file will drop it straight into the ‘denial’ pile? Make an appointment with your guidance counselor or with an independent college counselor to address any red flags on your application in an articulate, comprehensive, and responsible way.