Quirky Majors and What You Can Do With Them!

Gone are the days when aspirations were binary, today, there is more to education than medicine or engineering. Universities across the world are now offering a wide range of the unusual, the unexpected, and sometimes even the bizarre. Not every student was made to study physics. So if you don’t understand string theory, but know exactly which strings to pull… the puppet arts might be your calling! Here are some of the quirkiest majors that might raise some brows, but will definitely be worth it (both during and after university)!

1. Some folks have a sweet tooth, but others enjoy sour fruit. If you’re heavy on the lemon, you might want to consider a Bachelor of Science in Citrus and Horticultural Studies at the Florida Southern College. This program has consistently produced graduates who are leaders in the citrus industry. But there is much more to this program than all things sour. This major equips its students with hands-on experience across a wide spectrum of agricultural and horticultural practices. It also opens up interdisciplinary avenues allowing students to move forward and focus on business, biotechnology, and even graduate school! So, when life gives you lemons… turn them into a degree!

2. You have probably only come across bagpipes in movies or television. You have probably encountered them while watching Brave, or Dune, or Downton Abbey. You have probably never considered them a career prospect. You would be wrong! Bagpiping has been a long standing celebratory tradition at Carnegie Mellon University, and they even offer a major in Bagpipe Performance! If you find the skirl of the bagpipe beckoning to you, head over and join the world championship winning Carnegie Mellon Pipes and Drums band! As an added bonus you will get to learn under the directorship of Andrew Carlisle, one of the finest bagpipe players in the world.

3. Southern Illinois University offers a major that will definitely make you feel like Sauron, when he forged the one ring. But, the BFA in Metalsmithing offered here will allow you to create so much more than just rings (although, it may not turn you into an evil overlord). If conventional visual arts is not giving you what you need, Southern Illinois University might just be the place for you. Here, you will be able to utilise fire and metal to forge long lasting creations (much like Sauron’s ring of power). Even after university, a focus on metalsmithing has created exciting avenues for its graduates as successful independent artists and as academics working with museums.

These are just a small sample from a much longer list of unconventional majors. We are living in a world full of possibilities, the horizons have never been wider. All that remains is for you to follow your heart, steel your resolve, and be open to possibilities— your niche is out there, waiting to be found and mastered!

Demystifying the Liberal Arts College: An Interdisciplinary Perspective!

What is a liberal arts college? Do they solely focus on humanities-oriented subjects? How can a liberal arts degree help enrich your interdisciplinary knowledge? A common misconception surrounding liberal arts is that it’s solely an arts-focused degree. This couldn’t be further from the truth – liberal arts is a broad field that includes 50+ subjects, encompassing the humanities, social sciences, and STEM!

Liberal Arts is perfect for those students who are unsure about committing to a single area of study. As opposed to conventional degrees, a liberal arts education will endow you with practical and soft skills in creative and critical writing, research and social engagement, which will help you in a broad range of careers. Critical thinking will help you learn the ins and outs of objective analysis, interpretation, and making logical connections to bolster your rational judgement. This will help you grow in both your professional and personal life!

Liberal arts colleges tend to be smaller and have a close-knit community, giving you the opportunity to explore your interest, find welcoming spaces and even start your own club! The focused attention given to each individual student at liberal arts colleges translates into greater exposure to expert faculty, active participation in high-quality discussions and the opportunity to bolster your research through hands-on experience outside the classroom.

Liberal arts degrees are specifically made for students who want to gain multidisciplinary perspectives rather than those who want to narrow their field of interest. You’ll only be required to declare a major in your sophomore year so you can pursue courses in your chosen field of study. Through this degree, you’ll get to attend foundational courses across many different subject areas. You will be exposed to ideas and topics that range from humanities to science to maths.

So, what can you do with your interdisciplinary liberal arts degree? There are multiple career opportunities that could open up for you since businesses now require creative problem-solvers who are able to think innovatively, can work across multiple disciplines as integrative thinkers and have a solid foundation in addressing socio-political, ethical, cultural and organisational issues. Some majors that you can pursue at a liberal arts college are: Art, Biology, Music, Computer Science, American Studies, Chemistry, Literature, Philosophy, Economics, Astronomy, Environmental Studies and History.

Here’s a list of top-ranked colleges that solely focus on Liberal Arts:

Gap Years, and How You Can Make the Most of Them!

You may have seen plenty of movies and shows where students take a gap year upon graduating from high school, and spend the year ‘discovering themselves’ partying away and generally having fun. This is largely a stereotype, the actual truth is much more sober — a gap year is generally an extended cooling-off period students take after graduating from high school where they take the time to carefully consider what they want to do or study in college. The nature of this self-reflective period is geared toward personal discovery, and achieving something constructive in the time available. Gap year individuals often report improved confidence, communication skills, resilience, initiative, mental health, and global perspectives.

That said, any time that is needed to achieve that clarity is included in the idea of a gap year; it might take less than or greater than a year, but the importance of a gap year is to remove oneself from the peer pressure of the choices others are making. At that age, people can often feel the pressure to do what is “cool” or “popular,” ignoring what agrees with their personality and work ethic personally. Because each individual has different personalities, learning styles, and conceptions of an ideal career, it can take time to discover what they could obtain the most joy out of. This is why a sensible way to do that is for you to follow your intuition, and gather experiences that you have always wanted to in a non-competitive environment.  

Certain popular myths around gap years inevitably crop up: that children will forget what they have learnt academically, that they are simply aimless for wanting to take a gap year, or you need a lot of wealth and international travelling to get the most out of your gap year; however, perceptions around this phenomenon are changing for the better, as people are realising the value of slowing down and choosing a life that gels with their personal constitution, goals and expectations from life. If you find yourself in a similar dilemma about which college major to opt for and what kind of life you want to lead, here are some opportunities and initiatives you can opt for in order to make the most of the time you take for yourself:

1. Intended career-related internships

2. Local training and apprenticeship opportunities

3. Accredited college-level online courses or summer programs

4. Budgeted travel

5. Work-exchange experiences

6. Grassroots volunteering

7. Learning foreign languages

8. Wellness/Mental Health programs

9. Volunteering on political campaigns

10. Outdoor adventure experiences

Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges and Community Colleges - An Explainer

The preferred end result of any college application is admission into an institution of higher learning and eventually, a degree to show for your efforts. While this is a common, seemingly straightforward goal, there are several nuances when it comes to different types of degree-granting institutions.

First, there are different types of postsecondary degree-granting institutions. They fall into three main categories: universities, community colleges and liberal arts colleges. Liberal arts colleges are colleges with only one school or a specialised institution within them – they focus on the study of liberal arts and sciences, and provide a four-year Bachelor’s degree.

Community colleges provide two year degrees. They focus on vocational and technical education, they provide certificates, diplomas and associate degrees. After a two year degree at a community college, many students opt to transfer to a liberal arts college or a university to complete their Bachelor’s degree.

Universities, unlike liberal arts colleges, have several schools (Engineering, Business, Arts and Science, and more!). One applies to a school/college within the university, not the university itself. Universities are often the most recognisable type of post-secondary institution – and, accordingly, often the most selective. For example, Harvard University, which is ranked very highly both nationally and globally, has an acceptance rate of only 5%.

Given these differences, there are several reasons why you might choose to study at a university rather than a community college or a liberal arts college. While these have their own merits, universities often have a larger variety of disciplines that you can choose from, as well as a wider scope for research. Due to this diversity of subjects, as a student at a university, you’re often allowed to cross-register for electives, which means that you can take courses from other departments, colleges or universities, which allows you to explore interests outside of your major.

Liberal arts colleges come with their own pros! Due to their smaller sizes, they could offer students the opportunity to form deeper connections and relationships with their faculty members, cohort, and campus community. Liberal arts colleges give students the opportunity to broaden their bases of knowledge and explore multiple subjects in an interdisciplinary fashion, and often have departments that are more flexible with original student initiatives and projects due to their tight-knit nature.

In the end - picking between a university and a liberal arts college is entirely about your own preferences. They each come with their own special traits, advantages, traditions, and opportunities - it’s up to you, to make it your own!

What is the AP Test and Why Should You Take it?

The advanced placement program (AP) allows high-school students to pursue university level courses. These courses are assessed through the AP Test, a series of examinations administered  across 34 specialised subjects every year. These tests can be taken independently of the courses, and testing centres are available across the country, you can register easily online and the tests cost approximately USD 200 to take. Sign-ups for the AP Test are open from November to March, while the tests are conducted between May and June each year.  

The AP Test is a popular choice for university applicants and valuable addition to any college application. Why? Simply put, a good AP score awards you real college credits and demonstrates you as a motivated and academically rigorous student. Additionally, many AP students begin college with a few credits under their belt already, and have the advantage of flexibility to explore more courses and make the most of their university experience. 

The wide range of tests offered by AP, from Music Theory, to European History, to Japanese Language and Culture, means that no matter what your intended major, there’s likely going to be AP courses that fit your interests and make you a stand-out candidate in admissions offices. 

We are happy to share our recipe for success when it comes to taking AP tests. Here are our recommendations for which tests you should take depending on your intended major or area of interest:

For Non-CS Engineering:

AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C 

For CS Engineering 

AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science 

For Business: 

AP Calculus BC, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics 

For Economics: 

AP Calculus BC, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics

For Psychology:

AP Psychology, AP Statistics

You can register for AP tests by creating an account with College Board, the organisation that runs the Advanced Placement courses and tests. The link to create your account is here. You can select your nearest available test centre, and pay the registration fee directly to the centre, as per their dates and requirements. The College Board website provides a comprehensive guide for each of the examinations, including topics that will be covered, at what percentage that topic will be assessed in the exam, and the length and paper type of each test. 

AP is a great option for academically driven students who know what they want, and want to get a headstart on their college career. College credits are an immense value-add, and getting to cover college level concepts before you begin your major gives you a strong foundation, and starts you off on the right foot as you move toward your future!

How We Report Our Results at Essai

All of Essai’s undergraduate results are based on US News and World Report’s ‘Best National University Rankings’, ‘Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Rankings’, ‘Best Undergraduate Business Programs Rankings’, and lastly, the ‘National Liberal Arts College Rankings’. The rankings have been collated in accordance with the latest, that is, 2022 reports offered within these various categories by the 1948-launched American media company.  

When releasing an annual list of universities our students have been admitted to, we do not expand upon every university that each Essai student has received admission to. Instead, we report the best ranked university per student. For instance, if a student has been admitted into Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, and Cornell University – for a non-engineering and non-business degree – we report only Stanford University in our final list of results, which according to the ‘Best National University Rankings’ is ranked 6.

In the 2021-22 admissions cycle – for entry in September 2022 – more than 44% of Essai’s students were admitted to a top-20 ranked university or college, and more than 86% of our students received admission to a top-30 ranked university or college. Needless to say, we are proud of each and every result of ours.

Top Universities Offering Drama Majors

If you’re an aspiring director or actor then you have to start building your profile if you want to make it to a competitive drama major being offered by US universities. 

Here are some activities you should ideally undertake in school to increase your chances of getting into a competitive drama major:

• Drama: Drama classes will develop your theatre skills by teaching you the specifics of what goes into putting up a theatrical production. Learning how to analyse a play, developing a set, memorising lines and designing costumes will communicate to your prospective program that you have grounded experience in the field of theatre.

• Humanities: Plays aren’t just about acting. It’s about taking the written word and making it come alive on the stage. Humanities courses will help you become a better reader, develop your communication skills and help you become more comprehensive in your understanding of plays. They will also enhance your creative and creative skills while giving you great insights into contemporary culture and augmenting your overall cultural awareness. So, do take subjects such as history, English, philosophy, language, law, and so on.  

While good grades and the right courses will strengthen the core of your application, most competitive programs look for extracurricular activities to identify those who have shown exceptional dedication to developing their skills in the field of theatre. Here’s a list of activities you can do outside of the class to develop your theatrical aptitude:

• Enrol in a summer program for young actors or take part in community theatre. It’ll not just be a great learning opportunity but will give you hands-on experience on how to put up a full-fledged theatrical production. You’ll also enhance your confidence by working in the field with people who are part of the theatre community.

• You can also find a professional coach to mentor you in the field of theatre. Rigorous training will help you learn professional skills like voice modulation, breathing exercises and much more.

• Enrolling in clubs, competitions and other similar initiatives will highlight your achievements and distinguish you from other applicants.

Once you have your profile set up, here’s a list of top US universities offering a BA in theatre (which is different than a BFA in Acting!) that you can take a look at:

Boost Your Applications With Summer Courses You Can Complete in Under 24 Hours!

You don’t need to wait till university to get started on studying your intended major. There are hundreds of online courses available from world-renowned universities, from all your favourite subjects. Online summer courses are a valuable tool not only to learn more about your subject of interest,  but also to add enormous value to your profile as a college applicant. Universities are always looking for candidates who are driven, passionate, and self-motivated, which is exemplified in an application that features keen academic interest and a pursuit of their intended major outside of the classroom. Online courses can range from semester-long modules to shorter crash courses you can easily complete within 24 hours. The great thing about short courses is that you can learn really valuable skills, concepts, and avenues for practical application and you can do multiple such modules over your summer break, which will let you explore a wide range of exciting topics and get started on your academic journey.

Here is a short list of some of our favourite courses available on Coursera from topics in Business Studies, Computer Science, and Psychology offered by top colleges including Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University. 

US vs. UK Degree - Structural Differences!

What does the anatomy of a college degree in the UK look like? How is it different from the structure of a US Degree? In this blog post, we’ll discuss the major differences between the two - what are the pros and cons of each, which one is more cost-effective, what are the testing requirements, and so on. 

You must compare and contrast the variable differences across the two to make an informed decision about your higher education. Here are some structural ways in which the two differ from each other:

• Subject Flexibility: US universities generally allow you to explore as many subjects as you want for a year before you decide on a final major. This isn’t the case for UK universities that emphasise specialisation from the very beginning. Unless you enrol in a combined honours programme, you’ll have to largely keep your interest focused on a single subject.
  

• Length of Study: The key difference between the two is the amount of time it takes to get your degree. Generally, it takes one extra year in the US to get your degree than it does in the UK. This difference is the result of the special focalization offered by UK universities, which makes it possible to complete a degree in just three years. If you’re studying full-time, here’s an estimate of the amount of time it will take you to complete different degrees:

UK

Bachelors: 3-4 Years

Masters: 1 Year

PhD: 3-4 Years+

US

Bachelors: 4 Years

Masters: 1-2 Years

PhD: 5-7 Years+

• Costs: According to a law that came into effect in 2012, UK universities can only charge a maximum of £9,000 (approximately $9,564) each year – to UK residents. International students, on the other hand, have higher fees, which can vary from course to course and university to university. For a sample for the annual tuition fees for 2022-2023:

  • King’s College London: BSc Business Management

    • Home: £9,250 per year

    • Overseas/International: £28,050

  • Imperial: BSc/MBBS Medicine

    • Home: £9,250 

    • Overseas/International: £46,650

  • University of BathLBSc Social Sciences (Hons)

    • Home: £9,250

    • Overseas/International: £19,800

The US is more standardised in that they do not charge different amounts for different undergraduate courses, but they are generally more costly than the UK. For a sample:

• Harvard

• Boston University

• USC

• Carnegie Mellon

• UC-Berkeley

Make sure that you consider these different factors before you make a final decision about your higher education. Both the UK and the US come with their own sets of advantages and disadvantages, ultimately it’s about which university structure fits your needs the best and seems the most appealing to you. 

The SAT is Changing: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Aspiring SAT test-takers were greeted with a welcome overhaul of the testing this year. College Board, the non-profit that administers and develops the SAT along with other standardised tests and curricula, introduced new modifications to the SAT, chief among which will be its new digital avatar. The SAT, or Scholastic Assessment Test, is a multiple-choice exam that tests for ‘college-readiness’; however, the rigidity, stress and length of the test along with the barriers presented by the global coronavirus pandemic have brought attention to pre-existing structural divides that create huge disparities in testing college-readiness reliably. 

No more paper wasted circling bubbles, long testing hours or waiting times for results. This format will be rolled out in stages – internationally, at first, in 2023, and then in the United States in 2024; in fact, in a pilot launch of the test, 80% of the participants reported the digital test to be a less stressful experience overall than the traditional paper test. As 1,800 four-year colleges plan to make standardised testing optional while hinging admission on other factors like extracurricular activities, recommendation letters and essays, the new changes to the SAT are a necessary adaptation to the evolving demands that colleges can realistically expect to test through the SAT.

Overall, the new changes to the test are aimed at making the test more approachable, convenient and inclusive, given the constraints of access to technology and preparation material. Apart from the general format of a maximum score of 1,600 points and testing that takes place on three subjects - reading, writing and maths - there have been some wide-ranging changes designed to alter the experience of giving the test, making it more conducive to better performance. So let’s take a look at some of these changes:

• Digital format: While this test cannot be taken at home yet, the College Board has facilitated a more convenient testing experience which allows students to take the test on a laptop, tablet, school-provided device, or even a device borrowed from College Board. This is especially important as it is inclusive of children from low-income families. The test will also be conducted under the supervision of a proctor, as before, and the difficulty of subsequent questions will intelligently adapt to the performance of the participant.  

• Shortened Test Day: College Board has reduced the duration of the exam from three hours down to two. This extends to the experience of the questions too: rather than facing complicated blocks of texts, each tied to the one before, the questions will still be analytically complex while reducing how lengthy the passages are. The digital nature of the format also makes it more environmentally sustainable, as the proctors can save up on time and money by avoiding the packing, organizing and provision of test materials. 

• Use of Graphing Calculators Allowed: The use of a calculator will now be used across the board while attempting the maths section; this is contrary to the previous case where only a section of the maths segment allowed a calculator. Now, the calculator can either be brought from home or will be provided on the day of the test since they are fairly expensive, and doing so reduces the test daybarriers

• Expedited Results: Due to the digital nature of the test now, the sheets submitted by the students containing the circled bubbles in an SAT attempt will now be followed up by the score reports, in a matter of days. The content within the report itself will undergo a more wholesome transition, as the College Board plans to include resources about local community colleges, workforce training and career options on top of simply percentile rankings and the student’s score (which was always present).

Essai’s Guide to the Best Resources for ACT Prep

If you are studying independently for the ACT and your scores in the different sections are fluctuating quite a bit, then the answer is not to take more practice tests. It is important to identify the section(s) in which your scores are not consistent and learn the rules/formulas/skills for that particular section. If you simply carry on taking tests from Crackact without “knowing your stuff” then your scores will often be at the mercy of luck.

Good preparation takes luck out of the picture. This post is meant to help you do exactly that. Below are the books and resources that we recommend for your fluctuating scores in individual sections. Additionally, we will not just be pointing you in the direction of resources, but advising you on how to use these resources to gain control over your scores.

Best ACT Reading Resource: UWorld

We think a 30 day subscription to UWorld for $29 can make a world of difference to your score. The Uworld content is very good and, more importantly, the ways in which you can use it are very helpful. Uworld can operate on tutor mode (it explains a question every time you submit an answer) and on an untimed mode. 

How do we recommend you use UWorld? 
Start by trying to increase your accuracy. Do single passages, untimed, tutor mode; when you get something wrong or unsure of an answer, read the explanation that UWorld provides. Do this until you are consistently getting 90% correct: more than 6 in a row. 

Then take off the tutor mode wheels, and start doing two passages untimed, then three, then four. The point here is to develop your own method of answering these questions, becoming very familiar with the questions, and developing your reading stamina. Always make sure to go back over the questions you got wrong – Uworld’s explanations will help you avoid making the same mistakes next time.

Once you are comfortable with doing multiple passages in a row and consistently getting 90% correct, we recommend you start paying attention to time. Try doing one passage timed, then two, then three, then four. Don’t worry too much if your accuracy slips slightly: aim to get one more question done accurately in time each time, and you’ll soon be doing all four passages in time with accuracy!

Best ACT English Textbook: (ACTing English: The Essai Guide to ACT English)

ACTing English is a great guide that equips you with all the tips and tricks you need to master the English Section. 

The textbook takes you through all the concepts you need to know to tackle the English section in a lucid manner. A shining feature of the book are the scaffolding exercises. These are step-by-step questions that force the student to use simple rules rather than intuition when answering ACT English questions. The book isn’t dreary to look at either, with plenty of fun visuals and illustrations included in each chapter.

With nearly a thousand questions including two full tests, the book has enough practice materials to help you raise your score - on average, students who use our English material see a 12 point improvement!

How do we recommend you use ACTing English?
We recommend working methodically through the book. Each chapter begins by teaching a set of related concepts: we recommend you make your own notes based off the teaching material. The teaching is followed by scaffolding exercises focussed on that particular skill. If you struggle with the scaffolding exercises, make sure to go back over the notes on that concept. At the end of each chapter, ACT-style multiple-choice questions test your ability to apply the concepts you’ve learned. The multiple-choice questions will include questions on concepts from previous chapters, so make sure you keep revising what you’ve already learnt.

Once you’ve worked through each of the chapters, you should be good to go. Once you’ve revised the concepts, have a go at the two mocks at the end of the book. Make sure to review your mistakes and brush up on any weak areas after the first mock, then have a go at the second mock. After all that, you should be good to go!

*While this is a book that we have published, we still firmly believe that it is the best sure-fire guide to the ACT English.

Best ACT Math Textbook: (Ultimate Guide to Math ACT: Richard Corn)

After being updated in 2018, Richard Corn’s Ultimate Guide to Math ACT quickly reclaimed its spot as the best ACT Math textbook. It explains each concept that you need to know for the ACT in depth and does not include any extra information. 

The book also moves through pre-algebra and basic algebra before moving on to advanced topics, providing students with a strong foundation to tackle the more difficult concepts towards the end. When used in conjunction with full Math tests, this book is your best bet to conquer the Math section.

How do we recommend using Ultimate Guide to Math ACT?
If you struggle with math in general, or you are unsure which areas you are weak in, then we recommend working through the book methodically from start to finish. The book will guide you from the foundations of math needed for the ACT through to the more difficult concepts.

If you already have a good sense of specific areas where you struggle (e.g. coordinate geometry), then focus on those chapters. Still take the time to look over the whole book – there might be something you didn’t even know you didn’t know! 

Best ACT Science Textbook: (FTLOAS: Michael Cerro and Prepscholar Guide to ACT Science)

For the Science section, we recommend either For the Love of ACT Science by Michael Cerro or the Prepscholar Guide to ACT Science. 

For the Love of ACT Science is a tried and tested guide that set a new benchmark for ACT Science Textbooks. The book helps you identify different question types and provides specific strategies to help you tackle them. It also includes two full science tests and sectional tests that only include question types that you’ve learned how to solve.

Prepscholar Guide to ACT Science does not include any practice tests, but makes up for it by listing multiple strategies to students for attempting questions - not just one restrictive approach. 

Both books include a list of science facts that you would need to know for the ACT. These books demystify the Science section by identifying patterns in a section that is seemingly random.

How do we recommend using FTLOAS and Prepscholar Guide to ACT Science?
With both these books, we recommend working through them methodically from front to back. That way you will avail yourself of all the skills needed to tackle the Science section, plus be able to try out a variety of strategies (in the case of the Prepscholar Guide) for answering questions in the Science section.

We recommend that you note down the various strategies and then apply these systematically in three untimed Science sectional tests. Using these two books in tandem might help a lot; FTLOAS has questions from all the different question types, while the Prepscholar Guide is heavier on the strategies. You can use the strategies learnt in the Prepscholar Guide and apply them to the questions in the FTLOAS.

Do I stay or do I go: A review of the new ICE guidelines for international students

I am grateful to have the chance to respond to the recent changes to ICE's SEVP policies. As Director of Essai Education, I, along with my colleagues, work with motivated students around the world to help them pursue higher education in many countries (but mostly the US). Together, we believe in fostering values and skills related to creativity, honesty, and communication - so that is what I would like to do today.

At the outset, I would like to state that Essai strongly opposes this policy. It stands contrary to existing public health advice; it places subtle but substantial financial burdens on international students; and, lastly, violates the spirit of global scholarship and community that draws international students to the US in the first place. There are many ways to manage and mitigate safety in education that do not include a step of this nature -- which I fully expect to see universities acknowledging in the coming days, as they make strategies to safeguard the academic and personal development of their student bodies.

So: what are the implications of this policy change? For students who currently hold an F1 visa at institutions which will not be offering hybrid learning: don't panic! The new regulations give institutions until August 4th to submit revised academic planning, and if the recent turbulence has shown anything, it is the rapidity with which plans can change. So be in touch with your university or college administrators! Tell them your concerns! Remember, your university is your community: you applied, they accepted, and you're in it together.

If your institution cannot offer hybrid learning, you are faced with two options: either take online classes for a term at home, or, if that is not viable, apply for a gap semester or gap year. Online learning is a reality in our post-COVID world, and universities have spent the summer honing their platforms and pedagogies. It's like college, only remote: take interesting classes, boost your GPA. Continue pursuing the subjects you love. Be in touch with your professors and teaching assistants.

If this is not a good option for you, check in with your university regarding deferral processes -- hit pause, develop your extracurricular interests, spend time with family, and resume your higher education when things calm down. This is a path many people around the world are considering, for personal, financial, or health-related reasons. There is nothing wrong with a gap semester and it won't be viewed negatively in any sense. Make it work for you: learn a skill, build your profile, enjoy a well-earned rest.

Regarding both options, be in touch with your university! Before making any decisions, ask your institution about the process to apply for a new I-20 when you are ready to resume on-campus education. Be proactive, build relationships. Confirm that your university will permit you to take a gap semester (they almost certainly will, especially now). Confirm that they will support you when you apply for a new F1 visa (they definitely will). Arm yourself with knowledge, so you can make the right choices for yourself.

For students whose institutions are offering hybrid learning: again, you have two options. Go back, or stay back. This, of course, is a deeply personal choice, and one that should be taken in consultation with your family. Per this recent rule change, your F1 visa status will not be impacted, and life will continue much as it does for non-international students; if your university changes its education model and shifts to purely online learning, you might need to head home until the campus policy reverts back to hybrid (which should be a factor in your decision making). So if you choose to go back to campus, have fun, study hard, and abide by all safety regulations.

For students who have been admitted to the US for the 2020 intake, again, you have two choices: start online, or apply for a deferral. With current waitlists for the F1 student visa ranging from 3-4 months, most admitted students were going to need to begin remote learning anyway, which really is just an opportunity to get acclimated to college-level work in a familiar home setting (to boost that all-important GPA!). Again: check with your college about new I-20 distribution processes and timelines. Ask if you need to do anything specific to apply for a deferral. Be alert, be aware, but don't be scared.

Headlines only tell half the story, and social media even less. The recent rule change does not kick you out of college nor necessarily alter your educational trajectory (any more than COVID has altered the world). It is human nature to try to forecast, predict, and see patterns. But there is not enough information to make meaningful deductions about what will happen in 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months (especially in November).

- Nicholas Henderson

ACTxiety

At the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the fate of standardised tests for college admissions this year — and for some, this anxiety is stretching into next year as well. We thought it would be prudent to put down some good information here about the current state of things, and how we see it playing out for students applying this year and for those applying next.

For students applying this year, things might seem very complicated at the moment. However, there is a simple way to look at it. There is a list of colleges that have gone test-optional for you. If you are okay limiting your college list to those colleges then you can safely disregard preparing for the ACT/SAT. Here is a list of top colleges that have gone test-optional for your class:

SNO	COLLEGE	TIME PERIOD FOR WHICH IT IS TEST OPTIONAL	RANK	CONSIDER SCORES IF SUBMITTED
1	BROWN	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#14 (NATIONAL)	YES
2	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	NEXT 2 ADMISSIONS CYCLES	#12 (NATIONAL)	NO
3	CARNEGIE MELLON	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#25 (NATIONAL)	YES
4	COLUMBIA	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#3 (NATIONAL)	YES
5	CORNELL	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#17 (NATIONAL)	YES
6	DARTMOUTH	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#12 (NATIONAL)	YES
7	HARVARD	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#2 (NATIONAL)	YES
8	JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#10 (NATIONAL)	YES
9	THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#28 (NATIONAL)	YES
10	TUFTS	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#29 (NATIONAL)	YES
11	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEM All 10 COLLEGES	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	UCLA #20 (NATIONAL)	YES (UNTIL 2023)
12	UNIVERSITY OF PENNYSYLVANIA	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#6 (NATIONAL)	YES
13	UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#22 (NATIONAL)	YES
14	WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AT ST LOUIS	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#19 (NATIONAL)	YES
15	YALE	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#3 (NATIONAL)	YES
16	AMHERST	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#2 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
17	BARNARD COLLEGE	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#25 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
18	CARLETON COLLEGE	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#7 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
19	CLAREMONT MCKENNA	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#7 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
20	COLGATE UNIVERSITY	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#17 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
21	DAVIDSON COLLEGE	NEXT 3 ADMISSIONS CYCLES	#17 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
22	GRINNELL COLLEGE	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#14 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
23	HAMILTON COLLEGE	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#14 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
24	HAVERFORD COLLEGE	NEXT 3 ADMISSIONS CYCLES	#11 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
25	KENYON COLLEGE	TEST OPTIONAL 2021 ONWARDS	#27 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
26	MACALASTER COLLEGE	TEST OPTIONAL 2021 ONWARDS	#25 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
27	MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE	NEXT 3 ADMISSIONS CYCLES	#7 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
28	POMONA	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#5 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
29	SWARTHMORE	NEXT 2 ADMISSIONS CYCLES	#3 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
30	UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#23 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
31	VASSAR	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#14 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
32	WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#10 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
33	WELLESLEY COLLEGE	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#3 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES
34	WILLIAMS	2020-2021 ADMISSIONS CYCLE	#1 (LIBERAL ARTS)	YES

However, if you want to apply to colleges outside this list then you still need to take the ACT/SAT. Top colleges like Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Yale still require you to take the ACT/SAT. These scores are an important component of their admissions processes.

How will these tests be administered? At the moment, this is unclear. However, both the SAT and the ACT are starting to develop systems for at home testing. The ACT is already administering the test online in centres around the world, and the SAT already administered at-home testing for this year's APs. They will need strong systems to ensure test security, and this is probably what they are working on now. 

So, what does this mean for you seniors who are applying this fall? If you want to apply to a college outside the list of test-optional colleges, then we think you should prep for the tests this fall/winter. The SAT and ACT are working to get there; we think the students should too. However, if you are not interested in non-test-optional colleges, then wave goodbye to your test-prep books and do something productive this summer to add to your activities list, study hard for your school exams, and be good to your teachers. Those other components of your application are now going to be way more important. 

If you are a rising junior (grade 11) this year and thinking of applying to college next year (admission in 2022), then you should definitely be preparing for these tests. Why? In all likelihood, the ACT and the SAT (and the world hopefully) will have new systems in place. Remember that a vast majority of the colleges on that list above have only gone test-optional for this year. 

We understand that all this shifting news, college announcements, new testing formats add to the already existing anxiety that surrounds college admissions. This is a hard year. And undoubtedly, it is especially hard for students who will be applying this year. However, we believe, in the face of anxiety, it is important to face it, look at it, experience it (don't write about it in your Common App essay, but perhaps in your journal), and then with a cold, dispassionate eye make a decision based on practical realities — like the table above. 

Liberal Arts Colleges' SAT and ACT Policies

Rank	University	ACT/SAT Required	SAT Subject Tests Policy	Superscore Policy(ACT and New SAT)	Average ACT Score Range	Average SAT Score Range	ACT/SAT Writing Section
1	Williams College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	32-35	1410-1550	Not Required
2	Amherst College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1390-1540	Not Required
3	Swarthmore College	Required	Not Required(Math 2 recommended for Engineering School)	Superscores	31-34	1380-1550	Not Required
3	Wellesley College	Required	Not Required	Does not superscore	30-34	1330-1520	Not Required
5	Pomona College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1400-1540	Not Required
6	Bowdoin College	Test OptionalScore Supression Policy	Not Required	Superscores	30-34	1300-1510	Not Required
7	Carleton College	Required	Not Required	Does not superscore	31-34	1350-1530	Not Required
7	Claremont McKenna College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1350-1500	Not Required
7	Middlebury College	Required(Can be substituted with 3 Subject Tests)	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1330-1500	Not Required
10	Washington and Lee University	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1348-1490	Not Required
11	Colby College	Test Optional	Not Required	No Official Policy	31-33	1350-1510	Not Required
11	Haverford College	Required	Not Required	No Official Policy	32-34	1370-1530	Not Required
11	Smith College	Test Optional	Not Required	No Official Policy	30-33	1320-1490	Not Required
14	Grinell College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	30-34	1370-1530	Not Required
14	Hamilton College	Required(Can be substituted with 3 Subject Tests)	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1350-1510	Not Required
14	Vassar College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-33	1370-1510	Not Required
17	Colgate University	Required	Not Required	Does not superscore(Allows submission of multiple attempts for review)	31-34	1320-1510	Not Required
17	Davidson College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	29-33	1290-1450	Not Required
17	United States Naval Academy	Required(Do not accept scores from tests with accomodations)	Not Required	No Official Policy	26-32	1150-1370	No Official Policy
17	Wesleyan University	Test Optional(Score supression policy)	Not Required	Superscores	30-34	1320-1500	Not Required
21	Bates College	Test Optional	Not Required	Superscores	29-32	1290-1460	Not Required
21	United States Military Academy	Required	Not Required	No Official Policy	23-28	1185-1400	Required
23	Harvey Mudd College	Required	2 Subject Tests Required(One must be Math 2)	Superscores	34-35	1490-1560	Not Required
23	University of Richmond	Required	Not Required	Superscores	30-33	1290-1460	Not Required
25	Barnard College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	30-33	1330-1500	Not Required
25	Macalester College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	29-33	1310-1500	Not Required
27	Bryn Mawr College	Test Optional(Required for International Applicants)	Not Required	Superscores	28-33	1300-1500	Not Required
27	College of the Holy Cross	Test Optional	Not Required	No Official Policy	28-32	1270-1420	Not Required
27	Colorado College	Test Optional(May be required for athletes and International Applicants)	Not Required	Superscores	29-33	1300-1470	Not Required
27	Kenyon College	Required	Not Required	Superscores	29-33	1280-1470	Not Required
27	Soka University of America	Required	Not Required	No Official Policy	25-30	1180-1410	Required

National Universities' SAT and ACT Policies

Rank	University	ACT/SAT Required	SAT Subject Tests Policy	Superscore Policy(ACT and New SAT)	Average ACT Score Range	Average SAT Score Range	ACT/SAT Writing Section
1	Princeton University	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Does not superscore	32-35	1440-1570	Not Required
2	Harvard University	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Does not superscore	33-35	1460-1580	Not Required
3	Columbia University	Required	Not Required	Superscores	33-35	1450-1560	Not Required
3	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Required	Not Required	Superscores	34-36	1500-1570	Not Required
3	Yale University	Required	Recommended	Superscores	33-35	1450-1560	Not Required
6	Stanford University	Required	Not Required	Superscores	32-35	1420-1570	Not Required
6	University of Chicago	Test-Optional	Not Required	Superscores	33-35	1490-1570	Not Required
6	University of Pennysylvania	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Superscores	32-35	1440-1560	Not Required
9	Northwestern University	Required	Not Required(Click to view exceptions)	Superscores	33-35	1430-1550	Not Required
10	Duke University	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Superscores	33-35	1450-1570	Recommended
10	Johns Hopkins University	Required	One or moreRecommended	Superscores	33-35	1470-1560	Not Required
12	California Institute of Technology	Required	Not Required	Superscores	35-36	1530-1580	Not Required
12	Dartmouth College	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Does not superscore	31-35	1420-1560	Not Required
14	Brown University	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Superscores(Does not super score ACT composite)	32-35	1420-1550	Not Required
15	University of Notre Dame	Required	Not Required	Superscores	33-35	1400-1550	Not Required
15	Vanderbilt University	Required	Not Required	Superscores	33-35	1450-1560	Not Required
17	Cornell University	Required	Not Required	Superscores(Does not super score ACT composite)	32-34	1390-1540	Not Required
17	Rice University	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Does not superscore	33-35	1450-1560	Not Required
19	Washington University in St. Louis	Required	Not Required	Superscores	32-35	1470-1570	Not Required
20	University of California -- Los Angeles	Required	Not Required(Math Level Two and a science test are recommended for the school of engineering)	Does not superscore	28-34	1270-1520	Required
21	Emory University	Required	Recommended	Does not superscore	31-34	1350-1520	Not Required
22	University of California --  Berkeley	Required	Recommended	Does not superscore	28-34	1300-1530	Required
22	University of Southern California	Required	Required for some schools	Does not superscore	30-34	1350-1530	Not Required
24	Georgetown University	Required	Three Subject Tests Recommended	Superscores	31-34	1370-1530	Not Required
25	Carnegie Mellon University	Required	Two Subject Tests Recommended	Only superscores the SAT	33-35	1450-1550	Not Required
26	University of Michigan -- Ann Arbor	Required	Not Required	Does not superscore	30-34	1330-1510	Not Required
27	Wake Forest University	Test Optional	Not Required	Does not superscore	29-33	1310-1470	Not Required
28	University of Virginia	Required	Not Required	Superscores	30-34	1330-1500	Not Required
29	Georgia Institute of Technology	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1390-1540	Recommended
29	New York University	RequiredCan be substituted with other scores	Required only if ACT/SAT/AP/IB scores are not submitted	Superscores	29-34	1310-1510	Not Required
29	Tufts University	Required	Not Required	Superscores	31-34	1380-1530	Not Required
29	University of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill	Required	Not Required	Superscores	27-33	1270-1470	Not Required
29	University of Rochester	Test Optional	Not Required	Superscores	30-34	1320-1500	Not Required

Do I take the SAT or the ACT?

For us, the choice is relatively simple: it is based on practical realities of the tests. Our argument is about preparation — not preference. Once you take a diagnostic test for either the ACT or the SAT, ask yourself the following question:

How many points do I need to improve?

If you took an SAT diagnostic test and you are more than 270 points from your target score, then we recommend you take the ACT. Why?

If you took an SAT diagnostic test and you are less than 270 points from your target score, then click here.

If you took an ACT diagnostic test and you are more than 7 points from your target score, then we recommend you take the ACT. Why?

If you took an ACT diagnostic test and you are less than 7 points from your target score then click here.

We understand that this might sound a little too simple, too watered down. What about the Science section, you might ask. And what about time management? Isn’t the ACT a lot faster than the SAT? These are valid questions, but they should not determine your choice of test.

We have been teaching these tests for six years now, and the questions above do not compare to the real question: How many points do I need to improve?

Contact us to find out more.

Why does the ACT give me a better chance of a big score improvement?

The answer is in the numbers. Our argument is that the availability of more real practice tests and more official test dates results in bigger score improvements.

Fact 1: The ACT has many more official practice tests than does the SAT.
Evidence: There are 78 official ACT practice tests. There are only 22 official SAT practice tests.

Fact 2: Internationally, the ACT is offered more times than the SAT.
Evidence: The ACT is offered 7 times a year. The SAT is offered 5 times a year.

You can take either test

If you’re within 270 points on the SAT or within 7 points on the ACT from your target score then we recommend that you choose between the two based on test dates.

1. Look at when they are offered (in the tables below)

2. Pick a date at least 5 months in ahead that does not clash with your school exams. Ideally, your test date is at least one month away from school exams.

3. If you had taken an ACT diagnostic test, but you see that SAT test dates are better than the ACT dates, then take an SAT diagnostic test to see what it’s like and start prepping for it.

4. If you had taken an SAT diagnostic test and within 270 points of target score, but you see that ACT test dates are better than the SAT dates, then take an ACT diagnostic test to see what it’s like and start prepping for it.

Bottom line: When you’re in range of target score, both these tests are equal. You could prepare for either and, in all likelihood, get the score you want. However, if you are not within range (270 points on SAT or 7 points on ACT) then, in our opinion, they are not equal. The ACT gives you a better chance of a bigger score improvement and thus a better chance of getting to your target score.

ACT

Test Dates	Registration Deadline	Late Registration Deadline
April 3rd-4th (CANCELLED)	March 13th (CANCELLED)	March 27th (CANCELLED)
June 12th-13th	May 22nd	June 5th
July 17th-18th	June 26th	July 10th
September 11th-12th (TBC)	August 21st (TBC)	September 4th (TBC)
October 9th-10th (TBC)	September 18th (TBC)	October 2nd (TBC)
December 11th-12th (TBC)	November 20th (TBC)	December 4th (TBC)

SAT

Test Dates	Registration	Late Registration
May 2nd (CANCELLED)	April 3rd (CANCELLED)	April 22nd (CANCELLED)
June 6th (Subject Tests Only)	May 8th	May 27th
August 29th	TBC	TBC
October 3rd (TBC)	TBC	TBC
December 5th (TBC)	TBC	TBC

Perfect 10: Writing the Common Application Activity List

On the Common Application, you will be asked to list a variety of basic biographical information that ranges from you parents’ occupations to your address. You will be asked your academic history; you will be asked for your test scores; you will, crucially, be asked for your activity list. 

The activity list is exactly what it sounds like: a concise summary of your extracurricular engagements from grade 9 to grade 12. You are asked to list these based on the number of years you’ve spent on each activity, number of weeks per year, and number of hours per week. You must give your designation for each activity; you must also submit a 150 character activity description, which is where the craft of activity list creation begins.

Submitting a well-written activity list is the most important thing you can do in order to demonstrate the scope of your academic and extracurricular engagement to admissions teams. This is the perfect place to summarise your profile — a coherent and demonstrated record of increasing engagement with your chosen academic field, from Grade 9 up to Grade 12.

The Common App form allows you to input 10 activities, each with a description of just 150 characters (including spaces)! The UC form is much more generous with the space it provides you: 20 activities which can be described in 500 characters each. Application forms for UIUC, ApplyTexas, and Canadian universities have their own word counts and specifications, but most effective activity lists are structured according to similar principles.

We’re here to help you develop an impressive activity list that shows colleges just how proactive, focused, yet diverse you are in your interests and pursuits. Here’s some tips to get you started:

1. Order your activities based on degree of importance.

   • Activities in which you have invested a lot of time and effort deserve a place at the top of the list, as do selective or credit-bearing programs.

2. Focus on your scope of action.

   • In the limited space you have, you want colleges to know in what capacity you have contributed to a certain initiative or program — it will give them an indication of how you might benefit their university campus in the future.

3. Numbers are just as important!

   • If your social project has directly impacted a large number of lives, you have raised significant amounts of money for a specific cause, or you hold an impressive sports ranking, it’s a big deal — let colleges know what you are capable of achieving.

4. Some things are bound to be left out.

   • We know you’ve done 2 summer schools, volunteered at 3 NGOs, and interned at 5 publication houses, but there’s no way everything you’ve ever done can be included in this concise list. Remember to be selective and only choose the activities that demonstrate your best personal achievements.

An Example

Let’s see what a bad Common App entry looks like:

Founder of XYZ Initiative
Istarted an innovative social project called XYZ which works towards the objective of making quality education accessible to all sections of society.
(150 characters)

Why is this a bad entry?

To begin with, it violates Rule 2 — it gives the reader no specifics about what you’ve done with regard to this project. Second, 150 characters is just not enough space to write a long sentence with extraneous descriptives; in fact, your description can comprise just phrases explaining your engagement in the project and its impact.

How can you fix this entry?

Founder, XYZ Initiative
Worked to widen access to quality education; partnered with NGO ABC; developed educational content for students of Class 3; conducted 10 workshops
(146 characters)

Take your time to think about why this version works better to showcase your profile. Understand these simple tips, and you’re on your way to the college of your dreams!