The Knewton Blog

Name: Afton Mielke Hometown: Conrad, Montana Current grade: Junior What kind of college do you want to go? I’m hoping to go to an urban area. I’m really, really crossing my fingers for a college near the Seattle area. I’ve only been there twice, but I fell in love! Do you know what you want to major in? What would be your ideal job after college? I’m hoping to major in both Biology and Psychology… Read more

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Summer is the best time to visit colleges. But many students and parents don’t know how to approach this first critical part of the college admissions process. What should you do? What should you definitely not do? How does interviewing work? Here’s the thing: effective, smart visits can help you narrow down your college list, make better decisions about where and when to apply and ultimately get you (or your child) admitted to the right… Read more

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This post was written by our friends at EqualApp. For more college admissions advice, check out their blog. Have you figured out what you’re doing yet this summer? Watching TV? Playing Xbox? Sitting around on Facebook? No, no, and no, say admissions officers. They don’t necessarily care what you do this summer, but they like to see that you’ve done something. What is that something? Here are seven ideas for summer activities that will impress… Read more

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In this week’s Student Spotlight, meet Claire Juozitis, our first featured SAT student! Name: Claire Juozitis Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA Current grade: 11th What kind of college do you want to go to? Do you have a dream school? I would love to attend a school in a big city. I love the feeling of urban life and I think it would be awesome to be able to meet so many different people. Also, I have… Read more

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You work hard to maintain a good G.P.A. and spend a majority of your time outside of class doing homework and participating in a variety of extracurricular activities. Yet, as soon as you reach junior year of high school, all anyone seems to want to talk about is your SAT score. If you’re like many of our SAT students here at Knewton, you’re probably wondering: How important is the SAT, and what is considered a… Read more

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Managing your time on the SAT can be a tricky task. Most sections of the test allow for less than a minute per question if you want to finish. That said, with proper time management and knowledge of the test format, it is entirely possible to successfully complete every section on the SAT. There are, however, some important strategies to keep in mind along the way. 1. Don’t rush through sections. With the exception of… Read more

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If your grades or SAT scores are on the borderline of acceptability for your college of choice, sometimes a strong letter of recommendation is the best way to tip the scales in your favor. When I was deferred after applying early decision to Oberlin College, I ran around like a maniac getting everyone but my mailman to write me a recommendation, and ended up getting in the spring. While I can’t be sure, I have… Read more

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Sick of flipping through the Blue Book for sample Reading Comprehension passages and toting stacks of flashcards around to practice vocabulary? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite short fiction to help you prepare for the SAT, college, and beyond. As you read, be sure to note unfamiliar words and quiz yourself about the story’s structure, point of view, and argument, if applicable. With these engaging page-turners, SAT prep might even begin to seem –… Read more

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The SAT essay requires you to produce a 4 or 5 paragraph essay in a mere 25 minutes, a feat you will likely never be called on to repeat again (I can’t remember ever having less than an hour for a college essay test of comparable length). In this painfully short amount of time you will be asked to form an opinion about a topic, come up with two specific examples to support that opinion,… Read more

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This week’s college admissions tip comes from our friends at College Essay Organizer. We see it year in and year out – students put all their eggs in the basket of their dreams, and are then are left with a surprising amount of work to do in just a couple of weeks when they receive the dreaded thin envelope. We know that when you send out that early application you feel like senior year is… Read more

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