For families who have high school age STUDENTS, Spring Break often means more college visits. 

For those families who feel lost in planning a college tour for Spring Break, here are some essential tips for visiting colleges this time of year.

1. Make sure the college is in session.

Just as this is a popular time for high school spring breaks, the same goes for colleges. It's always better to VISIT A COLLEGE when students are going to class and bustling around campus.

2. Reservations may be needed.

Sign up for a campus tour and information session at the very least. Online registration can be found on the admissions office's website.

3. Be prepared for large crowds.

The admissions offices will be even busier for families like yours.

4. Don't just visit "reach" colleges!

Many of these College track demonstrated interest and absolutely "count" if you visit. 

6. Take notes on every college you visit.

They start to run together after a few days on the road. The notes will help students as they narrow down their college list and WRITE SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAYS in the future.

7. Don't worry about interviews this early in the process.

Even if a college offers on-campus interviews (and many don't), students need a little more time to figure out what they want and how to present themselves in AN INTERVIEW SETTING..

8. Try to do one extra thing on campus before you leave.

Visiting the bookstore is a popular destination. But eating a meal, sitting in the middle of campus when classes are switching, or meeting up with a student you know who attends the school will give you more insight into whether the college will remain on the list.

9. Go as a family!

If mom, dad, or even younger siblings can come along, do it. You won't regret this time together. 

10. Just take it all in.

No need to ask a million questions during the information session or tour or plan out every last class you would take. This is usually the first of MANY VISITS TO A COLLEGE, especially if the student ends up applying. 

Rejection is a part of life. Everyone who has tasted success has also tasted rejection. This doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Parents can be supportive by giving students the appropriate amount of time to take the difficult news, but they should also not let students sulk for any longer than needed.

For many teens, the worst part of rejection is telling peers they didn’t get in or where they are going (especially if others will question why someone of their caliber did not get into a ‘better’ school). When dealing with a rejection, it’s important to keep things in perspective and to not allow one or two letdowns to overshadow other successes.

If a student is dealing with a rejection, here’s what to do next:

• Allow time for mourning. It’s okay to take some time to feel disappointed. Students may need some space and time to process, so let them have it.
• But don’t dwell. While it’s okay to take some time to feel sad, students shouldn’t spend all their time sulking. After an appropriate amount of time has passed, remind him or her that it’s time to move on and focus on the institutions that did grant admission.
• Focus on where they did get in. Students should go back and look at past research, compare financial aid packages, and consider the factors that prompted them to apply in the first place in order to choose where they want to enroll. A student may have an idea of his or her “second” choice, but it’s still good to weigh all other offers of admission. After a rejection, a student’s feelings about the other institutions he or she applied to may have changed.
• Stay positive! As I said before, rejection is a part of life. If students planned ahead and applied to a wide range of schools, any of which they would be happy to attend, then they will be attending a great-fit college. Focus on the journey ahead and get excited about all the new opportunities come fall.

It’s June, which means that school is over for the summer! If it’s not yet, it will be very soon. Your FINAL YEAR of high school is closer than ever before. This is a big deal; it's time to get serious about college planning! As a soon-to-be senior, the rest of the summer is going to be an exciting time. It will also affect how hectic your fall is going to be. The more you prepare now, the better off you’ll be later.

College Planning Checklist for High School Juniors

While you’re enjoying the sunshine, make sure to keep college planning in mind with this June checklist for soon-to-be high school seniors:

1. Get Involved in Summer Activities, Volunteer

By now you know that, in addition to academic grades and test scores, college admissions officers also look at your extracurricular activities. Summer break is a great time to get involved in clubs, the community and local sports, to help show colleges you are active both inside and outside of the classroom. Volunteering is a great way to spend your free time and give back to the community. Not only will you feel great doing so, but it also looks impressive on your college applications, too. You chose to use your time wisely. If you're looking for a place to start volunteering, get in touch with local organizations in your area. You could also ask your school counselor for ideas. Finally, if you're still coming up short on ways to make an impact in your local community, use CollegeVine's suggestions for charities to get involved with.

2. Summer Savings

If you’re planning on working this summer, set up a summer savings plan, which allows you to start saving for college now. Many food providers and retailers are desperate for employees right now, and they're paying the highest wages we've ever seen. The earlier you start saving, the less you’ll need to borrow to cover college expenses later. It’s always best to avoid borrowing if you’re able, so determine the portion of your summer income you can save for the future and stick to it!

You could also really get ahead on your college planning by choosing to work (and continue to work) for an employer that provides tuition assistance. This college benefit is available to many part-time employees, and you can easily transfer between the franchise near your home and your eventual college campus.

3. Explore Potential Career Paths

If you’re unsure of what you’d like to study in college (as most students are), summertime is perfect for exploration! It’s not too early to start thinking about what you want to be when you grow up and to be sure the major you pick pays well too. Contact business professionals in fields you’re interested in to talk to them about their careers and volunteer with organizations or at events which share common interests as your potential career paths. This summer is all about discovering who you are and where your passions and career path may potentially meet.

4. Keep Up Your College Search

Your college search will only continue to ramp up as senior year begins, so any legwork you do now will give you an added advantage. Look at the summer as an opportunity to schedule in-person college visits and research schools online. Check sites like You Visit and Campus Tours to see if the college you're interested in offers a virtual tour. Finally, if you and your family haven't made a plan to pay for college, the time is now. Have conversations about what type of school you can afford before you start reviewing your final college choices.

5. Build Your a Brag Sheet

A student resume, or brag sheet, will detail your life outside of school, since any school you’ll be applying to will already be aware of what your grades and test scores are from your transcript. You can include items like your extracurricular activities, community or volunteer service, work experience as well as any honors, awards or recognition you’ve received. Showcase your unique ability to adapt—consider using your social media on your resume to highlight all the good you’re doing. Remember to be smart about it though!

6. Apply for Scholarships

As a general rule, applying for scholarships should always be on your to-do list! Check out this list of 10+ College Scholarships You Can Apply for Today. Summer is a great time to apply for scholarships. For many students, applying to scholarships is not first and foremost on their minds, and they let their applications slip. That means that there is less competition than during the school year. We recommend updating your Fastweb profile now so that you are maximizing your matching eligibility. Check your Scholarship Matches multiple times each week; we add new awards to our database daily. Finally, make a commitment to apply to 1-2 scholarships per week. You can start with our summer scholarship sweepstakes: the $1K Scholarship Success Sweepstakes. Enter daily to increase your chances of winning!

The ALEKS is a placement test designed to measure a student’s understanding of advanced mathematics. Colleges and universities use it to ensure that a student is capable of carrying out the curriculum of designated advanced math courses. ALEKS exam practice ensures that you’ll get placed into the right classes.   

Unlike most other tests you’ve encountered in your academics, the ALEKS is not multiple-choice. This test is also adaptive, meaning that questions will scale in difficulty based on previous answers. Students are given 20-30 questions that are chosen depending on whether the previous answer was correct or incorrect. More difficult questions always follow a correct answer while the difficulty lessens after an incorrect answer. However, this also means that answers cannot be changed once submitted. 

The test is designed using a state-of-the-art interface that simulates manual writing, which is explained in the beginning. There’s even a tutorial to help you get a feel for it. 

Here are some key features of the ALEKS assessment test:

• Questions adapt to a student’s knowledge based on the way they answer each question. 
• No grade or raw score is given. Instead, the ALEKS is designed to identify areas where you might need some extra studies. 
• Students must solve problems using the interactive writing interface. There are no multiple choice questions. 
• There isn’t a time limit for taking the ALEKS.

ABOUT ALEKS MATH PLACEMENT TEST PRACTICE

When searching for the right ALEKS practice test, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. However, not all practice tests are created equal. It’s important that you find ones that cover the necessary topics. 

Here are some of the topics that you should expect to find on an ALEKS math practice test. 

INTEGERS AND REAL NUMBERS

Real numbers are what we all use every day. However, you’ll also encounter integers on the practice test. Integers include both real numbers and negative numbers. 

POLYNOMIALS

This is the most basic math concept and it is guaranteed to show up in a practice test. In this type of equation, only basic math concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and real number based exponents are used. 

ORDER OF OPERATIONS

The order in which a math problem must be solved. Needless to say, this will be used to solve every question. The way most people remember this is PEDMAS:

1. Parenthesis
2. Exponents
3. Division
4. Multiplication
5. Addition
6. Subtraction

FRACTIONS, PERCENT, AND PROPORTIONS

You can expect to find the majority of questions on the ALEKS to be based on fractions. It’s just that some equations will be more difficult than others. Fractions, percentages, and proportions can be converted into each other. Expect to have everything on the test presented using one of these three conversions. 

ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS

Algebra will be a standard type of question found on the practice exam. Students are expected to have the ability to solve basic algebraic expressions so be sure you brush up on these beforehand. 

EXPONENTS

This is another basic mathematical component that will show up in just about every test. An exponent tells you that a number must be multiplied by itself a specific number of times. 

LOGARITHMS

These are the opposite of exponents because they undo them, much like subtraction is the opposite of addition. Logarithms are found in more advanced questions on the ALEKS. 

EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

Expect to find several questions using inequalities. These are just statements that use a symbol other than an equal sign. Compound inequalities might also show up, which are multiple inequalities in a single statement. Keep in mind that these questions might be presented in word form. 

LINEAR FUNCTIONS

Linear functions are always graphed in a straight line and contain both an independent variable, as well as a dependent variable. Expect these questions to show up as you get into more advanced areas. 

QUADRATIC FUNCTIONS

Intermediate algebra questions are found when you answer several questions correctly in a row. So be prepared to see quadratic functions on the ALEKS practice test. 

RADICAL EXPRESSIONS

Problems containing a radical expression will show up during ALEKS placement test practice. Be sure that you’re ready to tackle these tricky questions. 

GEOMETRY

Geometry is another core mathematical concept that is going to be found in a lot of problems on the ALEKS. Any questions that involve shapes fall under this category. 

PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS

Statistics is used to measure past events while probability uses that information to predict the likelihood of a specific future event. Both are mathematical concepts that will be found on the ALEKS practice test. 

COMPLEX NUMBERS

Complex numbers are created when real numbers are combined with imaginary ones. You’ll find these with more advanced problems on the ALEKS. 

TRIGONOMETRY

This advanced mathematical concept is designed to simplify certain equations and plays an essential role in a lot of career paths such as electronics and engineering. You’ll probably be presented with trigonometry at some point during the ALEKS.

HOW DO YOU PASS THE ALEKS TEST?

The ALEKS is infamous for the anxiety it creates. Fortunately, this anxiety can be held at bay with proper ALEKS math placement test practice. But remember that this test is supposed to be difficult since its sole purpose is to determine what level program you start in college math. 

In the end, your goal should be to view this test for exactly what it is – a tool used to optimize your placement in college. This saves you time and money in the long-term. 

With that said, you should study efficiently so that you are placed at the highest level possible. Here are some tips that you should follow:

#1: CHOOSE THE RIGHT STUDY RESOURCES

Taking an ALEKS practice test on a regular basis will ensure that you’re prepared for the real test but it’s not the only preparation you should make. You’ll need to find the appropriate study resources as well. I recommend that you start with the resources given to you by the college providing the placement test. They will point you in the right direction. 

#2: GET A HANDLE ON BASIC MATH

Having a solid foundation is an absolute must when taking the ALEKS test so be sure you dedicate some study time into brushing up on all of your basic math skills. Without this knowledge, you’ll have a tougher time tackling more advanced math concepts. Regular ALEKS placement test practice will help ensure you’re ready! 

#3: SOLVE A FEW PRACTICE PROBLEMS EVERY DAY

Make sure you solve some problems related to the specific area you studied for the day. This helps you memorize what you learned by putting it into practice. The absolute best way to learn math is through practice. 

#4: TAKE AN ALEKS PRACTICE TEST EVERY WEEK

Don’t skip this important step. Weighing your study progress will reveal your strengths and weaknesses. This ensures that you’re able to focus your future studies in the right areas. Additionally as stated earlier, putting your math skills into practice is the best way to learn essential skills.

 The ALEKS test is considered by most test-takers to be difficult due to its adaptive nature. It will push you to the limits so there will be a point in the test where you simply don’t have the knowledge to correctly answer the question. That’s a cause for stress for most people.

Just keep in mind that the ALEKS is designed to place you into the correct college curriculum. It’s supposed to push all of your limits.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Always keep in mind that the goal of the ALEKS is not centered on the concept of passing or failing, but to ensure that you are placed into the correct college math program. So don’t stress too much.

Accepted!

 We have some advice for students who were accepted to their top-choice colleges.

Decision time can be very rewarding for students – especially if they’re admitted to their top-choice schools. An acceptance is exciting, but it’s not the end of the college admissions journey! There are a number of things that students who were accepted to one or more colleges need to do from now until the end of the school year. Here are six tips for students who were accepted to their top-choice colleges.

Enjoy the Good News!

Congratulations! This is an exciting time, and it’s expected that you’ll be feeling a lot of emotions. Take some time to enjoy the outcome of all your hard work – you got in! Celebrate with your family and friends, and let your teachers and counselors know about your admissions decisions.

But Be Careful About What You Post

It’s fine to celebrate your accomplishments and share the news with family and friends, and even with the world over social media, but be mindful of what you post. Don’t use your celebratory posts to put down others or make someone who didn’t get in feel bad. Also be careful about posting any identifying information about yourself. If you choose to share your acceptance letter, a screenshot of your application portal, or any other materials that include your full name or address, make sure that you block out any of that sensitive information.

Evaluate All Offers of Admission

Chances are, if you applied to a balanced list of 10-15 target, reach, and likely schools, you could be getting multiple acceptances. If so, after you soak in the initial excitement, you’ll need to get back down to business. You have until May 1 to make a decision about where to enroll, so take it seriously! Evaluate all offers of admission, including information on housing, financial aid, your intended major, and more. Have your feelings about a school changed since you applied? Have you not had a chance to visit yet? Weigh your options, try to visit if you haven’t yet already done so, and talk with your family about what the best choice is for your needs and goals.

Consider Financial Aid

One of the biggest considerations that most students need to weigh when deciding between multiple offers of admission is financial aid. Make sure you thoroughly evaluate all financial aid packages and know how to read between the lines. Some schools use varying financial aid terminology, so be sure to carefully decode each offer and have a solid idea about what is covered and what you’ll be expected to pay.

Attend an Admitted Students’ Weekend If Possible

We mentioned before to try to visit if you haven’t already done so. Many colleges offer admitted students’ weekends in March and April after decisions are sent out in order to encourage potential students to visit again and, ultimately, enroll. These are good events to consider if you’re on the fence about a school, haven’t visited yet, or just want to be extra sure that it is indeed your top choice. Try to attend and be sure to take extensive notes, talk with other students and university officials, and get all your questions answered.

Keep Up the Hard Work!

You got in, but the school year isn’t over yet – so, don’t catch Senioritis! Colleges will request your final high school transcripts, and there have been cases where colleges have rescinded offers of admission after seeing poor second semester grades. Keep up the hard work that got you an acceptance in the first place. Prepare for final exams, keep up with your homework, participate in class, and continue to make an impact through your extracurricular activities. Senior year is almost over, so make the most of it!

Getting an acceptance from your top-choice college is extremely rewarding and should be celebrated! Take your time to enjoy the news, weigh your options, and enroll in the college that is the best fit for you!