College Resources

The College Board

PSAT, SAT Tests
(212) 713-8000 or (800) 728-7267
www.collegeboard.com

Advance Placement Program (AP) Tests
(212) 713-8000 or (888) 308-0113
www.collegeboard.com/ap

American College Testing (ACT)

ACT Registration
Mon.Fri., 8 a.m.8 p.m., central time
319/337-1270

ACT Records (scores) Mon.Fri., 8 a.m.8 p.m., central time
319/337-1313

ACT Special Testing Mon.Fri., 8 a.m.8 p.m., central time
319/337-1332

General Information about the ACT Mon.Fri., 8:30 a.m.5:00 p.m., central time
319/337-1000
www.act.org

American Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT)

Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE)

Reference Books

• Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the New SAT, by Charles Harrington Elster and Joseph Elliot
• The Elements of Style Illustrated, by William Strunk Jr., E.B. White, and Maira Kalman
• The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd edition, by The College Board
• Real SAT II: Subject Tests: 2nd Edition, by The College Board

Articles Archive

How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20th Century

An in-depth discussion about how to prepare students for a continually and rapidly changing world.

The College Essay: Expert Advice

Admissions directors discuss the College Essay.

Colleges Expand Early Admissions

Ignoring Harvard and Princeton, many schools add ways for students to get a quick decision.

Resources

All About College Admissions

A website called CollegeToolkit serves up a number of useful tips, checklists and calendars.

Standardized Testing

For assistance and individual tutoring to prepare for the SATs and other tests locally in Santa Cruz County.

Financial Advice

How to plan for the cost of college, how to handle the FAFSA and similarly unfamiliar, once-in-a-lifetime applications.

Tuition Solutions Now

Steve Shapiro, a CPA, runs a program in Santa Cruz.

Bay Area College Planners

David Beck runs this program in Cupertino.

Recently Published Material

College admissions is a daunting process. Unfortunately, the high schools themselves have fewer than half the number of counselors recommended by professional associations. No wonder that independent college counseling has become so widespread.

• Related article in Palo Alto Weekly
• The Changing Landscape of Higher Education: The Future of College Admission, described in the National Association of College Admissions Counselors latest survey

In addition to one-on-one counseling, many online resources are available to families and students looking at college admissions.

Number2.com

Includes free testing and other services.

Going to College? First Go to the Web

A New York Times article describes useful sites and services.

Education Life at the New York Times

The supplement Education Life published by the New York Times is devoted to college admissions counseling. For people who don't understand the system, it might have been an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes look at college admissions.

The Personal Statement for University of California

University of California approves new topics ("prompts") for Personal Statements for 2008-2009 applications. Big difference: two topics instead of three, with a combined 1,000-word limit.