College Compass

Georgetown University – Where the Trekkies Flock

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Jessie

Who knew Star Trek would make it into the college classroom? While some might find philosophy a bit too dull, Georgetown University has taken a new spend on the classic subject. The class “Philosophy and Star Trek” considers questions of merit: Is it possible to travel back in time? How are the body and brain connected? What is free will, and do humans have it? Georgetown is more than a haven for the Star Trek obsessed; it’s medium-sized, private university that’s tough to get into. Georgetown is considered a very selective school, as only 18% of applicants are admitted. With … Continue reading →

Posted in College Profiles | Tagged college profile, georgetown, georgetown university, philosophy, selectivity, star trek | Leave a comment

College Check List for International Students

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Dave G

College acceptance time is here. Being a student from another country may seem complicated as you enter into a new school system. Being from another country requires you to have and obtain certain documents so that you can legally study here. Follow our check list so that you know exactly what you need to make your transition as smooth and simple as possible. Passport This may just be your most important form of identification for traveling to other countries! Before you can even be issued a student visa, you must have a up-to-date passport from your home country. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Seniors, Miscellaneous | Tagged Being a student from another country, College Check List for International Students, f-1 student visa, how to keep your student visa valid, i-94 card, international student passport, student visa, university i-20 form | Leave a comment

SAT Vocabulary Word of the Week: Hamper

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Dave G

Each week, College Compass offers a vocabulary word that will help prepare you for the SAT and PSAT. We aim to give you not only the best words to study, but also the most accurate information so that you remember these words. Knowing these words will help lead you to the correct answers on the verbal section, thus adding to your score…which is really the whole point of learning all this vocabulary in the first place, right? THIS WEEK’S WORD HAMPER [ham-per] verb To hold back; hinder. To interfere with. EXAMPLE: HAMPER the HAMSTER is always making a mess and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Freshmen, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Seniors, Advice for Sophomores | Tagged hamper psat, hamper sat, hamper the hamster, PSAT vocabulary words, SAT vocabulary words, testmasters vocabulary list, Testmasters vocabulary words | Leave a comment

Summer Programs for High School Students

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Jessie

There are thousands of summer programs designed to provide challenging and diverse experiences for high schools students. Whether through a university or through a well-known organization, summer programs can be great resume boosters and valuable experiences that expose students to different interests and independent, college life. Why Choose A Summer Program? It Allows You To Explore Potential Majors Summer programs cover a wide variety of topics with narrow and broad scopes. Take an architecture program like University of Texas Summer Architecture Academy that allows you to explore the specific culture of architecture studios or Penn Engineering’s Summer Academy in Applied … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Freshmen, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Seniors, Advice for Sophomores | Tagged advice, choosing a summer program, summer, summer plans, summer programs | Leave a comment

College Trivia: Round 7 (It’s Play Time!)

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Jessie

Question: At what university does studying stop for a magical day filled with carnival games and rides? Answer: Clark University. If that doesn’t sell you on Clark I don’t know what will! Each year the university sanctions a day (“Spree Day”) in which classes are spontaneously canceled. Rather than studying, students are encouraged to enjoy the entertainment on the campus Green which is converted into a carnival with amusement rides! If you are interested in Clark University, here are some of the other things that may make it appealing (besides, of course, a school tradition based on pure fun!). Clark … Continue reading →

Posted in College Profiles, College Trivia | Tagged clark, clark university, college trivia, liberal arts, northeast, private schools, school traditions | Leave a comment

5 Tricks for Acing Your Final Exams

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Dave G

We are getting close to the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Yes, that’s right, final exam season. Ease the stress with our five study tricks so you can ace those dreadful final exams. 1. Come Fully Prepared for Your Exam Get a good night’s sleep the night before, eat a hearty breakfast that morning, and pack yourself a nice lunch with extra snacks for during the exam. And don’t show up without your test-taking materials! Be sure to have plenty of sharp pencils, erasers, a watch that doesn’t beep, and a calculator with working batteries! Having everything that you … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Freshmen, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Seniors, Advice for Sophomores | Tagged 5 Study Tricks to Ace Your Final Exams, boost your confidence, come fully prepared for your exam, ease your anxiety, final exam panic mode, Five Study Tricks to Ace Your Final Exams, Make a Study Schedule, Pace Yourself Wisely During Test Taking, Read the Exam Directions Carefully, Study Your Worst Subject First & Your Best Subject Last | Leave a comment

Ask Test Masters: First Generation College Students

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Jessie

You ask and we answer! Do you have question about college admissions, applications, entrance exams, or anything pertaining to college preparation? Drop us a line at Ask Test Masters, and we will answer your question in an upcoming post! Question: “I am a junior at a high school in Texas. I am the first generation in my family to attend High School in America, and honestly it’s been quite the journey. However to fully understand where i’m coming from let me go back a bit. I have mainly lived and attended school in New Delhi, Toronto, London, New York and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Sophomores, Ask Test Masters | Tagged college application problems, college application process, college information gap, FGCS, first generation college students, road bloack to college | Leave a comment

College Trivia: Round 6

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Jessie

Question: Which 8 colleges make up the “Ivy League?” Answer: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale. The term Ivy League refers to 8, east-coast universities highly regarded for their academic rigor, impressive standards, and history. These schools are some of the oldest universities in the nation, and they got their Ivy title from a New York Herald Tribune sports writer, as they all competed in the same athletic conference. The term stuck, and today high school students everywhere aspire to enter the gates of these esteemed institutions – but for their academics and not their athletics.

Posted in College Profiles, College Trivia | Tagged brown, college, cornell columbia, dartmouth, harvard, Ivy League, Penn, princeton, trivia, yale | Leave a comment

SAT Vocabulary Word of the Week: Cacophony

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Dave G

Each week, College Compass offers a vocabulary word that will help prepare you for the SAT and PSAT. We aim to give you not only the best words to study, but also the most accurate information so that you remember these words. Knowing these words will help lead you to the correct answers on the verbal section, thus adding to your score…which is really the whole point of learning all this vocabulary in the first place, right? THIS WEEK’S WORD CACOPHONY [kuh-kof-uh-nee] noun Harsh discordance of sound; unharmonious; dissonance EXAMPLE: The baby on the airplane let out a CRYING … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Freshmen, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Seniors, Vocabulary | Tagged advice, Advice for Freshmen, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Seniors, Advice for Sophomores, psat cacophony, PSAT vocabulary list, sat cacophony, sat vocaublary list, testmasters vocabulary list | Leave a comment

Basic Steps of the College Admissions Process

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Jessie

Proper planning for college admission is several years in the making. For those of you who are just getting started (or don’t know what to do next), I’ve outline the basic steps of the college admissions process. This is just a brief list to help you make progress in the right direction. Step 1: Know Yourself: Including your goals, strengths/weaknesses, wants, desires from schools and programs, expectations. Step 2: Determine a College Major: If you can decide on a college major before looking at schools, this will help you weed out schools that don’t offer the programs you’re looking for. … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Advice for Juniors, Advice for Seniors | Tagged admissions decisions, application process, college applications, college process, Scholarships, steps to college | 1 Comment