testimonials:

I really appreciate everything you have done for me! I am a terrible test taker and for you to help me increase 5 points is amazing! Thanks again for everything!

Sydney, h.s. senior

My experience with College Smiths was valuable to my college and scholarship application process. With their guidance I was able to write a successful college essay and format a unique resume that successfully showcased my personality, talents, and interests. I'm very grateful for their support and instruction that has helped me to achieve my admission/scholarship goals!

-- Sarah, Upper Arlington H.S. Senior

Rich has been instrumental in the college preparation process for our daughter. He has provided us with the attentive guidance necessary to secure her a position at a division one school playing field hockey. Rich had a steady plan which involved preparing our daughter for testing, exposing her to many schools that fit her criteria and then applying to the schools in an effective format. As a result she was accepted to every school that she had applied, and then was able to commit to her first choice school!
-- Mother of Alice, another UAHS senior

Kristy and Rich Smith have been so helpful to my high school senior. She was struggling with the reading portion of the ACT and with a few one-on-one classes, her reading score improved and her composite ACT score went up a total of 3 points. Because of this intervention, Kim was selected to be part of the scholarship competition at Wittenberg University for a full tuition scholarship. Rich and Kristy both coached her so she arrived at the competition ready and confident.
-- Mary, teacher and mother of Kim, Thomas Worthington senior

I just checked my ACT scores, and I'm pleased to let you know that I raised my score by two points and got a 33! Thank you for your tutoring. It was very helpful in focusing me on what I needed to do.
Jack, h.s. senior

We valued the time we spent with Rich. He was supportive and encouraging. He also provided helpful insights into essay writing and the admissions process. We felt he was available when we had questions.
-- Elizabeth, mother of Doug, recipient of full scholarship

Our evaluations for recent Realistic ACT Prep Workshops averaged 1.1 on a four-point scale with 1 being the highest. When asked if there was something we could do to improve it, most students said "NO." Some of the comments (when asked what they liked most) are included below:
-- "Everything"
-- "perfect length,
-- "great strategies" (many students)
-- "I loved all the info I got. It made me a lot more organized"
-- "the materials"
-- "I will definitely sign up for the SAT Workshop next month"
-- "the pacing activities and breaking down each question to understand it better"
-- "the ways to attack the reading and science"
-- "relaxing, very nice instructors"
-- "the English and math concepts they make sure you know"
-- "I had no clue before this workshop, now I'm very confident"
-- "very thorough, and a very good use of my time"

OUR ADVICE

CollegeSmiths' Basic but Timely Advice for YOUR College Process

The Competitive* College Checklist for Juniors (Class of 21) - effective September 2020

*Any college to which you are not an obvious admit

IDENTIFY YOUR COLLEGES as a JUNIOR: It’s as easy to do this early as it is later and a lot less stressful. It takes research (get online early and often) and effort on your part. AT LEAST decide the kind of colleges you want and, hopefully, the specific colleges. It’s especially important to know how selective your schools are, so you know what you will have to do to be competitive. Avoid the myths from well meaning but misguided “advice givers,” and have someone knowledgeable (like your counselors) help you assess your chances. Make sure you understand the odds, and can handle rejection.
KNOW the REAL ODDS & HAVE a PLAN B: Make sure there is at least one college where you are sure of being accepted and happy if nothing else works out. Consider the advantages of being the “big fish in the smaller pond” as well as “the small fish in the deep, challenging pond." Understand that the odds are stacked heavily against you (even much more so than the published #'s) at the most selective schools, but still pursue them if you want them. However, have a list of schools of varying selectivity. Check out the college matching program on collegeboard.org or Naviance.
ANALYZE YOURSELF LIKE A COLLEGE WILL: Get a handle on the kind of courses, grades, test scores and extracurricular accomplishments you will need. If they are greater than the record you have so far, get busy building a stronger one OR be prepared to settle for other colleges and programs. Know which “pool” you will be in and where you stand; colleges select top people from different pools, not necessarily the top ones overall. Again, know the odds and be prepared for rejection.
NO SENIORITIS (or JUNIORITIS): Most colleges want to see good grades IN strong courses (not either/or.) Colleges know what those courses are in your (any) school. Take the hard ones in which you can earn at least a B if you work hard. Then, work hard enough to get the better grade! Obviously, factor in the rest of the things going on in your life. Don’t completely overload yourself, but don’t “whimp out” either. Your junior grades are the most important. Your senior schedule and your first semester grades are also important, but you can’t really slack off then, either, because colleges can rescind acceptances.
KNOW WHAT KIND of TEST TAKER YOU ARE: Some students do better on class work than on tests. Which is the truer indicator of your academic ability? Some colleges have many qualified candidates and still look seriously at test scores; if yours are lower than expected, you will need to either choose schools that put less emphasis on scores or improve the scores. Like any skill, test taking can be improved with knowledge and practice. Some students can “do-it-yourself” with free or inexpensive test prep materials and a lot of effort. Others need knowledgeable preparation direction and a lot of practice. There are many prep options available at a wide range of costs (both time and money.) Choose one that matches what you need and what you are realistically willing to do.
Check the testing requirements for each college of interest for your year of entry, Many changed to "test-optional" during COVID . Some remain the same and some have reverted back to previous requirements or to new policies.
IF NEEDED. PLAN YOUR TEST PROGRAM AROUND YOUR LIFE: Hopefully, you have taken the PSAT in October. To do your best, get started on both the ACT and SAT by mid-junior year. Get busy NOW and plan a schedule around your life (busy times of year for you, vacations, etc.) Get very familiar with act.org and collegeboard.org and take BOTH tests at least once. Re-take at least one of them a couple more times by fall. Mid-junior year, late junior year and early senior year are good times for many students. Know the best test sites, the test dates and the registration deadlines. Also consider the ACT’s TIR and the SAT’s QAS, which give you copies of your test and answers (at extra cost and only available on certain test dates: ACT - Dec, Apr, June; SAT - Oct, Jan, May) to aid your preparation for future tests. SAT's SAS is not worth doing but the QAS is.
SAT SUBJECT TESTS: are being eliminated by College Board.
“TEST OPTIONAL” can mean different things at different colleges: e.g. they’re only required for scholarships or that you can submit different types of tests instead of ACT/SAT (e.g. AP/IB/Subject Tests). During the COVID Pandemic, many/most colleges are test optional but you may still want to take and submit yours (IF they are better than the rest of your package). We all need to watch what happens after COVID but also to be ready to take tests again.
After COVID: ATTEND COLLEGE FAIRS, COLLEGE REP. VISITS to your HS and SPECIAL PROGRAMS: One factor in how much a college wants you is how much the college thinks you want them. All of your contacts with them are an indication of this. Be sure they know your name each time. Don’t hesitate to call or email with GOOD questions, but don’t overdo this.
After COVID: VISIT COLLEGES: If at all possible, visit your schools of interest to show your interest and to test your interest. You can accomplish a lot IF you plan ahead to make the visits productive.
DEVELOP AN “UN-COMMON” APPLICATION PACKAGE: The junior/senior summer is “prime time” for doing this. Be sure your resume, essay and recommendations present you in the best way possible for demonstrating that YOU are a good “FIT” for that specific college or that scholarship.
UNDERSTAND THE COMMON APPLICATION: Know its strengths and especially its weaknesses and how to make it work FOR you. Use every opportunity to present "YOU" in the way that describes you best. Pay special attention to the Common Essay, Activities List and colleges' Supplemental Essays. Answer the questions thoroughly. Some schools use the Common App exclusively, but some provide an option of their own application or the common app.
APPLY EARLY in the SENIOR YEAR: Improve your chances, get your answers earlier, reduce stress and focus on scholarships. Especially consider Early Action where it is an option. Early Decision is fine ONLY IF you are ready to commit. Just plain old applying early to “rolling admissions” schools is also a great idea. Know the rules for each kind of application. Line up the recommendations from teachers, counselors, etc. you need early and strategically.

Find out more

De-mystifying the ACT / SAT – Which, When, Why & How . What

Our Basic Advice: IF you need tests at your college, plan to do your very best on them. Take both tests in first semester of your junior year. Compare scores and take at least one, at least one more time, usually before Dec. of the senior year. We prefer students take one or both 3 times, but usually not more than 4.

Find the best test center for you using the specific city name.

“Know the rules and pack your tools.” Read the test companies' FREE booklets on preparing. They are also on their websites. Prep will help significantly with the SAT.

FACT: A few colleges have made tests optional for admissions, but nearly all use them for scholarship consideration. Most consider them a part (but not the most significant part) of your application package. Challenging courses taken and grades in them (NOT GPA alone) are always more important. However, test scores are still important at many/most colleges, especially more selective ones.

FACT: Virtually every college will accept either test (and either version of SAT) equally and your best score for either test on any one date. It is a myth that East/West Coast colleges use only SAT and Midwestern colleges use ACT.

“Superscoring” is the practice of recalculating your score using the best section scores from various test dates. Colleges are not required to “superscore” but many do, with more doing so for the SAT (but not between OLD/NEW SAT's).

Does test prep help? Test-taking is a skill. We learn most skills best with some coaching and a lot of practice or at least some study and a lot of practice. There are many different test prep options from free, do-it-yourself books or online activities to very extensive (and expensive) classes with multiple sessions. We suggest you choose the option which best matches the amount of time, effort and money you are willing to devote. More expensive does NOT mean better.

Extra Services Can Help Your Test Prep: ACT’s TIR (Test Information Service) and SAT’s QAS (Question and Answer Service) provide copies of the test you took, your answers and the correct answers, which are very helpful in preparing for later tests. Each costs about $19 additional (paid with registration or separately for a few months after the test) and are only available for certain test dates (ACT’s in Dec., April and June, SAT’s in Oct., Jan., and May.) The materials are sent out a few weeks after your score reports.

Important Additional Information: 1. Students eligible for free/reduced lunch are also eligible for ACT/SAT fee waivers (AND college application fee waivers). 2. Students eligible for special services in school may be allowed such services on the tests (e.g. extra time.) See your counselor for either situation.

Our OPINION of the Differences and our TIPS: ·

ACT Science (really a data analysis test) is the biggest content difference, as it exists only on ACT. Have a strategy for attacking the questions.

The SAT Reading section still has word-in-context questions with unusual ("SAT") words.

Be sure you know how to handle the "Best Evidence" questions on Reading.·

SAT answers, especially in Reading and later questions in other sections, are somewhat more obscure (tricky.)

Have a strategy. Reading and “Grid-in” sections are not in order of difficulty.

Avoid "attractive nuisance" answers.·

SAT timing, with more minutes per question, is less intense. Also, sections are divided into shorter, timed sessions.

ACT Reading and Science especially require practice on time management strategies. We teach a VERY different approach to these sections called "find the clues, find the answers," which has been VERY successful for our students.·

Math content is pretty similar on the tests, with only minor differences for each test. Know the concepts. The SAT Math format is different from the OLD SAT and the ACT. One section is NON-Calculator and is heavy on equations. The other is somewhat similar to ACT but does have a few more advanced math questions.·

SAT Student Produced Response Math (“Grid-in”) section causes some test-takers to panic (unnecessarily because the content is NOT more difficult.) You just need to adjust to not having multiple choices and to recording the answers differently (and correctly.)

There is no longer a penalty for guessing on the SAT, so answer every question!·

ACT English and the Writing & Language part of the SAT Reading section are nearly identical. Know the grammar concepts.·

Writing samples are no longer similar except both are now optional for many colleges.

SAT allows 50 min. and ACT 40. The SAT Essay is a VERY different approach (NOT an persuasive essay like ACT and the OLD SAT). It requires you to analyze the writing in very specific ways and will expect certain points to be made

Be sure to read about ACT writing, so you will respond to the directions that tell you to compare your opinion with the 3 perspectives they give you. Know the tips for improving your writing sample (legibility, staying on topic, writing enough) for either test.

614-519-0678 or richsmith0678@att.net

ACT Facts:

(www.act.org)

Composite the average of 4 sections, rounded up e.g. 21.5 - 22.25 = 22

English (Grammar, usage, punctuation)5 passages of 15 Q ea. = 75 Q / 45 min.

Study the concepts.

Math 60 Q / 60 minutes all multiple choice

Most formulas are not given, unlike the SAT, so know the ones the SAT gives.

Study the concepts.

Reading 4 same-length (long) passages with 10 Q’s each = 40 Q / 35 min.

The most time-intensive section for most students.

Develop/practice YOUR strategy for finding the clues to finding the answers.

Science It is really a “data analysis” test.6-7 passages of 5-7 Q = 40 Q / 35 minutes

Develop/practice YOUR strategy.

Writing 2-12 scale.

Optional but expected by some colleges even though many use it only minimally (a score of 7 or 8 or above on a 12 point scale is fine at most schools.

No Q’s, only a 40 minute writing sample.
Guessing Advice Answer every Q.

Interpreting Your Scores: Your score is just a number until you understand the percentile (the percentage of college-bound students you scored better than.)

Here are the approximate scores which correspond to the 50th , 75th and 95th percentiles.

Percentile ACT Composite * 50th = 20 75th = 24 95th = 30 \

*Note: ACT section scores may be slightly higher or lower than these numbers.