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3 Reasons to Register for the Earliest SAT, ACT Exams

By U.S. News & World Report

Your junior year of high school can easily become the Year of College Preparation. From standardized test review to building a strong resume of extracurriculars and challenging classes to preliminary research into colleges and majors, you will have many demands on your time.

One way to buy yourself a bit of breathing room is to register for the earliest SAT or ACT test date. For the SAT, the first available exam session is August 26, with a regular registration deadline of July 28. The first ACT test date is September 9, with August 4 as the regular registration deadline.

[Discover how to choose between taking the ACT and SAT.]

Remember that you can take each test more than once, so registering for an early session does not preclude you from retaking the exam later. Here are three reasons to register for the first SAT or ACT of the school year.

1. The first test can serve as a baseline: Most SAT and ACT study plans strongly suggest completing a practice test early in the preparation process. While there is always a chance that the results will be discouraging, these can help you build a targeted review strategy.

However, practice exams only go so far in replicating the stress of your SAT or ACT test date. Gaining access to an exam center early in the process will help you paint a very realistic picture of your readiness.

If you are already scoring above your target result, then you have removed one challenge from your junior year. This will leave you with more time to focus on other tasks.

[Find out how to avoid common SAT and ACT preparation mistakes.]

If you do not score as well as you had hoped, you will gain insight into where to focus your efforts. As you take later practice tests, you will be able to measure yourself against your first exam score. Your study plan should produce measurable results — if you are not improving, you will also have time to change your plan or seek extra help.

2. The first test can free you from undue stress: Summer is rarely a full rest period for the modern high school student. Whether you are tackling an Advanced Placement reading list, a summer internship or part-time summer employment, you are unlikely to be sitting at home passing time.

Even so, the lack of formal school work often means that summer provides an opportunity for focused, in-depth study. Many prep plans suggest devoting an hour a day to SAT or ACT review, spread out over the course of several months. “Slow and steady” can be a great study tactic, but it can also be a constant drain on your resources.

The unfortunate truth is that your junior year of high school will be one of multiple competing responsibilities. Getting your SAT or ACT exam out of the way early can help you remove a significant source of stress, especially if you must also manage challenging coursework and demanding extracurriculars.

[Follow a summer study plan to maximize SAT prep.]

3. The first test can influence your coursework: Even if you take the earliest SAT or ACT possible and do poorly, you will have a head start on preparing for a later exam date. As a bonus, many of the skills you need for these standardized tests are transferable to high school coursework, so you will also be getting a head start on your classes.

Taking the SAT or ACT early can likewise help you refine your choice of courses for the remainder of high school. If, for example, you fared poorly on the reading portion of either exam, you will have time to take a literature-focused elective or find online classes, if no electives are applicable to your goals. Do not choose classes just to maximize your exam scores, but do use the SAT and ACT to help identify courses that will further your education.

Reading and writing are critical skills for success in college — and life beyond school. The math on these exams maps less explicitly to real-world skills, but it is very good for developing the mathematical reasoning essential for success in science, technology, engineering and math fields.

There are several potential advantages to taking the SAT or ACT at your earliest opportunity. When deciding on a test date, remember to weigh the benefits of a head start against the cost of study time.

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3 Reasons to Register for the Earliest SAT, ACT Exams originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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