FAFSA Frenzy February!

January has come and gone....FAST! And February will too, with only 29 days! This means all you seniors better get a move on it, and get your FAFSA filed! March 1 is the priority deadline for most colleges, including the University of Wyoming.

Even if you haven't completed your 2011 taxes yet, you can still begin the process. First, start by applying for your pin number. This will allow you to sign and submit your FAFSA online. Signing with a pin number will drastically decrease the processing time! Next, you can begin to fill our your information, including your demographic information, school selection, and dependency status.

Get a step ahead and begin now! You never know what kind of financial aid is awaiting you!

Until next time fellow bloggers,

Faith

My Not-So-Dirty Little Secret

The ACT. One of the most intimidating tests a student will ever take. So far, all of the other advisors have brought up some awesome points about the ACT. The helpful tips that increase your success presented by Trent and the fact that you can increase your score by taking it again by Faith are awesome. Heck, even Aaron suggesting you channel your inner Thor was pretty neat. But I'm here to share my Ace in the Hole.

SparkNotes

Yep, that's pretty much it. Now, some of you might know SparkNotes better for helping you write a book report without actually reading the book, but that's only part of what it can do. The website has an awesome ACT prep section, with information ranging from general tips for the whole exam, what kind of things to specifically study for each section, and even practice tests. It's a great resource, and when it comes to the ACT, the more help you can get, the better. Check it out!

Git-R-Done
Tedward

The Best Test Forward

If I were to tell you that you had a 55% chance of winning the lottery tomorrow, would you go buy a ticket tonight? YES, you most likely would. I sure as heck would!!! Well, that same percentage of students will increase their ACT or SAT test score on a second attempt. However, students who put a little more effort into prepping before the big test often have higher odds than 55%!

I know that most high schools in Wyoming offer some sort of an ACT prep course, or like Aaron mentioned, there are several resources online to help you study. You can also check with your guidance counselors. They often times will have ACT study books you can use.

Just remember, test scores are a snapshot of who you were on a single day. Trent said it best, there are many factors that go into your well-being on the day of your test; sleep, nutrition, mental preparation, etc. So prepare yourself by getting plenty of sleep, eating breakfast, and going in with a confident attitude.

Good Luck and peace out!

Faith

Test & Test Again

                I can offer no excuse as to why you would want to ignore the importance of the ACT’s. The test has long term implications, and will be a measure of your academic potential for years to come; colleges, universities, and increasingly occupational recruiters will use this exam to determine your fit for their openings. With that focus being laid on thick however, I’d like to emphasize that there is no need to overstress the test.

                A low score won’t flatter you or anyone else that sees it, but that’s why the people behind the ACT (and SAT) offer a retake – because nobody can guarantee that the exam will take place without a hitch, and you could be testing without proper sleep, nutrition, mental preparation, or any one of a million dilemmas. Always do your best with the situation that you’re presented with, and take each test as if it was the only time you’ll take it… but when/if the outcome is undesirable, or just not up to your standards, know that there is still another shot at getting a better score.

T.D. Bjornestad

Dont worry its just the ACT!!

We all have heard about the ACT exam. We know that it can be a stressful test that requires the proper amount of time and dedication to prepare for. In my last post a wrote about conquering our obstacles that get in the way of accomplishing your goals through the use of "mjollnir", which is the tool used by the mighty Thor to get us through the loopholes of getting into college. In this instance "Mjollnir" is using the tools you have to prepare yourself to take the ACT. Some resources you can use are attending events such as an ACT prep course or meeting with your math and english teacher's to get help on example questions from the test. Don't be afraid to visit the ACT website at http://www.actstudent.org/. where you will find a link labeled Test Prep that can lead you to practice exams and simple questions related to the exam. Another place you can turn for prep materials is by visiting your guidance counselor's and above all else your COLLEGE ADVISOR!! Remember, its just a test, you will be fine, and you can always retake it if you need to.

"All the answers you seek will be yours, once you track down ACT preparation materials".

Aaron Taylor - Riverton High School College Advisor

Running out of time?

ACT… three letters that bring fear and stress to many juniors and seniors.  Warning students: THIS TEST IS NOT A JOKE.  Take it seriously, okay?

Now I could tell you to study in advance, don’t cram (thanks Heather!), or stay calm.  These are all good pieces of advice, but sometimes they just do not work.  One piece of advice I will give you is to ANSWER EVERY QUESTION! Your ACT score is based only on the number of questions that you answer correctly.  Finally!!!  You can take a test that doesn’t count incorrect answers against you. 

People will say to take your time on the ACT.  Sometimes, this piece of advice is not realistic though. The ACT is long, has a lot of questions, and a lot of reading. A majority of students run out of time.  Start filling in those bubbles if you realize you have run out of time.  It’s not a good idea to leave 15 answers blank.  Like I said, wrong answers do not count against your score.  You never know, you may be a lucky guesser.

"I'll be back!"

Lauren  

YOU CAN"T CRAM FOR THE ACT!!!!!!!!!!

In education, cramming is the practice of working intensively to absorb large volumes of informational material in short amounts of time. It is often done by students in preparation for upcoming exams.

Cramming is a pretty common form of studying. Allowing students to do nothing approximately 95% of the time is usually why it is chosen over a variety of other methods. Most tests are on a certain part of a subject, like the first five chapters of your world history book. Cramming is definitely not the best method to study for your world history test but it will work in a pinch. The ACT is different than your average run of the mill subject test. Essentially it’s a compilation of every test you have ever taken in your academic career. You can’t stay up the night before the ACT and relearn everything you have ever learned. But you can start this week reviewing information commonly seen on the ACT. Pace yourself, spend some time doing ACT prep each week. Sheridan High School Juniors take the ACT on April 25^th……So that’s 13 weeks to prepare.J

The ACT is a no-cramming zone!

Miss G………as in Gifford not as in the symbol for gravitational acceleration