And… the 2007 AP schedule

Posted by Dee

Here’s the 2007 AP testing schedule. As usual, AP examination spans two weeks.

Monday, May 7:

8 a.m. — Government and Politics: United States
12 p.m. — Government and Politics: Comparative, French Language

Tuesday, May 8:

8 a.m. — Computer Science A, Computer Science AB, Spanish Language
12 p.m. — Statistics

Wednesday, May 9:

8 a.m. — Calculus AB, Calculus BC
12 p.m. — Chinese Language and Culture

Thursday, May 10:

8 a.m. — English Literature, German Language
12 p.m. — Japanese Language and Culture, French Literature

Soon to be AP registration: season 2007

Posted by Dee

Well, AP registration is around the corner (early March for most of you), and there’s always many, many discussions, controversies, stress, etc. related to these annual AP exams.

And this year, the lovely and revered CollegeBoard has sprung upon all AP test-takers some new talking points!

1. Testing via computer?!?!

Oh yes, this year, the CollegeBoard has introduced two AP tests that you take on a computer — that is, what they’ve dubbed Internet-based tests (iBT). The AP Chinese Language and Culture exam and the AP Japanese Language and Culture are offered for the first time this year, and through the iBT method, where each

When to know if you’re accepted: season 2007

Posted by Dee

It’s almost March, which means that results from regular admissions will start trickling in soon enough.

Since there seems to be no comprehensive list anywhere on the Internet that compiles the dates when each of the top schools report their decisions for regular admissions, we at AdmitSpit created one. The name of each school, along with the date you should expect a response and any special notes are provided. This data was taken from each college’s admissions Web site. This post will likely be updated with more detailed dates and times as deadlines approach and colleges release more precise information about when notifications will be sent out.

Brown: Decisions will be mailed “end of March” 2007, and definitely they will be mailed no later than in the first week of April.

CIT: Decisions mailed “late March/early April.”

Columbia University: Regular Decision application decisions are mailed out in the first week of April, along with invitations for on-campus and regional programs for accepted students.

Cornell: Regular Decision application decisions for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hotel Administration, and Industrial and Labor Relations are rolling starting in the

What’s lost when Stanford uses the Common App

Posted by Aaron

Ever since I had heard the news that Stanford will be accepting the Common App next year, I have had mixed feelings about it. 

It is easier to fill out only one Form 1 (since they all ask exactly the same thing), but with the Common App, there are enough supplemental forms that you, almost, might as well apply to each school individually. But for those who apply to 18+ schools (and if you can, more power to you), I can see how it is helpful. But I feel there is something to be said about individual applications.

What bums me out most about Stanford’s transfer to the Common App is the possibility of them losing their more unique essay and short answer topics because there already are generic short answers and essays on the

Either, or… not both?

Posted by Dee

Robin left us a comment on AdmitSpit’s About page:

“I just heard through the grapevine that students who apply to both UCLA and UC Berkeley are only admitted to one or the other but not both. I really want to go to UCLA but also applied to Berkeley even though it is not one of my top schools. Does anyone know if this is true and if I can withdraw my Berkeley app?”

Basically, I can say quite firmly that this myth is entirely untrue! I too heard this idea “through the grapevine” when I was applying last year, but alas, I was accepted to both schools, and plenty of other students I know were accepted to both too.

Keep in mind that Berkeley is slightly more competitive than UCLA, so even if you didn’t get into one of them, chances are it’d be Berkeley you would not be getting

Response to Horace: if only SAT improvement could ever be proven

Posted by Aaron & Dee

Horace commented on AdmitSpit’s About page recently.

“My son who is twelve and in the 7th grade would like to attend a Ivy league school. He recently took the SAT and scored 1720, i.e. CR = 660; Math = 540; Writing = 520. Do you have any proven tools to help raise his score to acceptable Ivy league level within the next four years?”

Advice from Aaron, AdmitSpit’s newest contributor!…

First, I am assuming that your son took the SAT for a program such as the Johns Hopkin’s Center for Talented Youth (CTY).  You should know that your son is scoring above the national senior average for the SAT already, and he is only in 7th grade.

I took the SAT to qualify for this program and scored lower than your son, but still high enough to qualify. The best way to raise your son’s SAT scores is to not

Not going to your ED school?

Posted by Dee

What happens if you don’t go to the Early Decision school you were accepted to?

Eh, chances are nothing.

Barbara sent us a comment last week on the post titled, “Response to Theodore: why Princeton over Yale?“ inquiring on this topic, and the answer is that seldom, if not never, has a college actually pursued legal means of dealing with students who disregard the promise they made that, if accepted, they will attend the school they were admitted to early decision. Basically, most of the ED agreements list that only for financial reasons are you allowed to decline your ED acceptance; if you really can’t raise the funds to attend their school. So, there is definitely a financial out of your ED acceptance.

There are obviously plenty of myths floating about as to what happens if you break your Early Decision promise. For example, is it true the ED school you turned down will tell every other school you were accepted to causing the other schools to

On recent comments…

Posted by Dee

I was quite heartened by the comments made recently by some readers.

First, Barbara wrote last week:

“Hi! Wow, I just found this today– thank you for not pulling the same shit counselors pull about “doing what YOU want” or “choosing classes you LIKE” or “sleeping” (what is that, anyway? Just kidding.).

Not that there isn’t some truth to that advice, but I’m glad to find something that offers advice that will actually be listened to by someone trying to be competitive for a spot at University of Pennsylvania.

Just wondering: what exactly are the consequences of not going to the Early Decision school that accepted you? I’m not so vain as to think it’s going to happen for me next year, but everything I’ve checked basically just refers to the consequence as “serious”. Do you know what it even entails?”

While I’ll respond to her latter concerns in a separate post, the start of her comment