University Prep Resources
Learn how to learn: How students can achieve their best success in the classroom
Developing good habits in the classroom now will make a huge difference when students get to university. This is the time for students to improve their study habits and classroom skills. Encourage your students to follow these tips, which will help them get more out of the classroom experience! Join in on class discussions. Don’t sit quietly in the back of the room—become engaged in the classroom. Always ask questions if you don’t understand something. Remember: if you didn’t understand it, there is a good chance others didn’t understand it either. Keep up with class assignments. Keep a checklist of when they’re due—or finish them before the due date. Check for phone apps or purchase a planner book to remind you about deadlines, assignments, and tests. Always ...
The ACT reading test: 2 key tips for test day
The ACT reading test is one of four multiple-choice tests (along with the optional writing test) students will take on ACT test day. The reading test measures their ability to read closely, reason logically about text using evidence, and integrate information from multiple sources. The reading test contains 40 questions, to be answered over 35 minutes. There are four sections to the test, three of which contain one long prose passage and one that contains two shorter prose passages. The passages represent the levels and kinds of text commonly encountered in first-year college curricula. Here are two tips students should keep in mind while taking the ACT reading test: 1. Read each passage carefully. Before students begin answering a question, they should read the entire passage (or two shor...
6 steps to take after receiving your university acceptance notification
Getting a university acceptance letter means students have cleared a huge hurdle on the path to their dreams. Here are six steps your students can take before informing universities of their decision to attend. 1. Wait for all notifications to arrive. If students applied to more than one university, they should wait until hearing back from the others before accepting an offer. Consider the benefits and challenges of each institution before commiting to a school. 2. Do the research. If students applied to a university, they have likely researched the institution beforehand and maybe even visited the campus. When a university goes from possibility to reality, students will likely view that university differently. Before making a final decision, students should consider visiting (or revisitin...
6 tips for writing a great university admissions essay
Many universities require an essay from students when they apply to university. One recent report showed that US universities rated the application essay as highly important in making admissions decisions for international students. If writing is not a strength for your students, or students are applying at a US university and English is their second language, this might be a cause for worry. It shouldn’t be! Application essays present a great opportunity for students to communicate their unique strengths to university admissions officials. Some universities will give students specific prompts to answer. Others will ask students to tell their story and how it led them to university. No matter what the university asks students to write, remember that admissions officials are not simpl...
