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January Seminar: Setting Yourself Up for Success
November 25, 2014
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Many seniors have spent the last few months in a state of panic, crossing their fingers and hoping that all they had done in high school will be “good enough” for their top choice school. And while all seniors will have their share of nerves as they await acceptance letters, some will be more confident than others that their dream school is well within reach. And these students all have one thing in common—they didn’t wait until it was too late. These students knew that it would take more than academic success and respectable standardized test scores in order to make it to a top university, and so they started preparing long before senior year.
If you’re anywhere between 7th and 11th grade, now is the time to start preparing for college admissions success. We are hosting a seminar in January that will help you do just that! This comprehensive session will cover a broad range of topics including the following: choosing appropriate and interesting classes, building a standout resume that makes sense to an admissions committee, finding leadership opportunities in unexpected places, and making summer count (summer: its not just for vacation anymore). You will also benefit from a detailed snapshot of each school year, outlining when and how to begin preparing for strong standardized test scores, when to start looking for teacher recommenders, when to make college visits that count, and more. Space is limited so please RSVP via an email to may@allinoneacademics.com to reserve a spot!
All-in-One Academics
Setting Yourself Up for Success
1973 West Gray Suite 17
Houston, TX
Saturday, January 24th
10:00am
We hope to see you there!
To CLEP or not to CLEP?
September 30, 2014
Recently there has been some buzz in Houston among high school students and their parents about CLEP tests. CLEP stands for College Level Examination Program and is run by The College Board. These tests are offered in 33 subjects and are designed to allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and test out of some lower level college courses. The main benefit to testing out of lower level courses is cost – taking a test is cheaper than a college course (only $80!) – and that it frees up time to take other classes that will count toward graduation so there is potential to graduate earlier than if you had earned all of your credits through course hours. This is a great way to get ahead – but it only works well in certain scenarios. Is it right for you? Read on to find out!
Are you attending a community college with the hope of transferring to a larger 4-year university? If so, you’ll need to mind your GPA. Schools like The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University will want to see a very high GPA from transfer applicants. Taking a CLEP test will not go toward your GPA – you’ll just have your score printed on your transcript. This means that with fewer classes being calculated into your GPA, each one will carry more weight. And since CLEP tests are lower level courses, you might be giving up an “Easy A” that could have helped your GPA in favor of some easy credit.
Another thing to consider is what is your intended major? While there are 33 CLEP tests available (see the list here), only 9 of them are transferable to UT and A&M will accept 16. (See UT’s list here and A&M’s here, or search for another school here) Before you delve into a test, make sure that the course you will be testing out of is one that you would have to take, and one that your desired university will accept.
If you are a community college student planning on transferring, the CLEP tests can be a great way to get ahead of the game… as long as you’ve done your homework and know that you wouldn’t be better off just taking the class for a high grade, your desired school would have you taking the class anyway, and that your desired school will accept the score for credit. Click here to be taken to the College Board’s CLEP website.
Is Extended Time Right for You?
September 29, 2014
Are you curious about what extended time for standardized tests means? Are you wondering if it is right for you? Join us on Saturday, October 18th for a free information session. We’ll go over the basics of extended time, when to apply, what to include in your packet, how to spearhead the process, and some of the myths. Extended time often requires a substantial amount of planning so this session is recommended for parents with children of any age. It will be limited to 8 parents and while students are welcome, they are likely to be bored by the discussion!
Extended Time Information Session
Saturday, October 18th
1:00pm
All-in-One Academics
1973 W. Gray #117
Houston, TX
Please RSVP via email to may@allinoneacademics.com. Plan on spending about 90 minutes there. We look forward to seeing you!
College Application Resumes: Clearing Up the Confusion
August 04, 2014
It’s August and the applications are out! We hope everyone is making the most of the time before school starts to get ahead and get there materials in and applications submitted as early on as you can. One element of the application that can be a little confusing is the resume. THE RESUME IS SO IMPORTANT! So, here’s a post that goes over some resume-related information to keep you on track.
The biggest thing is: students have to fill out the entire ApplyTexas and/or Common App forms – INCLUDING the activities sections.
For ApplyTexas:
– Students have to check the box that says they will send in an expanded resume.
– They still have to fill in what they can in the form. DON’T LEAVE IT BLANK!
For schools like UT and Texas A&M, students will get emails from the schools confirming the receipt of their applications. Those emails will contain student ID numbers. Students should add those student ID numbers to their resumes, right under their birth date.
Students will then have to upload their resumes directly to the A&M and UT sites.
For other schools on ApplyTexas, students can either email their resumes to the undergraduate admissions office or mail a hard copy.
For Common App schools:
Some schools actually have the option on their supplements of letting students upload their resumes directly to the Common App. Most schools, including TCU, SMU, OU, do not. Instead, students need to email their resumes to the admissions offices. The email addresses for all of the schools can be found on the Common App under the university’s Contact Info.
Usually, students send something along the lines of the following email:
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Jessica Givens, and I am an applicant for Fall 2015 to TCU. I would like to share with you additional information about my activities and accomplishments in high school, so I have attached my resume for your review. I hope you will add the document to my file.
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Name
So, that’s what you need to know! Your resume goes a long way toward telling the schools what you’re about, what your interests are, and how you align with the major you’re applying for. Make sure it receives the attention it deserves!
Checking in on Summer 2014 Crash Courses
July 28, 2014
Can you believe it is already almost the end of July?! This summer is flying by. We’re in the midst of our third week of College Application Crash Courses and have worked with some amazing students thus far. We are so proud of all of the hard work they are putting in and they are putting together some incredible essays. As students finish their course and share some of their experience and work with their parents, we check in with them to see what they thought of the course. Here are excerpts from two recent emails, both from parents with students who have been in our Crash Courses this summer.
I would like to commend you on your program. It is absolutely amazing that an 18 year old teenage male can attend a 5 day class from 9 to 4 and only come home with positive comments about the course. WOW! He is so relieved to have his college essays behind him. The process of writing and critiquing his essays was an empowering process which he will be able to utilize for a lifetime. He enjoyed the class and feels he has control of the application process. As a mother of two going to college at the same time, your course allows me to be a mom and not nag them about getting essays written and applications completed. I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with my own private practice, but I also have the burden of fighting Lyme Disease and Malaria so I do not have much extra energy for all of the college stress. Thank you so much for simplifying the process for me as a parent and for empowering my kids to be self sufficient!
– 2014 Summer Crash Course Parent
I am very pleased with the outcome of the class. Going in I was nervous that she would be jet lagged upon her return from Spain and wouldn’t make the investment in the class I hoped for. I was much relieved after speaking to her and seeing the results. Not only did she put in the time and effort she actually enjoyed it! She loved working with you. She actually said that signing her up for the class was the best decision we ever made. Bottom line I am very pleased with the class outcome and think this was some of the best money I ever spent. A great outcome and stress reliever for the entire family!
– 2014 Summer Crash Course Parent
It is so rewarding to work with so many amazing students and to hear from their happy families after their course – it is such a wonderful feeling!
Where to Buy Texas College Guide: The University of Texas at Austin Locally
July 03, 2014
We’ve had a great response so far to Jessica’s new book, Texas College Guide: The University of Texas at Austin. Now, in addition to it being available on Amazon, it is also available at a selection of bookstores and gift shops in the Houston area. Below is the current list and we will update it every few weeks as it changes. Additionally, if you’re interested in carrying the book, send us an email at info@allinoneacademics.com
Bella Madame Salon
2628 Chestnut Ridge Road, Kingwood, TX 77339
281-703-2679
Blue Willow Bookshop
14532 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079
281-497-8675
The Book Nook
5022 Highway 90A Suite J, Sugar Land, TX 77498
281-265-9886
Katy Budget Books
2450 Fry Road, Katy, TX 77084
281-578-7770
Out of the Box
5709 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77057
832-252-6222
The Villager Gift Shop
9311 Katy Freeway Suite B, Houston, TX 770024
713-461-2022
New This Summer: Silver Application Package
June 24, 2014
We filled all of our Platinum College Application Crash Courses this year in record time – which was fantastic! But we were still getting a lot of inquiries from students and parents once the classes were full. We came up with a whole new program to offer this summer: the Silver Summer Application Package! The goal of these courses is to set aside a number of hours in the summer to really focus and work on the college applications. Here’s what’s included:
12 hours of one-on-one application consulting
8 hours of resume and essay editing
Students will finish with one polished, targeted college essay plus three creative, original 500-word essays
The 12 hours are designed to be run for 3 hours per day over 4 consecutive days. Although some modifications may be made, these prolonged sessions are critical to fostering communication and trust between the admissions consultant and the student. For more information, or to sign up, please click here.
The cost for this program is $1,875.
This is a great way to get a head start on senior year!
This Saturday: Free Test Prep Information Session
May 27, 2014
Everyone looks forward to relaxing in the summer – but there are some things that shouldn’t be left to flutter around in the summer breezes. What are we talking about? Test prep! Join us on Saturday, May 31st and hear from our senior test prep instructor, Errolynn Zetar, on why summer is a great time for test prep. She’ll share some tips, answer questions, and tell you about different summer options that are available.
Errolynn Zetar / All-in-One Academics
Summertime Test Prep Info Session
Saturday, May 31st from 11:00am – 12:00pm
at
All-in-One Academics Offices
River Oaks Shopping Center, Second Floor
Here are two quick tips from Errolynn to give you a taste of what she will be talking about:
- “Summer test prep allows the student to work on vocabulary without having to worry about it mixing in with their school work – it is easier to learn more words.”
- “Free time in the summer allows students to take more practice tests. Taking full-length practice tests is imperative. Students need to practice timing and increase their stamina and summer leaves more time to do that.”
Space is limited so please let us know if you’ll be attending. To RSVP, send an email to may@allinoneacademics.com or call 713.405.1193. We hope to see you there!
Texas College Guide: The University of Texas at Austin – Now Available!
May 23, 2014
We are really excited about this new book – Texas College Guide: The University of Texas at Austin. Jessica decided last summer to sit down and write a book about everything she has learned about applying to UT from her years of experience. She was also able to collect information directly from the University and its various schools to pull together all of the information Texans need to understand the system and plan for success. Here is more about why she wrote the book:
“After years of working with students and achieving a very high success rate of helping students gain admission to UT Austin, I have seen that a proven track record of involvement and focus in a given area can provide students with a real edge in admission to UT, and I’ve really had it with deception and subterfuge. UT applicants – you or your kids or your grandkids – are real people with meaningful histories and experiences that merit an honest and comprehensive display. However, you also deserve to understand what makes an applicant competitive for a given major, so that you don’t waste your major selection on choices that are absurd long shots. Next, you need to understand how the majors are different, what types of careers they cultivate, and what sorts of job and income prospects you’ll have after graduation. Finally, you need to know the other options that exist for paving a pathway to the University of Texas at Austin, because a rejection letter as an incoming freshman is not the end of the world, nor is it the end of the story. And, that’s why I’ve written this book, to give you the information you need and to prevent you from falling victim to shysters in this dodgy day and age of admissions chicanery. Additionally, I’ve fact-checked every aspect of my work with the University of Texas, combing their website for content and keeping in close contact with admissions and various UT departments. This book is a one-stop reference for UT major selection and admissions.”
We hope that students (and their parents) enjoy this book and feel informed about the admission process at UT. And if you are a prospective Aggie: don’t worry, this book is the first in what will be a series!
Click here to read more about the book on our website.
or
Click here to buy the book on Amazon.
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info@allinoneacademics.com
