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An important rite of passage for high school students is the SAT test. If you don’t have a high score, you will have a hard time getting into Harvard.

In this article I will share two effective strategies for getting the best score possible on the SAT.

For one thing, you probably wonder just exactly how high your score has to be to get into Stanford or other schools like it.

Another thing you are sure to be concerned about is how you can get ready to take the SAT. Of course, you don’t want to waste a lot of time and money on methods that may not work.

1. Clearly you will want to get a high score, but exactly what does this mean?

My best advice to you is to score 2100 on your SAT. Shoot for 700 across the board if you want to be accepted to an Ivy League school. Your application will not be looked upon favorably with anything less than a 700 on any given section.

As an admissions officer, I can tell you that we almost always accept students who have a score of 2100 or more. The only time we would not is if there are serious academic weaknesses. For example, very weak transcripts might cause us to reject an applicant with a high SAT score.

2. Keep a record of your improvement. You may have scored very badly the first time you attempted the SAT. Be sure to take the test again, and be equally sure that you show an improvement each time you retake the test.

Discover how to master the SAT and SAT II now!

3. Realize that admissions officers favor the SAT over the ACT.

Even though the ACT is a very good and very challenging test, if admissions officers must choose between two candidates who are equally qualified, they will look to see what kind of qualifications test the student took. The student who took the SAT will be chosen above the one who took the ACT every time.

As you prepare, you should keep your focus on two priorities: Early start and sample tests.

1. Get an early start. As previously mentioned, you should take the PSAT at least one time before you take the NMSQT. This gives you a chance to practice without risk. While you are still in 7th grade, take the SAT for the Duke TIP also.

2. There are a lot of prep courses available. Choose carefully. Take the time to sit in on some sample classes before committing to any. I took the Kaplan courses when I was preparing for the SAT. They had some good flash cards that helped me with my vocabulary a little bit. It was hardly worth the thousand dollars my parents paid for it, though!

3. Take a lot of sample tests. This will make more difference than anything else you can do. The more you practice answering the problems, the more comfortable you will get. Spend a lot of time at your local bookstore to get copies of all the sample tests from Barron’s to Princeton Review.

Click here to learn why high school extracurriculars matter in college admissions!

Many students have problems with a low grade point average(GPA). It seems like you just zip through middle school without a hitch, then high school throws you for a loop.

New teachers combined with tough classes hit you hard, and all of a sudden you see B’s and even C’s on your report card.

There are a few things that can be done to counteract this problem. In this article, I will present three tips - earned from my own experience - that will help you do just that.

Click here to learn AP test taking tips!

Here are three tips that really helped me a lot:

1. Take some college classes and do your very best in them.

During the summer months, take a few classes at your local college or junior college. Be sure to choose topics that really interest you so that you will be able to excel. If these also happen to support your major, that’s even better.

Clearly, seeing that you are actually capable of doing college level work and doing it well will look good on your application. This is a demonstration of your academic depth.

Your high school GPA is intended to convey your potential for being able to handle college level work. If you can simply demonstrate that you not only can, but have, successfully handled college level work, that looks even better to the admissions committee.

2. During your final semester or two, be sure to take as many AP and Honors courses as possible.

It goes without saying, you will need to do very well in your courses. You want your college transcript to give an accurate record of your school attendance, work ethic, and study skills.

During my fall semester of Common Applications, I took seven advanced placement classes. This was not at all easy, but it paid off. Having seven AP classes on my transcript looked really good and went a long way toward presenting me as a serious student.

When we have an admissions committee discussion, we say a great deal about trends.

One trend that looks good is taking lots of AP courses. This shows that a student is serious and has the potential to excel. When we see a student working in increments to improve his GPA, we sit up and take notice. Keep this in mind, too: It is impressive to see a student with low junior high grades gradually raise them. To see it happen the other way around, however, is not impressive.

3. Play up your summer activities and your extracurricular accomplishments.

Distract the admissions committee from your grades by demonstrating that you were incredibly busy with your varsity teams and your club activities. Discuss them thoroughly in your essays.

If the adcoms get the idea that you are spending tons of time on your clubs and varsity teams, they will think that you were just too overwhelmed to do any better on your GPA.

One thing you should know is that, it doesn’t matter if you are the valedictorian. If you haven’t been a member of a varsity sports team or the president of a club, you won’t get into Harvard.

Click here to learn why high school admissions counselors waste your money.

We recently talked about the topic of taking college classes to help with college admissions. Today we will discuss another great opportunity that is available to you at your local university.

I want to be sure you understand that I am talking about fully accredited, four-year universities, not community colleges.

I am particularly addressing students who are focused on science, math, and academics; however, all students should work towards being well-rounded to achieve success with college admissions.

University professors are always doing research projects. They use post-doctoral students, undergraduates, and graduate students to help them. They are always on the lookout for free help!

Click here for more on high school summer extracurriculars.

Contact the professors at your local university. It will be easier to do that if you are already enrolled in some classes there. However, it is also possible to simply e mail them. If your parents have contacts at the school, you can ask them to help you make connections.

You could offer to do a research project in exchange for high school credit or even for free.

This kind of work just looks great on your college applications. This is especially true if you do a research project that results in a presentation or a paper. You can enter this kind of project in Science Fairs, and it looks very substantial on your Harvard application.

Believe me when I say that college admissions offices really like to see this level of commitment and hard work.

This kind of project will help you to get a better understanding of your own interests. It is also very advantageous when you apply for an Ivy League school. Be sure to put your best foot forward and talk with some professors now. Ask your parents and your current teachers to help you get started on this opportunity.

Click here for more on science research in high school.