Appelrouth Tutoring Services | Atlanta's premier tutoring service for the SAT, ACT, GRE and more!

The college admissions essay is the single most important essay most students will write during their high school careers. For a student on the admissions margin, in particular, it can be a deciding factor in the admissions equation. While schedule strength, grades, and scores all need to be within the acceptable range for admission to a given school, the essay offers the student a chance to come alive as a human being and present an aspect of himself beyond the data points and quantitative metrics of the application. A well-crafted essay can turn an admissions reader into a vocal advocate in the event that a student’s application makes it to the admissions committee.
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As summer comes to a close and the collegiate admission process beckons, many parents and students must make the important decision whether to use the next few months to prepare for the SAT, the ACT or to simultaneously prepare for both tests. Extremely familiar with the SAT, the majority of parents who seek out our services assume that the SAT will be the best assessment for their children. Most parents personally endured the rite of sitting for the SAT during high school. Additionally, they know how their children fared on the 7th grade TIP assessment, and the 10th and 11th grade PSAT assessments. But for many, the ACT remains a mystery. A growing number of Atlanta students sit for the “pre-ACT”, the PLAN assessment in 10th grade: the vast majority of our students have no academic exposure to the ACT. Many parents have heard of the ACT as an alternative to the SAT but don’t know if it’s worthwhile to make the investment into ACT preparation or simply stick it out with the SAT. In this article I will explain the topical and structural differences between these two assessments in hopes of better informing this decision.
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Where do intelligent people congregate? If you have any brilliant insight into the surprisingly elusive answer to this seemingly simple question, please share. Appelrouth Tutoring itself is filled with brainiacs, but we are always looking for more.

Let’s make a deal, don’t worry we won’t ask you to dress like a chicken (sorry, students, that was a joke for your parents). If you have great ideas where smart, well-educated adults mingle, send them my way. In return for the best suggestion, we will give you a prize! No, it’s not a toaster. The best suggestions will receive… drum roll please…
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The end is in sight. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel. By January, it will be done. By March you will know. So close, yet so far away!

As your summer memories fade like daylight into the autumn dusk, you still have a big task ahead of you. The actual college application and…THE ESSAY! It doesn’t have to be as daunting as it sounds. The key to keep it in check–and meet all your deadlines–is to stay organized.
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While the summer weather isn’t exactly fading away, summer vacation is. Sorry, students, but you have only a few precious weeks before the demands of the school year start to creep back. As memories of long days at beaches and pools and late nights at concerts and movies wane in the face of back-to-school shopping, you, lucky Juniors, have more to worry about this year than your standard class load. That’s right, college-bound brainiacs, you’re time has come. If you’re lucky, you’ve seen older siblings struggle through this process and eventually reap the rewards. If you are the first to embark on this long, long journey, don’t worry. Think of what an inspiration you’ll be to those who come after.
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