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You began applying for college, and your parents began preparing you, when you were somewhere between two and five years old. Did you ask "why?" Did they answer? Were you the six-year-old I was, spending a half hour slooowly opening and closing the refrigerator door until I found the switch that made the light go on and off? Were you the nine-year-old who got lost in the dictionary because you were foolish enough to look up "isopropyl alcohol" and each word led you to an equally unintelligible next word, until you gave up in defeat after an hour, knowing vaguely that there were lots of different kinds of alcohol out there, and only drink the one called ethanol?Then there was the educational system. Were you one of the kids I tutor every week or two, who can recite "seven plus seven equals fourteen," but if you ask them how much is seven and seven, they don't have any concept of what the words mean? (You should have seen the looks of utter sacrilege when I tore up a dollar bill to explain what a quarter was! Fortunately my statement that the bank would give me a new one was correct, so they have forgiven me.)Fast-forward to junior high. Do you look up the words you don't know? Do you read biographies, histories, science texts, even if you give up halfway through because "the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" is a bit much for a twelve year-old, and you gave up on "the Brothers Karamazov" when you couldn't tell how many brothers there were? Do you wonder what would happen if...? Do you ask? Do you get a satisfactory answer?If you learned how to think, read, and question before high school, you're ready to prepare for college. If you studied math from flash cards, learned exactly one definition for each word and that one's the Microsoft Word definition, and only read the assigned books for each grade, you're ready for community college -- maybe.And you need not have been a total nerd to learn how to think. In fact, as a crippled kid, I had to be way better at sports. I had to hit an over-the-wall-home run, because there was no way I was running bases. I had to know all the lyrics to all the hit songs, to compensate for my off-key voice. I think my negotiating skills were learned at the Monopoly board. Games teach skills. (I don't know what skills the current app games teach, I must admit.)Now that you're ready for high school and have basic learning and writing skills, and we hope some studying skills as well, you're ready to begin applying for college.Colleges like kids who challenge themselves, not only in the depth of courses, but also in the breadth. So learn the difference between Running Start (a bad idea), Honors and AP (it depends on your school and the program.) Unless it's required for graduation (American History -- yuck! More generals and dates to remember!) then take as broad a range of courses as you can enjoy. We didn't have electives when I went to high school -- our biggest choice was Spanish or French -- but Art, Poetry, and some form of sociology were mandatory, so we wound up "broad" perforce.Colleges like kids who challenge themselves. These can be done in more defined ways now than they could when I was in school, but when I wanted to stay after school through the "detention and club" period and do independent study in chemistry, my teacher was happy to oblige. When I told my English Lit teacher that I just Would Not read Hardy, but would trade her three Mark Twains, she accepted. As I mentioned elsewhere, I had a lot of chores at home, so "activities" weren't on my agenda, but I could study for the State Spanish contest, build a science project, win the math contest, show my ability and interest in whatever way I could. We didn't have AP Spanish, but when I finished the program through twelfth grade in tenth, I got permission to spend Spanish period in the library translating Don Quixote.The point of all this is you don't prepare by taking X, Y, and Z courses. You prepare by learning X, Y and Z however you can learn them, and the more you can learn them by yourself the more impressive you may seem to the schools.Someone asked me about preparing for the SAT starting in 9th grade, and I wrote: read anything from the list of periodicals I recommend, high-vocabulary magazines like [deleted because they violate a Quora policy] No matter what your intellectual or political leanings, one of those should suit you.You might also want to increase your knowledge of the "generally known" subjects of cultivated westerners: Broad General Knowledge.Also, as you take practice tests, note every word you're not sure of, and look them up in the next day or two, before you've forgotten the context.That list of books, journals, stray topics, is not intended to replace flash cards; it's intended to spark interests. Some of you will care enough to figure out who Georgia O'Keefe was; some will get so involved as to notice her name is spelled O'Keeffe. Some will limit their knowledge of Michelangelo to the Sistine Chapel, and others will learn that it was his most hated work. He thought all painting was inferior to sculpture, and had to be repeatedly captured by the Pope's army and put back to painting when he really wanted his hands on some good Carrara marble. [Wiki]You may think I haven't begun talking about applying to college, but you're wrong. You have the broad knowledge needed to get a good score on the SATs. You have some totally ace recommendations. And you have at least three or four awesome essay topics.In your junior year of high school, you need to register for the SATs and start looking at colleges, at least on their web sites, and every chance you get in person. If you live in Heber Springs Arkansas, or in New Delhi India, you may not have a lot of opportunities. But there are 22 colleges within a 50 mile radius of Philly, and at least that many in Boston. You may take a school field trip to DC to see the Washington Monument, but with a little wheedling I bet you can get Georgetown added to the list of sights.Your school guidance counselor should be really good at this part, and if not, the Princeton Review and College Board web sites will give you all the dates and deadlines you need. If you can't figure them out on your own, you're really not ready for a good college.Next, remember the First Caveat: You Can't All Go To Harvard -- or the Ivies plus the rest of the Top 20. To get into any of those schools and a dozen more, you have to be in the top 2% of the WORLDBetween 2002 and 2012, undergraduate enrollment rose 24 percent overall, from 14.3 million to 17.7 million; Page on ed.govSo, conservatively estimating 4,000,000 entering students, the top 1% is 40,000 people. Schools like Yale, Penn, Harvard, have an entering class of 2,000, more or less. So the top 20 schools can, if they choose, fill themselves with the top 1% of students from the United States. If you look at the top fifty schools you might have room for the top 2% from around the world who apply.Then all those other fine steps besides taking the SATs. All top schools, and many not-so-top- schools, look for the same things: ability, energy, interest, intelligence. But so many prep books and consultants give the same answers to everyone that I try to help you around the "same" as everyone else" rejection.First, try to avoid being a stereotype -- the same as every other top student, whether international or resident: The Overachiever Stereotype on Your Academic Evidence FileSecond, make sure you choose the right schools: You Don't Want the Ivy League! on Your Academic Evidence FileThird, understand how U.S. schools make decisions: "Holistic" File Evaluationsand A Note to South Asian Studentsand plan your activities accordingly: What Makes an Activity Important? on Your Academic Evidence FileFourth, spend an enormous amount of time writing clever, interesting essays that are fun to read and make you seem like a good student to talk to at dinner:Please, Not That Essay Again!And fifth, figure out how you're going to pay for this:Can I Afford U.S. Colleges?Finally, what are the specifics of the school you're interested in? Often, the school is quite specific in telling you what it wants; you're just not trained in reading what it said, but start by trying.And that's how you get from being a six-year-old playing with the refrigerator light bulb to being a student at an actual Ivy League School (Penn) on a full scholarship.

No. Colleges and universities submit their policy to College Board, but it is up to the student to follow their request. Most schools ask to see results for all the times you took the test. Some schools have a formal policy of super scoring, so it doesn't hurt you if you did poorly on a particular section one time you took the test. Some don't and they have their own way of evaluating results from multiple exams. Northwestern University, for example, doesn't super score.Test results belong to you and College Board doesn't release them without your permission and also you pay for it.It can be a bit of a moral dilemma. Suppose you did great in sophomore chemistry and thought you'd give the SAT II a shot. You get a 480. You take more SAT's as a junior and you do great. Do you send all the results and are miserable because you took that test as a sophomore or do you send the results from the two you took as a junior? IDK Life is full of little moral crises like that.

My most disappointing moment was one that took my almost 10 years to be able to discuss without “losing it” in the conversation…From 10th grade in high school, all I wanted to do was join the Army and make it a career. I enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program in September 1976 and went active in June 1977, just 10 after graduating from H.S.I was “all in.” I endured things everyone goes through, but I was “all in.” I loved being a soldier. I learned my job quickly and took it seriously. I was selected to go to the 8th Army NCO Academy in Korea. I was the first person in the history of that Academy to receive a 100% rating all the way through. I was the Distinguished Graduate. This brought my name to the higher ups in our battalion and made everyone look good.I was selected as the unit; battalion and brigade NCO of the quarter (after appearing before separate selection boards - which I passed). I then went the 8th US Army NCO of the Year competition in early 1982. I had to give a presentation and I was using a slide deck/projector. During the presentation, the slide projector jammed. It took me all of about 10 seconds to clear it…but I was docked one point by each of the three board members…it cost me 3 points. I lost by 2 points (taking second place). So, basically, I would have won…I promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6) and then selected for Drill Sergeant School. I loved that job the best out of all my assignments in my career. While in my third year of drill sergeant status, I completed my Associates Degree (I had been taking on class when I could to get this degree…it took me 9 years).Since I had my degree and was planning on staying in, I applied for and was selected for Officer Candidate School. I was going for the “big bucks” - larger paychecks and a larger retirement. Almost nobody was turned down for Captain. There were two “passover” attempts for promotion to Captain. I knew I would never make Major because of my college degree…but “everybody made Captain.”I had it all planned out. Make the selection board for Captain at 12 years, and be promoted one year later (that was the trend in the late 1980’s). So, Captain at 13. I had to serve four years before the Major promotion board. That put me at 17. There was only one board each year for Major and above. The Army gave you two passovers before you were “let go.” My second board for Major would be at 18 years…which I would not make. BUT, the Army policy was if you made it to 18 years of service, you were “locked in” for retirement (meaning I would not have to leave service, I could finish my 20 years and retire.My BIG MISTAKE was, I was cocky. I was loved by my men under me. My enlisted time allowed me to relate to them and they to me. I “knew what it was like” and used that to my advantage. My superior officers (mainly at Squadron Headquarters - I was Commissioned in the Cavalry), they did not like me because of my cocky attitude. I was cocky because I figured I “knew what to do and how to do it” while my other officers had to learn…Plus, I figured I was “locked into retirement - all I had to do was make Captain and the rest would be history…I had it all mapped out…I was working back at Squadron Headquarters, having completed my Platoon Leader time. There came an opening for a Executive Officer position at one of the units. Normally, that would have gone to someone in my position. But the Squadron Commander gave it to a newly promoted O-2 and passed over me. All I needed was an XO position to punch my card and make the second passover.But this LTC did not like me - at all. The O-2 he selected was an Academy graduate, I was OCS. But he had been slamming me on my evaluations with comments like, “He thinks like an NCO and not an Officer” and things like that. AGAIN, I accept responsibility for that (now - but not back then).I asked to see him under the “open door policy.” I approached the Squadron XO and made my request and told him why. I just wanted to “plead my case” and ask him to please reconsider.Well, I was granted permission to talk to the Squadron Commander a few days later. It was after hours and as soon as I walked in and reported…he cut loose. He went up one side of me and down the other and would not allow me to say anything until he finished. At which time I asked permission to speak…explaining that I needed an XO position to help my career and keep me in contention for the promotion boards.He then went on another yelling session…at which time, I “LOST IT.” I asked again for permission to speak…but this time I added, “To speak freely.” This means…well, you’ll get it in a second. After yelling some more, he granted my request to speak freely - and I let him have it. With both barrels. I told him how F…up HE was. How almost everyone in the Squadron seen him as a jerk (but I used “more colorful language than that). I told him that HE was the F**up and and that even his officers were laughing at some of his decisions, etc. etc.”Well, that pretty much ended the discussion right there.Needless to say, the next couple of months were “icy” in Squadron HQ. I was respectful of him after that…and he would only talk to me when necessary…but we both were respectful of each other.Finally, in March of 1982, a new Squadron Commander came in. He was great to work with. I guess the outgoing LTC briefed him on my status. I was called into his office and he said he would get me an XO slot in the summer to help me with the second promotion board. The first board was meeting at that time…so I would have to wait another six months before the second board would meet in the fall.In July 1982, the promotion list to Captain was released. I knew I had almost no chance of making that list. I was competing against ROTC and Academy graduates. Nobody with just an Associates Degree could compete against them.I returned from morning meetings coordinating range time for the squadron and popped in to get something at lunch. My S-3 commander, a Major, called me into his office and told me to go see the Squadron Commander. I figured it was about the promotion list.I reported and he told me I had not made the promotion list to Captain. I told him I figured as much, but no problem, I’ll make the second list. I just had to file a six month extension (normally, not a problem).But then he dropped the bombshell. Department of the Army was under pressure to “cut back their officer corps.” The Secretary of the Army had made the decision to “cancel” the second Captain selection board. I was told I had to revert back to E-6 (cutting my family income by almost half) or get out.I was given 14 days notice. I was to report to S-1 and pick up my clearance papers to either pack up and move to Ft. Bliss, Texas as an E-6 (and they already had orders in Squadron HQ) or to ETS (End Tour of Service) and get out.I chose to get out and start a civilian career. It took me 10 years to “accept” that, in hind sight, it was my “cocky attitude” and not the Commander who I “went off on” that ended my career. I probably would not have made the Captain’s list anyway - and would have been faced with the same reality because this was a political decision by the Sec. of the Army.But the question was, when did I ever “lose it.” And that was my shining moment in that category. I regret it. I should never have said things like that to a superior officer. If I could find him, I would apologize to him today. But that was the day I “lost all my military bearing.”I will admit it here. Life has been hard. I’ve had to struggle through some jobs until I finally realized my “second career.” That of a police officer.I have since retired as an LEO. So I have my pension. Now I work for a non-profit radio ministry - because I can. My police background brings me great pride. But my military career was the one I loved. And I mean LOVED. To have that taken away was a great travesty in my life. Like I said, it took me almost 10 years (alcoholism, depression, 7 different jobs, etc.) before I accepted it and could talk about what happened without either getting extremely angry or start crying….So, I will end this long explanation with this…Don’t ever take what you are doing for granted. It can all end in an instant.Your employer (it doesn’t matter if it is the military, police or any other organization you work for)…owes you NOTHING. In most jurisdictions, you can be terminated for almost any reason. THEY OWE YOU NOTHING except a paycheck AFTER you do the work.Keep that in the back of your mind. Always prepare for the unexpected. I finished my BA and also my MS degrees. Never stop learning and always be networking. Do not put all of your “eggs” in one basket. They can call for the basket at anytime. You cannot do anything about it.Blessings!