2010-2011 SAT and ACT test dates and deadlines
July 29, 2010
The
new school year is almost here, believe it or not! And with the new school calendar comes the new schedule for the SATs and ACTs.
Check out our updated page for all of the important dates for these standardized tests: when the test dates are, regular registration deadlines and late registration deadlines. Make sure to secure your seat for your preferred date and time by signing up early! Plus, why pay late fees? Click here for our page of the 2010-2011 SAT and ACT test dates and deadlines. Then, contact us to help you prepare!
Remember to become a fan on facebook or to follow us on twitter to see our reminder tweets about all of the deadlines!
Common Application Goes Online August 1, 2010
July 1, 2010
The Common Application (commonly called the “Common App”) is going to be available to students applying to colleges starting on August 1, 2010. This is one full month later than usual so that secondary schools that close in June can use the Online School Forms System to submit their Final Reports through mid-July, according to the Common App’s website.
We highly recommend that students go to the Common App website and use the “preview” tool to review all that the Common App entails. Starting this year, the Common App has (1) a combined Activities and Work section, (2) a new Academics section with revised self-reporting testing instructions, and (3) online submission of NACAC fee waiver for students with limited financial resources and who also meet the National Association for College Admissions Counseling’s requirements for application waivers.
The Common Application membership association provides common, standardized first-year and transfer application forms for use at any member institution. Today, nearly 400 institutions are members in the association, which represents the full range of higher education institutions in the United States, including public and private institutions of every size and selectivity. With the press of a single button, you can submit your application to many colleges and universities. To see a list of all the member institutions, click here.
Many of our clients use a combination of the Common App and individual schools’ applications when applying to college. In addition, specific schools may have their own supplements that are required to be submitted in order for your application to be complete. You must pay special attention to all of the application requirements for each of your schools.
We welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
The Benefits of Private Tutoring
June 16, 2010
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In this podcast, Mike Rivera, co-founder, tutor and college counselor with Top-Tier Tutoring, discusses the benefits that can be achieved in one-on-one tutoring.
During the podcast, Mike gives a historical overview of private tutoring as mainly for the affluent members of society. In today’s world, many students are taking advantage of private tutoring as a way to either help understand topics taught in class, or to stimulate academic challenges, or to help achieving students score even higher on standardized tests ranging from the SAT to the ACT to AP exams. Having a tutor is seen as a cool, status symbol.
Listen as Mike offers insightful questions that you should ask any prospective tutor before making a hiring decision. One of the most important questions to ask is the teaching methodology of the tutor, or the tutoring center, you are considering. Specifically, you will want to know if the private tutoring is curriculum-based or is constructed around your child’s exact needs. Simply because tutoring is going to be one-on-one does not necessarily mean that the sessions will be tailored to the student’s needs.
Mike provides you with great information when you are starting to search for a tutor. The benefits of private, non-curriculum based tutoring, such as offered at Top-Tier Tutoring, are well documented and, in many cases, dramatic. Of course, the tutor cannot do the student’s homework, but working together as a team, superior results can be achieved.
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
What Is College Counseling?
June 2, 2010
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In this podcast, Mike Rivera, co-founder, college counselor and tutor with Top-Tier Tutoring, discusses what is, exactly, college counseling – and what it is not.
Mike Rivera, college counselor, with student
You probably have heard the term “college counseling” bandied about in several different contexts. During this podcast, Mike discusses what is encompassed by this term – guiding high school students through the college application process, understanding the student’s interests, goals and ambitions, recommending classes, extracurricular activities and volunteer work, crafting a college list, counseling about the required essays, obtaining recommendations, coordinating college visits, preparing for the college interview – the list goes on and on! College counseling also includes managing expectations and setting reasonable goals, both for the student and the parents. The best part of college counseling, Mike admits, is celebrating acceptances.
During the podcast, Mike does offer a word of caution. No college counselor can offer a guarantee of admission to a particular college or university. Please keep this fact in mind when looking for a qualified college counselor!
New Service: College Counseling Over The Internet
May 13, 2010
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In this
podcast, Mike Rivera, co-founder, college counselor and tutor with Top-Tier Tutoring, introduces our listeners to a new service being offered: College Counseling over the internet! Now, students who are not geographically located near our center in West Orange, NJ, will have access to the same outstanding college counseling as those living nearby!
Listen as Mike explains the logistics of how the service will work. Using Skype, the popular web-telecommunication free software made popular by Oprah Winfrey, Top-Tier Tutoring’s college counselors will be able to work directly with your son or daughter. Students will receive the same guidance, only instead of being across the table, your child will be looking at his or her counselor live via webcam. Of course, you can feel free to sit in on the session as well!
Ear on Careers – Joseph Mitzenmacher, Law Librarian
May 6, 2010
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Joseph Mitzenmacher, Law Librarian
In this episode of “Ear on Careers,” we are pleased to welcome Joseph Mitzenmacher, a Reference and Electronic Services Librarian at Loyola University Chicago School of Law in Chicago, Illinois, http://www.luc.edu/law_library/.
Joe holds both a B.A. in Economics and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Upon graduating from law school, he practiced law for a few years but did not find it to be as satisfying as he had hoped. After doing some research, he found the related field of law librarian and obtained his Master’s Degree in Library Science from Dominican University.
In the podcast, Joe explains that a law librarian assumes an educational role by answering reference questions and teaching legal research classes. He also acts as a liason with the faculty as well as with electronic service vendors. Listen as Joe discusses a typical day for him in the library, shares his surprises in the field and offers a “war story” about hunting down a source for a King Henry VIII statute about coining money. In addition, Joe provides excellent tips and recommendations for those listeners considering a very rewarding career as a law librarian.
We hope this podcast gives you insight into becoming a law librarian, a challenging field that combines a law degree with teaching and research in an academic field.
Top-Tier Tutoring is very excited to bring you the web’s first “career day” podcast series – what we call “Ear on Careers.” This series of podcasts is designed to introduce our listeners to successful leaders in a variety of different fields, including business, industry, medicine, the arts, and so much more.
We welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Where Do I Go From Here?
April 21, 2010
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In this podcast, the very enormous task of creating a college list is tackled by Mike Rivera, co-founder, college counselor and tutor at Top-Tier Tutoring.
When faced 
with answering the question about where they are going to apply to college, many high school sophomores and juniors feel at a loss. The process of creating a comprehensive and appropriate list can be daunting. Crafting a list based upon name recognition or where friends are attending will not yield the best results for the individual student. The podcast takes aim at this topic and offers concrete guidelines to help you on your quest.
Mike first asks you to look inward. What are your general areas of interest? Do you want to be close to home? Are you interested in a city or a rural setting? How important are job placement and internships to you? Mike identifies many more factors in the podcast. Mike’s advice: take a self-assessment before jumping into books, the web and college fairs!
Once you have a master list, so to speak, now it’s time to refine it. In order to narrow your list down to the 8 to 12 colleges to which you will actually apply, you should look for reach, match and safety schools, with the highest number being in the “match” category. Then, time and budget permitting, try to visit each of these campuses and take great notes – you may need them to help you decide among your acceptances!
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Free Seminar Gives You The Complete College Planning Edge!
April 18, 2010
On May 4, 2010, Mike and Rhonda Rivera of Top-Tier Tutoring and A1 College Funding will present a free seminar, “Get the Complete College Planning Edge” at West Orange High School.
Parents and students in high school are welcome to come and learn insider tips and strategies to being accepted into the college of their dreams - and how to pay for it!
The workshop will take place at West Orange High School, 51 Conforti Avenue in West Orange, NJ, starting at 7 pm. While the workshop is free, registration is a must – call 973.243.1212 to reserve your seat today!
Ear on Careers – Amy Gideon, Internet Professional
April 14, 2010
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In this episode of “Ear on Careers, we are pleased to welcome Amy Gideon, co-owner of Tag Online, Inc., based in Clifton, New Jersey.
Amy Gideon, Internet Professional.
Amy discusses how she didn’t really apply herself in high school and, as a result, attended Hofstra University for one year before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business. Knowing that she wanted to transfer, she worked diligently at Hofstra, achieving a 4.0 GPA. At the University of Pennsylvania, Amy double majored in Decision Science (now called Information Science) and Finance. It was at the University of Pennsylvania that she met her future husband and business partner at Tag Online, Andrew. Both she and Andrew earned their Masters Degrees in Computer Science from New York University.
In the podcast, Amy discusses how she was involved with the internet well before it was available for mass consumption. She also outlines her progression from programmer to sales and marketing at TAG Online. In her current role, she also manages client and staff. Listen as Amy shares her surprises in her industry as well as some potentially horrifying war stories. Amy offers advice for those thinking about a career as an internet professional: do what you love and learn it inside and out.
We hope this podcast provides you with food for thought if you are interested in a career as an internet professional – a truly dynamic and evolving field!
Top-Tier Tutoring is very excited to bring you the web’s premiere career day podcast series – what we call “Ear on Careers.” This series of podcasts is designed to introduce our listeners to successful leaders in a variety of different fields, including business, industry, medicine, the arts, and so much more.
We welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
A Reply To Recent Article About College Prep Advisors
April 7, 2010
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Mike Rivera recording this podcast
In this podcast, Mike Rivera – co-founder, tutor and college counselor with Top-Tier Tutoring – responds to a recent article published on SmartMoney.com, which has been picked up and disseminated on the web in various forms. The article, entitled “10 Things College-Prep Advisors Won’t Tell You” identifies ten allegedly deceptive practices of the college counseling industry. To read the full article, click here.
In his rebuttal, Mike debunks each of the ten topics brought up in the article. For example, in responding to the “your high school guidance counselor can do this for free” argument, he references the study by Dr. Patricia McDonough that determined a high school student will spend approximately 38 minutes per year with his or her guidance counselor for college advising. Click here to read Dr. McDonough’s comprehensive study. He also points to the recent Public Agenda report, “Can I Get A Little Advice Here?” This report finds that six in ten young adults who had gone on to further education gave their high school counseling poor grades for college advice. To go to the Public Agenda report, click here. Clearly, you get what you pay for.
This podcast is not a rant, but rather a thoughtful reply to a superficial article. Mike points out when the article is correct, but wants our listeners to understand the limitations of the guidance department – and those of independent counselors as well.
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Extracurricular Activities Admissions Officers Love
March 24, 2010
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In this podcast, Mike Rivera offers some insights into what admissions officers look for in the college applicant’s extracurricular activities column. In short, quality triumphs over quantity every time.
Mike discusses that an admissions officer seeks to round out the college class with students who will make a meaningful contribution. Consequently, high school students who exhibit leadership and dedication – and therefore good time management skills – are looked upon favorably. In addition, meaningful participation in activities outside of school such as community, church or travel, are similarly viewed with favor. Read more
College Prep Boot Camp – May 16, 2010
March 9, 2010
On Sunday, May 16, 2010, Top-Tier Tutoring is offering a one-day intensive, interactive workshop series that will give your high school junior a jump start on the college planning and application process, at College Prep Boot Camp. For much more information about the weekend that will change your child’s future, click here!
Guidance Counselor Realities
February 24, 2010
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Is 38 Minutes Enough?
In this podcast, Mike Rivera poses the question: “Is 38 minutes enough?” This question derives from a study by Dr. Patricia McDonough that found that an average student will spend only 38 minutes per year with his or her high school guidance counselor discussing college counseling and/or career counseling.
Now, this fact is through no fault of the high school guidance counselors themselves. It is based upon the realities of numbers. While the American School Counselor Association recommends 1 guidance counselor per 100 students, the national average is 1:315 (or much more) in public high schools and 1:241 in private schools.
During the podcast, Mike offers questions for parents to ask the high school office regarding this issue. He also recommends seeking external college counseling to best position the high school student for success in college and beyond.
Source: Sanders, B. (2008, January 18). Parents – Guidance at School May Not be Enough. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Parents---Guidance-at-School-May-Not-be-Enough&id=935539
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Meet Meghan McGeehan, Spanish Tutor
February 9, 2010
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Meghan, Spanish Tutor, with Mike recording this podcast
In this podcast, Mike Rivera introduces our listeners to Meghan McGeehan. Meghan is a Spanish language arts tutor with Top-Tier Tutoring, who has developed an affinity for Spain and its culture, and imparts her enthusiasm for all things Spanish on to her students.
Meghan holds a B.S. in Spanish and Criminal Justice from Penn State University. She has her Master’s Degree in Spanish Language and Literature from Middlebury College. Her studies have taken her to Sevilla and Madrid, and she has taught in Madrid for two years. Meghan also is a Spanish teacher at Morristown-Beard High School in Morristown, NJ.
March 30 – Free Workshop Offers the Complete College Planning Edge!
January 30, 2010
On March 30, 2010, Mike and Rhonda Rivera of Top-Tier Tutoring and A1 College Funding will present a free workshop, “Get the Complete College Planning Edge” at Verona High School.
Parents and students in high school are welcome to come and learn insider tips and strategies to being accepted into the college of their dreams - and how to pay for it!
The workshop will take place at Verona High School, 151 Fairview Avenue in Verona, NJ, starting at 7 pm. While the workshop is free, registration is a must – call 973.243.1212 to reserve your seat today!
Is the PSAT really the best indicator of SAT scores?
January 30, 2010
The Preliminary SAT (“PSAT”), was created to serve as a practice test for the SAT Reasoning Test. Many argue that performance on the PSAT is, generally, a good indicator of how students will achieve on the SAT. As indicators go, it is certainly satisfactory. However, in our experience, college applicants, and their parents, are looking for something more than merely “satisfactory.” They seek a solid indication of what the student is likely to achieve on the actual SAT exam. Be forewarned: adding a “0” to the PSAT scores and assuming that your SAT scores automatically will be at those levels, without study or preparation, is a dangerous assumption.
Year in Review: 2009
December 30, 2009
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In this podcast, Mike and Rhonda Rivera discuss the successes and challenges they faced at Top-Tier Tutoring over the past year, its first in operation. From starting a business from scratch, getting known in the community, to wonderful success stories, the co-founders of Top-Tier Tutoring share their ups and downs with their listeners. Listen to the podcast to see how far the company has come in one year, and what the new year has in store!
As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Ear on Careers – Steven Janett, Real Estate Broker
December 21, 2009
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Steven Janett, Real Estate Broker
In this episode of “Ear on Careers,” we are pleased to welcome Steven Janett, a real estate broker. Steve currently is the Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Prudential New Jersey Properties, www.prudentialnewjersey.com. Steve has won many awards, including “REALTOR of the Year” from both the New Jersey Association of Realtors and the West Essex Board of Realtors.
Steve graduated from Stockton State College, with a major in business and minors in finance and real estate. His late father had started a real estate office in 1954 and, after graduating, Steve soon joined the family business. He really enjoys the fact that real estate is not a 9 to 5 business, but rather is very flexible according to the client’s needs. Steve started as a sales representative in his father’s office, became a broker within two years and sales manager three years later. Today, in his role as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Steve oversees many offices in the Prudential New Jersey real estate corporate structure. He supports managers and sales people in their efforts to provide the best real estate experience for their clients.
When asked about the biggest surprises in real estate, Steve noted the legal complexities involved with riders and inspections. His advice to aspiring real estate specialists is to get a solid educational background, join a good broker that has a training program and to remember that real estate is all about relationship building. Steve notes the impact that technology is having on real estate agents and how real estate is marketed and sold. Even in this economy, the second half of 2009 has been a great time in real estate for Steve!
We hope that Steve’s story will inspire you to consider a career in real estate, a challenging field that combines relationship building, legal knowledge and technology with the possibility of great rewards.
Top-Tier Tutoring is very excited to bring you the web’s first “career day” podcast series – what we call “Ear on Careers.” This series of podcasts is designed to introduce our listeners to successful leaders in a variety of different fields, including business, industry, medicine, the arts, and so much more.
We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Your ACADEMIC Resume
October 27, 2009
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In this podcast, Mike Rivera discusses a unique way students can stand out in the college admissions process: providing an academic resume. Make sure to listen to the podcast for a special offer just for our listeners!
In this twist on the traditional job resume, your academic resume markets you to colleges. It focuses on your strengths and shows how you will make the most out of what the university has to offer. Your academic resume lists your interests and identifies what you intend to do after college.
Also, do not shy away from your weaknesses; your academic resume is your opportunity to show how you are working to rectify a possible perceived flaw. For example, if you have a low GPA or SAT/ACT scores, indicate that you are taking summer courses or tutoring to improve your results. Have historically few volunteer experiences? Create a solution by listing a new volunteer position you have just begun.
We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Tips on Writing an Effective College Application Essay
October 7, 2009
So, you’re sitting down before a blank computer screen, trying to figure out what to write for your college application essay. You’ve already written what seems to be hundreds of essays for your high school teachers, but this one is different. You’re not summarizing a book, or commenting on a news event – you’re trying to write the most persuasive essay about yourself possible; one that will make you stand out, get noticed and hopefully accepted by the college of your choice!
In an effort to try to help you write an effective college application essay, we’ve compiled the following tips: Read more
The Ins and Outs of Early Decision versus Early Action
September 26, 2009
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In this podcast, Mike Rivera discusses the somewhat complicated early college application processes. Mike first discusses who should consider applying to colleges early – mainly, those students who are confident that they know where they want to spend the next four years gaining higher education. He then outlines the benefits, such as 25%-50% of acceptances come from this pool, as well as the early November deadlines imposed. He cautions from the outset that each school maintains their own peculiar process and requirements, so be sure to check the college’s application for college-specific details. Read more
Ear on Careers – Bernard O’Rourke, College Professor
August 26, 2009
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Bernard O'Rourke, College Professor
In this episode of “Ear on Careers”, we are pleased to welcome Bernard O’Rourke, an associate College Professor in International Business at Caldwell College in Caldwell, New Jersey. Caldwell College can be found on the web at www.caldwell.edu.
Bernie hails from Ireland, where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees. After college, Bernie was sent by the Irish Government Development Office to the United States to promote inward investment to Ireland. While here, he met his wife, got his M.B.A. at Fordham University and held positions within various corporations.
In this podcast, Bernie discusses the different types of professorships. He shares his love of college campus life with our listeners, finding his role as Professor never tedious. Bernie genuinely enjoys teaching (and learning from) his students, and is extremely fulfilled in his chosen occupation.
His tip for aspiring college professors? Secure the best credentials by way of degrees. Experience counts, but credentials are key. We hope that Bernie’s story will inspire you to consider a career in academia!
We are very excited to bring to you another episode in the series we call “Ear on Careers.” This series of podcasts is designed to introduce our listeners to successful leaders in a variety of different fields, including business, industry, medicine, the arts, and so much more. Consider this your podcast “career day”!
We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
ACT versus SAT – What’s Best For You?
August 23, 2009
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In this podcast, Mike Rivera takes you on a tour of the two major standardized tests looked at by college admissions officers: the ACT and the SAT. He traces the origins of both exams, and the varying skills they are meant to test.
The SAT is designed to test a student’s test taking skills and innate ability, as it was designed based upon the IQ test. It runs three hours and forty-five minutes, has 140 questions and tests critical readying, writing and math. The perfect score is 2400; 1/4 point is deducted for each incorrect answer.
On the other hand, the ACT tests scholastic achievement, and it was designed based upon the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The ACT is three hours and twenty-five minutes long, has 215 questions and tests math, English, reading, science and writing. The perfect score is a 36. No points are deducted for a wrong answer.
Both the SAT and the ACT are accepted at virtually every college. Starting with the class of 2010, the SAT joins the ACT in allowing you to select which scores (entire test) to send to the colleges. The bottom line: take practice exams for both exams to determine with which test you’re most comfortable. Then, study for that one, and get the best score possible!
We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
Common Application Goes Online July 1st
June 26, 2009
The window for the Common Application (the “Common App”) will be opening on July 1st. What is the Common App, you ask? It is an undergraduate college admission application that students utilize to apply to any of the member institutions located within the United States. It serves to promote college admissions through the use of both subjective criteria (e.g., essays and recommendations) and objective criteria ( e.g., GPA and standardized exam scores). Simply put, the Common App streamlines the college application process for students choosing to apply to its member colleges.
College Applicants on Social Networking Sites Beware, They “Know What You Did Last Summer.”
May 21, 2009
Students should proceed with caution on social networking sites.
High-school students have enough on their minds with regard to course selection, GPA and exam scores, to name a few. Now another concern adds a challenging dimension to the college application process. Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites can potentially derail a student’s aspirations about getting into the college of their choice.
A recent survey found that approximately 10% of admissions officers routinely review the social-networking pages of their student applicants. More than a third of those that used the online information indicated that what they saw “negatively affected” their views of the applicant – a significantly higher percentage than those that indicated their views were improved, according to the survey by education company Kaplan, a unit of Washington Post Co. With the explosion of social networking sites, it is reasonable to assume that more and more admissions officers will add their review to the entrance checklist. Read more
