Shellee Howard, author of How to Send Your Student to College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money, explains when retaking standardized tests makes sense. Students wait-listed or rejected from a first choice should consider retaking, especially since 40% of colleges use waitlists and many schools superstore the best section scores across attempts. Howard stresses that test prep is critical; retaking without serious preparation doesn't work.
Chapters
Shellee Howard, author of How to Send Your Student to College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money. That's the best title ever. She's here joining us to explain, because a lot of parents do lose their minds. This is— it's a daunting process, is it not? Why is it so hard?
It's lack of knowledge. Yeah, parents just don't know what they don't know.
That's very true. Even if there's a lot of information out there on the internet, it's overwhelming. What students— who are the students that would benefit from taking this test again?
Any student who is either waitlisted, waiting to hear, okay, you know, that they didn't quite get in, this would be a great opportunity. Any student who maybe got rejected from their first choice and maybe needs to apply to open enrollment schools that have enrollment all the time, right? And if they are looking for financial aid, this is an opportunity. If their score goes up, so does the money.
So if you— this test is tomorrow. Yes. Can people still sign up?
Not for this test, right? Right.
So which is the last one? Is it tomorrow or another one?
Well, for this, if it's open enrollment, of course, then they can continue to take them.
Got it.
For— to get their scores back in time, this is definitely the one. The important part is students just don't know that are already signed up what they can do with these results.
Wow, okay, so, so here's the question. If you've been waitlisted, because I got waitlisted at one place, I'm not gonna mention where it was, so if I take this test tomorrow and I do better, they will still reconsider me? If my— if let's say I improve by 100 or 200 points, that's a possibility?
Oh, it's huge. That's the one thing that could absolutely get you off the list or get get you more financial aid. Ooh. Merit money.
Which is important. Can you appeal the college offers, or is that something that's allowed, or how does that work?
You can absolutely, but you need good reason. You can't just go in and say, my child belongs here, or, you know, it has to be solid. So either because of a test score.
Of course.
Right? That's why we say it's the most important. Or if their opportunities have changed, family finances, or they got an award or recognition, that type of thing. Absolutely, you can appeal.
So many people applying to college. I think the numbers are higher than ever. Is there a percentage? Is there a statistic that points to how many of these people who have already been rejected could get in? Because there are so many applications out there. If you take a test in March, are they going to suddenly find a spot for you? Because wouldn't they have filled it up already with somebody else?
That's a great question. So in reality, 40% of all colleges have a waitlist. Why? They want to fill. Of course.
Right?
So they're going to give their first students, the first opportunity, but since, uh, the Common App is online, you can apply to 12, 15 schools. So the reality is students aren't just applying to one school anymore. They're waiting for the best school. So if that top candidate chooses to go to another top school, now there's an opening.
Explain the process of appeals. If a school says— if you're rejected, can you appeal a rejection, or once you're rejected, that's it?
It depends on the school. And it will state, the school will state that either there is no opportunity or they will state if something new comes about, then you absolutely can appeal. But it's based on what the school's policy is.
So honestly, because these tests cost money, what's the deciding factor in terms of whether or not you spend the money to take it again realistically? 'Cause sometimes, "Oh, I'll take it again, but I may or may not get in." Do you just say it's worth it try it anyway?
The reality is how many times the student should take it, because there are some schools that superscore. So there are some schools— superscore? Yes. What is that? So what happens is if you only took it one time and I took it twice and somebody took it three times, the one who took it three times could take their English score, their math score, and wrap it into— Get out of here. Yes. You can do that? I didn't know that.
Nobody told me that.
Absolutely. And that's what's the problem.
So you add your best of each— oh my God.
Not all schools, but there are significant number that allow you to do a superscore. So if you only take it once, you're at a serious disadvantage to somebody who's taken it multiple times.
I took it twice and you said only twice?
Yeah.
What's the average nowadays?
3 times is the average.
3 times?
Mm-hmm. And some do it more. The reality is how much money, right? It all comes down to how much money. But the critical piece is test prep. Don't keep taking it unless you put in a serious amount of test prep.
I did no prep.
Well, I'm sorry.
Where were you when I was trying to figure all this stuff out, you know?
The best kept secret.
My goodness gracious. Yeah, I did no test prep, took it twice. I could have done better.
Well, we'll just leave it at that.
Yeah. Okay, and the book, this is good stuff. This is helpful for parents and for students as well. Again, this is the best title, How to Send Your Student to College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money. That's the best. Shellee Howard, we thank you for the time this morning. Appreciate it.
