This kind of fear and self-doubt can prohibit many people from going to a college which can vastly improve their lives.  A new website, www.college.gov identifies these common concerns and shows ways to overcome them. There are testimonials from students across the country that have triumphed over challenges such as peer pressure, lack of family support, and financial barriers. Against the odds, these students made college a reality.

More features of the website:

• Create your own roadmap.  No matter what year you are in high school, www.college.gov can create a personalized road map that will layout detailed steps necessary for getting to college.  You can keep the roadmap on your computer, or print it out and put it on your wall or in you locker.  Either way, this roadmap can put you on the path towards college!
• Find the school for you.  Universities, community colleges, or vocational schools, whatever you are looking for, this website can help you find a school to fit your lifestyle.
• Why go? What to do? How to pay?  www.college.gov  helps you realize reasons for going to school such as, increasing your income, finding your passion, proving your potential, growing with help and support, and lifting your family.  It also shows you the step for getting into college and payment options.
• Information for everyone. The website is geared towards high school students but also gives information to parents, families, teachers and counselors.

What sets this website apart from other education sites is that it was made by students for students.  The creators of this website have pinpointed real concerns that high school students have about going to college.  Through their college roadmap, they give us the tools to overcome those obstacles. 

Anyone can make their dream of attending college a reality.  www.college.gov is one tool that can help.

“The Education Department says 34 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have major problems with the tests that were supposed to be in place in the just-ended school year. They will get federal approval only if they correct the problems in the coming year. In addition, Nebraska and Maine had their testing systems rejected outright.”

According to a CNN.com article, every state did have testing in the required grades. But many states still have significant problems, such as developing exams for disabled or limited-English students, or ensuring that tests are technically sound.

Deputy Education Secretary Ray Simon said the states’ overall performances were positive. Even the 36 jurisdictions whose approval remains pending probably will get the federal OK within a year, he said.

“I think maybe the scope of the work was just more broad, difficult and time-consuming than many of them thought,” Simon said Thursday. “I don’t think there was any attempt for them to sit back, do nothing and say, ‘Let’s see how much we can get away with.”‘

States that have fallen short must submit a plan and a timeline for improvements. They may appeal their status, too. Those with continued problems could lose 10 percent to 25 percent of their federal administrative money.

For many of these students, the news about their SAT score might be disheartening considering some colleges are reporting double-digit drops in the average SAT scores of applicants this year. Scores have dropped despite similar performance in class rank, college-prep coursework and other recommended credentials.

“We need to have confidence in the test that we’re using,” says Stephen Farmer, director of admissions at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in a USA Today article.

The test scores reported are primarily from the new version of the SAT test, which has already been the subject of controversy after thousands of scores were underreported following the October test date last year. James Montoya, a College Board vice president, believes the explanation for the drop in test scores is less glamorous than that.

“Decrease in repeat test-taking may account for some of the average score decline,” he said. This is likely given the increase in price for the test to $41.50 from $24. Another possible reason for the decrease in SAT scores is fatigue.

Brad MacGowan, a college counselor at Newton North High School in Newtonville, Mass., says typical students get three hours and 45 minutes to complete three parts of the new test while the old test allowed three hours to complete two sections.

“You cannot expect students to perform at the same level over the extended length of time,” he says.

Read the entire story about the double-digit drop in SAT test scores on USA Today.

An article on MSN’s Encarta offered some help for high school guidance counselors to help translate exactly what those SAT scores mean.

About one month after administering the new SAT, the College Board posts individuals’ scores on its Web site. For example, scores from the March 12th administration of the new SAT were made available online on April 11.

Log on to the College Board site for:

Your raw score and 200-800-point scaled score for each Math, Critical Reading, and Writing section

Your 0-12 essay sub-score

Information about your responses, including which questions you answered right and wrong, and which you omitted

Your estimated percentile rank for college-bound seniors based on the test you took (Note: your percentile rank will help you understand how you scored in comparison to other test takers.)

A printable copy of your essay

Soon after it’s posted online, this information is sent to your home so that you have an official score report. You can also use the College Board site and your official score report to confirm the colleges to which you sent your scores.

Understanding your score
Even after receiving their score, students commonly wonder, “What does my score mean?”

Because colleges haven’t yet published the average combined score on the new test from among applicants to their schools, the easiest way to understand your score is to break it down into sections, rather than using the whole score.
The Road to College

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Find the real cost of college

Think of it this way: Let’s say that a school you’re interested in indicated they had accepted students with an average SAT score of 1260 on the old two-section version of the test. If you divide that in two, each section would have been a 630. Now, look at your current scores. You will need section scores for each of the three sections in the 630 range–or a total around 1890.

As you compare your score on this test to your score on a previous test (if you took one), it is important to remember that the SAT returns scores on a bell-curve. This means that the median score on each section should always be close to 500 (the midpoint between 200 and 800), with a decreasing frequency of scores down to 200 and up to 800.

The writing section
Keep in mind that not all schools will be using the writing section the same way. Elite schools that have traditionally required the SAT Subject Test in Writing are indicating they will use the SAT Writing section as a formal piece of the admissions process.

Other schools are indicating that they will look at it, but not give it much, if any, consideration. They are primarily looking at it to get an understanding of the scores relative to other applications.

A third group of schools will not be looking at the Writing scores at all until next year. They are interested in collecting data and understanding the scores after they have seen how students in the entering class of 2006 do in their freshman year.

As you refine your target school list based on your scores, you may want to ask schools how they will be using your Writing score.

Testing again
If you got your dream score, congratulations! You can now get to work on your SAT Subject Tests, AP exams, and college applications.

If you are not happy with your score, don’t despair. Keep in mind that most students take the SAT more than once, and some even take it three times! Use the information in your score report to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and to hone your preparation for your next SAT.

Questions to ask before testing

• Which tests are given in my child’s grade?
• What are the purposes of these tests?
• What will these tests measure?
• How will the scores be reported?
• How will the results of the tests be used?
• What do you do to prepare children for tests?
• What can I do at home to help my child prepare to take the test?
• What happens if my child performs poorly?

Questions to ask after testing

• What do the test results tell me about my child’s strengths and weaknesses?
• What can I do to help strengthen my child’s skills and abilities?
• Are the test results consistent with my child’s performance in the classroom?
• How does my child compare with his peers?
• Is the test data used to help improve instruction?
• What changes, if any, will be made in the classroom instruction?

“We recognize that simply having a course that requires a teacher to cover a lot of content is not the same as the best-level college course, in which teachers are facilitating in-depth study,” said Trevor Packer, Advanced Placement executive director.

Find out how the potential changes to the AP program will affect your high school students.

“High school students in 20 states this spring must pass a standardized test to get a diploma. The class of 2006 will see the next major expansion of exit exams. Four states — Arizona, California, Idaho and Utah – for the first time next year will withhold diplomas from seniors who fail the final exam. Washington state will phase in the test by 2008.”

Read the full article on high school exit exams in high schools around the country.

The essay is not the only change on the new SAT. Gone are the tiresome analogies along with quantitative comparisons and an emphasis on vocabulary. The new additions are higher level math questions, increased focus on grammar and more critical reading.

According to a recent article posted on CNN.com, many experts believe prep classes aren’t necessary, though they suggest practicing. Students can take a full length practice test at Collegeboard.

Despite the changes that have been made to the SAT, many believe it’s not really that much different. Director of Test Preparation for Peterson’s, Ben Paris, insists the test is really “changing the skills that are being tested” rather than completely overhauling the test. The College Board says the new version will be different, not harder.

High school junior, Nora Hakkakzadeh, believes she has a handle on the SAT process. “I think the change in the SATs is for the better, but the way you approach it is just the same.” The tried and proven way to do well on the SAT is for students to prepare for the test by becoming familiar with each component through the use of practice tests.

For many, it comes way too fast. For others, it doesn’t come fast enough. And for still more, it sneaks up on them, finding them unprepared and unsure what the future should hold for them.

Whether students are prepared or not, senior year is inevitable and the job of preparing students for the next step tends to fall on the shoulders of countless high school guidance counselors.

As high school guidance counselors, it is your job to help students make concrete and compounded decisions. These decisions affect their family life, the kinds of jobs they will seek, whether or not they attend college and their overall ability to function as productive citizens in American society.

Parents play the most important role in their child’s development. They should be the main support in the college selection process. Unfortunately, too many parents have no idea how to navigate the college search process. They are ill-informed about what steps are necessary, and at what times to make their child’s dream of attending college a reality. Guidance counselors can help both parents and students through this confusing time by de-mything the process.

So many myths surround the college search process. Among them are inaccurate beliefs about financial aid, choosing a major, picking a college or university and the role test scores play in the college selection process. Here are a few realities that you can share with your students regarding the most common myths.

Myth: My test scores are too low for me to get into the college of my choice.
A lot of students and parents place tremendous amounts of value on standardized test scores. While these test are certainly important, they are not the be all, end all of college admissions. Harvard University, one of the most prestigious and selective schools in the nation, does not have clearly defined, required minimum scores.

“We regard test results as a helpful indicator of academic ability and achievement when considered thoughtfully among many other factors.”

By simply preparing for standardized tests through test prep classes, most students are able to perform exceptionally well on the tests.

Myth: I will have to choose a public state school over my number one choice private school.
It is no secret that anything prefaced with the word “private” denotes money and prestige. Colleges and universities are no different. The average tuition price of a private four-year college is around $20,000 while it is closer to $4,000 at most public four-year universities. The price discrepancies are likely to deter families from even considering a private school. Yet, students who attend private schools sometimes pay less than students attending public schools. This is because financial programs at some private universities and colleges are designed to meet 100% of the student’s financial need. If a student is interested in a private school, the best thing to do is keep the school as a consideration, only omitting it after reviewing the financial aid award.

Myth: I have to find the perfect college in order to have a great experience.
The myth of perfection has complicated the college search for a number of students. They believe that if they don’t find the right combination of academics, athletics and social activities, they will have a horrible college experience. This is simply not true. It is a good idea to weigh your college choices based on the items you deem important in your idea college. What students should not do is scratch a school off the list if it’s only missing one important factor. If the first choice school has the right student enrollment, academic programs and financial aid package, it should not be excluded because there are no student publications, intramural sports. Those are things that the student could easily start on campus if it’s important to them.

Myth: I can’t apply for financial aid until after I get accepted.
The most selective schools only provide need-based financial aid so those who qualify for financial aid are at an advantage should they get accepted. No school actively rejects applicants who need to apply for financial aid.

Myth: I can’t go to that school because I don’t have the grades or test scores.
Your high school grades are important. They say a lot about the importance of education in your life. However, they don’t tell everything. Test scores are the same way. Because some students are better test takers, they might master the standardized test without actually knowing the material. Colleges and universities consider a wide range of things when deciding to admit a student. There are grades, test scores, writing ability, work experience, extracurricular activities and community involvement. They also look at the types of classes you took, leadership abilities and personal character and ethics.