#engincrd

College Comparison Spreadsheet:

This spreadsheet was made for comparing the colleges that you are interested in. As mentioned early, there are several fields that can be used to compare options, but they can be edited so that they fit you. If you are not at all interested in Greek Life, but having the opportunity to participate in an Acapella group is super important to you, just take the Greek Life section out and add in an Acapella Choir section.

Heres a rundown on each section:

Name. Name of the college/university

Public/Private. If the school is public or private. Public schools are usually cheaper for in-state students, but private schools often have more resources to offer financial aid to students. Both have pros and cons

Location. Where the school is located.

Setting. Type of area the school is located. Big city or rural town? Distinct campus or scattered buildings? By the beach or in a forest?

Distance from Home. How far the school is from home. How long would it take to travel home for a visit or over break?

Total Population. Number of both undergraduate and graduate students. Smaller schools are more intimate, while larger schools give more of that “university” experience with more people and usually more opportunities (depending on what you consider an opportunity)

Undergraduate Population. Number of undergrads at the school. Can be important to consider if school focuses on undergrads or grads

Graduate Population. Number of grads at the school. Can tell if school has undergrad or grad focus or is balanced.

Campus Culture/Vibe. General “feel” of campus and students. Are the students nerdy and quirky? Are they more of the athletic type? Will you feel at home? This “fit” is super important in college decisions and is sometimes forgotten when applying.

Housing Options. What kind of housing is available for students. Are all undergrads required to live on campus? Are the dorms traditional style or apartment style? Is housing guaranteed?

Extracurriculars. What type of extracurriculars are offered. Intramural sports? Fine arts clubs? Cultural organizations? Honor societies?

Athletic Division. What division do varsity athletics compete in? Will you be excited to cheer on the team? What other teams does the school compete against?

Greek Life. Are fraternities and sororities available? How many students participate in them?

Demographics/Diversity. Is the population diverse? Are there students from all over with all different types of thinking?

Other Notes. Any other extra information that doesn’t fit into the above categories. Are there any fun traditions? Is there anything you really like or dislike? Do they give out free ice cream sundaes on Tuesdays?

Graduation Rate. How much of the class graduates within a certain timespan (often 6 years)

Freshman Retention Rate. How much of the freshman return the following year. Can be a good indicator of student satisfaction

Rankings. Rank of school. Remember that this is NOT the only factor in considering options. There is so much more to college than just prestige and ranking. Chose a school where you’ll be happy, not because it’ll impress people

Majors Offered. Does the school offer a major that interests you? Try to make sure that you like at least two majors offered. That way, if you change your mind from your first choice you still have other options

Student:Faculty Ratio. How many faculty members for each student. Lower ratios often mean smaller class sizes

Academic Opportunities. What other programs are available. Can you do research or internships? What type of student support is offered? Is there an honors college?

Study Abroad Opportunities. If you want, can you study abroad? Where? When?

Special Program/Curriculum. Is there a common core or curriculum that all students must take? Is it very open with very loose general education requirements? What style are the classes? Large lectures or hands-on seminars?

Other Notes. Any other extra information that doesn’t fit into the above categories. Is there a 5 year Bachelors/Masters program? Are double majors allowed? Is there a Physical Education requirement?

Tuition. Cost of tuition

Room, Board, Other Expenses. Cost of other expenses, including room and board, books, meal plans, etc.

Financial Aid Options. Does the school offer financial aid? In what form? Loans? Grants? Need-based scholarships? Merit-based scholarships? What percent of aid is given? What is the average amount of debt students graduate with?

Acceptance Rate. How many students get admitted. More selective schools have extremely low rates and are difficult to get into

Early Action or Decision. Does the school offer an early timeline? Early action is non-binding and simply means that the student can apply early and learn their decision early, but is not bound there if admitted. Single choice or restrictive early action means that the student can only apply to one school early and the other schools must be applied to at the regular time. Early decision is binding and if the student is admitted, they must attend the school

Application Type. Does the school use the Common App, the Coalition App, the Universal App, or its own system

Application Fee. How much does it cost to send in an application. Be careful! These can add up!

SAT Range. Average SAT of admitted students. Can be a good indicator of whether a school is a safety, match or reach. A safety is a school that you have a high chance of getting into. A match is a school that you have a fair change of getting into and reach is a school that you have a lower chance of getting into. Aim to have at least one of each of these schools

ACT Range. Average ACT of admitted students. Can be a good indicator of whether a school is a safety, match, or reach

Average GPA. Average GPA of admitted students. Can be a good indicator of whether a school is a safety, match, or reach

Application Requirements. All college require different materials. Some need supplemental essays, SAT subject tests, interviews, letters of recommendation and more, while others don’t. Make sure to double check!

College Application Checklist:

This spreadsheet is more straightforward and includes sections where the due dates and requirements for each application can be filled in. You can also place a check or other mark next to a requirement when you have completed it or turned it in. Additionally, there is a section where the link to the admissions portal can be included, as well as the username for that portal, since they can sometimes get hard to keep track of.

PREPARING FOR EXAMS:

Time Management

Create a study plan. write out when you are going to study what and make sure to include other obligations so you don’t forget or fall behind

The Curve of Forgetting by @studyquill​

Start preparing early. aka earlier than the night before (or morning of) your exams. don’t cram!!

Space out your studying. don’t study a subject all at one time. take breaks and spread out study sessions for better retention. instead of a lot at one time, little bit everyday will go a much longer way

Finish your other projects ASAP. you don’t want to be writing that final paper or finishing that presentation @ 3am the day of an exam. do it early

Don’t overextend. avoid agreeing to or signing up for too many events the weeks before and during your exams. if you can, save them until afterwards when you are less busy and stressed

Study Smart

Familiarize yourself with the format and style of the exam. know around how many questions, what type of questions, what time the exam begins, how much time you are given on each section, etc.

Know what is and isn’t on the exam. don’t waste time studying what you don’t need to know. focus on what you do

Talk to your teachers/professors/TA’s. possibly your best resources. visit or email them and ask them questions about: test format, difficult concepts, advice in general, anything really

Form study groups. study with other people, who all have different strengths and can help you out, especially if your instructor is unavailable, makes you uncomfortable, or just not helpful. you can learn so much from other people and even if you know everything, teaching others is one of the best ways to reinforce knowledge

Find a good study spot and get comfy. make sure it’s in an environment that suits your study preferences with the optimal noise level, temperature, etc. maybe find a nice spot in the library or at a coffee shop. or clean out a space in your room or dorm (less mess = less stress)

How to Set Up Your Study Space by @intellectus​

Music Masterpost by @obsidianstudy​

Study Music Masterpost by @dotgrids​

Study Sounds by @studyign​

Eliminate distractions. log out of tumblr, turn off electronics, do what you need to do to get focused and stay focused on your studying

Staying Awake While Studying and Staying Focused While Studying by @intellectus​

Understand the big ideas and underlying concepts. in other words, make connections! AP and final exams test content taught over the entire year/semester, not only the fine details taught over the last few weeks. if you can understand the big ideas and how they relate to each other, instead of just memorizing facts, you should be better prepared

Don’t ignore the details. although big ideas are super important, the details are also critical to understanding concepts

Take advantage of all resources you have access too. use your textbook, handouts, class notes, study guides, rubrics, and whatever else you can get your hands on to study. every little thing can help

Google is your friend. if the resources given to you in class aren’t enough, use the internet! search up youtube video tutorials, online guides, and anything else you might find useful. just don’t get distracted

Free Online Resource Masterpost by @studyquill​

Internet Resources by @studyign​

Do as many practice problems, questions, and exams as possible. test what you know so you know which weaker areas you need to focus on and reinforce what you already know

Make flashcards, study guides, outlines and cheatsheets. if you can’t find it, make it yourself. actively writing, drawing, or typing helps more than just reading about a topic. additionally, they’ll be custom made to your needs and preferences and can be used for last minute reviews

Flashcard Tips by @eintsein​

How to Use Flashcards by @etudiance

Use other, unconventional tricks. find what works for you. record yourself explaining a concept and listen to it later. make it into a story. write a song. color code your notes. chew a certain flavor of gum or use a certain perfume and make sure to chew the same flavor or use the same scent during the exam. change up your study sessions. wear lucky earrings. if you think it’ll help, try it

Study Methods You Should Use More Often by @eintsein​

Study Methods by @etudiance

DURING EXAMS:

Test Day:

Arrive early. give yourself a little time to avoid missing the exam. you can use the extra time to prepare yourself before going into the exam room. also, make sure you know where and when the exam is

Come prepared. make sure you have all the required materials: an id, calculator, scantron, blue book, scrap paper, #2 pencils, pens, a watch, whatever. and don’t forget water and a snack if it’s allowed

Stay calm. panicking will only cause you to blank out. relax and know that you’ve done your best to prepare. you will survive

Multiple Choice Sections:

Read the entire question. sounds obvious, but sometimes one word can completely change a question

Skip the difficult questions. for almost all multiple choice exams, all questions are weighted the same. if you get stuck on a problem, skip it, circle it, and come back to it later to save time

Answer every question. for almost all multiple choice exams, you also receive no penalty for incorrect answers, so guess! just make sure you eliminate ridiculous answers and try to pick the best choice possible

Avoid justifying and second guessing. your first choice is usually the best, so unless you are completely sure you were wrong, don’t change the answer. also don’t try to justify an answer you know is wrong as possibly right. there is only one answer

Short Answer/Free Response/Essay Sections:

Make sure to answer the question. also sounds obvious, but you can write everything you know about a topic, but never answer the question, which means no points

Plan out your answer. keep your answer organized and make it easy for the grader to understand. take a few minutes to write out an outline or just mentally organize your answer so you know what you are writing and where you will write it. this will save time in the long run, prevent from rabbit trails and going off topic, and ensure you answer the prompt

Be specific as possible. specificity shows you know what you are writing about. include all relevant information, details, and examples as evidence to support your argument

Write neatly. while you probably won’t be graded on handwriting, your answer can’t be graded if it can’t be read. you don’t have to make it perfect, just make it readable

SURVIVING EXAM WEEK:

Take care of yourself. exams are stressful and take up a lot of time, but don’t forget to take some time for yourself

Self Care Guide by @studyquill​

Self Care and Massive Self Care Masterpost by @thegrangersapprentice​

Stay Healthy by @studyign​

Make sure to sleep. super important for your wellbeing and your grade’s wellbeing. don’t pull all nighters unless you really have to. they do more harm than good. get enough sleep, especially on test day

Guide to Sleep by @educatier​

Eat well. your diet can dictate your performance. eat well to maintain energy and keep your head clear

Study Snacks and Simple Study Snacks by @thegrangersapprentice​

The Best Study Snacks by @intellectus​

Stay hydrated. drink water!! if you don’t like water, drink something else, like tea or coffee. just not too much caffeine or sugar, which can cause you to crash after a few hours. 

Hydration Masterpost by @studyquill​

Water Log Printable by @educatier​

Treat. yo. self. relieve stress in healthy ways in between exams. go for a run. hang out with friends. take a quick break and watch an episode of your favorite TV show (maybe not the whole season until you’re done). grab some coffee. indulge in a face mask. you deserve it

Study Breaks by @educatier​

Stress Relief by @intellectus​

Stress Relief by @studyign​

Treat Yourself by @engincrd

Relax and stay positive. you’ve made it to the end of the term. just a little longer and you’ll be done with it. remember that grades aren’t everything and they do not define you. you will be alright

Dealing with Stress and Exam Anxiety by @inteqrals

MORE RESOURCES:

Test Taking Advice by @studyquill​

Exam Tips by @eruditekid​

Finals + Exams Masterpost by @studyign​