What Can I Do If I Regret Applying Early Decision?

Before you submit an Early Decision application to a college or university, you should be 100% certain that you will attend if accepted.

With that said, some students still find themselves in the conundrum of needing or wanting to break an Early Decision agreement – perhaps this describes your situation.

If so, before you move forward with this decision, learn what your next steps are:

1. Speak to the school

There are several reasons why high school students regret submitting Early Decision applications. Maybe your financial aid award is insufficient, perhaps you discovered another school that you love even more, or maybe you would like to take a year off before you start college.

No matter what your motive is, the first thing you should do is reach out to the university.

Tell the staff how you feel, and see what solutions they suggest. If cost is the source of your concern, the school’s financial aid office may be able to direct you to additional resources.

If you would like to take a gap year to travel or work, the college may allow you to defer for one year.

Regardless of your situation, ensure you communicate with the admissions office. Its staff may be far more compassionate and understanding than you suspect.

2. Understand the risks

Typically, a school will disregard an Early Decision agreement only if the student will suffer financial difficulties as a result of attendance. Realizing that you prefer a different college is generally not a sufficient reason to break an Early Decision pact.

If you choose to break the agreement anyway, be aware that you run various risks. The school may speak to other colleges to which you applied and inform them of your actions.

In turn, these universities can rescind their admissions decisions, leaving you with no immediate options.

When you break an Early Decision agreement, it also reflects poorly on your high school. The college in question may think twice before accepting future applicants from your high school, and the university might contact your guidance counselor about your decision. This can be embarrassing for both you and your high school.

3. Come to terms with Early Decision

If you decide that it is best to follow through with your Early Decision agreement, try to make the most of your situation.

Remind yourself of why you applied to that university in the first place – after all, there must have been something about it that you loved. Spend at least one semester at the college, as you may realize that your worries were unfounded.

If you dislike the school after a full semester, remember that you can transfer to a different institution. Although you may dread completing the transfer application process, it is a small price to pay compared to four years of unhappiness.

Early Decision is a serious commitment, and breaking that commitment has consequences.

However, regret over Early Decision does not have to ruin your college experience. Look into your options, contemplate them with a clear head, and choose the one that is best for you.









Tiffany Sorensen is a professional tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Spanish Language & Literature from Stony Brook University.

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Getting the Most Out of Federal Aid

If you’re in high school, college, grad school, or even if you’ve done a simple cursory exploration of different ways to fund your higher education, you’re familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid—otherwise known as the FAFSA.

“Why apply for the FAFSA?” You may ask, “Doesn’t it just tell you how much money your parents can supposedly afford to pay for school?” Well, yes and no.

Not only does the form calculate the rough amount you are theoretically able to shell out for college (this number is called the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC), it also indicates whether you’re eligible for federal work-study and what federal loans you may be able to take advantage of.

Keep in mind that there is no age limit for receiving aid, and you can utilize these programs whether you’re an undergrad or working towards a graduate degree!

Federal work-study

Federal work-study is a program where eligible students (generally those whose FAFSAs indicate that they have need for financial aid) may get part-time employment through their school.

These jobs can be on- or off-campus and will pay at least the federal minimum wage, sometimes even more.

Qualifying students are generally responsible for finding a position and they are paid directly by their schools, though they can request that the money they earn be deposited into a bank account or used for tuition or room and board.

It’s important to remember that the number of hours you work cannot exceed the amount you have been granted and that students taking advantage of the work-study program are not allowed to work during their university’s finals week.

Federal loans

There are also several federal loan programs that you can take advantage of. Even if you don’t qualify for work-study, you might still be eligible for one of these loans—the Federal Perkins Loan and the Stafford Loan are the two that are most frequently used by students.

These loans may have lower interest rates than those you can acquire through private institutions, so it’s a good idea to explore all your options before signing on to a commitment.

The Perkins Loan is your basic need-based loan. Kind of like with work-study, the amount that you are eligible to borrow each year corresponds with the level of need that you have according to the FAFSA.

The Stafford Loan is not a need-based program; you can take out one of these loans even if your FAFSA indicates that you technically don’t need the aid. However, the level of need you have impacts whether you’re required to pay back interest that accumulated while you were in school; check out the links below to find more information!

The Pell Grant is another need-based program—it’s not a loan, of course, so you don’t have to pay it back. The amount of these awards varies based on individual need and the maximum amount available per student changes from year to year. Generally, the max Pell amount you can gain per year is around $5,500.

Filling out the form

Now that you know what kinds of assistance the FAFSA can gain for you, you’re ready to settle down and get it done. Set aside a good amount of time to fill out the FAFSA, about a couple of hours.

If you’re considered a dependent on your parents’ tax forms, you’ll want them to be available too to answer any questions that you might have about their finances.

Head to obtain a Federal Student Aid PIN, and then to set up your account!

It’ll be helpful to have the information you’ll need right there. You’ll need your social security number and information that indicates the amount of money you and your parents have earned: income tax returns, W-2s, bank statements and records of untaxed income you’ve earned. If you or your parents have any records of investments, you’ll need those as well.

You might have heard that you only need to submit the FAFSA once, but that’s untrue! It’s guaranteed that some of the information on the form will change at least slightly from year to year, which may make you eligible for a greater financial aid package, so you need to complete it annually.

Recommended Reading

• The Beginner’s Guide to Financial Aid

• Get Help with the FAFSA

• Maximizing Aid Eligibility: What You Need to Know

• Federal Funding 101

• Making Smart Student Loan Decisions

Additional Web Resources

FinAid.org is another great web resource with a wealth of knowledge. There you can find many of the answers to any of the financial aid questions you may have, along with questions regarding tax benefits, applications, loans, savings and grants.

The Federal Student Aid website is where you file your FAFSA and is a basic starting point for federal student aid-related questions.

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Staying Motivated Through the End of the Semester

November is a tricky month to stay motivated. You have probably just made it through a massive set of projects, papers, and exams, and are just ready to make it to Thanksgiving. We – your teachers, tutors, and parents – understand. Unfortunately, that does not give you a one-way ticket to winter break.

Here are some tips and tricks to stay motivated through the end of the semester and into the new year!

1. Schedule time for both work and play

When facing a month and a half of final projects and big exams, it is very important to stay organized. As you begin scheduling time to start research or hold group meetings for various projects, ensure that you are being reasonable in your demands for yourself.

It is neither fair, nor really a good idea, to schedule something like six hours of work on a Sunday afternoon.

Instead, try to spread the work out; include something fun in between your study sessions and leave time for other important events like Thanksgiving dinner or your friends' birthdays.

2. Plan ahead

If planning time for fun wasn't a clear enough indicator of how important scheduling is, now we can say as clearly as possible: plan ahead! Read through those final project instructions now and see what you can complete well ahead of time.

Some projects and papers might require more information or group work, but if you can get started on research or making decisions about different roles you can play within a group, now is the time. The more you can get done before Thanksgiving, the less miserable the last week before the end of the semester will be.

This doesn't necessarily mean you must get all of your work done now; there are probably several tasks that need to be completed for this current week alone, as well as homework that is due tomorrow!

So, think of it this way: if you can just sneak in a half hour to an hour each week to at least think about the long-term projects well before Thanksgiving, you can get a jumpstart into the final stretches well before the stress begins to build.

3. Ask for help when you need it

It is normal to feel stressed about final exams, essays, and research projects. Nevertheless, one of the best parts about being in school is that you can ask for help before you get overwhelmed. If you start on something early enough, you will have more time to ask trusted sources to edit or look over your work, as well as to help guide your next steps.

If you are having difficulties handling all of the stress, or if you need extra time, many teachers are more amenable to giving you leeway if you approach them earlier rather than later. A midnight email the day before the project is due will not receive the same response as an in-person meeting a week or two before the deadline.

Staying motivated through the end of the semester also means incentivizing yourself. Perhaps this means you can only buy your favorite candy or go catch a movie if you have a certain amount of work done – whatever makes sense for you personally.

It also means prioritizing actions that will help keep you alert and healthy, like sleeping. As tempting as it may be to skip a few hours of sleep when things start to get overwhelming, this will only cause you to slow down and subsequently get less work done.

Whatever steps you are taking to stay motivated, remember that there is always a support network in school through your teachers and guidance counselors if your commitments get too out of hand.

Andrea Deck is a professional GRE tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She is a graduate student at Columbia University in the class of 2015.

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Acing an AP Exam without Taking the Class

Unfortunately, not all high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes.

However, you can still register for and do well on AP exams even if you don’t have the option of taking an AP course.

Here’s how:

Take advantage of the College Board website.

The official College Board website has excellent resources that can help you prepare for AP tests.

These resources include sample exam questions and test-taking advice. Most importantly, however, are the course descriptions that the College Board maintains for each AP subject that it offers.

These course descriptions are available as PDF files, and they are completely free to download.

Each PDF file contains valuable information about the structure of the exam, how each test is graded and the material that will appear on the exam.

You’ll also gain useful information for after the exam, such as how the final exam scores are reported (on a scale of 1 through 5, 5 being the highest score) and how to earn credit for your scores.

Be sure to review these files in their entirety so that you know what to expect when your test day arrives – and what to study in the meantime.

Supplement your review with practice tests.

The College Board only provides a limited number of free practice questions. For this reason, consider supplementing your review with outside materials.

This might mean borrowing or purchasing an AP study book, or it might mean completing online practice tests.

Study materials are especially vital when you are not in a classroom environment. An AP course allows students to compile notes over an extended period, as well as to assess their understanding with chapter exams and writing assignments.

Your challenge is to substitute this in-class work with out-of-class resources. Highlight or underline key information in your study guide, or take notes in the margins of a practice test.

Remember that to receive a high score on the AP exam, you must be deeply familiar with the test’s formatting, subject matter and timing.

Form a study group.

There may be other students in your situation who would also love to earn AP credit. Why not join forces with these individuals? After all, you have the same goal!

Ask around at your high school to determine who else would like to – or already plans to – take the AP exam. You can even make a flyer and hang it up on a bulletin board to call attention to your cause. Then, form a study group with any students who express interest.

A study group is a highly useful tool, especially when your resources are limited. You can work with classmates to discuss difficult material, proctor timed practice tests and keep one another motivated. Since you will not have an AP teacher to answer to, it can be helpful to feel accountable to someone.

Students who work alone, for instance, may fall behind schedule. If you are part of a study group to which you feel responsible, you are more likely to stay on top of your review material.

When you cannot take an AP class, the secret to a high score on the AP exam is self-discipline and ample prep.

By following the above advice, you will be well on your way to a perfect 5 in no time!

Tiffany Sorensen is a professional tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Spanish Language & Literature from Stony Brook University.

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Last-Minute Strategies to Conquer High School Finals

December often arrives without much warning, and your finals are suddenly – and terrifyingly – upon you.

Instead of succumbing to the stress of the last weeks of the semester, here are four last-minute strategies that can help you wage war on those high school finals!

Plan a study schedule

If you already feel anxious and unprepared for your finals, take a deep breath. Set aside an hour or two to plan your remaining days and weeks. Ensure you review every subject thoroughly. This may seem like a tremendous undertaking when you are so short on time, but it can truly help you maximize your hours.

Utilize diverse learning tools

If you are struggling to commit the necessary class content to memory, try a new tactic. Write a study guide that includes the items you know and the details you always forget. You might also consider creating an outline of the exam topics. Why? Writing information in your own words engages the parts of your mind that allow you to retain knowledge.

This is just like teaching the content to yourself a second time, but it is not the only new technique you can utilize. You can also tell yourself a story that includes the information, or draw a picture – in short, any action that does not include reading someone else's words.

Prioritize your time

This is often the most difficult aspect of reviewing for finals. What subjects or tests are most important? Is it your favorite course, or the one with which you are especially struggling? Is there a project that will require more time to complete? You don’t necessarily need to forego a football game or a choir practice, so long as you schedule time for all of your commitments.

This does not, however, mean that you can choose to watch all of your television shows if it limits your available study time. Self-care (in other words, the occasional indulgence) can help you boost your productivity, but use it sparingly.

Set aside ample time for sleep

A well-rested brain works faster and more accurately than a tired and sluggish brain. By high school, this should not be novel news. You should not schedule an all-nighter to cram course content into your poor, tired mind. Sleeping, eating well, and otherwise taking care of yourself will ultimately help you work more efficiently. It can even help you perform better on your exams.

A quick note about cramming that every student should take in: information stays in your brain for far longer if you revisit it on multiple occasions. If you are interacting with course content for the first time the evening before your test, it is very unlikely to be at your fingertips (i.e. easily recalled) during your exam the next day.

When it comes to your final tests, preparing yourself earlier, rather than later, will always be the best possible scenario. But if that time has already passed, do your best not to panic, and instead make the best use of your remaining time instead.

Good luck on your exams!

Andrea Deck is a professional GRE tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She is a graduate student at Columbia University in the class of 2015.

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What to Know About Professor Rating Websites

A professor can seriously set the tone for your semester. Anyone who has ever had either a great professor (hopefully you), a not-so-great professor (hopefully not you) or with the slightest bit of common sense can tell you that.

It’s also common sense to know that one of the best ways to learn about a potential situation is from someone who has already experienced it.

Applied here: you getting a review on a course from a real, live student who has taken that same course with that very same professor. Yep, it’s not rocket science.

Where it does become a little dicey is in determining what to do with the information given. Do you take their word as fact? Look for more student opinions? Ask to see their other grades to ensure they are a credible student source?

Check out the following guide to help you learn about popular professor rating websites and what to keep in mind while reading each site’s ratings and reviews.

What Should I Know Before Using These Sites?

Yes, professor rating websites can be a helpful tool, but there are a few things to keep in mind while using them:

• The majority of students that take the time to rate professors have extreme opinions of them, whether they are positive or negative.

Take each opinion with a grain of salt because such extreme opinions are often biased and somewhat of an inaccurate portrayal of the professor’s teaching methods.

It’s also much more common for people to write negative reviews than positive. (Think about how much you complain about services versus complimenting them, for example.)

It’s always best to read a lot of reviews to see what the general consensus is and form your own opinion, rather than just taking one opinion as fact.

Remember, you’re just getting a one-sided story. Students who complain about poor grades but didn't work to achieve higher ones doesn't really reflect on a professor’s teaching style.

• It's all relative: individual students have different ideas about the qualities great teachers possess.

Once you read plenty of reviews, try to read between the lines for, what sounds like, the most realistic portrayals of a professor’s teaching style.

Worst-case scenario: you can always drop or switch courses if you were completely off base in ignoring a particular review.

• When a professor ranks highly on the difficulty scale,

it does not mean you should avoid the course.

Great courses can be challenging, too. In fact, some of the most boring classes are the easiest.

A difficult course and and bad professor, on the other hand, should be avoided at all costs. It’s smart to keep an eye out for courses ranked as difficult with professors that also have ratings that describe them as overly hard or as unfair graders.

However, if the professor is ranked highly in terms of being respectful and grading fairly, it’s not necessarily a class you should steer clear from. You may just need to work a little harder for your grade.

• It’s absolutely impossible to completely avoid difficult courses.

You shouldn't want to, anyway! Challenging yourself is part of how you learn and grow. However, there are strategies to picks the right types of difficult courses.

The best strategy is to choose the right difficult courses, with the right type of professor who will fit with your learning style. That way, the difficult courses won’t seem quite as bad as they could be.

So, go ahead, take a difficult course. You may actually end up learning a lot!

• Try to look for comments from students who have majors related to the course subject.

This actually makes a lot of sense when you think about it.

For example, an accounting major may dislike writing and, because they dislike the course material in a writing course, may rate a professor more harshly than, say, a journalism major.

However, if a journalism major were to rate that same writing course negatively, it should set off some red flags.

Popular ratings sites

• Rate My Professors

Claiming the largest online destination for professor ratings, the site is “built for college students, by college students.”

According to their web site, users have added more than 14 million ratings, 1.3 million professors and 7,000 schools across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

• MyEdu

This site claims to have “more than professor ratings.” In fact, they qualify their tool as professor recommendations.

They professor recommendations, as described on the web site, “let you choose the professors that work best with your personal learning style which should help make you more successful in your college classes.”

The recommendations include factors like study tips, exam types, lecture and attendance policies, the professor’s teaching style and effectiveness as well as the official school evaluations.

• Koofers

Koofers is somewhat of a hybrid between Rate My Professors and myEdu, because the site has valuable ratings included on myEdu, as well as student comments to help you make more informed decisions regarding professors.

The site is also useful in that it provides average class GPAs and additional information about exams, quizzes, class projects and, when applicable, extra credit opportunities.

Students are also able to detail difficult of the exams; whether or not the professor applies a grading curve and if any pop quizzes are to be expected. It’s helpful to know what to expect in a course and this type of information lends itself to just that.

• Uloop

On Uloop, you’re able to search college professors by your state, university, the professor’s last name or by department. With five-star scales, you’re able to see the ratings over three qualities: helpfulness, clarity and easiness, compiled with the professor’s overall score.

Student comments are posted next to each rating, which helps the reader understand why certain ratings may have been given.

Also, it’s helpful to see how many students have ranked the professor in total (for example, if a professor has one star but only one student has rated them, that’s something to think less about than if a professor has one star and 1,000 students rated them.)

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