Are the June ACT and SAT doomed?

Make plans now to improve outcomes later.

Dear Foley Prep Family Member:

I hope this email finds you well. Below are some of the ideas I’ve been discussing with so many Foley parents on the phone this past week. Let me know if you find them helpful, and, as always, feel free to email or call me with any questions. If you haven’t already, please “like” the Foley Prep Facebook page by pressing Facebook.com/tutoring … there, I post relevant, opinionated pieces 2-3 times a day.

Parents of 7th-11th graders: plan to catch up on academics and continue test prep this summer.

• Organize friend groups of up to 5 kids to catch up on school subjects at Foley Prep this summer. Missing 2-3 months of math (or any subject) can set kids up for years of frustration. After weeks of isolation, kids are going to want to be with their friends. Foley Prep has 7 beautiful locations in New Jersey and 40+ teachers who are experts in their fields, most with NJ K-12 teacher certification. Every summer, we’ve arranged private groups for academic subjects ranging from Algebra to AP Calculus, Chemistry, Physics … name the subject and we can help.

  This summer promises to be one of our biggest yet. Please contact me ASAP to start setting up private learning groups – ask about special solidarity pricing through June 1st.

Class of 2021 Planning

• The June SAT and ACT are doomed to be canceled in New Jersey. Plan accordingly. This morning, NYC public schools were ordered closed for the school year. Pennsylvania and Virginia announced the same this past week. It’s only a matter of time until New Jersey follows suit. Rising seniors and juniors should plan to take the earliest SAT or ACT for which they can prepare. Test prep has a double-benefit: higher scores lead to better colleges and financial aid while motivating academic achievement. Foley Prep content and strategies are intertwined with the skills and content kids need to master in school. Since June will almost certainly be canceled, 11th graders should sign up for the July ACT and August SAT as soon as they can. These dates are likely to sell out quickly.

• Most, if not all, colleges will be test optional for the class of 2021 and beyond. “Test optional” has been a growing movement, especially among financially strapped colleges. If an applicant is not in the donor class, a recruitable athlete, or an underrepresented minority, SAT and ACT scores remain just as important (if not more so) than they’ve ever been. Competitive admissions officers will view grades during this pandemic as much less reliable than standardized test scores. A strong SAT or ACT score will help you stand out and make you eligible for more financial aid.

• The AP exams this May are a golden opportunity not to be missed. Press here to see my prior email for the latest information on the AP exams. We’ve got a stable of thoroughbred AP teachers who are giving Foley Prep kids the lead on these exams. Win, place, or show, the college credits earned can lead to substantial savings in time and money.

Class of 2020 Planning

Unlike past years, I’ve been fielding lots of questions from anxious parents of graduating high school students. A time of celebration and relaxation (aka senioritis ubiquitous) has become fraught. Isolation and uncertainty are wearing on everyone.

• Given that many colleges are sweetening their offers and pushing back deposit dates, have you tried to open new doors and negotiate better deals on tuition?

• Some parents are considering putting deposits down at two different colleges. Colleges abhor this and it is considered unethical. It can create bad will if not retroactive rejection. Here’s the question: Will my college play ball and allow me an extra month to decide? The answer during the pandemic is often “yes” and it will buy you time to negotiate the best deal.

• Parents are worried about sending their kids too far from home. The new risk in the economy and the ongoing heath crisis affect college selection. Students are demanding practical degrees that lead to jobs. Is that a greater priority now? For the vast majority of students, the answer should be “yes.”

• Please note that the advice about online community college credit that follows immediately below in “College Student Planning” applies to graduating seniors as well.

College Student Planning

• Everyone is in Online School now – right now where you go matters less than ever before. Many colleges are making contingency plans to keep campuses closed this fall. At minimum, current college kids should consider community college summer online classes. Now is the time for graduating seniors as well as ongoing college kids to check with college transfer offices about community college course credit transfer for this summer and possibly the fall. The economy may remain weak, so kids need to be sure they are graduating on time without breaking the bank.

In February, I predicted that this pandemic would accelerate the evolution of secondary and higher education. Many colleges that were already struggling will go out of business as high school and college kids realize that they are being given credit for online classes that can be delivered for a fraction of the cost of traditional on-campus experiences. Kids are also seeing that time spent on actual learning can be reduced dramatically when you take out all the time-sucking, non-educational frictions that occur while in school. While online education offers these and other advantages, parents with resources will always seek in-person educational experiences because they know that the best way to hold kids accountable is in professional, caring environments like those found at Foley Prep.

Right now, savvy students and parents are taking the time to find opportunities to rethink educational and career plans. Foley Prep has always been ahead of the curve, so if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, call, or text. I look forward to hearing from you and helping as best I can. I have advised thousands of students in the 25+ years I’ve been in for-profit and public education. A little extra planning now can make a huge difference in reducing stress and creating the best outcomes in the future.

Be safe and be well.

Kind Regards,

Ron Foley

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Call 732-412-1416 or reply to this email for more information

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Go to FoleyPrep.com/data to find out more. Below is a screenshot of one of the interactive data plots – I invite you to go nerd out for a few minutes!

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