ACT Announcement!

If you want to study Performing Arts in college, the first question to consider is, “Do you want to get a BA (bachelor of arts) or BFA (bachelor of fine arts)?” The answer to that question will dramatically change your admissions process, yet many students do not know the difference and are unsure which is right for them. Though they may sound the same, in practice they offer two distinct experiences. Here, we’ll distinguish between them so that you can make the choice that best aligns with your goals!

A former USC admissions counselor once explained why she liked reading transfer applications: each had a unique journey and experience to share. Some were predictable and straightforward stories of students who had attended their local community college and, after a year or two, decided it was time to transfer to a university. Other stories included students attending multiple colleges, switching their major numerous times, or even several career changes.

Here at Great Expectations College Prep, we’ve closely followed the rollout of College Board’s digital SAT ever since its announcement in 2022. With a full year of the test finally behind us—the last National testing date of 2024 was December 7th—it’s an opportune moment to assess the exam’s impact and consider how to prepare for 2025 and beyond. While the test’s advertised advantages—shorter duration, fewer questions, shorter reading passages, standalone verbal questions, increased time per question, the integration of the Desmos graphing calculator across the math section, etc.—have made it attractive to test takers, critical questions remain: how does this new version measure up to its predecessors, and have these changes truly benefited students?