“Unless you can score a 1600 on the SAT or can run faster and jump higher than anyone else, there aren’t many ‘full rides’ out there,” he says. “It’s a matter of supply and demand.”

Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and co-author of The Prentice Hall Guide to Scholarships and Fellowships for Math and Science Students, agrees by saying that true full rides to college are very rare, and because of this, the people who are “in it to win it” are fierce competitors for the rewards.

How do you start?
Your best bet is to make a potent financial combination from a variety of aid, including scholarships, grants and financial awards. You’re going to have to search for quite a while and work your charm, but it can pay off. “If a student has been thorough in their research and used scholarship search tools, they will find many opportunities,” Simmons says. Another tip he has is that “too much is never enough.” Check to see if you can “bank” any excess awards for future years, Simmons says. Many come in lump sums that can be tucked away into savings accounts to make the long haul much easier during your education experience.

But Ben Kaplan, who is an author of scholarship application tip books, believes that students with initiative, resolve and creativity can cut their college costs tremendously. He knows what he’s talking about. Kaplan won $90,000 in scholarships from a large collection of programs after applying for more than 30 different awards. “Colleges are giving more and more aid to ’special’ students, including merit scholarships and preferential packages of need-based aid,” he says.

Where is a scholarship an average joe can earn?
In case it wasn’t stated clearly enough before, there are lots of places for you to look. Great scholarships are easier to find these days, thanks to the Web. The flip side of this is that there are more of your competitors using these tools as well. So get started!

Community service based scholarships:
http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/service.phtml
Scholarships for average students:
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/average.phtml
Unusual scholarships:
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/unusual.phtml
Full tuition scholarships (So you’re an average joe. You can dream big!):
http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/academicscholarships.phtml

The best way to prepare students for the SAT or ACT is to take advantage of web sites with information on SAT and ACT preparation. Learn how the tests work, the way the questions are worded, and how they are scored. In other words, make good use of practice tests!

Many test preparation sites offer practice tests for both SAT and ACT tests free of charge. Take a minute to check out the test preparation tools available through search4careercolleges.com to give yourself a head start on college. Proper studying for the SAT or ACT can make a significant difference in your score.

Students take standardized tests when they are in grade school without even knowing what they are taking. Students are required to take the ACT or SAT to gain entrance into most colleges. There are standardized tests to enter certain programs within each college. Medical students must pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). And with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, standardized tests are gaining even more importance, ensuring that soon every college student will be hardened by years of taking standardized tests.

What does all this mean for the typical college student? Get your thinking caps out, sharpen your number two pencils and be ready. Standardized tests aren’t going anywhere. Study for these tests, because they are important.

But how important are they? Tests such as the ACTand SATask students to recall information they are supposed to have already learned. Passing these tests is extremely important in deciding where (or if) a student goes to college. Some suggest that the tests would be more practical if they were more focused on problem solving than on memory recall.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for admission to schools where the instruction is in English. Also, many government agencies and exchange and scholarship programs use TOEFLto determine English proficiency for people whose native language is not English. This test can be very important to foreign students who want to attend an American college.

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is a test of general skills. This test helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced business and management study. Schools use this test as one predictor of academic performance in an MBA or other graduate management programs.

The important thing to remember when it comes to these standardized tests is that these tests don’t necessarily indicate the future success of a student, but they are important in seeing how far along a student is at a particular point of time.

Students shouldn’t stress about these tests to the point of causing an ulcer. Students should prepare, study hard and try their very best, then let it go afterward. Stressing about these tests won’t help anyone pass them. Effort is all anyone can really ask.

Standardized testing is a necessary part of the college admissions process. Every student who pursues higher education must take some form of a standardized test.

The most common standardized tests for college admissions are the SAT and the ACT. Although these standardized tests do not determine the intelligence of the taker, they are an indicator of how a student will perform during their first year of college.

Many students approach the SAT and ACT with apprehension. They falsely believe that a bad score will keep them out of college. That is just not true.

It’s true colleges and universities use SAT and ACT scores when considering applicants, but they also look at high school grades, community service, extracurricular activities and athletic participation. There are also several ways to increase your SAT and ACT test scores. Various SAT and ACT test prep study aids, SAT and ACT test prep courses and SAT and ACT test prep books are available to help you prepare for the SAT and ACT tests.

How to register for the SAT and ACT

The SAT and the ACT — the most widely used standardized tests today — allow college admissions officers to judge all students by a common measuring stick.

Where high school grades can vary widely due to teaching quality, district curriculum, grade inflation and other factors, standardized tests are designed to put all students on a level playing field. In fact, preparing for these standardized tests can give you a big advantage over other students.

Both tests are offered several times each year. The fee for the SAT is $23.50 ($24.50 in New York state) and $23.50 for the ACT. In hardship cases, this fee may be waived. To apply for a waiver, pick up a fee-waiver card at your school’s counseling office, then send it in with your registration form.

ACT test preparation

Kaplan ACT 2004 with CD-ROM offers four full-length exams, each with detailed explanations for all answers, as well as expert advice on avoiding traps and managing time. You’ll increase your score through Kaplan’s highly effective test-taking strategies, which provide focused and detailed approaches for every question type.

Cracking the ACT with Sample Tests on CD-ROM, 2004 Edition — The Princeton Review realizes that acing the ACT is very different from getting straight A’s in school. They don’t try to teach you everything there is to know about math, reading, science and English —only the techniques you’ll need to score higher on the exam.

The ACT for Dummies —
You’ve heard that performing well on your ACT can make up for mediocre performance in high school. The ACT for Dummies is packed with useful information and strategies to help you prepare for the test and do your best.

SAT test preparation

Kaplan SAT Math Workbook, 4th Edition & Kaplan SAT Verbal Workbook, 4th Edition —
It’s not difficult to raise your SAT scores —all it takes is practice. Kaplan Workbooks help you practice and learn the SAT formats by working your way through the sample questions. The workbooks also explain the structure and format for each section and provide a number of useful strategies.

Kaplan SAT II: Writing 2004 - 2005 comes with a targeted review of all the material on the exam, plus Kaplan’s proven test-taking strategies. This powerful combination makes SAT II: Writing a highly effective guide to scoring higher on this intensive subject test and approaching the test with confidence.

Cracking the SAT with Sample Tests on CD-ROM, 2004 Edition — This Princeton Review book and CD-ROM package includes seven full-length practice SAT exams: three in the book and four on CD-ROM. All of the sample test questions are just like the ones you’ll see on the actual SAT, and every solution is fully explained.

Kaplan SAT 2004 with CD-ROM : Spring Edition — Maximize your score in the minimum amount of time using Kaplan’s powerful test-taking tips and strategies, plus expert advice on dealing with stress, guessing and more. Additional features on the included CD-ROM include five full-length practice tests, math and verbal tutorials, a customized study plan and performance analysis.

When to take the ACT & SAT

High school completion option: GED

The General Educational Development (GED) diploma is a high school equivalency certificate awarded upon successful completion of a test. The GED measures academic skills in five areas: writing, social studies, science, interpreting literature and the arts and mathematics. To take the test, you’ll need to find a test center in the US or Canada.

There are several ways to prepare for a GED test. You should select the option that works best for you by considering your learning style and lifestyle.

If you like to learn by yourself at your own pace, try a GED preparation book. You can choose from comprehensive books, which focus on the five GED skill areas, or specialized books, which focus on one area. If you prefer to have things explained to you, but you’d rather study from home, consider watching GED preparation classes on television or video. And if you prefer to have the help of a teacher, find a GED preparation class near you.

GED test preparation

Kaplan GED 2004 — based on the most up-to-date information on the GED, Kaplan GED 2004 has been specially created for individuals who want to prepare for the GED on their own. Kaplan’s GED guide features targeted subject review, practice questions with detailed explanations and valuable feedback, and proven score-raising strategies.

GED for Dummies —
Nervous about taking the GED tests? Relax! This friendly guide contains all the essential study methods and test strategies both first-time and repeat test-takers need. Focusing on how the exams work, this book highlights the traps and all the new features of the GED tests, while dispelling the rumors and helping you improve your scores.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

TOEFL Test Preparation Kit (Book & CD-ROM) — The largest test preparation product ever released by the TOEFL program, the TOEFL Test Preparation Kit provides 14 hours of practice materials with 980 questions from previously administered TOEFL tests.

Included are a workbook with five tests plus an additional 140 practice questions; a sealed test exercise book and answer sheet; four audiocassettes with 248 minutes of material and answer sheet instructions; and the TOEFL Sampler CD-ROM with both Windows and Macintosh versions of tutorials, essay topics and sample student essays and 67 additional practice questions.

Kaplan TOEFL Computer Based Test with CD-ROM, 2nd Edition — Kaplan combines a complete computer-based practice test experience with a comprehensive review of all the tested material, plus strategies to help you increase your score in the Kaplan TOEFL Computer Based Test with CD-ROM.

This highly effective tool will help you score higher on the TOEFL® CBT and will make you more competitive for admission to an American university.