Edvice Ann Arbor

https://www.collegematchpoint.com/from-safety-to-selective-why-public-flagship-universities-are-no-longer-a-sure-thing?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLD1xhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHset93-fmHyoOfKJYPuNvbAnScVMLNLIEdzThy5qltTzYHF803qAetbuuf4P_aem_aZgGjcPcCSAMFwyqREwkhg

From Safety to Selective: Why Public Flagship Universities Are No Longer a Sure Thing ESM Prep College MatchPoint helps students stand out in college admissions with personalized guidance, test prep, and academic support tailored to their needs.

Interesting history if the College Board.

The Writer's Almanac from Tuesday, June 17, 2014 The Writer's Almanac from Tuesday, June 17, 2014

So important.

This 🎤

So important.

As a caring human and a college counselor, one of the first questions I ask potential clients is “what do you do for fun?” “How do you spend your time when not focused on school.” We also talk a lot about character as we move through the college application process.

Please, let’s stop defining people by their work/career aspirations and asking young people to define themselves that way.

Adam Grant on Substack We shouldn’t ask kids what they want to be when they grow up. It encourages them to define themselves in terms of work. Who we become is not a question of career—it’s a matter of character. The highest aspiration is to be a person of generosity, integrity, humility, curiosity, and wisdom.

As the last drips of college decisions come in, our seniors are exhausted, elated, sad, excited, scared, anticipatory… all rolled up into one bundle. Hug, celebrate, empathize with, and love them❤️❤️ I for one, am so very proud of this great Class of 2025!

Testimonial Wednesday !

“With care, candor, and decades of accumulated wisdom, Betsy pairs a feel for the ever-evolving admissions preferences of popular colleges with an ability to guide students to putting themselves in exactly the right light on their applications.

Everyone I've ever referred to Betsy has raved about working with her. She simply makes every part of the college admissions process richer. During campus visits, Betsy routinely knows someone -- a current student, a faculty friend -- who can give students behind the scenes access. She spares families from easy-to-make strategic blunders during high emotion topics: list cultivation, the essay, test scores, EA/ED, financial aid. In these days of endless video calls, she routinely volunteers to visit clients at their homes.

I refer families to her without hesitation, confident and relieved that they will have a true master in their corner.”

Eric A

Were your kids impacted by the SAT screw-up yesterday? If so, please read and share this from Adam Ingersoll at Compass Education Group - he gives excellent advice on what to do:

“Counselors: advise your March SAT takers caught in this mess to NOT take CB's option to have their entire score cancelled! Rationale to follow below; it's long, sorry.

Admissions folks who aren't test-free: PLEASE take the responsibility that CB is shirking and proactively communicate that you will readily allow March math scores to be suppressed/ignored for affected students.

OK:

College Board's email to students with the options they're offering is outrageous and ignores an obvious common-sense remedy here (likely because CB would prefer colleges have as little awareness of this as possible). This will lead to students mistakenly choosing to lose a completely legit and valid verbal score, and possibly a not significantly affected math score as well.

Why is this so?

-> Very few colleges forbid Score Choice.
-> A majority of colleges superscore.
-> Most scores are reported informally for the app review stage.
-> On the Common App, students enter their own superscore components, not complete test dates.
-> Most colleges are test-optional, which *should* mean they are predisposed to offer flexibility and have non-penalizing practices around test scores in the first place.

In other words, there is very very likely NO DOWNSIDE to keeping your March score, no matter how much time was taken from you on the math by this tech snafu.

Play out the obvious here. For a compromised math score from this situation to harm you, a college of interest has to:
1) forbid score choice
2) not super-score
3) only consider CB formal score reports in review
4) evaluate low outliers punitively
5) be oblivious to or callously disregard what happened here, which will make national news
6) refuse to consider a note from a counselor (or the student themselves) that simply says "March SAT Math score was from botched administration, please disregard"

The vast majority of kids can simply never reveal a compromised math score or get it ignored one way or another.

With all of that in mind, here is CB's email to students who took the test today, followed by commentary about how misguided it is, and finally what everyone reading this can do to help the kids who were affected:

"We’re reaching out because you were impacted by a technical issue that caused your March 8 SAT exam to be submitted automatically before your testing time was over. While this issue has been resolved for future tests, we know that this was a frustrating and stressful experience for you, and we are sorry. You will receive a full refund of your registration fees for the March 8 test and a voucher for a free SAT registration for a future administration. We’ll also follow up in the coming days with options for a March 22 makeup administration if your test center is able to offer one. As for your March 8 exam, you have two options: 1. If you want your score from this test cancelled, you do not need to take any action. 2. Or, if you had already completed your test when you saw the submission/"Congratulations" screen, you may choose to keep your score. We want to assure you that any questions you had answered before the test auto-submitted were fully captured and will be reflected in your score should you want to keep it. Please note that if you choose to keep your score, you must contact Customer Service by March 20 via the form at www.sat.org/inquiry and select the topic "Scores," or alternatively you can call customer service at the number(s) listed below. Additionally, if you choose to keep your score, you will not be eligible for a March 22 makeup exam. Regardless of which option you choose, you will receive the full refund and voucher for a free future registration. We will be in touch via email next week with information about processing full refunds, providing vouchers and, if applicable, makeup testing."

First, this is terribly worded. When they say "if you had already completed your test.." they mean if you were effectively done but had not yet actually clicked submit...and then the platform did it for you when the clock struck 11am. As we speak, kids are mistakenly interpreting this as "I can only keep my math score if I had 'completed' it by submitting." The following sentence confirms this isn't the case, but it's needlessly confusing.

Second, the remedy on offer is not nearly as helpful and fair as it should be. You cannot see your score and THEN decide whether to cancel it, even though this isn't impossible at all on the CB's side. You have to cancel it blind in order to have a shot at the Mar 22 retake scenario, WHICH MAY VERY WELL NOT MATERIALIZE! Imagine the site admins getting pressure to support a retake on a date that for many of them overlaps with spring break!

Finally, CB is taking ZERO responsibility for the OBVIOUS remedy of them proactively informing colleges and working with them on common-sense, practical remedies to avoid kids, site admins, and counselors having to bear the burden of their screw-up.

By the way: this was a global problem, which means the first reports should have been coming in from Australia at around 11 *PM* Eastern on *FRIDAY NIGHT*. Test site administrators did not receive the emergency email "tell kids to reboot" until right around 8am at their busiest moments getting kids corralled and underway. So, CB did not bother to have the support staff in place to identify this problem cascading westward across one time zone after another and provide more notice, including just emailing all the students directly as well!

Oh, and for those of you with aggressive litigious parents who are saber-rattling? CB has them cut off at the knees and they needn't bother getting their corporate counsel or personal attorney involved. FYI, in the ToS that every student agrees to when registering: Prior to filing for arbitration, a 60-day period of negotiation is required after a written notice of dispute. Then there is a 14-day period in which to have a settlement conference. Only then is there the option to enter arbitration. The ToS provides for a maximum of $100. Obviously it also has a no warranty, as-is clause.

THE ASK OF ADMISSIONS LEADERS:
Communicate out proactively via your counselor newsletters at a minimum that you will take steps to ensure students can use their March verbal scores without any harm coming from a paired and compromised math score. Add a sentence to this effect on your websites and apps where you explain your testing policies. Whatever else you need to do...you're the College Board's client, the kids are the CB's product effectively, and the counselors/test-site workers are the poorly treated labor. Ideally, contact your regional CB rep, a trustee who you know, whatever. The kids most likely to unnecessarily cancel their March scores against their own interest are the ones least likely to have a counselor who helps them avoid that mistake. Collectively, I have no doubt that admissions leaders could get CB to update/amend their guidance to students asap, including giving students who already acted by cancelling an opportunity to reconsider and reinstate.

I am making this case directly to as many admissions leaders as I can, and I hope they will speak up here and at minimum affirm whether this "no need to cancel" rationale is correct. I have already confirmed this with several, including one who said "The fact CB is defaulting to cancel and so quickly is asinine."

COLLEGE COUNSELORS
Advise your students NOT to cancel, unless their quirky scenario somehow makes that the right decision. I'd suggest you lobby CB too, but your time is probably better spent encouraging your admissions friends to lead that effort and making sure your students get the message.

--

Background, in case you missed all the earlier reports or need a summary in one place:

The SAT starts no earlier than 8am local time. The test is 2hrs 24minutes in standard time, including a 10 minute break in the middle. The Bluebook platform allows for no manual adjustment to the timing by the site admins. At around 8am Eastern, CB emailed site admins advising them a glitch might cause student to have their test closed out involuntarily at 11am local time, unless they rebooted their computers and re-logged in to Bluebook. This meant that any student whose test did not begin by 8:36am was exposed to this possibility. From there, chaos reigned. CB knows but will not say how many students were affected and how severely, but all indications are that large numbers of students were affected. The glitch appears to be variable, so not all students who started after 8:36am were affected (making it seem that much more unfair to those who were).

Thanks for reading this, and SORRY FOR ALL THE SHOUTING. 🙂 This is just really s--tty. There were a lot of kids testing today who very much hoped and expected to be done after this and don't have the time and/or the resources to keep dealing with the test. They deserve better from CB and let's do what we can collectively to patch this up.

Attached message from CB to site admins, dumping on them the task of dealing with a March 22 report and filing an "irregularity report" for what CB already knows good and well what was irregular. Grrrr.... “

SAT Student and Parent Inquiry Form Begin typing the name of your organization and a search list will automatically appear. Use your mouse or up/down arrow keys to navigate through the list. Select your organization by clicking on it or pressing the enter key.

This is from the The Princeton Review’s 2025 College Hopes & Worries Survey Findings:

Starting early is critical. Strategic planning to build your authentic story takes time. Top grades and test scores arent enough.

Schedule your free initial consultation here: https://calendly.com/betsy-ellsworth

Starting Early Is Critical

With acceptance rates at top schools shrinking and application expectations becoming more complex, students and parents found that those who plan ahead are at a distinct advantage. Overwhelmingly, the most frequently proffered advice from respondents was: “Start early.” Not only was this the dominant response on this year’s survey, but it has consistently appeared as the primary piece of advice on every survey for the last 22 years. Early preparation and long-term strategic focus allow students to discover and articulate their core passions, engage deeply in meaningful extracurricular activities, and develop the academic foundation needed to excel in the admissions process and at a top college.

For students currently navigating the admissions landscape, these findings serve as a reminder to take a holistic and long-term approach to the college application process. Students who begin planning as soon as they start high school are able to approach the process with confidence and a clear sense of direction. Rather than simply looking at a college’s prestige, students should seek to articulate their interests and goals and apply to schools that align with their values, passions, financial capabilities, and academic and career ambitions. While the ever-changing nature of the college admissions process can pose additional challenges and stress, students can overcome these hurdles by planning ahead, doing their research, and seeking expert guidance to help them navigate the process.

Betsy Ellsworth Welcome to my scheduling page. Please follow the instructions to add an event to my calendar.

"Betsy was an invaluable resource in guiding my sons through the college application process. Her deep knowledge, unwavering support, and genuine passion for helping students made all the difference. She not only provided expert advice but also offered encouragement at every step, making a stressful process much more manageable. Any student fortunate enough to work with her is in excellent hands."
Soojin K. (parent)

I am always grateful for recommendations and testimonials. I love what I do, and it is gratifying to hear from happy students and parents.

Hello, high school juniors! The 2025-26 Common Application prompts are now available. https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts

A good first step is to read each of the seven prompts aloud, and then jot down your initial ideas on how you might answer them. You don’t need perfection here—just a way to get started. Then, meet with your college counselor to brainstorm your first drafts.

I’m Betsy Ellsworth, the founder of Edvice Ann Arbor. A veteran of more than 25 years of college admissions experience, I work with students and their families from all over the country to help find and gain admission to the right college for them. www.edviceannarbor.com

Independent College Counseling | betsy-ellsworth Unlock your potential with Edvice Ann Arbor, the premier independent college counseling service. Get expert advice and guidance for a successful college admission journey.

Edvice Ann Arbor helps you and your stdent understand changes in testing, testing policies and all things college admission! Schedule a free consultation at www.edviceannarbor.com.

The ACT is changing, and Compass Education Group shared critical information to help us understand how these changes impact students. Go to www.compassprep.com to learn more and register for their ACT webinar on March 4th.

Homepage Each year we invite Compass to present to our 10th grade families about college admission testing. These events help our families feel confident, relieved, and well-informed. I am inundated by offers from test prep companies, but I always find myself coming back to Compass.

Appreciating these testimonials from happy students!

"As a high school student, I found the whole college evaluation process very daunting. Being a first-generation American, my family had only a limited knowledge of how best to navigate the application process. With insider knowledge and approachability, Betsy provided us with targeted education, advice, and coordinated support over two years.

I found her encouragement and dedication to helping me discover what makes me tick deeply helpful. Thanks to her holistic and strategic approach (considering and advising on academics, standardized tests, and identifying personal interests), I was able to define an academic path that I found very fulfilling. I chose a university abroad that provided me the education and international environment to help me prepare for both coveted internships and solid graduate school prospects."
- Max R.