What Are the Changes?

Since the point of the increased ACT and SAT security measures is to make it harder for students to claim they are someone they are not, the main change is that test takers will need to upload or mail a photo of themselves when they register for a college entrance exam.

The picture provided will be placed on the admission ticket, which you need to bring with you if you want to take the SAT or ACT. The staff will carry out the increased security by checking the photo that was mailed in or uploaded online against the one on the student’s photo ID. The picture that was sent in will also have to match the one on the admission ticket.

As a further security measure for the SAT and ACT, your photo will be placed on the score report that will be mailed to your high school. This way, if the photo is not of you, your teachers will likely notice. Plus, you will need to say the name of your school when you arrive for the SAT or ACT.

Additionally, students cannot register for the ACT or SAT on the day of the test due to the security changes. It will still be possible to take the SAT or ACT on standby, but you will have to register your intent days ahead of time so that you are able to send a photo.

When Will the Changes Occur?

The changes will take effect sometime between September 2012 and June 2013, so if you are considering taking the SAT, ACT or both before then, expect the security measures to remain as they currently are. But for current sophomores and juniors planning to take these tests next year, knowing the changes that will occur can be helpful.

What Led to the Security Changes for the SAT and ACT?

Not surprisingly, the main catalyst for the increased SAT and ACT security procedures is the large number of students who have cheated on these tests in recent years. In 2011, 20 New York high school students were caught cheating on these tests, and many of them now face legal penalties.

In fact, the company that administers the SAT exam recently reported that more than 3,000 test scores are thrown out every year due to cheating suspicions. Paying a student to take a test for you is not the only method of cheating, but it is one of the few that can be largely prevented with increased security for the SAT and ACT.

If you plan to take these tests, you should make sure you are able to adhere to the new rules when they are put in place for the testing year beginning in fall 2012. Be sure to stay tuned for the news that the increased security measures have been implemented for the SAT and ACT, and be prepared to send in a clear photo of your face when you register.

Instead of focusing on the college admissions rejection, however, you should start getting excited about the school you will be attending! Easier said than done, we know, but these statistics should help.

Take a Look at the Admissions Statistics

According to The Daily Beast, many of the most prestigious colleges accepted a fewer percentage of applicants this year than last. For example, Harvard’s acceptance rate went from 6.2 to 5.9 percent this year. Similarly, Stanford’s college admissions numbers show that the school accepted just 6.6 percent of applicants compared to last year’s 7.1 percent.

Yale, Princeton and Cornell are some other schools with similar college admissions trends. Dartmouth’s rates stayed nearly the same, as this school accepted 9.4 percent of applicants this year, and 9.7 percent last year.

At the same time, the college admissions statistics at some top colleges show a slight increase in acceptance. For example, Brown accepted 9.3 percent of applicants this year, compared to last year’s 8.7 percent. Columbia accepted 7.4 percent, compared to last year’s slightly lower 6.9 percent. Even still, these are very low numbers of acceptance.

Get Excited About Acceptance

So now you know that you are far from alone if you are mourning the results of the college admissions process. But that doesn’t mean you will not still get a great education. Now it’s time to turn your attention to the school you will in fact be attending.

Consider the reasons you applied to the college(s) that accepted you. There must have been a few good reasons you chose that school over all the others! The sooner you think about them, the sooner you can get over the college admissions process and start getting excited about school starting in the fall.

Perhaps you are finding it difficult to get excited about school because you simply applied to the college that is closest to your home, figuring the chances were low that you would end up going there. The good news is that every college offers the chance for higher education and a little fun along the way.

For example, if you were rejected from an Ivy League school and will now be attending a state university, find out if the school has an honors program. This will allow you to be intellectually stimulated while also getting a good resume boost.

If you are more interested in what the school has to offer outside the classroom, look into extracurricular activities. Find out which clubs you can join to get some experience in the subject of your choice, or get active with intramural sports.

Another bonus: you will almost definitely save money on tuition since many of the most prestigious schools are also the most expensive. Think about the amount you will be saving. That alone will likely lead to a lot less stress during and after college!

Clearly it is not the end of the world — or your education — when the college admissions process does not go your way. Give yourself some time to get over the rejection, but avoid slipping into depression before you can say yes to the college that did accept you.  Once you get to college in the fall, you may even find a blessing in disguise — that the college admissions results were right on target for you after all.

Instead of worrying, here’s what you can do:

1. Relax and Enjoy What’s Left of Your Senior Year

You’ve taken the necessary tests, filled out college applications and estimated your final class standing. Now it’s time to start living for the moment, not the admissions decision.

Of course, be sure to keep your grades up since many schools frown upon the habit of seniors suddenly failing classes. Some colleges even rescind their admissions offers when students do badly at the end of high school.

However, if you had a mixture of As and Bs when you applied to college, working extra hard to get all As in the second semester won’t typically change any admissions decisions for the better. So feel free to socialize a little more or stay up a little later than usual to watch a movie on a school night. It’ll help you keep your mind off impending admissions decisions.

2. Spend Extra Time with Friends

In fact, you might want to make a special effort to hang out with your friends more often. After all, this might be the last time you see some of  them before the ten-year reunion, unless you plan on meeting up during every school break.

Even if you plan on sticking around your current city for college, many of your friends probably don’t. You will all make new friends in college, and can always stay in touch on Facebook. But this may be the last time you can casually go to the mall, the movies or social gatherings together while lamenting high school problems, so take advantage of it.

3. Exercise More

One of the best, most natural ways to get rid of the stress of awaiting admissions decisions is to work out. If you are in a spring sport, throw yourself into practice. Not only will you be too tired to worry about the admissions decisions you are waiting for, but you will finish the season strong.

Plus, if you go into college fitter than ever, you may have a chance of keeping away the dreaded “freshman 15.”

4. Get a Job

If you don’t already have a job, start looking for one. Now that you are done focusing on sending out applications and studying for the SATs, you should have some free time after school and on the weekends.

Don’t stop working the minute you get your admissions decision, though. Use some of your free time over the summer to make money, too!

5. Have an Awesome Spring Break

This will not be your last spring break ever, but it will be your last one as a high school student, so it should be special. Do something that will create great memories that you can think about with a smile on your face as you take your mind off of the admissions decisions heading to your mailbox.

Whether you go all out and fly somewhere exotic or just spend a week by the pool with friends, stay in the moment. Don’t think about admissions decisions, packing for school or even what life will be like when you get to college. Just cherish the moments of relaxation with friends, without the stress that admissions decisions place on most college-bound students.

University of Notre Dame

The average ACT scores of students accepted into some of the country’s top colleges outside of the Ivy League in 2011 can serve as useful tools in interpreting your own scores.

Though the scores we’ve compiled below are just averages and do not represent requirements, they can help to give you a better idea of what to aim for on the ACT exam and of what colleges might be good fits for you.

Of course there is a long list of factors that are taken into consideration by colleges when deciding whether or not to admit a student, so ACT scores  are unlikely to make or break your chances of admission. That shouldn’t discourage you, however, from getting plenty of study and practice in to prepare yourself for the exam.

ACT scores — compiled from each individual school — have maximum composite scores of 36. This composite score is calculated by averaging the scores of each of the 4 mandatory sections of the ACT (English, math, reading comprehension and science), as well as the optional essay, which too are graded on a scale up to 36.

Boston College

In the freshman class admitted to BC in 2011, the middle 50 percent of students had ACT scores in the range of 29 to 32.

California Institute of Technology

The average ACT scores at this California college were even higher, with the middle 50 percent of CalTech’s freshman class of 2015 reporting ACT scores between 33 and 35.

Davidson College

At Davidson, the middle 50 percent of students enrolled in the class of 2015 received ACT scores in the range of 29 to 33.

Emory University

The average ACT scores for Emory’s class of 2015 were quite similar, with the middle 50 percent of students scoring within the range of 30 to 33.

Johns Hopkins University

This prestigious university is home to a freshman class of which the middle 50 percent scored between 30 and 34 on the ACT.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Students admitted to MIT in 2011 boasted very impressive average ACT scores as well. The middle 50 percent of students had composite ACT scores between 32 and 35. No big surprise, but, when broken down into individual sections, the average math scores of MIT’s admitted students were most impressive, with the middle 50 percent scoring in the range of 34 to a perfect 36.

Middlebury College

The middle 50 percent of this Vermont college’s freshman class of 2015 boasted ACT scores between 30 and 33.

Stanford University

One of the best colleges on the west coast, Stanford welcomed a freshman class in the fall of 2011 of which 85 percent of the students who took the ACT scored in the range of 30 to 36.

University of Notre Dame

Another school with impressive stats, Notre Dame welcomed a freshman class in fall 2011 of which the middle 50 percent had ACT scores in the range of 32 to 34.

University of Southern California

The middle 50 percent of USC’s class of 2015 received scores between 29 and 33.

Are your scores up to par with these colleges’ average ACT scores? If so, great! If not, don’t fret. Hit the books, take some more practice tests and sign yourself up to take the ACT once (or twice or thrice) more!

But remember, there’s no need to obsess over obtaining these average scores. ACT scores are only one factor that colleges will consider in determining the outcome of your bid for admission.

From recommendation letters to personal essays and transcripts, there is a lot to keep track of throughout the college application process. We understand how much you have on your plate at the moment, so hopefully this checklist will help keep you organized, set your mind at ease and ensure that everything is in order with your college applications.

Without further ado, don’t forget your:

1. Application Forms

Perhaps the most obvious item on our checklist, it can’t hurt to double check that you’ve filled out and submitted all of the basic application forms for each college you are applying to. Whether you are using the Common Application or completing a separate form for each college, having these forms submitted on time is absolutely essential.

2. High School Transcript

College applications are not complete without a record of your grades in high school, so be sure that the required documentation is submitted to colleges by their applicable deadlines. If that means getting on the case of your guidance counselor (or whoever is in charge of such records at your school) to send in the needed forms, so be it – don’t worry about being a pest. This is a very important part of your college application!

3. Personal Essays

Schools tend to have their own requirements when it comes to personal essays, so make sure you know what is needed for each one you are applying to. Even if you are using the Common Application, it is not uncommon for a college to require additional supplemental essays. Just make sure that before submitting your essays and crossing this item off your checklist, you have proofread them carefully. Bad grammar and careless mistakes will not impress admissions counselors!

4. Recommendation Letters

The recommendation letters submitted with your college application give you the chance to display personal characteristics and strengths that may not be evident from reading your transcript. You don’t want to leave these out! When asking people to write you letters of recommendation, be up front about the deadlines and don’t hesitate to follow up and remind them as the deadlines get closer. You want to mark this off your checklist as soon as possible.

5. Test Scores

Whether you are taking the SAT or ACT, or even the TOEFL if you are an international student, you want to make sure your scores are submitted to colleges by their required deadlines. Many schools have score submission deadlines separate from their college application deadlines, so check with each school you are applying to for verification. What good is all that time and effort spent taking (and retaking) these tests if admissions committees can’t even consider them?

6. Interview

Even if an admissions interview is not a required portion of your college application, try to do one. This is another great chance to put a face to your name and distinguish yourself from the thousands of other applications that will likely come through each college’s admissions office. This checklist item also includes any auditions or portfolio submissions which may be required if you are applying to a program in the performing or visual arts.

7. Financial Aid Documents

The last, but certainly not least important, thing on your checklist is to make sure you complete and submit all of the required forms and documentation for financial aid. From filling out the FAFSA to sending in tax returns, be sure to get everything done on time — this could make all the difference in being able to afford college. Be sure to check the deadline of each individual college, financial institution and/or other organization.

While this checklist covers most of the important things you will need to get done for your college applications, there may be more, depending on what schools and programs you are applying to. Check with each college and, if anything is missing, add it to this checklist to ensure you comply with all the application requirements and get everything in by the correct deadline.

University of Southern California

Want to see how your SAT scores stack up to the average scores of students accepted into some of the nation’s top colleges in 2011?

Whether you want to study astrophysics or art history, whether you prefer a big city school on the coast or a small liberal arts school in the Midwest, these average SAT scores from great schools outside of the Ivy League should give you a better idea of what it might take to get into that school of your dreams.

Although SAT scores are just one of the many factors that go into determining college admissions — and there are no hard-and-fast score requirements for most schools — these stats will provide you with something to compare your own scores to and a way to gauge the types of schools that might be good fits for you.

Remember that the SAT exam is composed of three sections (critical reading, math and writing), each of which is graded out of a maximum of 800 points. The scores achieved on each section are then combined to come up with the composite SAT score, which is out of a maximum of 2400 points.

Boston College

Of the freshman class admitted to BC in 2011, the middle 50 percent of students scored in the range of 1920 to 2135.

California Institute of Technology

For the middle 50 percent of CalTech’s freshman class of 2015, average SAT scores fell between 2200 and 2340.

Davidson College

At Davidson, the middle 50 percent of students enrolled in the class of 2015 received average scores on each section of the SAT as follows: 640 to 740 in critical reading, 650 to 740 in math and 640 to 730 in writing.

Emory University

Among this southern school’s class of 2015, the middle 50 percent of students scored within the ranges of 650 to 750 in critical reading, 670 to 770 in math and 660 to 750 in writing. In terms of composite SAT scores, the freshman class’s average scores fell in the range of 2020 to 2220.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The average scores of students admitted to MIT in 2011 fell in the ranges of 680 to 780 in critical reading, 740 to 800 in math and 690 to 780 in writing. No shocker that the highest scores were in math here!

Middlebury College

The middle 50 percent of Middlebury’s freshman class of 2015 boasted SAT scores between 1950 and 2240.

Rice University

This Texas institution is one of those schools that only takes the critical reading and math portions of the SAT into consideration when calculating composite scores. Of its freshman class of 2015, the middle 50 percent had composite scores in the range of 1380 to 1510. Broken down, this reflected average scores between 650 and 750 in critical reading and between 690 and 790 in math.

Stanford University

Looking at the freshman class that entered Stanford in the fall of 2011, 68 percent scored in the range of 700 to 800 in critical reading, 76 percent scored  in the range of 700 to 800 in math, and 74 percent scored in the range of 700 to 800 in writing.

University of Notre Dame

Another school that doesn’t include the writing section in calculations of composite SAT scores, Notre Dame judges students’ scores on a scale up to 1600. The middle 50 percent of students who make up this school’s class of 2015 scored in the range of 1370 to 1500.

University of Southern California

The average scores for USC’s class of 2015 fell in the range of 1970 to 2180. When broken down into individual sections, the middle 50 percent scored between 610 and 720 in critical reading, 670 and 770 in math and 650 and 740 in writing.

How do your scores stack up? Again, these average scores are intended only to give you an idea of what students accepted into schools such as these tend to get on the SAT, and the scores certainly do not represent requirements. While SAT scores are important to an extent, there are many other mitigating factors (such as GPA, involvement in extracurricular activities and great personal essays) that are taken into consideration by admissions committees and can make up for SAT scores that are lower than average.

High test scores are not enough to guarantee you admission, so you shouldn’t fret if your scores do not match up to those listed below. There are many factors that go into determining college admissions, and the score you receive on your ACT (or SAT) is just one of them.

Nevertheless, in order to give you a framework to interpret your scores, we have compiled some statistics on the ACT scores of students admitted to and/or enrolled in Ivy League schools. The information comes from each of the schools’ individual websites.

To give you a bit more context for these scores, the ACT exam is broken down into four mandatory sections (English, math, reading comprehension and science) and an optional essay portion. Each section is given a score out of 36, and the final composite score for the ACT (also out of 36) is found by calculating the average of the scores from all the component sections.

Brown University

More than 36 percent of students enrolled in the class of 2015 at Brown who took the ACT exam scored in the range of 33 to 36.

Columbia University

At Columbia, the middle 50 percent of students admitted this past year had ACT scores between 32 and 35. In addition, 77 percent of admitted students who opted to take the ACT received scores in the range of 32 to 36.

Cornell University

Information about the ACT scores received by students admitted to or enrolled in the university was not included in the 2015 class profile released by Cornell’s Undergraduate Admissions Office. Please let us know in the comments if you have this information.

Dartmouth College

At Dartmouth, the median ACT score of students admitted last year was 33.

Harvard University

We were unable to find up-to-date statistics from Harvard on the ACT scores of its admitted or enrolled students. If you have this data, please let us know.

Princeton University

The middle 50 percent of students enrolled in Princeton’s freshman class of 2015 scored between 31 and 34 on the ACT.

University of Pennsylvania

The middle 50 percent of the University of Pennsylvania’s class of 2015 had ACT scores in the range of 31 to 34.

Yale University

Closing out the pack, Yale boasted a freshman class among which more than 70 percent of students who took the ACT received a score between 32 and 36.

How do your ACT scores compare to these scores of students admitted to and/or enrolled in Ivy League schools? Are you satisfied with your performance, or could you use more time to study and practice before taking the test again? Whether or not your ACT scores appear to be “Ivy League-worthy” is not of dire importance, however, as  the college admissions process is not an exact science –- all you can do is try your best, dream big and hopefully you will find a school that is right for you.

Each Ivy League school has its own unique policies and ways of reporting SAT scores of admitted and/or enrolled students, so the information below represents what is available on the schools’ individual websites.

In case you need a bit more context to interpret the following scores, the SAT is comprised of three sections (critical reading, math and writing), each of which receives a score out of a maximum 800 points. The scores from each individual section are then added up to determine the final composite SAT score, which is out of a maximum 2400 points.

Brown University

The percentage of students enrolled in Brown’s freshman class of 2015 that had scores above 750 in a single section of the SAT was more than 30 percent in critical reading and more than 40 percent in math and writing.

Columbia University

At Columbia, a number of students admitted last year had scores in the range of 760 to 800 in a single section of the SAT: 39 percent in critical reading, 51 percent in math and 46 percent in writing. In terms of overall SAT scores, the middle 50 percent of admitted students scored between 2150 and 2320.

Cornell University

Among Cornell’s freshman class of 2015, 69 percent of students scored above 650 in critical reading and 84 percent scored above 650 in math. The school’s website did not readily include statistics for the writing portion of the SAT.

Dartmouth College

Of the students Dartmouth accepted this past year, more than 77 percent had scores of 700 or above in the critical reading and/or math portions of the SAT. And in terms of the writing section, more than 80 percent had scores of 700 or higher.

Harvard University

This Ivy League school’s website does not include statistics on the SAT scores of its admitted or enrolled students, but it did note that “the majority of students admitted to the College represent a range of scores from roughly 600 to 800 on each section of the SAT Reasoning Test as well as on the SAT Subject Tests.”

Princeton University

The middle 50 percent of students enrolled in Princeton’s class of 2015 received SAT scores in the range of 700 to 790 in critical reading, 710 to 800 in math and 700 to 790 in writing.

University of Pennsylvania

At the University of Pennsylvania, the middle 50 percent of the class of 2015 had SAT scores in the range of 670 to 750 in critical reading, 690 to 780 in math and 680 to 780 in writing.

Yale University

Last but not least, in Yale’s freshman class, the percentage of students that scored in the range of 760 to 800 on a single section of the SAT was more than 40 percent in critical reading, more than 50 percent in math and 50 percent in writing.

How do your scores stack up? Do you think your current SAT scores are good enough to grant you admission to an Ivy League college, or could you benefit from taking the test again?

Though you may be tempted to sit back, relax and passively wait for those acceptance letters to start rolling in, resist the urge to do so. It’s understandable that you may need a rest, but don’t delude yourself into thinking it’s out of your hands now.

Take these tips to heart and hopefully you will create a more well-rounded portfolio that shows admission committees you are, in fact, a living, breathing, interesting person, rather than just a list of test scores and grades. You’ve worked too hard to give up now!

1. Keep colleges in the loop.

Maintaining a dialogue with colleges is one of the most important tips there is if you want to separate yourself from the pack and secure a place at your dream school. Admission counselors love to hear about the latest, greatest happenings in your life, so if anything big happens after submitting your application, such as receiving a prestigious honor or award, let them know about it!

2. Schedule an interview.

When it comes to college admission interviews, you have nothing to lose, but plenty to gain. Even if it’s not required, an interview is a great way to show off your personality, put a face to your name and distinguish yourself from the stacks of applications cluttering up the admissions office. It all goes back to creating a relationship with the college. Admission counselors are much more likely to root for you if they have had a chance to get to know you rather than just read about your grades and qualifications on a piece of paper.

And as most colleges offer alumni interviews, you don’t even have to worry about trekking to campus. With these interviews, an alum in your area will meet with you in an informal setting and report back to the admissions committee about the experience. It doesn’t get much more low pressure than chatting over a coffee, but it can work wonders to have someone who actually went to the school recommending you.

3. Send your latest test scores.

If you’ve decided to take the SAT or ACT one more time in hopes of gaining a few more points, be sure to submit your scores to colleges by their respective deadlines. You definitely want those updated scores in your admissions file, so be sure to check with each individual school for its applicable deadline.

4. Get more recommendations.

As college admission counselors can only learn so much about prospective students by going through their applications and reading their personal essays, they often rely on recommendation letters to learn about what applicants are actually like as people. Having teachers and mentors ready to vouch for you says a lot about your character, so be sure to enhance your application with some quality reference letters (emphasis on “quality” – no need to bombard them with more than three recommendations).

Many schools have a deadline for references separate from the deadline for applications, so if you’re looking for one last testimonial to boost your portfolio, make sure to get it in on time!

5. Visit campus. Again.

Another helpful tip is to pay a visit to colleges after submitting your application — even if you’ve already done so in the past. Going out of your way to stop by campus will make you seem more interested and serious about attending the school, which could help to separate you from the pack and improve your chances of being accepted. Just be sure to stop by the admissions office so they know you were there!

Winter break is a perfect time to do this, especially as it will give you a better idea of what life is actually like on campus at a time when few get to see it. Tours and prospective student events are usually held in the spring and fall when it’s nicer outside, so this will help you to see if you could bear the winter there, when the campus isn’t perfectly manicured and overrun with blossoming flowers.

There are many other things to take care of after sending in your applications, such as applying for scholarships and financial aid, going in for auditions if you are applying for a performance-based program and focusing on your schoolwork (colleges check to see that you are keeping your grades up, so no slacking off!). The list doesn’t end here. These tips are just a few of the things you can do after submitting an application to make yourself stand out from the crowd and help your chances of being granted admission to your college of choice.

Today’s post is by campus correspondent Allyson Vaughan, a senior at Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs, SC. Find out how you can become a campus correspondent, too!

College applications are one of many things on a senior’s neverending to-do list, and they often induce some anxiety. Though it’s a time of change (and the thought of being on your own can make you want to bite your nails until they’re nubs), it’s also a time of excitement and opportunity. The best way to ease the stress of the college application process is simple: get ahead of the game.

Look for schools that fit you.

First, ask yourself: what do you want to do with the rest of your life? If you don’t know, fear not! Most colleges have a wide range of majors.  If you do have an idea of what you want to do, try looking into colleges that have good programs for that field.

Make a list of all the colleges you are interested in. Make arrangements to visit those schools, beginning in your sophomore or junior year. You’ll never know if it’s the right school for you until you test the atmosphere for yourself. Going on tours can help you get a feel of the place, and you can find out about financial aid and scholarships the school offers. While you are visiting, they may tell you deadlines for early application. If they don’t, ask!

Don’t procrastinate!

Applying early is the key thing in getting ahead in this process. Some schools offer a first-choice scholarship just for applying early, provided you meet their required criteria. First choice scholarships open up a lot of opportunities for students — you can get not only extra scholarship money, but also the satisfaction of knowing where you are going. Preparing for college is stressful enough. Knowing where you’ll be the next year and having everything situated will allow you to relax and truly enjoy your senior year.

Look for funding.

Since you’ll be free of that stress, you can use your time wisely and apply for outside scholarships. There are a ton of scholarship websites that are definitely worth a shot. You never know what you might stumble upon — there are scholarships out there for everyone. I even found a scholarship for people who are allergic to mayonnaise. You’ll be able to find many you qualify to apply for.

Make your own decision.

Once you’ve visited your list of colleges and narrowed it down to two or three schools, this is when you need to decide what is going to work best for you. Not your friends, not your parents, just you. College is your time, and you must be sure that your school is going to provide you with the things you need to achieve your goals and set you on the right path for life.

Does the school offer all the academic courses you want? Do you like the size and location of the school?  Do you want a large school or would you rather go to a small one? Is the school’s financial aid enough for you? Are you willing to take out a student loan to go there?  These are just some of the questions you need to ask yourself about your chosen schools.

Finding the right college isn’t always love at first sight; you may need to prioritize things. But also keep in mind that if the school really is “the one” and you just can’t imagine spending the next four years of your life anywhere else, you’ll find a way to make it happen.

The college process can make you anxious, but the best way to make sure you enjoy your senior year and the next four years of your life is to work hard, keep your grades up, and get ahead of the game! Good luck with finding the college that’s right for you.

Allyson Vaughan is a senior at Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs, SC.  She will attend Anderson University in the fall of 2012 and will major in creative writing and minor in communications.  She aspires to be a writer and/or journalist.  She enjoys her involvement in working on the staff of the Literary Magazine and being president of the Psychology and Book clubs at her school.