GLOSSARY (continued) Likely Letter — The likely letter is used by a college or university to indicate a very strong interest in an applicant. While not an official letter of acceptance, the likely letter nonetheless amounts to an acceptance, assuming the applicant maintains current levels of performance and good behavior. The offer of a likely letter usually occurs after significant conversation between the college or university, the applicant, and the college counseling office. NCAA Clearinghouse — The Clearinghouse processes academic qualifications for all prospective Division I and Division II athletes and determines whether they are eligible to compete. PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) — Administered in October of the junior year, the PSAT is a practice test. Scores are used to determine those students who qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competition. (In fact, PSAT is also called the NMSQT, or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.) Students and counselors use the PSAT as a diagnostic tool to determine testing strengths and weaknesses, but PSAT results are not part of a student’s permanent record. Restrictive Early Action (REA) — Under this particular early action plan, students may be restricted from applying ED or EA or REA to other institutions. If offered enrollment, they will still have until May 1 to confirm. Rolling Admission — Some colleges, particularly state universities, will process and evaluate a student’s application as soon as all the required credentials have been received and will then usually notify the student of the decision in 6-12 weeks. Colleges following this practice may make and announce their decisions continuously over several months as opposed to colleges with fixed deadlines and reply dates. SAT — The SAT consists of two sections – Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing, and Math – and runs three hours. Each of the two sections are scored on a 200-800 scale. There is also an optional essay section, running 50 minutes that we strongly recommend each student take since most selective colleges will ask for it. All colleges and universities accept the SAT; some require it. (The ACT is the other widely used standardized test.) Typically, students will take the SATs one or two times in the spring of the junior year and once in the fall of senior year. SAT Subject Tests — The Subject Tests are one-hour tests measuring achievement in over 20 subject areas such as languages, math, sciences, and history. Students choose which tests to take. Subject Tests can be taken at any time during one’s high school career, but many students take them in June of their junior year and fall of their senior year. Many of the most selective colleges still require these tests, but recently several colleges have dropped that requirement or become more flexible about it.
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