I was on a panel discussion with Fred Hargadon, the retired former Dean of Admissions of Princeton and Stanford

If you don’t take the SAT you cannot be admitted to a college…

… there are more than a hundred four-year colleges and universities—some of them quite selective and of high quality—for which SAT submission is optional. Additionally, virtually every college and university in the country will accept the ACT (the SAT’s younger cousin) in lieu of the SAT

If enough people petition the College Board with legitimate reasons, they will move a test date to Sunday to accommodate athletic events or special school trips…

… don’t know how this rumor and its variants got started, but please do not believe this. Orthodox Jews, Seventh-Day Adventists and members of other religious groups with appropriate letters of credentials from their clerics are the only individuals in the country who can take an SAT I or II on a Sunday because special administrations have been arranged for them. No other party may join a Sunday administration for any other reason

It is possible and even desirable to take only one section of the SAT I (either the verbal or the math part) on a given test date…

… well, technically it’s possible that a student could answer only the verbal items and leave blank all math questions—but that would not be wise. One’s math score of 200—the lowest possible total—will still be reported, and how embarrassing would that be? It is not permitted to arrange for an SAT I administration in which just one section of the test is given

The same vocabulary words are “recycled” on diverse SAT tests so it is wise to memorize lists of these particular items…
… a few studies that have been conducted on the SAT indicate that there are a few items which do seem to appear a bit more frequently, but the effect on the test and consequent results is negligible
Studies indicate that the response “C” is utilized most often on the SAT and it would thus benefit a student to guess “C” when s/he is not sure of a particular item…
… actually, legitimate studies indicate no such trend for any response letter. It is not wise to guess on SAT items because there is a penalty imposed for wrong answers such that for every four items answered incorrectly, an extra sum (equivalent to what would come off for one wrong item) is deducted. If a student discovers an item on the SAT unfamiliar to her/him, it is most appropriate to leave this blank rather than guess. On the other hand, if it is possible to narrow down question options so that only two choices remain, then it may be in one’s best interest to guess.
Here is an example: let us say each verbal item counts ten points and you leave ten blank. That would mean a deduction of 100 points. However, if those same ten items were answered incorrectly, the deduction would be 125 points (rounded up to 130 points). Twenty items blank versus twenty items wrong spawns a difference of fifty points. If you get sixty items right and leave twenty blank—your score is then a 600. Get sixty right and twenty wrong, though, and your score is 550 (these numbers are for comparison only—the actual amount deducted for blank or incorrect responses may not be ten points on any given SAT test)

(from Cygus Vanni, Guidance Counselor, Cherry Hill West High School, NJ

Counselor and Teacher Recommendations

Recommendations, like the essay and the interview, are rarely viewed as a “separate” part of the application, but as something which gives depth and meaning to the other parts of the application, namely the transcript, extracurricular activities and standardized test scores. An admissions counselor can do a quick read of an application and make some judgments as to where a student fits in the pool of potential applicants. Just as students make decisions as to whether is college is unrealistic, a reach, realistic or a safety, the colleges make these same judgments about applicants. The transcript provides vital information on how much a student challenged herself, whether the applicant has particular academic strengths or weaknesses, how she has performed in high school, whether there were trends (up or down) academically, and where the student stands in relation to her class. The school profile, or previous experience with students from that high school, gives indications of the rigors of the high school and the academic opportunities afforded students. Test scores tell something about the student’s academic potential. And a listing of extracurricular activities tells much about what interests the student and what she has been dedicated to outside the classroom.

Recommendations give life to all these things. They let the reader know whether a certain activity is a passing fancy or a lifelong passion. They explain unusual circumstances and highlight any outstanding strengths the applicant has. They also give corroboration to the grades, courses and activities of the student. Ed Custard, former Dean of Admissions at New College, used to state accurately that as colleges become more selective, they are not just looking for students who are talented, but distinguished. Recommendations are a major way colleges find out what truly distinguish students.

I have done workshops for teachers on writing recommendation letters for students and below are some guidelines I have given them:

A few less obvious points about college recommendations:

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  Keep the writing in the present tense about qualities of the student. You may write “She did a project for me.” But instead of saying “she was motivated” write “she is motivated”. It leaves a stronger, though subtle, message.
  
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  Avoid the term ‘seemed’. Again, instead of “she seemed motivated” write “she is motivated.”
  
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  Spend some time adding at least one thing in every recommendation that you could only say about that student. If you can do it descriptively, that’s great. If not, use a specific example of what the student did to illustrate your point.
  
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  Always try to discuss a specific, finest example of the student’s work in your recommendation.
  
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  Think about capturing the essence of the student rather than describing him.
  
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  Remember that teacher recommendations are read negatively. By that, I mean that the lack of description of some quality will be assumed to be negative. A recommendation that talks solely about a student’s ability will be read that the student is not highly motivated (and visa versa). Save overt negative comments for the most egregious of behaviors.
  
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  If you are really stuck on a recommendation, think of even one instance that you thought the student showed some positive behavior, performance or potential. Use that as an example of what the student is capable of.
  
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  Before writing a recommendation, jot down those qualities that most distinguish that student. When done reading what you have written, look over the list and make sure that you have not just described but also illustrated those qualities.
  
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  Do not focus too much on character in the writing of an academic recommendation. “Nice”, sweet”, “charming” “fun” and “polite” are terms, if over-used, give the appearance that the student lacks academic substance.
  
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  Don’t be afraid to say no to a student who you don’t feel you can adequately support, particularly if you have strong reservations about the student’s character, integrity and honesty.
  
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  Alter sentence structure to make sure you do not begin too many sentences with the student’s name.
  
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  Be careful about the use of physical description of the student. That a student is beautiful, stunning, handsome or “an Adonis” is irrelevant to a description of a student’s character and performance.
  
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  Never write anything for which you could be sued. State facts as facts and opinion as opinion. Don’t write about anything negative that you don’t know to be true. Never discuss a student’s disability without first getting written permission from the student’s parent.
  
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  Avoid innuendo at all costs. If you do not feel you can be direct about something, don’t write it.
  
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  Try to strike a theme in your recommendation that will create a lasting impression on the reader. Begin with that theme, support it throughout the recommendation, and conclude by re-iterating it.
  

Here are a few more teacher recommendations suggestions (stolen from Sarah McGinty -Myers):

Start fast
Be specific
Consider academic and personal factors
Connect to the rest of the application
More Tips
Reveal yourself/your expertise in the letter
Stick to one page
Think about learning behaviors
Tell, don’t sell
Things to Avoid
Pure praise
An activities list
A recommendation for The Andersons
"She’s a very nice young lady"
Getting Help
Ask student for a "resume" and a paragraph about how/why they chose Alma Mater U.
Ask student for recollections of their best work in your class
Ask for stamped envelopes and the deadline for each letter
Consider establishing a recommendation-writing/essay-support day
And lastly, a few from pieces of advice from Cigus Vanni:
ABIDING GUIDELINES IN WRITING COLLEGE RECOMMENDATIONS
Know your subject and your target audience…

Learn and acquire as much information and insight as you can about the student for whom you are writing and the college(s) to which s/he is applying. Ask your students to provide this through personal contact and use “brag sheets” (in which students and/or parents provide written information to a counselor) only when necessary. Understand as best you can the ethos, the atmosphere and the cultural footprints of the college(s) to which your student may apply but

Do NOT foist yourself off as an expert on the college(s) to which your student may apply…

Sentences such as “Drew is the perfect match for Rockford” or “Rockford was designed with Drew in mind” are judgments that you are making. Leave this to the professional admissions officers to decide. You are not a recruiter for a college. Certainly you may and should cite reasons why the “match” between student and institution strikes you as appropriate—but omit the extremes and the superlatives. In fact, it is far better to

Be certain that your letter refers to SPECIFIC qualities, attainments, personal anecdotes and concrete examples…

Vague references and second-party citations do not read well with college admissions officers. It’s perfectly OK to mention what a teacher may have told you about a specific student—but the bulk of the letter should not go outside first person references. Personal connections with a student read well, and these need not be related to academic development or scholastic potential. It’s fine to describe informal interactions with the student and to develop a sense of her/his personality. It is neither necessary nor desirable to write to “impress” a college admissions officer, so

Be careful to avoid writing an English paper or composing an exercise in sesquipedalian prose…

It’s not how “well” you write that counts—its how effectively you can communicate. College admissions officers are not grading your letter—they’re trying to discover what you know about the student in question and whether s/he would be an appropriate admit to their school. It is certainly important to attend to grammar and usage, but it is neither necessary nor desirable to produce a publishable document. If form trumps function, there is a strong chance that the letter will become void of meaningful content and rather dry. Thus, it is better to