#i actually got the highest grade (with an unofficial -)

[cynosurus]

I got one of the exams back from the teacher now and there were no surprises, mostly small mistakes, EXCEPT I have completely missed (or forgotten) that 进 = in and 近 = near, both pronounced jìn, are different characters.

[sevenciircles]

alright, i've officially added the poll winner Apple to my muse list! however, the second highest amount of votes was a tie! for both Josh AND Kiki. sooo i added them both! so here are some headcanons/background to introduce y'all to them

Apple comes from a poorer family in the Lust ring, to two failed musicians who tried to gain popularity.

As such, they pushed their dreams onto young Apple, beginning to train her in music, dance, and acting at a very young age.

She was raised by total. stage. parents.

They pretty much micromanaged her interests, what she wore, how she did her hair, etc. She wasn't even really allowed to hang out with other kids, as she was homeschooled.

However, she did long for a different life.

As she grew older, Apple became more and more rebellious. She loved music, but she hated being pushed by her parents and their total control freak nature.

So, eventually, Apple got a new tattoo. The snake in the Garden of Eden around an apple. Symbolizing how she was going to chose to embrace herself rather than her parent's image.

They naturally freaked out, but Apple decided to go anyways.

Eventually, she met Verosika and was encouraged to audition to be part of her group, and she got it.

Apple is cheery a lot of the time and isn't the smartest person around. However, she is very skilled at music and dance. She did start training from a young age, after all.

Apple is pansexual but homoromantic.

She has self esteem issues, mainly due to her parents telling her she's trash without them. She still believes it.

Adores sweets.

Apple isn't easily embarrassed. She has no shame.

She's fairly easy going, unless she thinks someone is trying to control her and then she'll go bananas.

Has a fondness for hair care.

tw for self harm

Josh, like Apple, comes from a poor family. However, unlike Apple, he has an older brother, Jesse. (The bouncer from the Ozzie's episode.)

Jesse was very much the golden child, while Josh was sort of the ignored one. Jesse was the apple of their parent's eye, while Josh often had to fight to be recognized.

It didn't help that Jesse seemed to be more talented in everything than him. Jesse was more popular in school, could get any date he wanted, play any sport ever, and teachers loved him. Josh, however, was only good at running, got okay grades, and was a bit of a delinquent.

Josh and Jesse had a good relationship, but Josh was secretly resentful of his older brother. If only because being the younger sibling wasn't fun.

He began feeling so overshadowed that he was tired of pretending everything was fine. Josh began acting out more, getting into more trouble.

Eventually, Jesse and Josh graduated high school a year apart from another. With Jesse having job offers and Josh having nothing.

Josh, like many incubi, ended up turning to sex work because he knew it was the only thing he was really good at.

He spent a number of years that way, working in the sex industry and eventually becoming pretty successful. But really, he was a dime a dozen.

Giving into more of his destructive urges, Josh began to become more reckless and wild, harming himself

However, one day, everything changed.

He met someone while he was on the curb smoking, who took pity on him and decided to unofficially take him under their wing.

They began meeting up for sex, but eventually this demon began to teach him skills that would change his life.

The guitar.

Josh found himself channeling all that negative energy through his music, writing songs and playing the guitar.

He began to feel like he could really shine, and he grew to be really passionate about his music. Josh ended up becoming more mellow and chill, seeking out therapy even.

Verosika actually recruited him personally after hearing him perform at a bar, and after a few drinks, he said 'why not'.

Now, he primary writes the music to Verosika's lyrics and plays whatever instruments she needs.

Josh has reconnected with Jesse, and the two frequently talk.

He's really chill now, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor. It really is night and day.

Josh really likes the beach, and would rather be there than in the city.

His favorite type of music is either rock or jazz.

Music helped pick up his confidence, and he's now fairly self confident.

Tends to try and protect younger demons or his other friends, he cares deeply for people.

Must be at a level 30 friend to unlock another emotion from him other than chill.

Any hole is a goal. Although leans more towards men.

Unlike my previous two, Kiki comes from a wealthy family.

However, her parents both knew that as a lower class of demon, their wealth was fragile and their prosperous business could fall at any minute.

This meant that their children had to be trained to be the perfect little heirs and heiresses.

And the picture of refinement.

Kiki, being the oldest of four, had the most pressure on her. Being the heiress to their company, she was expected to be perfect at all times.

While Apple's parents were desperate and emotional regarding her upbringing, Kiki's were cold and efficient.

This was how things had been for generations, as such her parents raised Kiki the way they had been raised.

With the parents being the total Gods, that she was to obey without question.

Kiki was schooled by private tutors, enrolled in ettiqute classes, and given business training.

As such, she learned to turn off her emotions and only focus on being proper and ladylike. The thought of rebelling never entered her mind at all.

That all changed when she was 17, and Kiki was allowed to go to a Lilith concert.

There, Kiki could see for the first time that a demoness could be graceful, ladylike, but also so filled with emotion and passion. She began to get a kind of hero worship for Lilith, researching all about her.

She found out that the Queen was so much more than what she appeared. She was a performer, an activist, so much more than a figurehead.

Kiki began thinking that she wanted to be more.

So, she began to secretly practice her singing. It turns out, she was actually really, really good.

However, she still kept up with the ettiqute classes her parents made her attend.

It wasn't until she was 25 that Kiki finally gathered the courage to leave both of her parents, and there was a huge fight.

She ended up disowned, however, a few weeks later of living on the streets, she found out her parents never altered their will. Kiki was the inheritator of a sizable chunk of their estate.

So, she took all that money and made a life for herself. Singing whenever she wanted and overall learning how to finally live.

She eventually auditioned for Verosika's group, and ended up getting in.

Nowadays, when she's not performing with Verosika, she's having hook ups for fun.

Kiki is a bitch. She isn't really to her friends, but to everyone else, she's a meanie. It's how she was brought up, and she doesn't really see the need to change that part of herself. It helps her survive.

Has expensive tastes, but isn't a snob.

She still maintains her very sophisticated demeanor, but retools it to a more seductive and coy attitude instead.

Did not go to her parent's funeral.

Gets along well with her siblings, is proud that they have taken over the company so well.

Doesn't like the human world much, Hell is perfectly fine.

Enjoys animals.

[navyhyuck]

zero | previous | masterlist | next

𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐃, 𝐉𝐀𝐘.

↳ a love letter a week, and it has you wondering who’s your secret admirer. you have nine weeks, eight candidates, and one story to live. will you find out who your ‘jay’ is?

a/n :: hi guys it’s finally here!! this is an introduction sorta prologue type chapter here, and i, uh, apologize for the length but anyway, please enjoy and stay tuned for more! :) update :: repost because tumblr hates me

wc :: 1.6k

taglist: @childofthecycle @takoyakkun @the8luvr @staywrites

let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist!

“That’s the new kid? Shit—he’s kind of hot.”

You’re caught off guard by Ryujin’s confession, the usual slam of her locker faltering as you lean back on your heels, giving her a raised eyebrow. She’s not looking your way, however, her usually bored eyes watching an unfamiliar face stroll down the hallway; your best friend’s gaze isn’t the only one he’s getting. It wasn’t, especially eyeing him from the button-down shirt he has lazily tucked into his jeans to the clack on his dark shoes on the tiles—he had your mouth practically dropping open at the sight.

You’re absolutely sure, you realize as he walks out of sight—the only thing marking his past presence being the cling to his neck jewelry, that you’ve never seen someone walk through those halls with a fashion sense as exceptional as his. Though you’re shaken out of your trance by the girl next to you, a low chuckle leaves her as you blink back into the present.

“What’d I say?” She tests, wiggling her eyebrows in a way that makes you roll your eyes, turning towards your locker to open it. “He’s hot, right? Like not a jock sort of hot but more like a, oh! Like one of those anime guys that loves the girl but sort of wants to kill her, that kinda hot. You know?”

“...Right.”

“And he’s got a nice face too, don’t you think?” Ryujin adds slyly, a smirk spreading across her lips as you wince at her choice of words. “Plus he’s on the swim team apparently, at least from what I heard this morning. It’s kinda hard to believe it too, that you know, someone with better fashion sense than Han Jisung’s entered the school. And well, anyone other than Jisung is the one for me.” She ends off dramatically, leaning against the lockers with her eyes staring up at the ceiling as if they had the answers to the next calculus test on it.

The boy’s swim team, well, you could possibly call them the pride and joy of the school; from the way every bleacher is filled with a packed audience, they make a more entertaining group than the football team (which we don’t talk about, not ever since Lee Taeyong’s senior rebellion against the sophomore class for sabotaging the homecoming game). It would be a lie if you were to say you’d never gone to one of their many meets and watched them take every lap as if it was nothing on their shoulders—if anything, you give them the credit they deserve. Though it’s common for everyone to have a favorite from the team as well—from the current top (and most popular) seven—you never personally decided on one. If you had to pick, you’d be conflicted till your last day on the earth.

First, is Lee Minho, the captain of the swim team. It’s easy to tell why he’s a school favorite, considering the athletic drive he’s had since his days in elementary school and the contributions he’s made since his freshman year, but most importantly because of his spirit. The previous year, he single handedly took the team to the county championships with his skills in freestyle and backstroke—though he won first prize for freestyle—and earned the highest title yet. Because of that, the annual argument on the team captain had even been unofficially cancelled this year because of the coach’s final (and best) choice; no one had dared to say Minho didn’t deserve the role.

Next, is Bang Chan, the team’s best diver. You don’t know too much about swimming, the only facts being the ones you derived from watching countless meets beside your friends, but you’re certain you’ve never seen a diver better than him. The only other thing about him is that he has the hearts of everyone melting at any given time, the dimpled smiles he gives with every loss or win being the one that somehow channels energy each time. He’s also seen as the most optimistic, mainly for his cheesy cheers before meets actually start, and as the one with the most charisma.

After that, is Seo Changbin. If there’s one thing about him that the entire population comments on, it’s that resting bitch face he holds throughout the school day and practically anytime he’s not swimming. It seems like it changes completely when his skin touches the water, maybe it’s as magical as a mermaid, but it’s also how he manages to speed through 500 yards without a few pants of exhaust at the end. He’s always one to keep going, until past the breaking point.

Next, is Han Jisung, the team’s designated popular member. He’s Ryujin’s favorite (and it’s ridiculously obvious, regardless of how hard she attempts to hide it) as well as many others, clearly being yet another contributing factor to his popularity. But he’s not just popular for the sake of it, he’s also quite famous for his sleek backstroke. Being a dream it is to some to see Jisung swimming competitively in the evening on Friday, you’ve even seen some take advantage of the situation by taking snapshots. You don’t like to think what he might think of strangers taking pictures of him in a bathing suit, however.

After him, is Kim Seungmin. Maybe you could call him another school favorite, but he isn’t nearly as ‘famous’ as his counterpart, though you might be one to advocate for his backstroke over Jisung’s. He’s also known for his impeccable grades, rocketing higher than most of the students in the school and even placing him in the top 5% of the school. Not only is he a stellar athlete, but he’s got the A’s as well. (You can expect him to be a teacher’s favorite, too.)

Next, is Lee Felix, the team’s best individual medley swimmer. Out of everyone on the team, he’s known as the one and only to exhibit some of the best technique (he was even complimented on the local news, and your heart had almost stopped just seeing the pretty boy on your TV). He’s also on the dance team, the captain too, though he’s more well known for his skills in the water. You can guess that there are a handful that come to watch him dance as well.

Lastly, is Yang Jeongin. A junior, actually, but with a skill set much farther than of his age. He’s a bit cute as well, with a shy sort of persona that usually had people awing for him through his sophomore year, and it still hasn’t gotten out of your mind even after a year. He is, after all, a fantastic 200 yard racer, being able to snatch a medal at almost every meet.

Adding another swimmer to the team is common, but something tells you that the case of this boy walking through the halls of your school might make him a bit more than just another person joining the team. The aura he gave off, startling everyone in his way with nothing more than a simple walk down the hallway—it’s nothing, but it seems like much more than that. Perhaps, you’d even get to learn his name one day.

You snap out of your daydream with a smack from Ryujin, the girl nagging at you to hurry up; your hand grazes past the lock on your locker, filling in the combination before tugging violently at the metal until it gives away. Instinctively, you reach your hand in blindly for your books, but there’s a fluttering feeling on your arm as you glance back, confused. A neat envelope had fallen from above, probably having been stuffed into the top not too long ago, and a questioning hum leaves you.

“What’s this?” You say to yourself, mumbling underneath your breath as you turn it over in your hand, your finger tracing over the colorful washi tape placed on the borders. It’s decorated with stickers, all the way until your name is written in a bright blue. The last letter of your name branches off into a flower, one that leads all the way to the back, where there’s a stick over the flap that reads ‘open here’ in small font.

Might as well read it now.

dear y/n love,

i hope you’ve received this safely, and if you haven’t, i genuinely apologize! i’d say it’s not my wrongdoing, which of course it is, but you also have no clue who i am! hopefully. unless you saw me put this in your locker, but i really hope you didn’t. i’d be quite embarrassed if you did, so please just maybe, don’t tell anyone if you did? yeah, thank you in advance.

anyway, hi! i’ll call myself jay for the time being. hmm, just so i can stay anonymous! i wouldn’t want to reveal myself to you just yet. or hopefully, not at all, but i think i’ll eventually open up to the idea of confessing. oh, yeah, sorry i didn’t mention. i’m jay and i’m in love with you.

okay, that sounds pretty aggressive and a little arrogant but i promise i’m not!!! i just don’t have any extra letter paper to write on or else i wouldn’t even be writing the rest of this. okay, okay, i’m sorry. back to the main point. so, i guess you can call me your secret admirer or whatever, but anyway, i like you. like more than a friend, like you, but i’m too scared to tell you so therefore, here we are. expect to hear from me in the near future ;)

signed, jay

[robinofinashiro]

- request: this was written for a friend on twitter. don’t worry, I will get to everyones request as soon as possible! just wanted to get this out because she had asked a few days before most requests came in and I’ve made her wait long enough for it. sorry for the wait Kiaria and I hope you like it! 

- pairing: kuroo testurou x fem! reader

- request status: closed 

“If I fail science, just tell my mom that she has every right to bury me in the backyard,” Kuroo rolled his eyes before flashing that sly smirk of his, “you can’t tell me anything because you’re a fucking science whiz. you’re not the one failing chemistry with a 59%.”

you rolled your head back against the wooden chair, groaning as if you were in pain. Kuroo looked over the table to see the failed exam sitting on top of your Chemistry book. 

“stop being dramatic, let me look at your exam,” before you could even protest, Kuroo reached over to snatch it. you sat in the chair, pouting as he scanned it, “well a lot of your mistakes came from the final step in most of the equations, that’s why your answer came out wrong.”

grabbing a red marker from the side of his backpack, Kuroo circled the mistakes, “you keep repeating the same step twice! now this is how you do it,” as Kuroo went into full detail, you tried to focus in on what he was telling you but most of the explanation went through one ear and out the other. 

you sighed, not bothering to even pay attention anymore. you knew the more Kuroo explained it to you, the more you would become distracted. being that you and him were in the same class, the two of you became friends since the beginning of your first year. 

on some occasions, Kuroo would ask you to come to one of his games, playfully begging you to wear his jersey. other times, he made you become the teams unofficial manager because no one ever took the position to become their permanent one. 

you spent a lot of time with Kuroo which only intensified your crush on him. you had no idea if he even returned the feelings for you but considering he hardly let you out of his sight on his down time, you only hoped he did. 

“you’re making it even harder to study, you ass!” you exclaimed, shoving him. well, you weren’t wrong. being with Kuroo made it hard to do anything, especially studying, “oh yeah, how?” he asked lowly. 

you were stuck between words, not wanting to tell him the real reason. 

Kuroo chuckled, “listen, we don’t have practice the next few weeks. the season came to an end and they’re giving us the next two weeks to relax before continuing. how about every Tuesday and Thursday until your next Chemistry exam, you can come over to study?” he asked, kicking his legs on top of his grandmas table. 

you thought for a moment as you took a sip of your coffee, “and what do I get as compensation for being with you every Tuesday and Thursday for the next two weeks?” you replied with a cocky tone. 

Kuroo thought for a moment before snapping his fingers in realization. 

“I’ll take you out on a date for ice cream when the results of your exam come back,” your heart instantly dropped as you tried to cover your flustered expression, “come on, you know you’d die for a date with me!” 

you chucked him a scrap piece of paper before agreeing, “and if I fail, just know you owe me two weeks compensation for having to be around you so much,” you said jokingly, “oh yeah, what is the compensation?” he asked. 

you quickly thought. 

“your friend Bokuto’s number,” you said slyly. Kuroo’s face dropped for half a second which he hoped you didn’t notice, “okay, deal. if you pass, I’ll take you out on the date and if you don’t, I’ll tell Bokuto that I gave you his number,” the two of you shook hands, Kuroo squeezing it a bit too hard for your liking. 

“that hurt you ass!” you yelled, “hey, not my fault you’re a weakling.” 

+

first day of studying:  

“okay, lets get this cramming session started!” Kuroo exclaimed as he took out his various notes, “are you kidding me? it’s a chapter exam, not a fucking midterm!” you yelled, staring down at the highlighted notes. 

Kuroo chuckled as he looked over your notes, wanting nothing more than to gag at the way you wrote them, “and you have the nerve to make fun of me when your notes look like Kindergarten scribbles?” he stated. 

you gave him the finger, snatching your notes back from him, “we came here to STUDY! not make fun of my note writing,” you hit him in the arm with your notebook, “so, how do you plan on helping me study?” you asked. 

Kuroo threw your notebook away and handing you a fresh one, “you’re going to highlight everything in bold and all of the example equations are going to be in pen. it’s always better to write important things down in different colors because it’s easier to understand,” Kuroo informed. 

you nodded as you took out your red pen and wrote down the equations he had told you to write down. Kuroo was being abnormally quiet considering you expected the study session to be a complete mess. 

“do you think you understand the first half of the equations?” he asked. you looked down to your notes before shrugging, “I mean I think? I can try to see if I understood,” you whispered, playing with your lip. 

Kuroo chuckled before handing you a blank paper with equations written down, “here, I asked our teacher for practice worksheets. if you get at least 80% percent of them right, that means you’ve started to grasp the concepts.”

he placed the paper in front of you as you looked down at it. you immediately felt your heart race. it felt as though you were looking down at Kindergarten work and started to fill out the worksheet with ease. 

Kuroo smiled as he watched you write down the correct answers. he knew you weren’t struggling as much as you said you were, you were just lazy and didn’t bother to study correctly. 

“here professor,” you joked, handing him the worksheet back. Kuroo grabbed your red pen and scanned the worksheet for a few minutes. you picked at your nails nervously, hoping that you at least got a few of them right. 

“see, I told you!” he exclaimed as he wrote down a 100%, “really?” you yelled happily as you took the worksheet back. 

you jumped in your seat in excitement as you slammed your notebook shut, “so Thursday?” you asked. Kuroo nodded as he helped you pack your things into your bag. 

“I’ll walk you home.” 

+

last day of studying: 

“well, tomorrow is the big day, if I fail, Bokuto’s number will be sitting promptly in my phone.” 

you giggled as Kuroo rolled his eyes, a bit too seriously. he knew his hard work was going to pay off and if he got lucky, Bokuto would be no where near you or text messages. 

“so what do you have planned for me?” you asked taking out your notebooks, “nothing,” your eyebrows fluttered in confusion at his answer. 

“what do you mean nothing? I don’t think I’ll pass if we don’t study the day before the exam!” you yelled with nervousness hinting at your voice, “you worry too much. listen, we’re going to study but not like we have been.” 

Kuroo stood up and went to his fridge, “we’re gonna have dinner and relax because you’ve been cramming way too much and overloading your brain with equations will have you blank minded once you take the exam. we’re going to eat, review for a bit, and then I’ll walk you home,” he stated taking out a few things to make dinner. 

you nodded, not fully understanding what he was even implying. regardless, you sat on the counter as Kuroo mentioned he was cooking the two of you some soup his grandmother made him from time to time. 

“so, have you actually even told Bokuto that you were planning on giving his number to me?” Bokuto couldn’t help laugh, “no because I know you won’t get it,” he joked. 

you raised your eyebrow at him, “ah, so you’re just mister confident, aren’t you?” you asked as you ate a piece of cooked chicken he had left on the side. 

“I am because I know I’m a great tutor and you’ll be passing that exam tomorrow,” he stated confidently. “oh yeah, what if I intentionally fail?” you mocked. 

Kuroo gave your a smirk before grabbing your sides and tickling them playfully, “if you fail on purpose, you’re going to be Nekoma’s permanent manager until we graduate,” he said as you gasped for air. 

“okay, okay! I won’t fail!” you yelled a bit loudly. you immediately covered your mouth, hoping you hadn’t woken up Kuroo’s grandmother with your screams, “oh my god, if I woke your grandmother, tell her I’m so sorry,” you murmured as he waved you off. 

“she isn’t home. she goes out on Thursday’s nights with a few of our neighbors to watch people sing downtown,” he mentioned, taking two bowls out, “well, lets eat. I know you skip lunch all the time so you can take a nap!” he said as he swatted you with a hand towel. 

+

you sat sat on your desk Monday morning, nervously chewing on your nails as you anxiously waited your Chemistry exam results. your teacher had a tendency to put the five highest grades on the board with the names underneath as way to congratulate the students. 

you looked at Kuroo and gave him a nervous smile as your teacher took her sweet time writing everything down. you felt your phone buzz as you knew it must’ve been Kuroo telling you to relax.

finally the teacher wrote down the names underneath the scores and your name appeared right next to Kuroo’s. you immediately whipped your head to look over at him and gave him a soft but bright smile. 

“everyone who failed, take notes, the next exam will be almost identical to this one and for those who passed, congratulations.” 

you couldn’t help but feel butterflies in your stomach as waited for the day to end. you knew that your informal date with Kuroo was now officially happening and a part of you was beyond happy but another part of you felt sad. 

you still had no idea if he even seen you in the same light you saw him but if he was taking you out for ice cream, that means he must’ve, right? 

the final bell rang as you packed your things into your bag. Kuroo had told you he was running to the bathroom before the two of you could get going. you had texted your mom that you were planning on going out for a few hours to celebrate your exam score but it wasn’t until you walked out of the classroom to overhear the conversation Kuroo and a few of his volleyball mates were having with him. 

“so, are you finally asking her out?” Lev asked a bit excitedly. Kuroo tried to get him to quiet down but it was Kenma who spoke up this time, “just rip it off like a band-aid. you get nothing from hiding your feelings from her,” he said in that monotone voice of his. 

your heart leaped as you felt your hands get clammy. you quickly fixed your hair before walking up behind Kuroo. his friends eyes widened as you waved at them nervously, “ready?” you asked. 

Kuroo nodded as you told his friends a quick hello before heading out. the two of you walked to the nearest ice cream shop, the air a bit awkward as Kuroo hoped that you hadn’t overheard the conversation he was having with Lev and Kenma. 

“so,” you said quietly as the two of you sat down on the bench, eating the ice cream quietly, “I guess our hangouts are going to cease to exist,” you playfully said. 

Kuroo gave you a mocking gasp, “I’m offended, here I thought you enjoyed our study sessions,” you rolled your eyes, not bothering to take your eyes off the small pond in front of you.

Kuroo knew it was now or never. with graduation creeping up and the two of you going to separate universities, he knew today was his only chance to ask you out before it was too late. 

after he finished his ice cream, he tossed it in the nearby trash bin and sat back down next to you. his hand sat on his side before creeping itself to hold yours. your face went warm instantly as you felt your heart stop for a few moments. 

you gave Kuroo a look as his eyes said it all. you gave him a slight nod before taking a hold of his hand a little tighter. the two of you sat in comfortable silence as the birds chirped and the sun was beginning to set. 

with Kuroo’s loud mouth, you knew him asking you out wouldn’t be the most ordinary thing in the world. Kuroo was someone who said things through his actions, not words and him asking you out didn’t need to be some grand gesture. 

his confession fit the two of you perfectly. 

[addierose444]

How I Got Into Smith: Part II

In part I, I wrote about my high school extracurricular activities. In this post, I focus on the academic side of my application. I’ll be honest that these posts weren’t as well planned as I would have liked and that ideally, this part would have been first. It was initially going to be a single post, but I didn't have enough time to finalize this part before my unofficial deadline of Sunday at 11:59. It worked out in the end as splitting it into two parts created a new blog post out of thin air. Furthermore, it turns out I had a lot more to add to this part. 

My academics were definitely a strong aspect of my college applications. For some additional context, I applied to Smith regular decision and was admitted with a presidential scholarship. To learn more about merit aid at Smith, click here. Smith was my first choice throughout the application process and I actually submitted my application before the early decision deadline. To read more about why I chose Smith or more accurately why it became my first choice, click here. For additional context, I attended a public high school in Vermont with a graduating class size of 106 with 65% of the class attending two and four-year colleges. If this post is interesting to you, you may also enjoy reading about my academic journey to engineering and computer science. 

I’ve always loved school and education has been a top priority. Between middle and high school, I took six and a half years worth of high school science classes. In addition to the advanced track of our regular curriculum, I took a marine biology class that included a research trip to Bermuda and three APs (chemistry, biology, and physics C mechanics). You can read more about my AP experience here. Of the three main sciences, physics is my favorite. As a class though, I think AP biology was the best. I won departmental awards my first and last years. I was really proud of the first science award as it was a special award created just for me (as opposed to for a specific class year). The crazy thing about taking all these science classes is that I have taken very few science classes here at Smith. Thinking about this irony is part of why I thought to write this post in the first place. Technically I have only taken two science classes (PHY 118 and PHY 210) during my time at Smith. (And to be honest, PHY 210 hardly counts as it's really just an applied math class that’s offered by the physics department). You can check out all of my Smith courses here. The reality is that I fulfilled the introductory chemistry and physics requirements of my engineering major with AP credits.

In addition to lots of science classes, I doubled up on math classes in ninth and eleventh grades. Granted I didn’t take math my senior year and retook calculus at Smith. I think there were some clear flaws in my math education as many of the courses were too easy and had too much overlap year to year. At the same time, we didn’t cover enough trigonometry and had other gaps in our precalculus course. I did learn a lot in my AP statistics class and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the content. It makes total sense in retrospect as I now see math as an interesting and useful tool. Back in elementary and middle school, math was my favorite subject and I loved it in isolation of other subjects and real-life applications. In ninth grade, I got a math award, but unlike the other departmental awards, a lot of people got them. 

My favorite class of high school was AP computer science A. In that course, I learned Java and the basics of object-oriented programing. In ninth grade, I’d been introduced to computer science through a semester-long Python course. In my senior year, I took an online website development course from my state university. I learned HTML, CSS, and some PHP. I also took a semester-long engineering course. It didn’t have math or science prerequisites, lectures, or structured assignments. What it did provide was a fun self-directed opportunity to learn how to use our new CNC machine and work with (mostly fix) the 3D printers.  

Four years of English were required to graduate, so I took our required ninth and tenth-grade courses followed by an advanced expository writing course and an advanced literature course called world authors. I’ve always loved reading, but English classes and literary analysis aren’t really my thing. To read some of my reflections on writing, click here. I managed to win an English award my sophomore year which was cool as I’d never really seen English as a strong subject of mine. Granted, I didn’t like my sophomore English class as it only had seven other students who clearly didn’t want to be there and didn’t do assignments well or on time. I also took French all through high school and won awards my first and last years. I was generally more engaged with school than my peers, but French is where my peers’ lack of engagement had the most negative effect on my learning. I’m not trying to brag about any of my academic awards, but I do genuinely believe I did stand out on my own merit. When it came to French, it was more just that there wasn’t much competition. 

Social science classes were the ones I generally avoided. Knowing that I only needed three years of social science to graduate and having already doubled up on math and science, I skipped the ninth-grade social science class. As a sophomore, I took the advanced version of our sophomore social science class called democratic roots. As a junior, I took AP U.S. history as U.S. history was required to graduate. The other AP courses were of actual interest to me and this was the only one I took for the AP designation. It was one of my least favorite courses, but I defend my decision to take it as the regular version was sort of a joke at my school. Furthermore, the APUSH teacher was also the advisor for the school publication and was able to write what I presume to be a strong letter of recommendation. As a senior, I took a semester of AP art history and another semester of art history through my local community college. The AP course was entirely online through UC Scout. I didn’t finish the AP course as the community college version was free due to my state’s dual enrollment program. The community college course was also fully online and was much more limited in scope.  

I was in the jazz band from eighth through tenth grade. I played the electric bass, an instrument I picked up because they needed a bass player. Jazz isn’t my kind of music, so I never really got into it. To check out some of my favorite songs and musical history, click the respective links. I “quit” the jazz band as it conflicted with AP chemistry. The bass is an integral part of the rhythm section, but rhythm doesn’t come naturally to me and is challenging even with deliberate practice. I was used to being in all of the advanced courses but was in the intermediate jazz band with eighth and ninth graders. Additional required electives included health, financial literacy, and three semesters of physical education. The only class I did over the summer was an independent study for physical education credit. The running I did for the self-directed course probably helped earn me a spot on the varsity field hockey team. I also took a weight lifting class which I absolutely hated. 

I wasn’t planning on sharing my actual stats, as there is so much more to college admissions than raw scores or even academics. What really matters is (in terms of academics) is the rigor of your courses in the context of the high school you attend. However, if you’ve read this far, I don’t really mind sharing my actual grades and scores. I earned straight As throughout high school and had a GPA of 4.26 (unweighted on a 4.33 scale). My school didn’t officially do class rank, but I am almost positive I had the highest grade point average. I do know that at the end of my junior year I had attained the “highest level of academic achievement” which I presume takes into account courses and grades. A lot of schools have gone test-optional due to the pandemic, but it’s worth noting that Smith was already test-optional. I don’t know exactly how merit scholarships work, but I am guessing that a strong SAT/ACT score would be necessary to earn one. My SAT score was 1500 (780 math and 720 verbal). I did study a lot over the summer before senior year and improved by almost 150 points from my PSAT. I also submitted SAT subject test scores of 790 for chemistry and 770 for math level II. 

[ayma-nidiot]

“Don’t Speak Their Names” - Shrimpshipping fanfic Chapter 13

This chapter on AO3 can be found here.

Chapter 13 - 11 Years

~29 August 2005~

“Hum de dum…” Rex could not contain his happiness as Ptera drove Weevil and him to his first day of college.

“I don’t know why you’re so proud of yourself,” Weevil thought aloud. “Getting accepted via the waitlist isn’t exactly a great honour.”

“Ah, shaddap. I’m a student of Domino City University, and nothing’s gonna change that.”

Weevil yawned. “But did we have to get up so early? Our first class isn’t even until noon.”

“Yeah, but I heard there is a morning club fair going on. I wanted to check it out before class.”

Ptera parked the car into a spot; she had just barely beaten someone else, who flicked her off before driving for another spot. “Look at my little man, being such a proactive student already! Have a good first day, Rex! Don’t forget to call me if you need anything!”

Rex felt embarrassed as his mother kissed his cheek. “Mom, I’m not little anymore - in fact, I’m far from it. May I remind you I’m now so heavily pregnant that I’m wearing maternity clothes?”

Tears of joy formed at the corners of Ptera’s eyes. “You’re growing up too fast.”

“Okay, Mom, love you.” After a few more hugs and kisses, Rex and Weevil entered the grand courtyard, complete with a reflecting pond. Rex recognized a few faces from his senior class; naturally, they acted like the buffoons they were when they were still in high school. One even tried to take a dip in the reflecting pond before being chased out by a dean.

But other than that, most of the student body seemed dignified. He was pleasantly surprised to see that there weren’t just young adults in the student body, there were a few middle-aged and senior citizens too. He wasn’t sure how to feel about Amber suddenly coming at him with, “Hi, guys! So, you made it into university, Rex. Congratulations.”

“I’m not surprised that you made it too,” spoke Rex.

“Wiiiiith a full ride,” Amber practically sang.

“No need to rub it in. Again.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. If you’re here for the club fair, it’s just past the student union, which is pretty far from here. Come.” Amber didn’t like how both boys seemed hesitant to talk to her; then again, she expected it, since they hadn’t contacted each other in a month. “So, how are things?”

“I’ve finally said goodbye to that sack of shit I once called ‘Father,’” Weevil replied. “Adelaide and I live with Rex now. Oh, yeah, Adelaide is my friend who taught me how to duel.”

“I see. I suppose some congratulations are in order.”

“It makes me happy not only to get away from that toxic man, but also to see the growth of my child.”

“Ah…” For the first time, Amber had noticed Rex’s baby bump, and stopped to touch it.

“Amber?” Rex looked at the raven-haired girl quizzically. “You’re acting weird.”

“S-Sorry!” Amber quickly retracted her hand and continued the walk to the student union. “It’s so rude to touch a pregnant person’s belly without permission. I… That was wrong of me.”

“Dude, it’s fine,” Rex laughed.

“I’ll tell you what’s not fine…” When the trio arrived at the student union, Amber pointed to a group that approached her. “These guys.”

“Hey, would you like to join Domino’s Finest Society?” spoke a red-haired man, who appeared to be the club’s president.

“You sure sound full of yourselves,” Rex guffawed.

“Who asked you, ignoramus?” spoke the yellow-haired vice president of the club, who put her hands at her hips. “We don’t need the opinion of the one who graduated at the bottom of Domino High School’s class.”

“But you, on the other hand…” The purple-haired secretary placed his hand on Weevil’s shoulder. “We could use you. To think that the top two students of Domino High School would attend this esteemed university… How fortunate we are!”

“Beat it, ya freaks!” Amber snorted as she beckoned for Rex and Weevil to follow her. “Come on, you two, let’s not give them the time of day.”

“Uh… Okay.” As Rex turned to leave, he made sure to give the president a good grimace. “Amber, who are they? ”

“They’re apparently a society of only the highest I.Q. individuals. Apparently, the founding president had an I.Q. of 300. A load of hogwash, that is. Even with my good grades, mine is only 150.”

“‘Only…’” Rex’s eyebrow twitched.

“So why didn’t you join them, then?” Weevil questioned.

“Because there’s this other club I’d much rather join instead. Let me show you!” With that, Amber led her friends past the Legalize Recreational Marijuana Club (Rex had to admit he was mildly interested in it) to a booth with various types of playing cards.

“Ta-dah! This is what I’ve been wanting to show you!”

Rex looked at the sign. “‘Domino Tabletop Gaming?’”

“If you like tabletop games, you’ve come to the right place!” The president lit up when he saw Rex. “We have traditional games, we have more modern ones… And you bet your bottom dollar we have Duel Monsters.”

“All right, I know which one I’m joining!” Amber picked up a pamphlet. 

“What is this? The Amber of Domino High School has chosen us over Domino’s Finest Society?” 

The president got so excited that he took Amber’s hands into his own, which she was quick to snatch away. “Don’t get any funky ideas, man.”

“Anyway, nice seeing you!” The president waved at the three as they left for the nearby dining hall to get brunch. “Our first meeting is tomorrow at 7pm! We hope to see you there.”

“Hmm…” Rex took a look at the pamphlet while he let Weevil pay for their food. “The second day of school is a bit soon for a club meeting, don’t you think?”

“Maybe so.” Amber saved a table for her and Rex; before either of them knew it, the bug duelist was already out to get their food. “Weevil’s a kind young man, isn’t he?”

“I don’t know about that… We still get into quarrels about dueling strategies and such. And if you ask Yugi and his friends, he’s what you would call a ‘duelin’ disgrace.’”

“I wouldn’t have thought that with the way he treats you like a princess.”

As they conversed, the trio learned that they shared the exact same class at noon - freshman composition with Professor Dick Hwad. But that was the only class they had together at the same time. For obvious reasons, Rex had a much lighter schedule; he only had one other class that day, at 3pm. After brunch, Rex, Weevil, and Amber took a seat at a small table in the classroom.

“For this being a required class for all freshmen, it sure is a small one,” Amber noticed. “I’d say this room can’t fit more than 20 people.”

After about 15 minutes, the teacher had not yet arrived, even though it was the start of class. “Say, isn’t there a college rule that if the teacher is more than 15 minutes late, then class is unofficially cancelled?” Rex asked Amber.

“Keyword, ‘unofficially.’ And you’ll find out that’s just one of the many unwritten rules college students have made.”

Just then, the door barged open, and a man with goofy glasses ran to the podium. “Hello, everyone, sorry I’m late!”

Amber had already turned to leave the classroom, and the arrival of her professor prompted her to sit back down.

As Professor Hwad set up his PowerPoint presentation, Weevil whispered, “He sure seems like a scatterbrain, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, well it’s better than being a dino brain.” Rex made finger guns at Weevil.

Ignoring what Rex just said, Amber replied, “He may seem like a scatterbrain, but he’s actually pretty smart. I heard he graduated this university when he was only 19.”

“Huh.” Rex looked at the first slide of the PowerPoint presentation; it appeared to be the class syllabus. He squinted at the materials list and raised his hand. When Professor Hwad called on him, he said, “I didn’t know ‘Internet’ counted as a class material.”

“You’ll find that unlike high school, college is technologically-oriented,” answered Professor Hwad. “Your assignments, as well as copies of my PowerPoint presentations, will be found on our class website.”

“Oh? Then why come to class?”

“Young man, if everyone in college could get by on just reading PowerPoint presentations, then everyone would pass. Plus, you will have in-class presentations as part of your grade.”

Rex sat back down, and didn’t like how Weevil and his classmates snickered at him. He never thought he’d hear that signature laugh of his again. “Haha! It’s only the first 20 minutes of class, and you’ve already made a fool of yourself. Good going, dino brain.”

Rex watched the rest of this presentation with a pouting face. Luckily, it was over 15 minutes before class was set to end, which gave Professor Hwad an idea. “Since you will be spending the next four months or so together, and since this class will involve a lot of group work, the last 15 minutes of class will be for an icebreaker. When it’s your turn, state your name, your major if you’ve declared it, and a few facts about yourself.”

A few of the introverts - Weevil included - squirmed at this idea. Rex, however, was as outgoing as they come. Even before it was his turn, he shot up and spoke, “Yup, I’m the one and only Rex Raptor, runner-up in the regionals! I love dinosaurs more than anything else in the world! And… uh… I actually haven’t the faintest clue what I want my major to be. Truth be told, I’m only here because Weevil is.”

“Yes, we know,” spoke a young male student from the table behind Rex. “We all saw you get your ass handed to you at that match.”

“Naw, I let Weevil win that one.”

Professor Hwad, in an annoyed voice, interrupted this quarrel. “Well, I’m glad we already have some sense of camaraderie. Speaking of Weevil, I believe it’s your turn.”

“Yes, well.” Weevil got up and cleared his throat. “I am the salutatorian of Domino High School’s graduating class, Weevil Underwood. And unlike certain dino brains which shall remain nameless, I have come to college to show the world how smart I am.”

“Hmm, maybe teaching would be a good profession for you, then.” Professor Hwad smiled. “We’re down to our last two people. And you, young lady?”

Amber stood up. “My name is Amber, and I graduated at the top of the class from Domino High School. I love Duel Monsters! By the way, if anyone wants to duel me, you know where to find me.”

Professor Hwad spoke through the men’s whistling, “And your major?”

“I already have declared mine to be Education - Life Sciences. I want to be a biology professor.”

“And at the tender age of 16!” Professor Hwad was clearly impressed. “The world needs more teachers, especially potential ones of your caliber. Thank you, Ms. Amber, you may take a seat.”

“Wow, Amber, I didn’t know that,” Rex also sounded impressed. “You should have told us.”

“I didn’t know you were only 16, either,” spoke Weevil. “I can see why you took the valedictorian spot from me.”

“Hehehe… Thanks, guys.” Amber stopped talking when she noticed the last person about to speak her piece. She was a middle-aged woman with mint green hair. “Wow, what an unusual hair colour. The only people I’ve seen with hair like that are Espa Roba, and of course you, Weevil.”

“Speaking of Espa, we just might see him in one of our other classes,” Rex whispered to Weevil.

“Um… Hello.” This woman was clearly shy around her new classmates - embarrassed, even, for being the oldest student there. “My major is Biomedical Sciences. I want to be a doctor, even though I don’t know what kind yet. Some of you may be wondering why I’m so late into my college career. Well, I had an abusive husband, who kicked me out of the house 11 years ago.”

“‘Kicked me out of the house 11 years ago…’” Weevil pondered this woman’s words for a while, and his eyes opened wide. “That’s about when Mother was kicked out of the house!”

“My husband didn’t let me study when I lived in that house. All he saw me for was a housewife. The only thing I had in that house was my then-8-year-old son. I’m here today because I want to make a better career for myself, one that my son can be proud of.”

“What a story!” This woman’s speech moved everyone in the room - some even to tears - not the least was Professor Hwad. “Except it’s missing one thing. Your name.”

“My name is Camellia Kaiba, sister of the late Gozaburo Kaiba. My brother practically gave me as a ‘gift,’ if you will, to my husband to symbolize their new business partnership. But their one-upmanship got so out of hand that eventually, my husband left KaibaCorp to start his own company.”

“Well, we’re glad you’re here. We’re about five minutes early, but I’ll dismiss class anyway. Be sure to read the syllabus and check the class website! If you have questions, you may contact me through there.”

“Well, time to move onto the next enchilada, as they say.” Rex motioned to take a short break before his next class, but stopped when he noticed Weevil approach Camellia, and followed him. “Weeves?”

“Wait!” Weevil stopped Camellia just before she could leave.

“Hey…” Camellia stared into Weevil’s eyes. “Can… Can it be?”

Weevil knelt to the ground and immediately began to cry. “I… I… I never thought… that after 11 years, we would meet like this…”

“You’re…”

“Mother!” Weevil threw himself at Camellia, burying his face into her chest. “Oh, Mother!”

“Weevil, my son…” Camellia patted her son’s hair and cried too. “I’ve missed you… My sweet son, I’ve missed you so much. You’ve grown into such a handsome young man.”

After Weevil stopped crying, he let his mother wipe away his remaining tears. “Mother, there’s so much I want to tell you, so much I want to talk to you about. I’ve finally cut ties with Fa- with Roach. So has Adelaide.”

“Adelaide is with you?”

“Yeah, we moved in with Rex and his family.”

“Rex?”

Rex revealed himself. “That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”

“I didn’t know that this young man was a friend of yours.”

Weevil hadn’t prepared to meet his mother, let alone come out to her. But after all they had been through, he didn’t need to prepare himself. “Mother, there’s something I have to tell you. I’m a bit scared to do this, since Roach disowned me for it, but… I’m gay, and Rex is my boyfriend.”

“Ooh, you make a cute couple!” Camellia grinned. “In fact, I kind of thought that way after I saw you two hug after regionals.”

“You actually saw that?!” Weevil hid his face in his hands. 

“Actually, I’m more impressed by the fact she started shipping us long before we became an item.” Rex winked, eliciting a flick on the nose from Weevil.

“You’re okay with it, then?” Weevil asked, still a bit nervous.

“That you had the courage to tell me just makes me all the more proud of you, son. I love you no matter what.” Camellia let Weevil cry on her shoulder again.

“Sooo…” Rex still tried to process the fact that he had just met his boyfriend’s mother in the strangest of circumstances. “If you’re Weevil’s mom, and you’re the sister of Gozaburo, then… that makes Weeves…”

“...the nephew of Gozaburo, and therefore the rightful heir to KaibaCorp,” Weevil finished.

“Whoa.” Rex blinked. “That’s wild. There’s still so much I haven’t learned about you, baby.”

“Ah! Thank you for reminding me. Mother, you’ll be glad to know that you’re going to be a grandmother. Rex is not only intersexed, but he’s also five months pregnant.”

“Is that so?” Camellia curiously reached for Rex’s baby bump. “M-May I?”

“Of course.”

“Are you… Do you feel all right?” Camellia asked as Weevil put his hand on the baby bump too.

“Eh. My back hurts, and I have to go to the bathroom, like, every hour. But other than that, I can manage.” Rex stopped talking when he felt the baby move. “Oh! What was that?”

Camellia and Weevil felt it too. “Rex… I think… that these are our baby’s first kicks!”

“Oh, Weeves…” As if there hadn’t been enough crying that day, Rex shed his own tears of joy as he talked to his unborn child. “I know, I know, you want out. Don’t worry, we’ll all get to meet you in another four months. And when we do, you’ll get the best party ever!”

Amber watch this scene from near the classroom door. The next class already started to file into the room. “So are you guys going to go to your next class, or what?”

“I’m right behind you.” Weevil started walking to the door, but not without asking Camellia, “What about you?”

“This actually is my next class. But here’s my phone number…” Camellia exchanged phone numbers with Weevil. “We can catch up later.”

“And I should totally invite her over, hehe.” Rex sat on a nearby bench after they left. “Amber, you’re more than welcome to join us, too.”

“...I have a class to get to, so I’ll catch you later.” And with that, Amber was suddenly gone.

“She doesn’t seem all too excited about the baby, does she?” Rex wondered out loud. “But whatever. I think, Weeves, that this is going to be a fun college career.”

[pennyfynotes]

7.24.18 // 9:30am // starting a semester without shooting yourself in the foot

hola! recently got an ask from an anon about how to start the new semester so here it is. (sorry for the early back to school posts but like? winter is coming? yeah sorry don’t watch game of thrones) xoxo, m

general tips:

1. make a schedule: put in the things that have to happen each day. so classes, sports practices, work etc. this’ll help you evaluate how much time you have to do things like homework and if you have time to take on more extracurriculars and things. it’ll also prevent you from scheduling stuff during these times where you have to be somewhere else.

2. plan somewhere: ok so despite owning a studyblr and a bullet journal that i share with you guys, i kinda suck at planning. i completely relate to the abandoned planner/bujo situation. ideally, you might want to implement something like this. if that doesn’t work for you, just have a notebook where you jot down all your lists (that can be events, to-dos, reminders). you could even use an app (google keep is helpful bc you can sync bt phone and computer). just find somewhere to put down your thoughts.

3. read the syllabus/any emails from your prof/teacher: make sure you do all your summer homework. there might be a quick assignment/supply that you need to bring on the first day. also figure out where your class is. that’s kinda important. get familiar with policies like when to turn in hw, what their late work policy is. write yourself a cheat sheet if you have to.

4. map out your route: this is more of a first day/week type deal, but just figure out how you’re gonna get from place to place so you’re not stressing about being late. you can do this in person by walking around campus or just mentally if you’re familiar. if you’re in college and need to factor in meal/bus times, figure that out too.

5. get on your teacher/profs good side: i’m not saying to suck up or anything, but treat them with courtesy and try not to be late. if you’re one of those people that likes to be really familiar with your prof/teacher, start going to office hours just to say hi (or obv if you need help). i’m generally of the “invisible student” type, but there are definitely pros to having your instructor know your name.

6. compare your schedule: if your teacher/prof has already given you dates of major projects or exams, look that over. make sure you don’t already have any pre-planned trips (ex: my cousin is getting married and we’ve known the date for months). teachers/profs will always be more flexible about changing the dates of things or allowing you to take exams early/late if you let them know asap. you might think, “oh it’ll be easy to ask them to take it early”. not necessarily. if they haven’t made up the exam yet and you ask them a week in advance to take the exam early, not going to get a happy prof. and they’ll probably say no.

7. establish a routine: ok i kind of suck at this too, but mapping out when you’re going to do work etc is helpful. if all else fails, establish a sleep schedule. determine if you work better early in the morning or late at night. in my opinion, there’s no point in trying to be an early bird if you’re most productive from 11pm-1am. 

8. make a clear organizational system: for most of us, this will inevitably go to shit once the semester drags on. but having one at the beginning of the year will make things go more smoothly and give you a structure to go back to once you realize you can’t find a damn thing.

9. find a good study spot: find a spot you like. actually find a few spots. now’s when you’ll have time to scout around campus/your town. nothing sucks more than needing to study for an exam/make the most of your time and having your only study space be occupied. i have actually spent like 20 minutes looking for a spot during exams. don’t do it.

10. experiment a little: if you already know what works for you, great. but if you’re trying to decide between going digital or using paper. rewriting your notes vs making them legible the first time around. do some quick experimentation when things are as hectic.

11. find a friend in each class: i am also horrendous at this. but it’s really helpful if you’re stuck on homework or didn’t quite catch something important the prof/teacher said. if no one you know is in the class, maybe think about making a new friend/study buddy.

12. go the extra mile while you still can: now is probably the time when you have less going on outside of school. take advantage of that to build a little “grade cushion”. take the time to do assignments early and go over them with friends so you’re sure everything is correct. go above and beyond on that project, your super busy self will thank you later when your rushing to finish homework and probably miss a bunch of questions. now, i also want to mention that you should only do this if you can reap some kind of benefit. it could be getting a 100 instead of a 93 or just for self satisfaction. but don’t waste your time painting a masterpiece when your english teacher asks for a stick figure drawing to illustrate a scene from huck finn. the highest grade you can get is 100% and you could probably do that with some well placed lines. unless, like i said, you get personal satisfaction from said masterpiece. and you have the time to do it. :) hint, hint: i was that extra af kid in english class.

college specific tips (that might also apply elsewhere?)

1. go to class: ok i am an advocate of the “skip class when you need to” method (unpopular opinion), but you should go for at least the first week if not month. your teacher/prof will outline important policies that might not be in the syllabus. you’ll be able to tell if you really need a textbook (i usually rent for easy returns or wait until a couple days in or both) and get a feel for the prof. are they super strict on things like deadlines/guidelines or more relaxed. you’ll learn where you can bend the rules. from there, at your own risk, you can evaluate if you really need to go to class or not.

2. make sure you unpack so you can find things: don’t just toss everything into a drawer. it will come back to bite you when you’re frantically searching for that one item.

3. get to class early: i mean like 20 minutes early. (potentially earlier if you’re in a freshman class full of overachievers). this will allow you to choose where you want to sit and give you time to get situated. if you want to meet new people, maybe sit towards the middle. also, though college classes rarely have assigned seats, you’ll be choosing your unofficial official seat. don’t be that person that moves around all the time and displaces half the class because of it.

4. enjoy the first bit: catch up with friends, make new ones. you won’t have too much work for at least the first 2 days, so be efficient and don’t spend all day in your room/the library “doing work”. there will be plenty of time for that. 

best of luck friends! i’ll probably be putting out more masterposts on similar topics as we move closer to school starting (sigh). lmk if you have any requests!

[futuristicvoidstrawberry-blog]

The Best SAT Online Practice Tests and Questions

 The Best SAT Online Practice Tests and Questions

SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips

Good preparation is key to feeling confident and scoring well on the SAT, and the good news is that you have access to tons of SAT study resources right on your laptop or smartphone! There are lots of online SAT practice tests and quizzes available, but it can be tough figuring out which are the best to use.

Because of that, we’ve created a guide that compiles all the best online SAT practice materials, from official practice tests to targeted quizzes and websites designed to help you understand tricky concepts the SAT tests. And, best of all, all of these resources are free! After reading this guide, you’ll know which online SAT practice materials to use and the best way to use them to get a top score, so let’s get started!

What to Look For in the Best Online SAT Practice Tests

There are lots of online SAT practice tests out there, and some of them can be very helpful for your SAT preparation.

What are the main benefits of SAT practice online?

Convenient to use: You can study any time you have your laptop or phone nearby!

Lots of resources available: The internet is endless.

Easy access to lots of official resources: Multiple official practice tests (which we discuss below) are available for free online.

However, online SAT tests aren’t always a perfect study tool. Below are some of their major drawbacks.

Quality can vary widely: Not every site is an amazing SAT resource. We discuss this throughout the guide so you know what to expect.

Some materials are out-of-date: The SAT underwent significant revisions in 2016, and not all online practice resources have stayed current. (We make note of where this occurs in the resources we mention in this guide.)

Don't provide a completely realistic test-taking experience: You’ll be taking the real SAT with paper and pencil, not on the computer, so there may be differences in how quickly you go through the questions.

So, how can you be sure you’re using high-quality online SAT practice tests that will actually help you raise your score? We’ve compiled a list of the best online SAT resources in this guide, and at the end we explain how to get the most out of them. For now, here’s a list of the key factors the best online SAT practice tests have.

High-quality practice questions: It's essential to have questions similar in content and wording to the real SAT so you know what to prepare for.

In-depth answer explanations: If you don't understand why you got a question wrong, it can be hard to learn from your mistakes.

Similar format to the real SAT: This helps you be better prepared for the SAT come test day.

Official Online SAT Practice Tests

The best SAT practice tests online are the official ones, since you can be sure they are an accurate representation of what the real SAT will be like.

Up-to-Date SAT Practice Tests (out of 1600)

There are currently seven official practice tests for the Redesigned SAT which, as of February 2016, is the current version of the SAT. These are the absolute best tests to use when studying for the SAT since they match the format and content of the exam. They also include good answer explanations to help you understand why you answered certain questions incorrectly.

These should be your #1 resource to use when you need to take a full-length practice test. See the final section of this guide for tips on how to best use these tests.

Older Practice Tests

There are also older official SAT practice tests that you can use. These free online SAT practice tests have some differences in format and content compared to the current SAT, and since they are out-of-date in some areas, use these only if you know you’ll use all seven of the current official practice tests and still want more study materials.

These tests follow the old 2400 format of the SAT, with separate reading, math, and writing sections. This test had its last administration in January 2016.

The structure and timing of these SAT online practice tests are different than the current SAT. The current SAT has only four sections and doesn't skip around subjects like the old SAT did.

The Reading sections in the current and old SATS are quite similar, so in these old SAT tests, the passages and questions are all useful to practice on.

Writing in the current version of the SAT tests similar grammar skills, but it's tested in a very different passage-based format. Use these old SAT tests to practice your SAT grammar rules.

Math questions are similar in format, but the current SAT emphasizes algebra and de-emphasizes geometry. Use these old SAT tests as math practice, but focus on the skills that the current SAT tests (primarily algebra).

Official SAT Practice Test 2013-14

Practice Test: College Board

Answers: College Board

Official SAT Practice Test 2012-2013

Practice Test: College Board

Answers: College Board

Official SAT Practice Test 2007-2008

Practice Test: College Board

Answers: College Board

Official SAT Practice Test 2005

Practice Test: College Board

Answers: College Board

Khan Academy

In addition to full-length official practice tests, the College Board has also teamed up with Khan Academy to offer numerous official SAT practice questions and resources. Under its SAT Resources, Khan Academy offers practice quizzes, tests, individual questions, and videos that walk you step-by-step through how to answer different types of questions. You’ll need to set up a free account to access these resources, and your progress will be tracked over time.

Khan Academy can be a great resource to use if you’re struggling with understanding how to answer certain SAT questions or want to strengthen some skill areas before you take full-length practice tests. Their videos break concepts down to help you understand exactly how to solve different types of questions you may not know how to answer. You can learn more about these resources by checking out our guide on how to get the most out of Khan Academy’s SAT resources.

The Best Unofficial SAT Online Practice Tests

Unofficial SAT online practice tests can be a bit riskier to use since there’s no guarantee of quality like there is with official practice tests. Because of this, and because so many people have tried their hand at making practice SAT questions to entice visitors to their web page, the quality of unofficial resources can vary widely, from near-official level of quality to barely related to the real SAT.

To make things easier for you, we’ve sorted through the options and found the highest quality unofficial online SAT practice tests. Official materials should still be your main source of SAT practice, but these unofficial resources can be useful if you run out of official practice questions or if you want to focus on a specific topic and not go through an entire practice SAT.

Ivy Global

Ivy Global has a PDF of a complete practice SAT. It has the same format and question types as the current SAT, which makes it the best unofficial SAT practice online since many other practice SATs aren’t as long and don't match the format of the current test. An answer key is also included, but there are no answer explanations.

This is a good resource to use after you’ve already completed at least a few official practice tests and are looking for another full-length SAT to take. By then you’ll have a good idea of what high-quality practice tests look like, and you’ll have a better chance of understanding the mistakes you made without needing answer explanations.

MajorTests.com

This site has 24 Math practice tests, 24 Critical Reading practice tests, 11 Writing practice tests, and a list of the 1000 most important vocab words to know. The quizzes are pretty short (about ten questions) and organized into specific categories. There are also good answer explanations for the questions you answered incorrectly. However, it hasn't been updated to reflect the 2016 SAT revisions, and because the quizzes are so short, you won't practice learning how you handle a long test (like the SAT).

Use this resource either when you don’t have enough time to take a full practice test or when you want to focus specifically on improving a certain skill, like problem-solving questions or reading comprehension. The short, targeted quizzes make it easier to focus on a specific topic.

CrackedSAT.net

This site includes numerous practice quizzes as well as free official practice tests of the old SAT that you can download as pdfs of both practice tests. The online quizzes (organized into categories to make finding the topic you want easier) are automatically graded. For the official practice test pdfs, answer keys are included, but there is no automatic grading, so you’ll need to grade these tests yourself. This is a decent resource if you’d like to take official SATs with pencil and paper (the way you will on test day) and if you’re looking for more short, targeted practice quizzes.

Varsity Tutors

This site has numerous SAT quizzes, organized into Math, Critical Reading, and Writing categories. However, Varsity Tutors isn’t as high-quality as the other resources listed because the practice questions sometimes aren’t that close to that you’ll see on the actual SAT and because the site hasn't been updated to reflect the 2016 changes to the SAT. I’d recommend only using this as a study tool if you’ve already gone through all the above resources and still want some more practice.

Other Online SAT Practice Resources

The sites below focus more on teaching you the material you need to know for the SAT and how to understand different concepts tested by the exam instead of only including practice questions. These are good resources if you’re trying to strengthen your skill areas before diving into a lot of practice problems.

The first two sites haven't been completely updated to reflect the new SAT changes from 2016, so not everything they mention is up-to-date. Keep that in mind if you use them, and we’ve included some notes on each of them to help you use them more effectively.

Erik the Red

If you need to brush up on your SAT math skills, this is a helpful site to use. This website lets you download pdfs with math facts, formulas, strategies, and math-related vocab. However, the math resources have remained unchanged since the old SAT, so they don't reflect the recent changes in format, question type, and skills tested. Despite this, the SAT tests many of the same concepts, particularly in algebra, so you can still get a lot from these sites.

If you use this site, focus mainly on the algebra resources, and less on geometry, since there will only be a few geometry questions on the SAT.

Erica Meltzer's The Critical Reader

This site is useful for preparing for the Reading, Writing, and essay sections of the SAT. She doesn't offer a ton of information yet for the current SAT, and some of her SAT Reading tips have been merged with ACT Reading since the tests have become so similar. Still, she has some useful posts and will most likely to continue to add to them over the year.

You can explore her blog for more tips on the verbal sections. The posts are engaging, but they leave it up to you to seek out examples and sample questions to try out her advice.

PrepScholar

Our blog also has a ton of great resources for everything you need to know about preparing for and taking the SAT. Our guides are completely up-to-date with the recent SAT changes, and they cover everything from creating a study plan, setting an SAT score goal, tackling the trickiest questions on the SAT, choosing the best test date, and more. Some of our most popular guides include:

Tips for Using Online SAT Practice Materials

Now that you know where to find the best online SAT practice tests, follow the three tips below to get the most out of these resources.

Take Full-Length Practice Tests Under Realistic Conditions

You should aim to take full-length practice tests (especially the up-to-date official ones) in one sitting with accurate timing and realistic testing conditions. This means you’ll need to block out about four hours of time, so be sure to plan ahead for that.

Taking practice tests under realistic testing conditions means your practice scores will be more accurate, so you’ll have a better idea of how well you’re scoring, how much you’ve improved, and which areas you still need to work on.

Review Your Mistakes

After every practice test or quiz you take, you should go through the answers you got wrong and review them until you understand what you did wrong and how to get the correct answer.

This can take some time, but taking practice tests will only help you raise your score if you learn from your mistakes, so don’t skip this step! If you’re feeling burned out, take a break between finishing a test and reviewing your answers, but make sure to complete both steps.

Alternate Between Different Study Resources

There are lots of resources listed in this guide, from full-length practice SATs to short quizzes with only a few questions on a specific topic. Be sure to alternate among the different materials and use the resource that works best for each individual study session.

For example, if you’re short on time or not on your A-game for studying, take a quiz or shorter practice test. You should reserve full-length practice tests (especially the official ones) for when you can set aside a few hours at a time and really concentrate on the test. Alternating between different resources can also keep your studying from becoming routine and monotonous and help keep your motivation up.

Conclusion

There are many SAT online practice materials, such as official practice tests, quizzes focused on specific topics, and sites to help you boost your knowledge of the skills the SAT tests. Using high-quality SAT practice tests online can help prepare you for the SAT and score higher on test day.

In order to get the most out of online SAT practice resources, you should follow these three guidelines:

Take full-length practice tests under realistic conditions

Review your mistakes

Alternate between different study resources

By getting in a lot of SAT online practice, you can be well-prepared and confident on test day!

What's Next?

Wondering what a good SAT score is? Learn how to set a score goal based on the schools you want to get into.

Thinking about using Khan Academy for SAT prep? Khan Academy can be a great resource if you know how to use it correctly. Read our guide to learn how to make the best use of Khan Academy!

Want to learn more about the new SAT? We have a complete guide to the revised SAT that goes over exactly what changed, what stayed the same, and how it affects you.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

© PrepScholar 2013-2016. All rights reserved

SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board TM . The College Entrance Examination

Board TM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site.