The spectrum of these ranges from strictly living out of a hiking backpack for two weeks in the North West to residing in a French dorm with the goal of foreign immersion. While all of these trips have been rewarding and well worth my time in their own ways, my latest journey to Boston for the Abbey Road test Prep Program was incredibly fulfilling for the particular time in my life that it came. It goes without saying that the majority of students approaching the fall semester of their senior year typically experience high anxiety with regard to college applications.
This was especially true for me, and already by the end of my junior year, a considerable amount of worry around admissions had set in. For this reason, I began to search for a way to receive adequate SAT preparation, information about colleges, and assistance with the application process. After completing my session with Abbey Road College Prep, I can honestly say that I believe it to have been among the most effective and fun ways to complete all of those challenging tasks.
Immediately I appreciated the accommodating and caring staff that was always striving to ensure an enjoyable experience for students. In this way, I was very pleased with the balance between structured activities, time for work, and time for play. Therefore, while students felt comfortably chaperoned, there was still plenty of time for ‘free time’, during which students could explore the city, complete assignments, or simply relax with friends! This balance also held true in regard to the excursions.
As a program, we were able to enjoy many outings, including a tour on the Duck Adventures Boat, an afternoon at Quincy Market, an outing at Revere Beach, and my personal favorite, a visit to the Institute of Contemporary Art. However, these alone did not fulfill the purpose of my attendance; it was only in conjunction with the academics that the program thrived. As previously stated, the SAT preparation was a significant factor in my coming to Abbey Road. Initially, I was nervous that fitting the entire Princeton Review course in two weeks may not have been effective.
That prejudgment could not have been further from the truth! Our Princeton Review professor was extremely thorough, continually dedicated to ensuring students’ comprehension of the material and to help the students succeed. In fact, I would say the two-week course, compared to a longer school year or summer course, ended up as the most effective way for me to prepare for the SAT.
In addition to the excellent test taking preparation, the Admissions Prep Writing Elective was outstanding as well. With all of the stress surrounding college for the students, having a staff member so highly experienced and informed in the college search process was a key anxiety-reducing factor of the program. Through activities such as constructing a “Must Haves & Deal Breakers” list, drafting a résumé, and brainstorming essay topics, the writing elective course teacher effectively broke down the massive amounts of information about the college search, prepared students for all that goes into an application, and finally assisted in fine-tuning each student’s application essays.
Leaving Boston I had the peace of mind regarding my application essays, a more defined list of colleges that interested me, and a clear path to follow to my next SAT and to complete my application process. Not to mention, I left the program having made friends with students from all over the nation that I continue to keep in touch with as we journey through the remainder of the application process. In these ways, the Abbey Road Program met all of my needs pertaining to my college search, and I could not be more satisfied with the results that Abbey Road helped me achieve!
Related Program:
Boston College prep
Pre-College in Boston: College Admissions and Test Prep