What to do the year before applying

<p>It doesn’t hurt to study for the SSAT, especially if you’re starting well in advance. If nothing else, it’s good review. Don’t obsess about it, but as ballerina points out, if you tend to not do that well on certain section, get a few study books and learn whatever test taking tricks you can. I’m always downloading SAT flashcard apps and bugging my kids to do them when they have a spare 10 minutes here and there–if nothing else, you get used to the format of the questions and answers and start recognizing roots and prefixes that might help you dissect a word on the SSAT. </p>

<p>As far as the other stuff goes, focus on quality over quantity. Leadership or excelling in a sport or e.c. will matter more than joining every club at the school. So think about what you do best, and put your energy and time there.</p>