✨ Hey, Fiveable fam! Coming at you with a fresh batch of study gems, news bites, and tales of the week. 🚀

📲 Content Corner

A weekly roundup of the best study hacks, tools, and insights to boost your academic game.

🌊The ocean holds more secrets than anywhere else on earth. Here’s a cool video exploring its uncharted waters.

🤯 Explore 5 game-changing study hacks (backed by science) that enhance memory, focus, and cognition.

💽 Double your brainpower and combat information overload by building a 2nd brain.

🎶 This doctor shares his perspective on a fascinating “sound design” app that helps you focus, relax, and sleep better.

🌞 In honor of the annular solar eclipse, here’s Neil deGrasse Tyson sharing the science behind the “ring of fire” 🌝

📣 Homeroom Headlines

Demystifying How to Pay for College 💰

Paying for college is a complex process involving financial aid, loans, savings, earnings, and family support.

A recent New York Times article offered a Q&A with expert answers to common questions students have about affording higher education.

What this means for students: Begin your financial preparations early to understand costs, aid possibilities, and budgeting strategies. It's vital to complete the FAFSA every year, meeting all priority deadlines to access essential aid.

When reviewing financial aid offers, focus on the net cost after grants and scholarships and consider options to minimize debt, such as work-study or attending a community college.

Remember, seeking advice from counselors, teachers, and college financial aid offices can offer invaluable clarity and support. You’ve got this!

UW System Introduces Direct College Admissions Initiative 🏫

The University of Wisconsin System is set to introduce a direct admissions program in 2024, where qualified high school students within the state will be sent offer letters by July 2024 for the 2025 fall term.

The move aligns with other public higher education networks adopting direct admissions to simplify the college entry process and reach more students.

Other states have been rolling out direct admit programs, too. And let’s not ignore Texas with its Top 10% Rule, granting high school students who graduate in the top 10% of their class automatic admission to any public university in Texas.

While programs like that can prompt more equal opportunities for students from under-resourced schools, auto-admission doesn’t guarantee entry into certain programs or majors. Here’s a great summary of direct admission, and its pros and cons.

What this means for students: Bypassing the traditional application process signals a huge change in how college apps are evolving in real time, simplifying the entry process and expanding access to higher education.

By eliminating application barriers, students might find themselves directly approached with college offers based on criteria like GPA or merely graduation.

With similar programs sprouting in places like Georgia and New York, students across the nation may find college admissions becoming a more streamlined and less daunting endeavor.

High Achieving CA Student Joins Google Post College Rejections 🧑‍💻

Stanley Zhong, a high school graduate from Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California, faced rejection from 16 major colleges, despite boasting a stellar 3.97 unweighted GPA, a 1590 SAT score, and launching a startup during his sophomore year.

Instead of attending the University of Texas, one of the two institutions that accepted him, Zhong embraced an opportunity to become a full-time software engineer at Google.

What this means for students: While college acceptances can be unpredictable and sometimes disheartening, Zhong's story exemplifies how traditional pathways aren't the only routes to success.

It's essential for students to remain resilient, explore alternative opportunities, and recognize that a college rejection does not define their worth or potential. Sometimes, unexpected doors can open to even greater opportunities.

😌 The Wellness Workshop

Feeling emotionally weighed down lately?

It's a common sentiment among high school students, especially given the pressures of modern life.

So, this week, we’re exploring a technique that combines ancient wisdom with modern science to help you out.

Enter EFT tapping - aka the Emotional Freedom Technique.

Here's the scoop:

Founded by Gary Craig in 1995, this method involves tapping on traditional Chinese medicine acupressure points using your fingertips.

Why? It's been shown to have a slew of benefits, like:

• Boosting happiness 🌈

• Reducing anxiety 😌

• Improving immune function 💪

• Decreasing stress 🍃

Even better, it’s backed up by research, showing that tapping significantly lowers anxiety for students, and can be a calming, relaxing, and helpful tool. 🎈

So, how do you do it?

Simply tap on specific points on your body (like the side of your hand or top of your head) while reciting a "setup statement" like: "Even though I have [problem], I deeply and completely accept myself."

Curious to learn more?

Here’s a quick tutorial showing you how to use tapping to calm anxiety.

⭐ Student Spotlight

This week’s student spotlight is on Ayaan Parikh, a senior from Wichita Collegiate High School, Kansas!

Witnessing the rise of telehealth during the pandemic, he noticed its accessibility was skewed toward upper and middle-class communities, prompting his groundbreaking initiative.

Determined to make healthcare more accessible, Ayaan founded Medic All, a non-profit offering cost-free telemedical consultations to low-income patients.

Partnering with local universities, clinics, and organizations, they ensure a comprehensive approach to health, covering everything from fitness and mental health to general and symptom-based checkups.

“Age is not a limiting factor and I can continue growing my non-profit regardless, whether I’m 17 or 27,” Ayaan said.

A commendable effort by Ayaan, proving age is no barrier to making a difference. 👏

Know a high schooler making an impact?

Reply to this email with their story – they could be our next spotlight!

🎟️ Maximize Your AP Potential with Cram Mode! 🎟️

Can you believe we're already halfway through October? Time flies when you're studying hard!

To ensure you're on the right track, check out Fiveable’s Cram Mode, your ultimate sidekick for conquering the academic challenges ahead.

With Cram Mode, you don't just study smarter – you unlock a powerhouse of resources:

• An expansive bank of 19,000 practice questions spanning every AP subject

• Instant clarifications for questions you stumble on

• Exclusive entry to 170+ live cram sessions throughout the year, guiding you through APs, ACTs, SATs, and the college admissions process

• A supportive community of peers to journey with, ensuring you never study alone

The statistics don't lie – Fiveable students with Cram Mode consistently outshine national averages on AP exams, ensuring they're primed for success, just like this student:

“The cram sessions were my savior. I would watch them the 5 nights before the exam, and even on the bus on the way to the exam. I scored 5s.”

Harness the power of Cram Mode and unlock your academic potential! 📈📘

🌟 Onwards and upwards, Fiveable fam! See you next week! 🌟