La Bohème, Decision Week, and March SAT Scores Friday
Good Thursday evening, MJTP families!
It's a late one, but I wanted to fire off a quick newsletter tonight. My wife and I just returned from the local Sarasota Opera's showing of La Bohème. It was fun. I'll discuss why it matters in a moment.
It’s a big week.
Ivy League schools released admissions decisions today, and colleges across the board will be posting throughout the week. If you’re a current or former MJTP student hearing good news this week, I want to know about it. Reply to this email, send me a message, whatever works — but tell me where you’re headed. These moments are worth celebrating, and this community wants to hear about them.
So far we’ve heard good news from NYU, Davidson, and Emory, with a few Ivy rejections, but that's ok. More to come.
March SAT Scores Drop Tomorrow
If your student sat for the March SAT two weekends ago, tomorrow is the day. College Board typically releases scores in the early morning hours, so check the portal when you wake up.
If you need clarity on what the scores mean, feel free to book a session with me. If I’m being honest, though, the score reports don’t reveal much. Until the College Board becomes more transparent and brings back the QAS service that allowed us to see correct and incorrect answers, it will remain a mystery.
That’s where a “body of work” comes into play. I had this conversation with a parent just this week. While one sitting of the SAT is a good experience, and one "diagnostic" can reveal some weaknesses — the big picture of where your student is strong, where points are being left on the table, and what the path forward looks like is revealed through several tests and practice tests. I wish it were easier than that, but it's not.
And while we’re at it: register for the May SAT. For most students, one test date is not the finish line — it’s data. Seats fill up, so don’t wait on this. Remember, its a journey, not a one and done event.
Scholarships You Probably Haven’t Heard Of
Back to La Bohème. Listen, I know not everyone is gifted with a set of amazing vocal chords, but tonight's opera was confirmation to me of what real life is like outside of the cold, grey, spiral of doom that the future paints with ai.
Every other tutoring newsletter right now is pointing students toward AI-focused grants and tech scholarships. That’s fine — but it’s not the only lane. While computers may play a part in the arts, the beauty is in the human endeavor on the stage, or the orchestra pit below. It's the social experience. It's the volunteer ushers. And, there are lots of opportunities like this that will grow. Trust me, the arts are endowed by some of the deepest pockets, and old money doesn't want to see a robot confessing his love to Mimi.
With that in mind, I urge you to look beyond the tech world for scholarship potential. Here are four overlooked opportunities with some of the largest awards available to high school students right now.
Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative — Up to $40,000
This is the one most families have never heard of, and it’s the biggest award on this list. Distributed by the American Theatre Wing, these scholarships support rising high school seniors from populations historically underrepresented in the theatre industry who demonstrate exceptional talent and financial need. Students can apply for an annual scholarship of $10,000 to study any aspect of theatre — performance, design, stage management, arts administration — in a four-year degree program, for a total of up to $40,000. The next application round opens in Spring 2026. If your student is serious about theatre and fits the eligibility criteria, this one deserves immediate attention.
Duck Tape “Stuck at Prom” Scholarship — Up to $15,000
Yes, this is real — and yes, it’s as fun as it sounds. High school students design and wear original promwear made from Duck Brand tape, submit a photo, and compete for a $15,000 scholarship. Two first-place winners — one in the Dress category, one in the Tux category — each receive $15,000, with additional $1,000 runner-up prizes available. The entry period runs from March 25 through July 13, 2026. You do not have to attend prom to enter. This one rewards creativity, craft, and a willingness to have some fun with the process.
YoungArts — Up to $10,000
YoungArts awards cash prizes between $250 and $10,000 to high school students in grades 10–12 who demonstrate excellence in classical music, dance, design, film, jazz, photography, theater, visual arts, voice, or writing. Senior finalists are also eligible for nomination as U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts. The 2027 competition opens in July 2026 — so students should start building or refining their portfolio now. This is one of the most prestigious youth arts competitions in the country.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — Up to $10,000
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious contest for high school students, with submission categories including poetry, short stories, essays, journalism, and more.  Gold medal portfolio winners at the national level can earn up to $10,000.  Regional deadlines typically fall in December and January — so this is a plan-now, submit-in-the-fall opportunity. Notable alumni include Sylvia Plath and Joyce Carol Oates.
The common thread: these scholarships reward genuine skill and passion in areas that don’t get the same spotlight as STEM. Fewer applicants, serious money. Start the list now, track the deadlines, and apply.
What the NTPA Heard from College Board This Month
As a member of the National Test Prep Association, I get insider news on conversations with the College Board. Here’s what came out of the most recent meeting:
- AM/PM Testing at Commercial Sites
College Board piloted 1:00 PM testing alongside the standard 8:00 AM option at commercial testing centers — hotels, convention centers — in California for the March SAT. It ran smoothly. If score analysis doesn’t show anything unusual, they plan to continue AM/PM testing in the Fall. One thing they were clear about: no plans to bring PM testing to school test sites. Too complicated to administer, and it makes for an unreasonably long day for testing coordinators. - Travel Benefits for Students
The PM option matters most for students who don’t have a testing site close to home. Instead of traveling on Friday and paying for a hotel, those students can now leave Saturday morning, take the 1:00 PM test, and be home for dinner. That’s a meaningful quality-of-life improvement for families in more rural or underserved areas. - CB Is Tracking Travel Distance
College Board keeps close tabs on how far students have to travel to reach a test site. In California, the average was about 17 miles in 2024. The expansion of commercial testing centers brought that down to roughly 7 miles in 2025. Reducing travel distance nationwide remains a priority through 2026 and 2027. - Test Security
No two students see the exact same test — that’s by design. The probability of a student seeing the same question across multiple test dates is extremely small. CB’s security team monitors for leaked items and pulls them from active use immediately. The NTPA has pushed CB to take it a step further: once a question is retired due to a leak, we want it added to the Question Bank right away so students and tutors can still use it for practice. We’re still waiting on that one. - Question Bank and Practice Tools
College Board is working on improving the usability and filtering of the Educator Question Bank — no timeline yet. They’re also updating the “Practice Additional Questions” tool that’s tied to individual score reports. The NTPA has requested a dedicated presentation from CB on how prep professionals can get the most out of these tools — the Question Bank, Practice Additional Questions, and Khan Academy. That may come as a webinar or a session at the NTPA Annual Conference in June.
It’s a lot of good news from CB, and it’s clear the pressure from the prep community is moving things in the right direction.
As always, if you have questions about any of this, reach out. Scores are coming tomorrow — don’t just stare at the number. Let me know how you do, and let’s make a plan.
— Mr. John
