Category: College Preparation

Making Sense of Your Early Applications to College: Accepted, Not Accepted, Deferred? 

Posted by: Kim on December 19th, 2023

Early Decision 1 and Early Action notifications will arrive soon—and will be ongoing through the month of December/January, so it’s best to prepare yourself for possible outcomes. Keep in mind that there are many factors that go into how colleges make decisions about individual applicants, many of which are far beyond the applicant’s control. However, […]

Do Senior Year Grades Matter?

Posted by: admin on November 28th, 2023

No matter how often we get this question, we are still perplexed. We think, “Of course they matter!” Still, it’s not unusual for an aggressively hard-working, disciplined senior to be looking for the light at the end of the tunnel after years of grinding out assignments, never missing soccer practice, all while leading the debate […]

How much do SAT/ACT scores matter for my college application?

Posted by: Kim on October 9th, 2023

In a test-optional environment, many families are unsure how much weight is given to test scores during the admissions process. Questions such as: should I, as a parent, encourage my student to pursue testing or, if my student is testing but isn’t getting the results they were hoping for, should they continue with further testing […]

How to Write a College Application Essay That Stands Out

Posted by: Kim on September 29th, 2023

The college essay is growing in significance these days, and this is an exciting opportunity for students. Essays are the place to highlight strengths, skills, imagination, and they give students an opportunity to inject a creative hand and make their applications come alive. Applicants can also demonstrate writing and communications skills and thereby prove their […]

Test-blind vs. Test-optional: A breakdown of the six significant admissions policies

Posted by: Kim on August 15th, 2023

As we enter the 2023-2024 college admission year, over 1800 colleges remain test-optional. In addition, more than 80 additional colleges and universities have adopted a test-blind or test-free admissions policy for first-year applicants. Some schools, however, still require testing. It is essential to understand the testing admissions policy for each school on your list so […]

College Admissions: Why scores and statistics don’t result in acceptance anymore

Posted by: Kim on November 8th, 2022

Every winter, we see a pattern. Senior students with strong GPAs, usually 4.0+ from a solid high school, known for rigorous academics with an SAT score of 1500+ and ZERO college acceptances. Why does this pattern occur every year? And what steps can I take to ensure that my student does repeat the winter cycle?  […]