With the increasing number of applicants and the high academic standards of colleges, the competition for spots at top institutions is fiercer than ever. But, don’t worry – there are ways to make your application stand out. Here’s what you need to know: Getting into college is a competitive process, but with the right preparation…
The college application season (September-January) can be a stressful time as seniors are juggling classes, essay writing, testing, and asking for recommendation letters. A big part of this stress is meeting each of your college’s strict deadlines in the middle of midterms and finals. This is why getting organized early can help alleviate some of…
Understanding the Pros and Cons For decades, the SAT and ACT have been a staple in the college admissions process. However, in recent years, there has been debate about whether these standardized tests are still relevant in today’s college admissions landscape. Here’s what you need to know: Pros of the SAT and ACT: Cons of…
The Common Application, a college application service first created in 1975, has helped billions of eager high school, transfer, and adult students take the first step to reach their educational goals. What first started out as a paper booklet designed to streamline the college application process has grown into a modernized online platform. The founders…
Among the many pieces of a college application is the Counselor Recommendation. While your transcripts and essays are among the most important parts of the application, what your counselor shares in their recommendation plays a significant role in putting your high school performance, activities, and experiences into perspective. Follow these steps to ensure you make…
No, college admissions is not solely about perfect GPAs and testing. While good grades and high test scores can certainly help, there are many other factors that colleges consider when evaluating applicants. First, it might be helpful to understand the difference between holistic and non-holistic college admissions. Holistic Admissions Holistic college admissions is an approach…
Simply put, financial aid is money that helps you pay for college. This funding comes from a variety of sources but does not include money from family or personal savings or earnings. For many students, financial aid is essential to making college affordable. An important key to understanding financial aid is to recognize the vernacular…
Yes, you can add reading (or any other activity) to your college application. However, like many things in college admissions and in life, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. But what if you are stuck staring at the 10 allowed spaces for the “Activities” section of the Common Application and only have 9…
Colleges determine financial aid packages for admitted students based on the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and in some cases the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile). If your financial aid offer is lower than what you were expecting, requesting more financial aid – read, ask politely, is an option.…
There are several different types of deadlines for consideration, and often, at least two per institution: early action, early decision, regular decision, and rolling. There is a general timing schedule for each type of deadline, but this can vary a few days or so from institution to institution. These deadlines, or what is due, include…