College Admissions with Calm, Clarity & Confidence

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Copper dome of the Naval Academy Chapel against a blue sky Military Academy Summer Programs

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What most high school students know about military life tends to come from movies or books. Even those who grew up in military families may wonder what it would be like to personally serve under military restrictions and responsibilities. Military academy summer programs offer students a taste of life as a cadet or midshipman. This […]

Military Academy Summer Programs

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The Department of Education announced on November 14, 2024 that the FAFSA 2025-26 is available to all students through the Beta test version. This means any students can apply for federal financial aid for the 2025-26 college academic year through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students and their “contributors” (aka parents submitting […]

FAFSA 2025-26 Available to All Students

College Affordability
Graduation cap on a pile of $100 bills. FAFSA 2025-26 Now Open

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Many colleges require supplemental essays in addition to a long personal statement about the student. These additional essays are intended to give admissions more information about the student and what is important to them. One type of supplemental essay that frequently stumps students is the Why Us? college essay. Let’s consider what these prompts are […]

Supplemental Essays: How to Write a “Why Us” College Essay

College Admissions
Tips for Why Us? Essays Background image of a laptop computer, writing journal, a pen, and a cup of coffee.

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When students apply to colleges, they may have to choose between Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision. Other options include Rolling Decision and Restrictive Early Action? What is Early Decision and how is it different from other options? Is Early Decision a good choice for you? Let me explain what these options mean and […]

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Students applying to college ROTC scholarship programs need to keep a close eye on the scholarship board dates. These dates are set by each service, meaning Army ROTC board dates are different than the board dates for Air Force ROTC. Students often ask when they should submit their ROTC scholarship applications.  They should submit a […]

ROTC Scholarship Board Dates

Military
Larger than life size Ohio State University "Bucky" mascot statue dressed in green military flight suit outside The Ohio State University ROTC building.

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College affordability matters. Understanding college costs and financial aid works should be one of your first steps in making a college list. This is a long article, but I want to give you a strong overview of college costs and financial aid, so you are prepared to consider your options. Think about your family budget, college […]

College Costs and Financial Aid

College Affordability
Graduation cap on a pile of US money. Text reads: College Costs and Financial Aid. Logo of Admissions Decrypted

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Upcoming changes to military academy nominations rules mean that students applying to Department of Defense military service academies will have more chances of receiving a nomination. Starting with the classes entering in the 2025-26 academic year, each member of Congress will be authorized to nominate 15 candidates at a time, instead of 10. This was […]

Image of the US Capitol and the words Changes to Nominations

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The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) is a program to educate and train future US military officers at civilian colleges and universities. Students are both full-time college students and ROTC cadets or midshipmen. They take courses in military, air, or naval science in addition to their other college classes. They do regular military training during […]

ROTC Scholarships for College

Military
Display at Vanderbilt Navy ROTC unit, including the unit crest, a photo of current midshipmen, and a mannequin wearing a summer white uniform with two star admiral insignia, aviator wings, and a nametag for "YOU"

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The Common App essay prompts aren’t a list of questions to answer. They are designed to help you think about what’s important to you, who you are as a person, and what you would bring to campus as a college student. The Common App opens August 1 for students applying as freshmen for Fall 2025. […]

Common App Essay Prompts 2024-25

College Admissions
Girl with brown hair and a white shirt writing. Text reads: Common App Essay Prompts 24-25

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What Are Military Academy Nominations? When students apply to military service academies, the nomination requirement often causes confusion. This guide will help you better understand which military academy nominations you are eligible for and how to get started with the nomination request process. Nominations are required for appointment to the three Department of Defense Service […]

Graphic explaining military academy nomination requirements