College Admissions with Calm, Clarity & Confidence

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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 […]

What Is Early Decision?

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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
Gold midshipman's anchor on a navy blue background. ROTC Scholarship Board Dates

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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
ROTC Scholarships for College Image of mannequin wearing US Navy Summer White uniform with a nametag labeled "You" in front of a banner an historic photos of Vanderbilt University Navy ROTC

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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 […]

Guide to Military Academy Nominations

Military
Graphic explaining military academy nomination requirements

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If you have a high school student, maybe you’ve noticed articles about FAFSA. Maybe you’re worried about completing it so you can get a financial aid offer. Maybe you are just wondering, “What is FAFSA?” This guide explains what FAFSA is, why it matters, and where to get help completing it. As of January 2024, […]

Admissions Decrypted Guide to FAFSA

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FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA 2024-25 (for the college academic year that starts in Fall 2024) opened December 31, 2023 in a soft launch. This revised form reflects changes to the format and the formula used to calculate eligibility for need-based financial aid. These FAFSA tips will help you finish […]

FAFSA Tips 2024-25

College Affordability
If parents are married to each other financial information from both is required. If they did not file taxes jointly, then both are contributors and both will need to provide information and sign the FAFSA. If they filed taxes jointly, only one parent is required as a contributor. If parents are not married to each other, but live together, both are considered contributors and must complete FAFSA individually. If parents are not married and don't live together, the parent who provide more financial support than the other will be the contributor and must complete the FAFSA. If the parent providing the most support has remarried, the stepparent will also be considered a contributor.

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These are the biggest college admissions trends I noticed during the 2022-23 admissions cycle. Families of this year’s seniors and younger high school students should be aware of these trends, so they can make wise decisions as they apply to college. Note, I wrote this in April 2023, before the SCOTUS decision on the use […]

College Admissions Trends 2023

College Admissions
College Admissions Trends 2023 Students walking to class on the main walkway of University of Tennessee. Orange brick buildings beneath a clear blue sky.

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When public and private high school students apply to college, their school counselors submit documents to support their application. Homeschool students also need to give admissions an academic history to base their admissions decision on. In addition to the applications the student fills out, there are several supporting documents for homeschool college applications that are […]

Homeschool Documents for College Applications Picture of a brick sidewalk with a stone compass rose pointing north