College Admissions with Calm, Clarity & Confidence
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BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) – Don’t fall for the trap, test scores still matter for college admissions. Even though the majority of colleges accept applications without test scores, having strong scores can still benefit students — especially at selective colleges. Don’t miss the table at the end that lays out several possible situations with […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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, […]
