College Admissions with Calm, Clarity & Confidence
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Some students’ stories don’t fit neatly into the standard sections of the Common Application. They may need to share background details about academics, grades, or activities outside the classroom. The Common App Additional Information section offers an opportunity to provide this extra context and detail. Use it wisely and not just as a bonus essay. […]
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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 […]
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How the FY26 Budget Bill (HR1) could affect college financial aid is a question many families should be asking right now. The FY26 budget bill recently passed by the House of Representatives (known as HR1, or One Big Beautiful Bill Act) includes several proposed changes that could significantly affect how students and parents pay for […]
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If you’re finishing junior year, use the summer to get a head start on college applications. With steady work over the next few months, you could be ready to submit applications shortly after they open in August, well before early application deadlines. Here’s what to work on before school ends and during the summer. Before […]
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Every spring, well-qualified students get turn down letters from colleges they’d hoped to attend. College admissions results are not a measure of how worthy a student is as a person or a strong predictor of their adult success. In spite of what some media outlets and popular colleges want you to believe, studies show that […]
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Some colleges have returned to requiring test scores for admission. Even at test optional colleges, strong scores can improve your application. Generally colleges will accept the SAT and ACT on an equal basis, converting scores from one format to another. This means students can take practice tests, then register for the format they prefer. Changes […]
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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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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 […]
