Learn about upcoming changes to the ACT college admissions exam.
2025 Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) College Admissions Trends
Learn about the increasingly competitive landscape of college admissions trends in 2025. Some questions this addresses are: What early trends are we seeing in acceptances for the Class of 2025? Which trends from recent years remain, and what is changing this year? What do we predict for regular decision (spring) outcomes? How does the test optional movement and some colleges’ return to requiring test scores affect admissions moving forward? What will happen with SAT and ACT test requirements in the future?
What To Do With Your ED/EA Outcomes
It’s the best thing EVER when you are admitted to your Early Decision school. You are done with applications (except in some cases) and ready to attend your dream school next year. Similarly, Early Action results present you with admissions decisions before the regular decision pool of applicants so that you can begin to breathe a bit easier and start narrowing your focus. But if you are deferred or denied, you have some decisions to make.
What Should I Do this Summer?
What should high school students do in the summer? What if I need a break this summer? What if I need to work or take care of family members this summer? Should I pay for a pre-college summer program? Does it matter that the school offering the program is “elite?” How do I demonstrate my interest/experience in a particular academic subject?
Interviews and Video Introductions for College Admissions
The vast majority of colleges and universities in the US do not interview students; however, for those that do, the purpose, focus, and timing can vary greatly, depending on the school. This blog covers how to prepare for interviews with highly selective colleges, and also discusses the growing trend of video introductions in the college application process.
What to Do after Early College Applications are Submitted
You have submitted your early round college applications. After that huge rush of activity, you may be wondering what to do next. This blog covers your checklist of things to remember, and common mistakes to avoid.
Class of 2025: National Merit Scholarship Cutoff Results Are In!
Of the 1.6 million juniors who sat for the PSAT in October 2023, only about 15,000 will go on to be named national merit scholars. How does the PSAT help me become a National Merit Scholar Finalist or Semi-Finalist? What scores are required to become a state finalist or a national scholar?
PSAT Scores Are In! Now What?
What’s a good PSAT Score? What are the PSAT Score Ranges? Does the PSAT predict how well I will do on the SAT? Is the scoring scale the same between the PSAT and SAT exams? How does the PSAT help me become a National Merit Scholar (NMS) Finalist or Semi-Finalist? The PSAT is offered to juniors as part of the National Merit Scholar (NMS) search process.
Lessons Learned from a College Admissions Coach
I gained some new insights this year that I want to share with all of you. Let’s start with a high GPA is more important than AP courses for most students. My number one mistake with my oldest was holding him to a high level of academic rigor in subjects that weren’t his strength. It took me too long to realize that, and his grades early in high school suffered as a result. While Yale, Cal Tech, and Haverford will want to see the highest rigor in courses across the board (along with As), not every school will, and getting Cs and Ds instead of As and Bs will make life much harder for the college applicant.