Common App & Essay Support
To be ready to apply to all schools, a student should have requested letters of recommendation, developed a thoughtful college list, and written the personal essay. If your student is still working on the personal essay, here is our best guidance on writing it.
Advice for Freshmen and Sophomores
What you do as freshmen & sophomores will influence these 5 parts of the college application… 1) High school courses (choice, level of difficulty, and grades), 2) Test prep (SAT, ACT, and AP/IB), 3) Activities in and out of school, including work and service, 4) Relationships with teachers and mentors, 5) College research
College Acceptance Rates: How to Know What to Target and Reach For
If you are wondering "where do I rank in the college admissions game" or "what college acceptance rate should I target and in 2023" or "what's a safety school nowadays in 2023?" then read through these case studies to build your college list. Leaan how to the Common Data Set (CDS) to help you determine out of state acceptance rates and what colleges you actually stand a chance of getting into.
Writing the College Essay
Writing the college essay is one of the most daunting tasks high school students face in applying to college. It is so important, and it feels like an impossible task: write an essay that will show how amazing you are without saying, that’s right, how amazing you are.
College List Building Tips
This blog outlines the process families can take in the 12 months leading up to college applications.
College Acceptance Trends 2023
College Admissions results are unpredictable in 2023. Schools deferred an unprecedented number of applicants in the early decision/early action rounds in the fall of 2022. And this extends beyond the Ivies. This is in reference to schools like Clemson, the University of Georgia, and the University of Virginia. What is happening? This blog explains.
Getting Your Strongest Letters of Recommendation
Everything you need to know about when and how to garner the strongest letters of recommendation + a free template download to use when following up with recommenders.
The SAT Is Going Digital
The SAT is going digital for the school year 2023-2024, and our CTK test prep tutors have been trying out the new software and planning for how to help students adapt to the digital format. Read on for answers to all your questions about the new digital PSAT and SAT; how to still take the SAT on paper; and whether you should take the SAT, ACT, or just go test optional.