The top qualifications colleges want to see from high school students are strong grades in rigorous courses, so your first priority is to lay the groundwork for a good year. Think about your fall goals, and whether your time management and study skills need some...
Your focus for the back-to-school season: get off to a strong start for the year. On the academic side, connect with your teachers to make sure you are clear on their expectations, and check in with your school counselor. Students in the Class of 2021...
You’re just starting high school, do we really need to be talking about college? Not too specifically, no. The most important thing high school freshmen can do is have a smooth transition and lay the foundation for a successful high school experience. Get to know...
The 2018-19 application cycle has begun with the launch of the Coalition Application in July and the Common App on August 1. If you created a Common App profile before that date, your information is stored, but if you invited recommenders you’ll have to re-invite...
As you gear up for a busy year, it’s particularly important to set goals and prioritize. For most colleges your grades in core academic subjects are the most important factor in admissions, so school should come first. This is also the year of standardized testing,...
Are you ready for high school? If you have the opportunity to attend an orientation, that’s a great first step. Some other ideas to get off to a strong start are to familiarize yourself with your school’s policies and routines. It may seem boring, but...
I hope you’ve been enjoying some down time and are ready to start working on applications. Most students are familiar with the Common Application, which you can work on until July 27, when it goes offline. Then on August 1 it will reopen for the...
Junior year is the big year for standardized testing and now is the time to plan ahead. A number of schools have recently changed their testing requirements, so start reviewing policies for schools you’re interested in. Highly selective schools are the most likely to require...
I hope you're having a wonderful summer break. Now that you've had some time to reflect on your school year, what went well in 9th grade, and what would you like to change in 10th grade? As you think about goals for 2018-19, make them...
This is my first message to you rising freshmen, and I’ll keep it short. The main thing to do now with respect to college is lay the foundation for a successful transition to high school. Some ways to do that are to read books that...