Most students have gotten a first round of grades and I hope yours were great! Colleges care about a lot of different factors in admissions, but not surprisingly academics are the top priority. As you go through high school you’ll be taking courses that are...

The school year is now in full swing and I hope everything is going well! Now that you've settled into the year, think about what you're enjoying—and do more of it. For example, what classes are you liking best? Can you find opportunities to explore...

I hope you've been settling into the new school year and enjoying your classes and activities. I always recommend that students explore new high-school level opportunities in 9th grade and start to focus a little more in 10th. For example, you might have checked out...

It may be hard to believe but you're already halfway through your high school experience! I hope you’re having a wonderful summer and are making progress on your summer goals. (If you didn’t set any, it’s not too late!)  Another good summer project is to...

A lot of you are in the midst of your first AP exams, and I hope they're going well. Once they're behind you, the top priority is to get the best grades you can in this last academic period and on your final exams. First,...

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that my general advice to younger students is that the first half of high school is a time to explore yourself and your interests, as well as exploring colleges. Now that you're getting closer to...

This is the time that many students are choosing their classes for next year. Colleges like to see students challenging themselves—in fact it’s one of the most important criteria colleges look at in admissions—and junior year is often a time to step up your level...

One of my main pieces of advice for 10th graders is to start exploring colleges, and college fairs offer a great way to do this. There are two terrific opportunities coming up in March for students in the DC area: in-person fairs hosted by the...

I hope you enjoyed your break, and I hope your time away gave you an opportunity to think about how the school year is going.  In addition to your academic work, what activities have you been involved in? Which ones are you finding fun, interesting...

Thanks to those of you who joined me in December for my webinar on standardized testing and test-optional admissions. If you missed it you can watch the recording here. I'll be revisiting this issue for sophomores toward the end of the school year, since students...