The path to higher education starts way before your senior year of high school, often as early as your freshman year. These blog posts will cover the questions you have about finishing high school, the college admissions process, and financial aid. But not everything in this section is for high school students. You’ll learn about money management and standardized tests for prospective graduate students. Plus, we’ve thrown in a bit of history about higher education in the United States so you know what you’re getting yourself into. From finishing high school to paying for college, we have you covered.
Preparation

Oh, December! What a magical month! Finally, we can indulge in fresh-baked cookies and eggnog and feel no shame. We get to spoil each other with gifts, catch up with cousins, and—drumroll please—take a few days off from school. If you’re currently applying to college, you’ll absolutely deserve that week […]
December Checklist for Students Applying to College

After a vitriolic election season, many young undocumented students want to know if they can go to college. The future is uncertain, unfortunately, but for now, students without authorized immigration documents can absolutely pursue higher education in the United States, whether they have DACA or not. That being said, these […]
Scholarship Opportunities for Undocumented Students

As the parent of a teenager, you already know that there’s a fine line between helping your kids and driving them up the wall. College application season is no different. As your teenager takes the reigns, you can still help navigate from the passenger seat when it comes to finding […]
Help Your Child Apply to College without Over-Helping

In the fall of my junior year, we were sent to homeroom to collect our PSAT scores, and it was impossible to keep the results private. “What did you get?” everyone wanted to know, already comparing themselves to friends, classmates, famous people, and the “average student profile” on the websites […]
You Are More than Your Test Scores

Standardized tests are notorious for being the bane of high school students’ existence. School-mandated PSAT/NMSQT tests during junior year followed by ACT and SAT testing is enough to induce anxiety, but when you throw on AP exams, IB exams, SAT Subject Tests, and CLEP tests, it seems amazing that anyone […]
Preparing for Standardized Tests

The plot is wrapping up when it comes to the college application season, which means that there are (hopefully) only a few things left to check off your to-do list. Now is a good time to take a step back and look over the work you’ve done to get here. […]
The November Checklist for Students Applying to College

Information from this article previously appeared here. We’ve revisited this topic to remind students about upcoming EA deadlines. Early action (EA) is an admissions policy that allows prospective freshmen to get a head start on the college application process. Applicants who have taken standardized tests and completed all other application […]
Seven Reasons to Submit Early Action Applications to Colleges

When I was a college sophomore, someone placed a tray of index cards, tape, and pens on top of the toilet paper dispenser in one of my dorm’s bathroom stalls. “Spill your secrets,” urged the first index card to be taped to the stall door. The secrets appeared steadily, and […]
I Thought about Transferring Colleges but I Stayed

The PSAT is an exam created by the College Board, and its primary purpose is to prepare high school students for the SAT. If you’re a junior, taking the test also gives you a shot at qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Younger students may take the PSAT 8, […]
Four Things to Focus on 24 Hours before the PSAT

Writing a college admissions essay is nobody’s favorite thing. The prompts are often vague. You have a word limit that seems way too short. You’re under an incredible amount of pressure to write a thoughtful essay that expresses your personality and showcases your writing abilities. The combination is downright unpleasant. […]
Seven Ways to Perfect Your Personal Essay

College applications can be due any time from November to January each year, depending on if you choose to apply early or regular decision. If you’re applying to a school that has rolling admissions, you may even be able to submit an application during the summer after graduation and still […]
A Quick and Easy Breakdown of the College Application

You’re one month into senior year of high school. Can you believe how fast it’s gone? Soon enough, deadlines will have come and gone, letters will be in your mailbox, and prom and graduation will fly by. This all means that it’s time to get a move on and start […]