A college deferral means that a student’s application decision is “deferred” to a later date. There are two instances during the admissions process where students’ applications get deferred. 

1. Applications get deferred during the Early Action and Early Decision cycles. These cycles take place earlier than the Regular Decision cycles, with decisions being released around December/January. Students who are deferred get notified that their application’s decision will now be made with the Regular Decision cycle, receiving a decision in March/April. Students who applied to…

When applying to colleges, families with students with learning disabilities should research what type of accommodations are offered at the institutions to support their education. Some prominent features of what disability services in colleges look like include extended time on exams, use of laptops and calculators for exams, permission to take exams separately and in a more quiet environment, permission to record lectures as well as access to notetakers and scribes, and access to material in different formats, such as braille, audio recordings, or larger prints. To learn more about the…

Finding the “right-fit” college can be a challenging process for any student and their family. Students with learning differences often face additional challenges as they have specific needs that schools need to accommodate. So, what can these students and parents do to find the right environment where they can thrive? 

1. Find colleges that work best for your student

Depending on the type and range of a particular learning difference or disability, some students may do well at any college, but others may need specific services and accommodations that may not be…

While working through the college admissions process, students need to demonstrate an interest in their prospective colleges. Most schools pay attention to whether students have made an effort to engage with their institution beforehand. Few colleges may genuinely not consider this, but most schools do take note of students’ interest in their school. Even if a college states indifference to demonstrated interest, it is better to be safe. There is no harm in showing interest in a college by following a few easy steps. Below are some things students can consider doing to fulfill “…

A look at admission statistics for colleges in the United States reveals certain trends regarding gender and the college admission process. The not so insignificant gender gap in the admission rates for different colleges shows how it might give students an upper or lower hand when applying.

Colleges proactively try to balance how many men and women they admit, which might give a student a better edge over another because of their gender. Let us look a little closer at the trends that give women and men upper hands at different colleges.

As of 2021, women make up…

Colleges have different admission cycles; Early Action, Early Decision I, Early Decision II, Rolling, and the Regular Decision cycles. An Early Decision (ED) cycle allows students to apply earlier to a particular college and receive notification on their admission early as well. The main feature of an ED is that it is binding. This means that if a student gets into a college where they have applied through the Early Decision cycle, they must commit to this institution unless unable to do so because of financial constraints. 

To understand and learn more about the…

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Many students find themselves asking during the college application process whether they should disclose what major they would like to pursue? Does this give them an edge on the application? Or is it better to go in undecided? 

Ideally, students who have figured out their academic or professional interests should indicate what they would like to study. Generally, colleges view students with specific interests and passions favorably, especially if they have been pursuing them through academic studies or extracurricular activities. Additionally, given that colleges…

As high school students navigate the college application process, a common question that pops up for most families is whether there is a correct number of colleges that their student should be applying to? Is there such a thing as too many or too few? 

Students should ideally aim to apply to around 8 to 10 colleges. If they wish, they could push to 12 colleges. You will definitely hear about students that apply to more, and to as many as 20 colleges. This applies particularly to  students who are aiming for more selective colleges as there are no guarantees for…

Most high schools offer multiple levels in the courses they offer. Usually the courses are standard, accelerated or honors, and AP (Advanced Placement). The conventional wisdom is that academically motivated students looking to apply to highly selective schools should take the most rigorous course load that is offered by their high schools. While this is true, and this is what college admissions officers say, it could be a conundrum for students that attend schools offering honors and AP courses in every subject. Is it necessary to take 8+ AP courses and all other honors courses? Are 4 to…