This week, as part of the Turning the Tide in college admission initiative, Making Caring Common, a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, released a collective statement, endorsed by 315 admissions deans, to communicate to students and families what colleges value in applicants during this unprecedented time. For those looking for guidance on what students should focus on, this document is a much welcomed affirmation of what is truly important: self-care, service, and contribution to others.

Signatories include Deans of Admissions from every Ivy League institution,…

As the school year comes to an end, rising seniors will embark on the final year of their high school careers. Many have already begun thinking about the college application process, and some may have already gotten started on their applications. Regardless of where your student may be, they should take the time this summer to look at the Common Application, familiarize themselves with the different sections within it, and ideally get a head start on it to ensure that they will not be in a crunch during the fall and winter months. As there are multiple deadlines that your student may have…

By: Kate Sonenberg

Your son has just finished his junior year –  he is tired of online classes and really looking forward to summer, even though his Outward Bound trip to go white water rafting and mountain biking in Colorado has been cancelled. The last thing he wants to think about is his college applications – especially when he could not visit colleges over spring break, cannot visit them this summer and probably won’t be able to visit them in the fall

Your daughter is distraught because she does not know whether she will be able to take her ACT this summer. She has a…

By: Valerie Erde

Students and parents frequently ask me how much standardized test scores really matter in the college admissions process.  Here’s the upshot….

- The majority of colleges -- especially selective ones -- still require standardized tests; high school programs are difficult to compare as their rigor varies widely.

- Testing policies do not necessarily apply to all groups equally; test optional does not always mean test blind.

- Some colleges use test scores as cutoff points to facilitate wading through thousands of applications and for…

By: Kate Sonnenberg

As you are undoubtedly aware, the spread of the coronavirus is starting to cause disruptions to daily life – including the ability for juniors to visit campuses this spring and for admitted seniors to attend preview days or weekends. The list of colleges and universities curtailing these events continues to grow each day (each hour, even), but to name just a few, Cornell and MIT have cancelled campus tours for prospective students indefinitely and Stanford, Harvard and UPenn have cancelled their admitted student events.

Some families have…

One of the benefits of high school is that classes are offered in more than just the four core subjects. Students are exposed to a wider array of fields, specialties, and opportunities to explore their passions. There are advanced-level courses, clubs, and out-of-school activities built to encourage your child to grow both academically and personally. Students with a budding interest in science may find their curiosity is peaked by a chemistry class or a robotics workshop. Those with a love for writing may discover a whole new role on the school newspaper. There are countless paths upon…

By: Kate Sonnenberg

With Presidents’ Day weekend just around the corner and Spring break not so far off, it’s the ideal time for your child to visit colleges!  Visiting colleges offers great parent-child bonding moments and is also an important opportunity for your child to take a proactive role in the college admissions process. If your child is just starting their college exploration, try visiting different types of colleges – big, small, urban, suburban, rural. While your son or daughter may think they know exactly what kind of college they want to attend, visiting the opposite…

Whether it’s a four day weekend or a month-long break, free time is a crucial resource for students, particularly juniors and seniors. High school students rarely have large chunks of uninterrupted time that they can dedicate to something outside of school work. For students applying to colleges, these breaks are excellent opportunities to tackle certain parts of the process that can’t fit into their regular schedule. Be sure your child is taking full advantage of their holidays by keeping these to-do items and activities in mind: 

1) Prepare for Tests and Exams

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High schoolers may view the SAT/ACT as an insurmountable hurdle. There is a lot at stake— college admissions, scholarships. However, with adequate preparation, most students will find themselves more than ready to sit down on test day. 

The key to achieving a desirable score on either test is simply preparation. Before stressing out or rushing off to purchase an expensive guide book, use the following steps to help your student get ready for the assessment ahead:

Understand how the test is structured

One of the key elements of SAT/ACT preparation is…

Most high schools employ college counselors. These special advisors are meant to assist high school students during the admissions process. Counselors usually have experience in the field of education and years working in admissions that give them insight into the process. They can offer assistance building a list of schools to apply to or asking teachers for recommendation letters. They know what you need to know and can ideally preempt your student’s needs. 

For a variety of reasons, your child may need the help of a private college counselor outside of school instead. These are…