College Smart Start

Allowed to wallow, but just for a moment, please do not say "it'll be okay"-- because in the moment it does NOT feel like that.   While I genuinely believe that it's not a rejection, but a redirection– and that students genuinely do end up where they belong, that's about the last thing that a disappointed student or parent wants to hear, understandably so.    Can you reapply? NO Can you petition f...

A deferral isn't a no– it can be a NOT YET. It can also be a way for schools to 'kick the can' down the road or a "soft no".    Look at their stats– did they defer 10% or 100% of the non-accepted students?    How is a deferral different from a waitlist?    First, see what the school wants from you– typically: Update on grades Possibly an update on scores, if you have new ones to share And if schoo...

Senior grades might barely matter or they might be a very important part of your application– like most things in admissions, it's very much an "it depends". Students should be aware that all acceptances are conditional– and having a change to one's grades might have an impact on admissions, merit awards, and more.    It's a Maybe.   If applying EA/ED/rolling and accepted before January, it's poss...

Early Decision can provide a boost– sometimes a VERY significant one– to student's chances of admissions. In today's episode we detail how to determine whether Early Decision provides an advantage— and if so, how much of one– as well as what are the conditions and considerations of an Early Decision application.

 There are a number of schools that will GUARANTEE admission with a certain GPA and/or SAT/ACT score– and many of those schools also guarantee merit scholarships. Even without a stellar resume and essay, you can have great options at a reasonable cost.   Guaranteed admission   Kansas Arizona Arizona State SD School of Mines Nebraska Iowa Iowa State GUARANTEED MERIT WVU Alabama Troy University Ariz...

There are SO many options, beyond just community college (though that can be a great option, too!) for students that are (sometimes far) less than perfect.  GED to AA to top school

AP (Advanced Placement), IB (International Baccalaureate), and Dual Enrollment are all considered to be rigorous courses– something that colleges like to see in their potential students' transcripts. But not all options are created equal, learn more about each option and how to determine which might be best for you.

While it is often difficult, if not impossible, to make any one specific school more affordable, but it is VERY possible to find ways to make school more affordable. Rather than focusing only on one, specific school, fall in love with criteria– and find schools that have similar qualities at a lower price point

The cost of college can be daunting and overwhelming, but there are ways to potentially make it more affordable either through merit and/or financial aid. Learn the differences between the different types of aid and scholarships and how to determine which type of school will be the best value/most affordable.

Not all students and careers demand top ranked schools, in today's episode we'll delve into how to best navigate and determine which type of school might work best for your future.

When it comes to highly selective schools having perfect stats and scores alone doesn't make a student truly exceptional– to be competitive for admission for those highly selective schools, students need to find a way to be truly exceptional and unique.

Now that decisions are starting to roll in, the hard part is over– or is it? Choosing between multiple school options is a good problem to have, but it's STILL a problem. Learn some ways to help determine and decide which school is the one for you.   

The application process isn't necessarily hard, but it can be annoying. There are a LOT of small and very important moving parts to this process. Once a student has completed their application, they are NOT quite done– each school will have some additional documentation that they need in order to consider an application complete.    Less hard work than you think and a LOT more detail work than you...

College application season is a STRESSFUL time for everyone involved, but most especially for students. While, as parents, we want what's best for our kids– sometimes the way we go about it is all wrong and can even backfire. Learn some ways that you can support your student(s) without overwhelming them from someone who has been there/done that, both as a college advisor as well as as the parent o...

Every year, rankings change– but the schools, typically, don't change– or at least not in meaningful ways. The only ranking that truly matters is what is the best school for YOU– not what US News, Forbes, or the Wall Street Journal might think is best.

You're overwhelmed because the college admissions process is overwhelming, not because you're incapable. Be sure to reach out to your support system: your school counselor, your college advisor, the schools themselves. Make a list and start getting things accomplished, you've got this!

Going to a top tier school doesn't guarantee success. Not going to a top tier school doesn't guarantee failure. Students will be successful because of who they are, not because of where they go.  So much is tied up in this process. There are SO MANY ways to be successful, Ivy Leagues and super selectives absolutely offer a lot, they guarantee nothing.  

Many students believe that having near-perfect stats is all they need to get them into any school of their choice. While near-perfect stats are required for top institutions, they are not always sufficient for highly selective schools. In today's episode, we talk about how admissions is not always a math equation and how other factors determine whether you get an acceptance or rejection. Top 20-50...

For specific majors/professions being able to secure direct entry into a program is game changing, especially for highly selective programs. Not all of these programs are the same and require research. In today's episode, we are going to discuss these programs and which ones may be worth applying to.   Law, Med, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing For many majors/professions, securing...

Honors colleges can provide a LOT of really nice perks: scholarship, additional academic advising and supports, including smaller classes and priority registration. In today's episode, we discuss why it might make sense to consider applying to honors colleges, especially those within larger universities.  Honors colleges does not mean harder Honors colleges have a lot of variance They can be highl...

Many students ask me whether there's truly a difference between taking challenging courses, such as AP Calc BC or GPA boosters such as Introduction to Counting Toes. My answer to that is: it depends. In today's episode, we are going to discuss when and how the courses you select can matter.  The classes that you chose can very much matter Most schools will significantly differentiate between ap, i...

Pre-med is NOT a major, it's a track. In today's episode, we'll talk about what to consider when looking at your options for undergrad and what med schools are truly looking for in their applicants. Additionally, we'll discuss BSMD programs and what they do– and what they do NOT– guarantee and offer to aspiring physicians

There are a number of schools that admit VERY differently depending on your intended major, especially if you hope to major in Business, Engineering, or other 'gatekept' majors. In today's episode, we will talk about which majors can complicate your admission chances and what to be aware of as you build your list.  

There's a prevalent myth of "millions of dollars of unclaimed scholarships", but external scholarships are often HIGHLY competitive, require a ton of work/writing, are nonrenewable, and–even worse– even if you DO earn external scholarships, many schools will not allow you to use those scholarships (as they simply offset institutional aid rather than "stacking" on top of aid). In today's episode, w...

There are over 5000 institutions in the U.S. that you can apply to– yet, seemingly, every student wants the same 50 schools. With admissions rates for some schools in the single digits, students need to have a balanced list that includes at least one (and preferably more than one) safety. In today's episode, we will discuss how to determine which schools are safe for you– and how to ensure that yo...