A handy, comprehensive library of important admissions and financial aid topics
What Students Can Do To Improve Their Admission Chances
Given the renewed emphasis on standardized test scores, students should prioritize test preparation as the number of schools reporting as test-optional is decreasing.Students and parents should research the admission p...
Changes Coming to the ACT
In response to the recent changes to the SAT, the ACT has announced major changes, beginning with the Spring 2025 testing schedule:• Overall test shortened from 3 hours to 2 hours but still given as a paper and pencil...
Best Advice for College Applicants
The time a student devotes to researching the colleges that they are interested in is the most important part of the process. Begin thinking about the 2-3 things you DO and DON'T want in the college you attend. Thinking...
Phony Honors Do Not Help Students Get Admitted
Many families receive official-looking envelopes with documents congratulating students with an invitation to join different honors societies and organizations. Don’t be fooled! These are companies looking to collect fee...
A Strong Suggestion That Could Lead to More Acceptances
Apply ED II and EA II (January deadline) instead of ED/EA I (November deadline).Why? This gives students the benefit of a strong grades from the first semester of senior year WHICH WILL COUNT MUCH MORE THAN THE SECOND...
Getting Into College: 6 Successful Strategies
1. Get an early start and finish strong - high school just doesn’t happen; be proactive and take advantage of all of your opportunities.2. Challenge yourself responsibly - take AP classes, do well on your SAT or ACT an...
Getting Admitted Off a College Wait List
According to published reports, a student has a 20% chance of being accepted off a college wait list. To increase your chances:• Accept a spot on the waitlist.• Remain calm.• Re-affirm your interest in that school by...
Meet the Newest Admissions Factor - Informed Interest
Admission committees are now adding more school-specific essays to their applications as a way of measuring how high a student's interest is in attending their university, how serious they are about enrolling and how muc...
A+ Schools for B Students
Here's an up-to-date list of great schools for good students. They accept an excellent number of students with decent GPA's and so-so test scores.Penn State (All Campuses) — 56% — 1090-1300Purdue — 56% — 1080-1330Syr...
How to Explain a Low GPA to Admissions Counselors
There can be many reasons why a student has a low GPA in high school. So to increase your chances of admission if you fall into this category, here's what you can do:• Write an outstanding essay that shows the personal...