News, Resources, & Musings
Navigating Trauma and Tragedy in the College Process
It can be hard to wrap our minds around how quickly life can change, and how our best laid plans can unravel in front of us because of trauma, sickness, or even a bad decision. A parent dies, and the student’s grades, attitude, and mental health tank. A sibling gets...
So You’ve Been Deferred…Now What?!
Your dream school e-mails and directs you to your student portal. An admission decision awaits. Nervously, you navigate to the decision letter. Deferred. What does that even mean, anyway? And what should you do? First, the good news: being deferred isn’t the same...
Let’s Talk Brain Science!
Let’s talk brain science. Specifically, let’s talk frontal lobe, the brain’s executive function MVP and notorious nemesis for many teenagers. Each side of the brain has four lobes, including the frontal lobe, which is responsible for a ton of what it takes to be a...
What happens if you back out of an Early Decision offer?
As college application season enters full swing, families should be having serious conversations about what applicant pool their child plans to apply to. It matters to students’ admission chances and financial aid opportunities. First, let’s cover the four basic...
On Mental Health and Asking for Help
Life has brought unprecedented challenges and stressors over the past couple of years. Doctors report more patients than ever needing anti-depressants and anxiety medications, and patients often find the wait to see a counselor is months long. For teenagers going...
Advice from Certified Adults
For high school students in the throes of adolescence, it can be hard to imagine going off to college and making...
Tips for Tackling the Common App Activities List
Rising seniors are well-served to begin working hard on their college applications this summer, NOT when the fall semester begins. Most students today understand they need to write a strong essay in order to stand out at more selective schools, but they often fail to...
Beyond EFC into Savvy College Shopping
For many middle class families, paying for college is a real struggle. Although we try to prepare families to brace themselves for what the FAFSA says they should be able to pay, it’s still a shock for most families we work with, particularly those with net family...
The Biggest Little Lie
Ask any busy high school student and they will tell you that one of the hardest parts of applying to colleges and scholarships is keeping up with all the detail. For scholarships, the details can be particularly important in determining your eligibility, protecting...