The admission essay is an essential part of any college application. Here are seven tips for writing a great one. 1. Put your best foot forward. Submitting your admission essay online may feel like you’re sending email, but you’re not. Incorrect capitalization or abbreviations like b4 or thx are not appropriate for a formal document. Make sure your essay represents the best of you. 2. Stay focused. Read the essay question carefully. Jot down a…
A college visit is the best way to evaluate whether a campus suits you. If possible, do a college visit for every school that you are strongly considering. No website, guidebook, or testimonial will give you a better feel for a school than you’ll get by seeing it for yourself. Many students change their minds after a college visit, and this is obviously preferable to changing your mind after you enroll. Get the most out…
Your involvement in high school extracurriculars can help you gain a competitive advantage when applying to college. These activities can also show what makes you unique beyond your transcripts and test scores while demonstrating leadership ability and a willingness to serve your community. While different schools put different stock in extracurriculars, almost every college considers them when deciding which students to admit. The right high school activities can make a big difference during the admissions…
Figuring out what extracurricular activities to do or join in school isn’t easy. Everyone knows that extracurriculars look good on a college application; however, you don’t want to spread yourself thin by doing too many at once. In fact, colleges value being able to see commitment and excitement for a few activities that you are passionate about; they want to see passion and commitment to activities that you find meaningful. By joining clubs that reflect…
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open to all students and families hoping to get help paying for college in the 2025-26 school year. After weeks of testing the online form, the U.S. Department of Education released the official application on Thursday. The paper form is also now available. This year’s FAFSA may not look new, but it’s certainly improved compared to last year’s version. “It’s a piece of cake, honestly,”…
Your summer vacation is the perfect time for college prep and to explore potential careers. All summers in high school are important, especially the summers after sophomore and junior year. Check out these ideas for summer activities that will make admissions officers take notice. 1. Start your SAT or ACT test prep. Summer is a great time to explore the ACT vs SAT , practice for the PSAT , or ramp up your study schedule.…
Families and students will have to wait even longer for financial aid offers from colleges and universities. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Education announced yet another delay in the already-turbulent FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) timeline: The department says it won’t be sending students’ FAFSA data to schools until the first half of March. Previously, it had said it would start sending that data in late January. For more than 17 million…
Figuring out what extracurricular activities to do or join in school isn’t easy. Everyone knows that extracurricular activities look good on a college application; however, you don’t want to spread yourself thin by doing too many at once. In fact, colleges value being able to see commitment and excitement for a few activities that you are passionate about; they want to see passion and commitment to activities that you find meaningful. By joining clubs that…
In some cases, extracurricular activities matter as much as a students’ academic record. This is often the case for students who intend to study art in college. While admissions committees want to see that you’re a committed student who takes their courses seriously, your talent, portfolio, and dedication to art activities will also be crucial to the admission committee’s decision. That’s because your experience as an artist is often a better indication of how you’ll…
Here are our best FAFSA tips with everything you need to know about filling out the FAFSA. You should fill out the FAFSA form as soon as possible on or after Oct. 1, but you should definitely fill it out before your earliest FAFSA deadline. Each state and school sets its own deadline, and some are very early. Check deadlines for your state here. It’s important to get a StudentAid.gov account username and password (FSA…
