While high school can be overwhelming at times, it is also the start of an exciting new chapter in your life. The earlier you start planning ahead and getting into the mindset to succeed, the more enjoyable and stress-free your high school experience can be. Freshman year, you don’t have to worry about admissions tests, look […]
As you’re thinking about your post-high school plans — yes, high school will end someday — you might be wondering whether you should attend a community college or a university. There are lots of choices you’ll need to make soon, and that’s a good thing. Having choices means you’ll be able to find the path […]
The International Baccalaureate, or IB, programme is a set of 4 programmes designed for students ages 3 – 19. For high school, most students participate in the longest-running IB programme: the Diploma Programme, first offered in 1968. The Primary Years Programme was first offered in 1997 and is available for students age 3 – 12. […]
College admissions committees are swamped with qualified applicants. Many students apply with the same test scores and GPAs (there are only so many combinations of numbers!). So how do you help your teen stand out? Learning how to present a college application package will make your child more competitive to admissions officers, as well as […]
Many students will feel an emerging sense of independence as they forge ahead in the direction of their aspirations for higher education. Surprisingly, the realization of the ongoing need for family support throughout the college financial planning process becomes an unexpected revelation. How does college tuition get paid? What length of time are parents obligated […]
The SAT and ACT tests are important pieces of the college application puzzle. Even “test optional” schools will consider scores, if submitted, meaning less weight (and pressure) on the other parts of the application (like GPA and essay). There are colleges that do not use these tests as part of their application process, but it […]
The University of California Application or UC Application is the common application for all 8 universities in the University of California system: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. Whether you are applying to one UC university or all 8, you will complete a single UC application. All […]
Depending on where you live, you will either take the TASC test in a paper-based or computer-based format. If you take it in a paper-based format, you will be given an answer sheet to fill in: this will be a page with circles, or bubbles, for the answer choices for each question, that you will fill […]
What are the best things for a high school student to do this summer, to prepare for the shifting realities of college and career that await them down the road? Summer vacation is one of the most misunderstood parts of the admissions process. While students think they need to do something truly amazing—hike Kilimanjaro, study […]
In this introduction to need-based financial aid, you will learn about the necessary terms, forms, and tools that you need to know about to pay for college. Need-based financial aid includes financial support, including grants, scholarships, federal work-study, and student loans. A father raised his hand in the back of the room–”what’s a FAFSA?” I […]