IvyWise KnowledgeBase
College Prep

Enter any conversation about college admissions, and you will inevitably hear the word “transcript.” This all-important document presents an academic narrative of the applicant, showcasing the grades and courses the student has taken throughout their high school career.

As the sun sets on the summer and we enter another academic year, seniors are less than a year away from the induction into adulthood and independence that awaits after high school graduation. Before that new journey begins, seniors must contend with graduation requirements and post-high school plans.

Most U.S. colleges and universities use a holistic review method when reviewing applicants for admission, considering various aspects of a student’s academic and personal record. This includes the tangibles, like a student’s four-year transcript, test scores, recommendation letters, and essays. 

The transcript is one of the most powerful documents provided in the application process and is often one of the first components of the college application that evaluators consider. A student’s GPA, found on a transcript, can be regarded as a significant indicator of success in post-secondary education and therefore has an essential role when considering applicants.

The Price Is Right is iconic, having graced TV screens since 1972. Plinko, the Showcase Showdown, and of course the excitement as they call your name to come on down to contestant’s row is familiar to a lot of people, so I was thrilled when I appeared as a contestant in 2017.

Managing stress often isn’t about taking stuff off a student’s plate, but rather giving them the tools to better manage their study, organizational, and time management skills. Some students are overly stressed while getting good grades. Other students are really underperforming in class and getting low grades that do not reflect at all what they are capable of achieving academically. Sometimes, students with very high intelligence do not have some of the foundational skills that can make them successful in high school, college, and in life.

We say this all the time: the earlier you start on college prep the better. But how early is too early? The reality is that colleges look at everything from 9th grade on – meaning students need to show up to day one of high school ready to go.

The process of preparing for, taking, and responding to standardized test scores is a stressful and overwhelming one for students and families, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this process has only become more stressful in recent years. One of the ways that colleges have responded to the pandemic’s obstacles is to implement test-optional admissions policies to avoid disadvantaging students who have been unable to sit for an ACT or SAT.

“To get into a good college, do I need to play an instrument, join a team sport, participate in community service, run for student government, win robotics and writing competitions, sing in the school musical, write for the newspaper, and design the yearbook cover?”

For most ninth graders, the thought of college is so far off they don’t want to engage with the process until it becomes more time-sensitive in 11th grade. Many think “well, I have a lot of time to think about this,” and while this is true they also need to be actively engaging in simple college prep tasks to get and stay on track with their college admissions goals. This might sound overwhelming to some underclassmen — thinking about college prep while also juggling current schoolwork and activities — but when approached in the right manner it can be really fun and exciting for everyone! Parents, here are some simple steps you can take to help your student get excited about their college prep.