College Prep

Who says preparing to apply to college can’t be enjoyable? Of course, college prep still involves working hard, earning the best grades possible, and achieving your target scores on standardized tests, but there’s a lot you can control about the process that can —and should — be fun. As a college admissions counselor, I’ve had students tell me that the process of applying to college helped them get to know themselves, and that they found the experience ultimately very enriching.

With all of the changes that have occurred during the 2020-2021 academic year, it’s understandable that many students may feel off track with their college prep going into the Spring semester. Even if you’re normally really good at sticking to a schedule, it can be challenging to stay accountable when there’s so much uncertainty surrounding the admissions process this fall. As a result of the ongoing disruption caused by COVID-19, some students may be delayed in beginning their college preparation.

As college bound high school seniors anxiously await their admission decisions, the thought of actually preparing for life on campus tends to take a backseat until they learn of their acceptance. Luckily for many of these students, they already have the tools they need to succeed in college – they just need to know how to harness them. The college prep process may be over for college bound high school seniors, but there are a number of college prep tips that can carry students into their freshman year and throughout their college experience.

When I first meet freshmen, sophomores, or juniors who are just beginning to think about college and the application process, they often say that they are most worried about “getting in somewhere” and “getting all the work done.” Accomplishing these two things seems overwhelming to students – and understandably so. One way that students can get a head start on the process without feeling totally overwhelmed is to set some easy goals for themselves.

Preparing for college (and indeed for life!) requires steady effort throughout high school. However, even the most prepared of students can inadvertently hurt their college chances by making simple mistakes that are easily avoidable!

Summer break is just around the corner and soon current high school juniors will be rising seniors starting the college application process! There’s a lot that college-bound juniors can do between now and summer break to ensure they’re ready to apply to college this fall. Junior year is the most critical college prep time, as it’s the last full year of grades that colleges will see, and the last chance students have to prepare for the college app process before they’re actually applying.

Research is the most important thing that students will do when building their balanced college list. Knowing where to start and what to look for can be daunting, especially when there are thousands of colleges and universities in the US. There are a few things that students should ask themselves when researching for their colleges list in order to learn more about those institutions and why they might be a good fit.

Admission decisions may be coming soon for college-bound seniors, but for high school juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen, the college prep process is still top of mind, and there’s a lot that students can do before the end of the semester to get on track for their college goals. One of the most important things that students can do this spring – no matter what grade they’re in – is meet with their college counselor before the end of the semester. College counselors are a valuable resource not only during the college application process but also in the years leading up to applying to college.

Just as hard as it is to look outside in the middle of winter and imagine tulips popping up in nearly two months, it may be hard to comprehend that less than one year from today, current high school juniors will have submitted all of their college applications. These last few months of your junior year involve critical steps that can to the most selective colleges and universities, so make sure you’re prepared. I can’t stress enough how important it is to plan ahead when preparing for the college admissions process.

IvyWise counselors Victoria and Nat discuss when and how to start college prep on the college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers. Listen Now! How early is too early to start preparing for the college admissions process?

By Victoria, IvyWise Principal Counselor A lot of students I work with are still trying to discover or uncover their true passion and therefore a career path. This can be easy for some people but more difficult for others. I like to impress upon students that finding their passions and career paths are journeys that are different for everyone.

Compiled by Katherine Cohen, Ph.D., CEO & Founder and the team of counselors at IvyWise Summer will be here before you know it,and although this signifies the end of the academic year, it doesn't mean you should take a break from learning and developing your talents and skills.

Now that you're getting ready to dive back into coursework, it's a great time to get organized and prepare both mentally and physically for the school year ahead. High school can be an exciting and transformative time in a young person’s life, but it is often accompanied by busy schedules that can be stressful for students and parents alike. Take some time in the coming days to have a discussion with your student to coordinate schedules, discuss expectations, and outline priorities so that your entire family can hit the ground running come September.

  In a recent interview on the Smartless podcast, renowned scientist and MIT professor Max Tegmark was asked how he explains his job to people he just met. If he doesn’t feel like talking to the person asking, he explained, he simply says he works in physics, which is boring and confusing enough that there are typically no follow-up questions. If he feels like talking, however, he calls himself an astronomer, which usually leads to more interesting and entertaining conversations.

  You have it down to a science — you know the best way to get up to speed on class schedules and which clubs to join. Or perhaps this is your first time moving and you’re a little nervous about attending a new school. From a personal perspective, you have so much to consider.

“I got a B in AP Calculus,” a student recently said to me. “I guess I won’t have a shot at my dream schools, since I know colleges automatically reject students who don’t have straight A’s.” This is a conversation I often have with students this time of year.

The college admissions process is one of the most exciting and stressful journeys that families go through. That’s right — families go through the college admissions process, not just students! As a college counselor with IvyWise, I work with the entire family to ensure I’m communicating clearly, transparently, and consistently to meet the family’s goals and expectations.

Learning is more exciting than ever as students across the country have the opportunity to experience and interact with new technologies on their college campuses. The classroom of the future may be mostly electronic and far more accessible than the one you know today. However, schools are not just adopting new technologies for the sake of being cutting-edge?

Fall is college fair season, and high school juniors across the country will have the opportunity to explore different colleges and learn more about schools they’re interested in applying to next year. College fairs are a great opportunity to get student’s interest piqued in the college admissions process while also providing them with valuable information needed to make informed college decisions. As a counselor and former admissions officer I see the value in attending a college fair, especially for students who are just starting to think about what they want out of their college experience.

It's nearing that time of year when school lets out for the summer and you can finally relax, kick back, and binge watch your favorite Netflix shows or just hang out by the pool all day, right? Well, not really. For high school students who aspire to go on to college, they should know that colleges pay attention to what you do over the summer.

Want to get a head start on your college preparation this summer? There’s an app for that! Staying on track and organized is crucial for success in the college admissions process, and there are a plethora of smartphone and tablet apps available to aid students and parents in preparing for the college application season senior year.