College Prep

Junior year is a busy time for students, and arguably one of the most critical college prep years. There’s only a little bit of time left before summer break and juniors are suddenly rising seniors – and ready to start applying to college. There’s a lot that juniors can do between now and then to prepare and get on track with their college prep.

IvyWise counselors Rachel and Zach share their top tips on how to create a manageable and balanced college list on the Just Admit It! college admissions podcast, giving listeners expert insight from former admissions officers. Listen Now!

IvyWise students often begin working with their counselors on the college admissions process in the spring of 11th grade. Although college may seem far away, it's much closer than students think! If you are a junior, over the next few months you should conduct extensive research and develop concrete ideas about where you want to go to college, visit colleges, and make sure that your course load, test scores, and extracurricular activities will help your application stand out.

Junior year is probably the most important college prep year, and students need to ensure they’re on track in order to be prepared for the college admissions process next fall. The college admission process is about self-discovery and it is important to start by setting clear goals each year of high school – especially junior year! Junior year is critical.

Compiled by Katherine Cohen, Ph.D., CEO & Founder and the team of counselors at IvyWise You’re nearing the end of junior year, and at this point, you’ve hopefully started to research schools, create a preliminary college list, and visit prospective colleges.

For high school seniors who applied early to their top-choice schools, October was a whirlwind as they completed applications and supplements for schools with November deadlines. Since then, students may have taken a well-deserved deep breath, but early decision notification dates loom – as do regular application deadlines. So, how can seniors stay motivated as they wait for their early application results – or, if the results weren't what they expected, as they begin to apply to their Regular Decision schools?

Legacy Admissions: Does Legacy Status Improve Your Chances in College Admissions? There are many nuances to the college admissions process, and one of the aspects that can be hard for students to navigate is whether or not applying to their parents’ alma mater will impact their chances of admission. Legacy status in college admissions can be a confusing avenue to travel, but there can be some benefits – and drawbacks – to applying to college as a legacy.

If you applied early (Early Action (EA), Early Decision (ED), or Single Choice Early Action (SCEA))  to one or more of the colleges on your list, you no doubt feel relieved that the major November deadlines have passed. And, you should! Finishing an early application is a huge accomplishment, so congratulations on all of your hard work.

So, you've begun developing your college list. Hopefully, you've established your priorities and started your research. Looking over your preliminary list, you can't pinpoint why several of those schools are even on your list in the first place.

For many students, college is a time of exploring new opportunities, learning more about themselves, and determining the impact they want to make on the world. Interestingly, where your school is located can have an effect on the opportunities available to you. Read on to learn how location plays a role in your college experience and the location factors to consider when creating or narrowing down your college list.

When applying to college, the goal of most students is to “stand out.” They want to know what they can do to differentiate themselves from the thousands of other applicants they are competing against to win a spot at their top-choice college. Some students think a stellar essay will separate them from the pack.

If you’re a senior, chances are that by now the stress of the application process has come to an end, and most results are already in for those who applied early. So now what? This is a great time to research and apply for scholarships.

Compiled by Katherine Cohen, Ph.D., CEO & Founder and the team of counselors at IvyWise When thinking about college admissions, students often stress over their standardized test scores or extra-curricular activities.

As a college counselor and a mother of a child with a learning disability (LD), I know the concerns that many families have before, during, and after the college search and admissions process. It's important for parents and students to know their options, and since information and policy are constantly changing, research and expert advice are key to successfully navigating this confusing landscape. Research is important and knowledge a powerful tool, as parents of high school age kids with LDs already know.

Since launching in March 2010, Pinterest has become the third most popular social media platform, behind only Facebook and Twitter. Pinterest is a tool for browsing and creating categorized digital bulletin boards, and while it may initially seem to be a tool simply to share fashion and recipes, there are many ways students can use the site throughout the college admissions process. IvyWise recently started using Pinterest as a way to share expert information and resources and to further demystify the admissions process for all students and their families.

Despite the current economy, a business education is still a hot commodity—and if you’ve found yourself glued to MarketWatch.com, thinking about how to launch your great business idea, or wowed by the impact of Twitter and Facebook on customer service, you might want to consider a school with an undergraduate business program. There are many undergraduate business programs in the country, offering a wide range of opportunities for students interested in fields such as finance, accounting, international business, real estate, marketing, information technology and entrepreneurship.

For most 9th and 10th 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!

Early decision and early action deadlines are quickly approaching, and as we enter the homestretch of the college application process, anxiety will continue to build. Stressed out students can lead to stressed out parents – and that can make for a tense household. It’s only natural for students to experience some stress and anxiety when applying to college.

As fans of TLC’s series know far too well, every child is unique – even if you have twins and sextuplets! As the fall provides you with an opportunity to reflect on how much your children have grown and developed into young adults, you may be dealing with the dynamic of sibling rivalry. I hope the following provides a quick guide to help you manage your role as parent when your children apply to college.

The earlier that you start the college admissions process, the better, and there’s a lot that high school students can do now to stay on track for the college admissions process and tackle their winter college prep goals. All four years of high school count in the college admissions process, not just the last two. Things like grades, courses, activities, summer experiences, and more can be planned and executed starting freshman and sophomore year in order to better prepare students for the actual application process come senior year.

As seniors receive their admissions decisions, high school juniors should use the first few weeks in April to set up one-to-one meetings with their guidance counselors to make the most of their high school college counseling meetings. Regardless of whether or not you attend a large public high school or a small private school, your guidance counselor is bound to be very busy. In an effort to make the most of the little time you’ll have together, heed our advice and begin forging your relationship early.