One of the most important, if not THE MOST IMPORTANT, aspects of the college application process is finding a school that is a good fit for the student. We are going to focus only on the academic fit, and that begins with understanding the Academic Profile - of the student and the institution.

College websites are not the easiest things to navigate, but sometimes, you need to dig through them to find the information you need. Blogs are not only a great source of information; they can also be a lighthearted dose of reality. You can find tips and tricks or checklists to help you with just about anything you think about as it relates to college. Most high school students don’t use Twitter, but you should. Not only is it the quickest way to get a response from a college during college application time, but colleges also use it to push out up to date information including when decisions will be released.

As students return from their holiday break, the conversations regarding course selections will quickly begin. This might possibly be one of the most stressful and contentious discussions between parents, students, and counselors that happens each year. It is often driven by fear and misinformation, and even with the best intentions doesn’t always have the intended results. These tips will address the most common questions parents and students voice concerning academic planning.

Juniors: Get Ready to Apply to College

Get started! Don’t procrastinate

I know you think you have a lot of time to get everything done, and you don’t think you should start your college application process as a junior in high school, but trust me – you need to start NOW! This time will go by very quickly, and the deadlines will be here before you know it. Do yourself a favor and start working on this list right now.

If you are a student, you are counting down the days until the end of the school year so you can take a break from academics, catch up on your sleep and hang out with your friends. If you are the parents of a student, you are concerned that your student will sleep until noon, then spend the rest of their day on some device, either playing video games or watching Netflix wasting valuable time that could be spent doing something that can go on a college application.

May 1. Decision Day. You have spent the better part of the last year pouring your heart and soul into your college applications. You have focused on getting good grades, challenged yourself with rigorous coursework, did your very best of standardized tests, put together compelling resumes, crafted authentic essays and did your very best to show admission officers why they should admit you to their institution.

Some did admit you, and now you are in a great position - YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO!