Category Archives: college prep

App Tuesday, college planning, college prep

Apps to Make College Prep Easier

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appsMost parents feel their student’s smartphone is an extra appendage. Your student’s entire life is on their phone. They use it to stay in touch with friends (and you if you’re lucky), they use it for homework, for research, for gaming and just about every other task in their lives.

Why not add some beneficial tasks that can help with college prep and even safety? Here are some of my picks for apps that can help your student be more productive and even ease your mind a bit.

Apps to help with writing and research

What high school student doesn’t need to know how to properly annotate a reference source, find a synonym for simple words to spice up their essays, or do some research for term papers?

Apps to help your student with history

Whether you need to reference an article of the Constitution, find out what happened today 100 years ago, or look up some famous speeches, here are some apps that have got you covered.

Apps to help with math questions

Does math homework make you quake in your shoes? It did me. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the widespread availability of apps that today’s high school students have.  These apps should help both you and your student tackle those complicated math problems.

Apps to help your student improve their GPA

Instead of study apps, let’s call these “10 apps to help you get merit-aid scholarships”. Improving your GPA is the best way to qualify for merit aid, and the best way to improve your GPA is to study.

Apps to help with the college essay

One of the most dreaded tasks of the college prep process is writing the essay. Students have problems with essay prompts, being creative, and using proper grammar. As luck would have it, however, there are even essay apps to help with this task.

Apps to help with test prep

A good SAT or ACT score can translate into good merit aid. Your student should take studying seriously. These apps can help make it easier and they are FREE!

Apps to help teach your student about budgeting

A good budgeting app can help college students keep track of their finances and help them find areas where they can cut back. Most budgeting apps can cover the basics—this article will provide you with five budgeting apps that stand out from the crowd and explain how they can help keep a college student’s budget in order.

Apps to help students in critical situations

These apps can help students act during critical situations to go along with the conversations you should have with your soon-to-be college students. These apps won’t solve the problem, but they can help save a life.

For more information on apps that can help you and your student, follow this link for all the articles I’ve written in the past about apps.

college guidance, college planning, college prep, extracurricular activities, financial aid, financial planning, organization, scholarships

Getting In to Your First Choice College

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first choiceWhile many students are busy packing their bags and getting ready to leave for their first year at college, still others are working on their applications for the next round of admissions. Of course, if your child fits the latter category, it’s likely that they already have a college in mind that they wish to attend. Happily, by reading the post below you can find out about the tactics that will help them get into their first choice. Keep reading to discover more.

Address any study or subject issues

Number one of the list tactics is dealing with grades, as this is the base level that a college application will address. Happily, this is something that you can definitely help your child with, without micromanaging them as well. Firstly, it’s vital that you take a keen interest in their progress with their studies, without being overbearing and demanding.

Then, if they or their teachers flag up an issue on a particular topic, it will be much easier to address this constructively. It may be that your child is struggling with a specific subject, or that something is going on in their life that creating a distraction for them. However, as long as you are able to have an honest two-way conversation, you will ultimately be able to get them the support or help they need to ensure that their grades remain on target to get into the college of their choice.

Help your child to present a rounded application

Please do remember though that while grades are essential for college, they are not the only thing that the application board with be looking at. In fact, lately, there has been a definite move towards reviewing the whole person and looking at their extracurricular activities as well as their academic ones.

What this means is that you can quickly help your child by encouraging them to engage in activities outside of the home. These may include sports such as basketball, football, and athletics, as well as getting them involved in community projects like food banks, reading programs, and soup kitchens. Even having a part-time job, or getting some work experience in a firm that is related to their studies can go a long way to helping them stand out amounts all the other candidates. Something that can help them secure that much-needed place in their first choice school.

Seek additional help

It’s also wise to remember as a parent that there is plenty of help out there both for you and your child when it comes to making a successful college application. First off there is lots of advice online that can take you through the process step by step, and also help you hone your child’s particular application documents.

Although, if your child is aiming at one of the top schools in the country it can be helpful to approach specialists like Ivy Select admission consulting for some additional help. After all, as they have been through the process of being accepted to an ivy league college, they are the best people to know all the little tips and tweaks to make to your child’s application for the best chance of them getting into their first choice.

Explore financial aid and scholarship options

Lastly, it is important to remember that it may be finance and scholarship issues that are standing in the way of your child getting into their first choice college. In fact, as university fees have risen so sharply in recent times, it is widespread for students to pick the more economically viable options, rather than where they genuinely want to go.

Luckily you can assist your child in dealing with this, by going through the costs of their course with them, and showing them what sort of budget they will be working on. You can even help them by demonstrating how this will affect their income when they are qualified and have to pay any loans back.

It’s obviously also important to openly discuss how much, if any financial help you will be providing to them, and not leave them guessing. After all, this may have a significant impact on whether they end up applying for the genuine first choice or not.

Lastly, it’s crucial that you also go over the options for scholarships with your child as well, and make sure that they understand these entirely before they make their applications. After all, the can be complicated and confusing and they may even need to start working on things like their grades or other requirements before it gets to application time. Something that you can support them with and that can ultimately help them get into their first choice college.

college guidance, college prep, parenting

Starting Early: Parenting for College

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parenting for collegeWhen it comes parenting for college, this may be something that you start to think about as parents when your kids start high school. Now, for some people, this will be way too soon – because you have all of four years before they are due to go. But, when you are looking to prepare your child for college, you may find that the more time you have, the better! However, you could even look to start this earlier. While you may not be able to start the application process, there are a lot of different things that you can do with your parenting to really help your kids along the way. If this sounds like something you’re keen to do with your middle school children, here are some tips to help you.

Nurture, Don’t Smother

Now, when you have high aspirations for your child, and you really want them to be able to do well, you may find that you can be a bit pushy. It’s only natural. And you probably think that this is the best thing for them. But, this can often lead to you smothering them. When really, you need to be thinking about nurturing your children instead. Make sure that you’re supporting them and not suffocating them. As they need to be able to grow and develop independently.

Enhance Their Skills

When you’ve been able to get the balance right, you’re then going to want to make sure that you can really work on their skills. Here, you can encourage them from the sidelines. Make sure that you’re encouraging them to practice, study, and really push their abilities. But you cannot do it for them. Try to get them to try out as many different things to help you work out where their key skills lie.

Provide The Best Environment

You’ll then want to make sure that you can create the best possible environment for your children to develop in. Not only should this mean that you have a happy home, but that they have everything they need. Here, a desk in their room or a bed with desk like the kids beds from Cuckooland is a great option. You want them to be able to study as much as possible, in a comfortable environment.

Go The Extra Mile

You may also find that it’s going to be largely useful for you to be able to go the extra mile for them. Maybe they need further development in a few key areas, or you just want them to be able to advance as quickly as possible? Hiring a private tutor could help you here. You may also want to make sure that you are available to take them to different commitments and to support them from the sidelines too.

Guide Them To Flourish

Lastly, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re guiding your children as much as possible. Just like you don’t want to smother in point one, here you don’t want to control. Yes, you may have thought that you wanted your child to be a lawyer or a doctor, but what if their strengths lie in sports or the arts? Make sure that you are in tune with their natural talents and guide them to flourish. This will help them to not only find success with their studies and college, but to lead a fulfilled life too.

 

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep

The Perfect College List

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college list

Did you know there are more than 4,000 four-year colleges and universities in the United States? That can make choosing a college overwhelming. But there is a college to fit your dreams – and finding it starts with the right list of schools where you plan to apply.

Your college list is the basis for every decision regarding college. Without a good list, it’s impossible to make a clearly logical and well-informed college choice. You should begin your college list during your junior year of high school. By the beginning of your senior year, you should have a final list for college applications.

The “Fit” Questions

How do you start a dream list? A good college list should have three “fit” criteria: financial fit, academic fit and emotional fit. Consider each school by asking these “fit” questions:

  • Financial Fit-Does the college fit into your family’s budget?
  • Academic Fit-Does the college fit into your academic aspirations?
  • Emotional Fit-Can you see yourself attending college there?

Seven More Questions to Use as a Reality Check

Once you’ve answered the “fit” questions, dig deep and ask yourself these questions:

  • Are you choosing a college to follow a boyfriend or girlfriend?
  • Are you choosing a college to follow a best friend?
  • Are you choosing a college because you follow the sports team?
  • Are you choosing a college because it’s “fun”?
  • Are you choosing a college because of location?
  • Are you choosing a college because of its reputation?
  • Are you choosing a college based on someone else’s opinion?

Divide Your College List Into These Categories

Once you’ve answered all those questions, you’re ready to begin your list, which should always include the Dream Team, the Best Bets and some Sure Things (also known as reach schools, best fit schools and safety schools).

The Dream Team

Your dream colleges should be a reach but not impossible. Those colleges have very low acceptance rates. I’m all for dreaming, but when it comes to a college list, practicality and logic reign.

The Best Bets

The colleges on this part of the list are colleges that would put you at the top of the applicant pool.  It’s not all about the money, but money sure does make the final decision easier.

The Sure Things

Carefully consider the choices and make sure that these colleges are colleges you really want to attend. It will relieve pressure and stress if they offer you admission.

Consider This Important College Data

Now that you know which colleges to put on your college list, how do you choose the right ones? What criteria do you use to populate your list? Where do you find the best information, or statistics, to help you make your list?

Two good sources for college statistics are College Navigator and College Data. These two resources will help you make an informed college choice. Numbers aren’t everything, but consider these important stats when you are looking at schools

Rankings

Never rely solely on one set of rankings. Use the comparison tools to make a wise college choice.

Financial aid percentages

If you need financial aid, a college with a low percentage of merit aid should be eliminated from your list.

Acceptance rates

Look for colleges with high acceptance rates. Better yet, look for the colleges where you would be a top applicant in the applicant pool. This translates into more merit aid in the financial aid package.

Faculty-student ratio

If you’re looking at a big school, consider the size of the program that interests you. You may get more personalized attention in a major with fewer students.

Freshman retention rate

If schools you’re considering have a low freshman retention rate, there’s a reason. Some colleges do a great job of taking care of their freshmen; some don’t.

Graduation rate

When you research the college, look up their graduation rates. Low rates could be a red flag.

Average indebtedness

If the average student indebtedness is high, and you need financial aid, this college might not make the final list.

Percentage of students employed after graduation

Colleges with a high percentage of unemployed graduates should be avoided by students who need to incur high student loan debt.

Other Important Stuff to Think About

  • Study styles: Are you more comfortable in a structured class or doing independent study?
  • Money: Your budget plays a huge factor in the decision process.
  • Size: Do you want small class sizes, or does it matter?
  • Location: Do you want to go away to college or stay close by or even live at home?
  • Extracurriculars: Are there activities that are crucial to having a positive college experience (for example, working on a campus newspaper, participating in intramural sports, studying abroad)?
  • Academics: Is there a specific major you are interested in, or will a liberal arts degree do?
  • Career focus:  Do you need to consider a school that offers specialized degrees like culinary arts or fashion design?
  • Sports: Does the school have a huge sports program, or do sports have little impact on your decision?
  • Competitive or noncompetitive: Do you have the resume that will ensure acceptance to a competitive college like Stanford or Princeton?
  • Specialized programs: Do you want to work in a specific field?

As you can easily see, there’s more to refining a college list than picking a college with Greek life or college sports rankings. It’s a place you will call home, and you need to feel comfortable there. Once you’ve determined that a college meets all your criteria, add it to the list. It’s a keeper!

For details on each category and more information on how to populate your college list, read the original article written for TeenLife Magazine: How to Put Together a College List that Finds the Perfect Fit.

college guidance, college planning, college prep

Could Private School Prepare Your Child for College?

private schoolFrom the time your child enters preschool, all you ever want is to provide them with the best educational experience. The more your children are able to learn in their formative years, the better equipped they are for the real world. As your child grows up in a world that is ever-changing, it is vital that you’re able to provide them with a competitive foundation to succeed. A solid education is an essential part of that foundation, which is why many parents send their children to private schools.

Though there are undoubtedly great public school systems that have produced some of the world’s most well-renowned people, many parents find that affording their children a private education, particularly in middle and high school, provides an advantage for their teens. Many of the best schools in Orange county and across the US use moral and ethical values along with teaching practices and student expectations, to help make transitioning into the college environment a lot easier.

If you’re thinking of enrolling your child in a private school, but wonder how it might best prepare them for college, you’ll find these points to be interesting.

More Resources for Broader Learning Opportunities

Unfortunately, many public schools have had to cut funding for many of their educational and extracurricular programs once available to students. From foreign languages to sports and music, there are a lot of great opportunities students don’t have access to. Private schools, however, have the available resources to educate students in those areas. As they are able to explore new cultures, various art forms, and even athletics, it provides them with a diverse education and skills they wouldn’t otherwise be able to.

High Student Expectations

Parents are, without a doubt, an intricate part of their teen’s educational experience. When cooperating with teachers, parents are able to help their children to be better learners. Yet, as students get older, it is necessary for them to take a larger responsibility in their education. When they graduate high school and go on to college, professors will require a lot of them. If they don’t hold up to said expectations, they run the risk of ruining their educational careers. Private schools stand to prepare students for that. Requiring students to put their best foot forward in their studies and also expecting them to participate in extracurricular activities gives students a sense of responsibility they’ll need to master college life.

A Diverse Environment

Public schools are available to students who live in a particular town. This can limit your child’s exposure to other cultures, backgrounds, and personality types. Private schools recruit from all over and create a climate where children from all walks of life can feel at home. Your teen gets to learn how unique they are while also learning about the unique qualities of others. They learn how to get along, work together, and in some cases, cohabitat with individuals who are representations of the very makeup of college campuses across the country.

College Resources

Another bonus to enrolling your teen in private middle or high school are the various resources most facilities tend to have. Many schools have college assistance programs in which they help students and their parents through the college application process. By their sophomore year, most students are paired with a college counselor who helps them look into various universities, research financial aid, and scholarship opportunities, and work on the essays giving them a better chance at getting noticed.

Your children are the future leaders, creative minds, and motivators of their generation. In order for them to effectively make their mark on the world, it is imperative that they have a solid foundation from which to draw from. Private schooling has the resources, curriculum, and experience to help each of our students master the exciting new chapter of college life and beyond.

 

college guidance, college planning, college prep, Uncategorized

Cast a Wider College Net for Your College Choices

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college choicesJoin a group of parents whose students are getting college admissions letters and you’re going to hear the same conversations. Some are elated, others are confused, and many are disappointed.

I guarantee you that the elated parents have students who took the time to research the college and made sure they were at the top of the applicant pool when they applied. The confused and disappointed parents more than likely have students who applied to elite colleges with little hope of being offered admission or little hope of being able to afford it if their students were accepted.

It seems in today’s competitive college market, parents and students are often blinded by the hype. They fall for the false narrative that a student can’t be successful with a degree from an unknown college. They believe the lie that you can’t get a superior education from a small liberal arts college. They fall prey to the peer pressure from other parents who love to name drop and brag about where their student is applying.

Unfortunately, students suffer when their dreams are squashed by a college that only admits 10 percent or fewer of their applicants. In fact, elite colleges work hard to boost their rejection rates every year.

The good news is your student can avoid rejection by casting a wider college search net and considering other options when making your college choices.

Consider all types of colleges

Many students stick to the obvious in-state public universities. These universities are often large and have tens of thousands of applicants every year.

Seek a career, not a degree

Not every student is meant to pursue a degree at a traditional college or university. If your student is interested in pursuing a trade, consider researching technical and training schools.

Find your niche and exploit it

When creating a college list, search for specific degree paths that might be off the radar.

By widening your student’s search net and being more creative with the college list, his or her chances of receiving an affirmative answer instead of a rejection will increase tremendously.

For the details on how to pursue each category, you can read my original article on TeenLife Magazine here:  Crafting the Perfect Application List.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep

5 Ways NOT to Choose a College

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choose a collegeThere are thousands of potential choices for rising seniors, hundreds of influences on the paths they take in choosing colleges for consideration. How can they best sift through it all to find the right fit for them? And perhaps even more importantly – what SHOULDN’T they do?  Bob Allen, President, Green Mountain College, weighs in:

Top 5 Ways NOT to Choose a College 

  1. Limit yourself to just a couple of search terms. Size, location and a “big bucket” term such as “liberal arts” don’t go far enough to finding the right place to (ideally) spend the next four years of your education!
  2. Choose based on sports teams – unless you’re entering on a sports scholarship, a school’s successful team doesn’t equate to your academic success. You might be better off cheering that team from afar!
  3. Get distracted by facilities – who doesn’t like a fancy dining hall? But in the end, are your meals really what you want to remember best from your education?
  4. Cave in to peer pressure – don’t just default to the school where your friends are going. College is the time to let your individuality shine, to figure out what you really want in a career (which might not be the same as your high school clique).
  5. Rely on limited, or not credible, rankings – there are more and more rankings lists popping up each year. Do your research – if the list isn’t from an organization you (or your parents or guidance counselor) recognize as an authority in your area(s) of interest, disregard it. And, keep a wary eye even on the “elder statesmen” of rankings; some have not been updated to include newer areas of study, such as sustainability.

While choosing a college is never easy, it’s possible to find the perfect fit. Don’t be blinded by the glitz and glamour of a campus or the college name. Names makes the news; but colleges that offer excellent educations are everywhere.  Look for the college that fits your academic, financial and social needs.

____________________________________

Green Mountain College is recognized for its work in preparing the next generation of sustainability professionals more than any other college in the country (see here for details). 

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, essays

Prepping for the College Application

college applicationBefore your student hits submit on his college application, he has work to do. Summer is a good time for juniors and seniors to start prepping and looking towards the future.

Which colleges belong on your list

A good college list should have three “fit” criteria: financial fit, academic fit, and emotional fit. Once your student has a tentative list, ask if they have all three criteria before finalizing the list.

Financial Fit

Does the college fit into your family’s budget? If the college doesn’t fit financially, cross it off the list. While you should never consider a college solely based on the sticker price, you should certainly examine what will happen if your student is accepted and doesn’t receive any financial aid. Remember when factoring in cost, don’t forget about the add-ons like traveling expenses or meal plans. They can add up and have a substantial effect on your budget.

Academic Fit

Does the college fit into your student’s academic aspirations? This might seem like a no-brainer, but the education is a key factor in attending college. Cross the college off the list if it doesn’t fit into your student’s academic learning style. For instance, is your student looking for smaller class sizes and strong relationships with his professors? A larger university won’t offer this.

Emotional fit

Can your student see himself attending college there? When he visited the campus, did it “feel” right and did he have a rapport with the students he came in contact with? You might think college shouldn’t be an emotional decision, but it is. After all, they will be spending at least four years of their lives there. If they don’t fit into the social climate they will be miserable.

Positioning

Another thing to consider is positioning. Is your student positioned well with the other applicants, especially if you are looking for merit aid? Are their scores, grades, and achievements good enough to put them at the top of the applicant pool?

As you can easily see, there’s more to refining a college list than picking a college with Greek life or college sports rankings. It’s a place your student will call home and he needs to feel comfortable there. Once you’ve determined if the college has all three criteria, add it to the final list.

Which part of the college application is most important?

Any admissions officer will tell you that the essay is the most important part of the college application. The essay is your student’s “introduction” to the college and an opportunity to reveal the true person behind all the data on the application. They should spend time crafting the essay and painting the best picture possible for admissions officers reading their essay.

In addition to the essay, an important detail to remember is verifying that all items requested by the college are included in the application. That means recommendation letters, supplemental essays, transcripts and standardized test scores. An incomplete essay can be a red flag to admissions officers and could land your student’s application in the rejection pile.

When should your student apply?

Colleges post their admissions deadlines on their websites and within the Common App if they are one of the schools using it. But their deadline should not be your student’s deadline. Their application should arrive early—before the deadline. Applications that arrive early are first in line: first in line for review and first in line for financial aid. It stands to reason that applications that arrive early, before all the thousands of others applying on the deadline, will get greater attention.

Once the application is complete, proofed and verified that all forms and supplements are attached, submit it. Don’t wait until the last minute. Make sure your student has plenty of time to review all the components of the application before submitting it.

If you are applying regular decision, ED (Early Decision) or EA (Early Action), plan on submitting it at least two weeks in advance of the deadline. This puts you at the head of the pack and allows for any technical difficulties that could pop up. Waiting until the last minute on a college application is playing with fire.

With rolling admission, submit the application as soon as it’s complete. Most rolling admissions schools have a limited number of student slots, and as they judge and accept applications, those slots get filled. If you apply too late, then there’s a good chance all the slots may be filled, and you’ll be out of luck.

Schools with rolling admissions offer important options and opportunities that static deadlines don’t. Rolling admissions schools will accept and examine applications as they are sent in, instead of waiting to judge all applications concurrently. Schools with rolling admissions can be great for late admissions, or for finding out early whether or not you are accepted, so you can change your plan accordingly.

What’s next?

After the applications are submitted, you wait. Your student waits for the colleges to respond with offers of admission or no offer of admission. Waiting can be stressful. But the benefit of finishing early allows your and your student the freedom to relax, knowing that everything related to the application is complete.

admissions, college planning, college prep

Prepping for the College Application

college application

The Common App is now available for juniors to sign up and start preparing for the fall college application season. With more and more students applying Early Decision or Early Action, juniors are already making their college lists and getting ready to apply during their first semester of senior year.

Which colleges belong on your list

A good college list should have three “fit” criteria: financial fit, academic fit, and emotional fit. Once your student has a tentative list, ask if they have all three criteria before finalizing the list.

Continue reading Prepping for the College Application →
college guidance, college planning, college prep, parenting

A Summer College To-Do List for Parents of Seniors

collegeSummer is in full swing and families are enjoying the vacation time. But if you student is a college-bound senior, there are some to-dos you should think about over the summer and add them to your family fun time. The new school year will be here before you know it and senior year is a busy time for high school students. Everything you can accomplish over the summer will mean one less activity for senior year.

Discuss college finances

Your college-bound senior needs to know what you are prepared to contribute financially to their college education. This discussion will help with college choices and make it easier in the spring when you review financial aid packages. You should also discuss what you expect them to contribute to their education. Research shows that when a student is invested financially in their degree they tend to focus more on their academics.

Discuss high school academics

Every high school student is tempted to “skate” through their senior year, especially after the college applications are completed and even after they receive their college acceptance letters. Senior year is the worst time to abandon academic excellence. Colleges will be checking transcripts mid-year and after graduation. If they see that the student did not focus during senior year, colleges have been known to recant their offer of admission.

Talk about college career services

This may be the last thing your college-bound senior will be thinking about. However, it’s an important factor in the college decision process. Discuss each college’s career services with your college-bound senior. Does the college offer internships? Do they have a career center to assist you with your job search (during and upon graduation). Do the alumni actively participate in networking with the students? The answers to these questions should affect the final college choices.

Encourage your student to start working on the essay

When school starts, a senior’s schedule is usually filled up to the minute. Working on the essay in the summer will alleviate stress in the fall and allow them to focus on other important activities. You can’t write the essay, but you can help them brainstorm or be a proofreader. The Common App essay topics list should help start the process.

Help with the scholarship search

It goes without saying that your student needs to spearhead the search for scholarships. But you can help with reminders of deadlines, organizing the applications, and proofreading their final submissions.

Revisit colleges

Odds are your student has already begun to narrow down the college choices. If you’ve visited colleges previously during their junior year, the summer is a good time to make an informal visit of the campuses. Take a look around, get familiar with the services offered and talk to a few students. If the admissions and financial aid offices are open, schedule an appointment and get a jump on the busy fall onslaught of students.

Take a look at the Common App online

While most students won’t complete The Common Application until senior year, it’s a good idea to take a look around and get familiar with the components. The new Common App rollover feature allows students to use the information from one year to the next and, in theory, allows you to begin to work on the Common App as early as freshman year.

Help your student nail down the recommendation list

Make the recommendation letter list before school starts. Once your student sets foot on campus they should hightail it to the teachers and staff who they feel will write the best recommendation letters. These school officials will be bombarded with requests as application deadlines roll around. Asking early will give them more time to write a thoughtful letter without feeling rushed.

Consider hiring a tutor

Even if your student is excelling in studies, you might want to consider hiring a tutor. If they are struggling in a math or science class, tutors offer one-on-one help in a less threatening environment. Tutors can also help improve standardized test scores. They can give your student a head start in their upcoming classes and reinforce what they have learned in the past.

As your summer winds down and school begins in the fall, crossing some of these important to-dos off your massive list of college-related tasks will help you and your student reduce the stress of the college application process.