The number and percentage of high school students who go on to four-year college have been rising steadily for years. But as the costs of college increase and many college graduates see only middling job prospects, more and more families are asking the question: is college the best choice for everyone?
A great college admissions coach can help reduce the stresses of applying to college and make the process much easier to navigate.
Standardized testing is stressful for many students and parents because it has such high stakes. At many U.S. and international universities, test scores are a major factor in admissions decisions. But taking a standardized test like the SAT or ACT doesn’t have to be stressful and scary.
College is a consequential decision, and the admissions process can be complex and stressful. To give families a head start, we at LifeLaunchr compiled this selection of insider tips from college admissions counselors in the country – people who have helped thousands of students find and get into great-fit schools.
In March of 2016, the CollegeBoard (which administers the SAT and PSAT), kicked off the new SAT, which is a major change from the old one which had been in use for a decade. The new SAT has now been used for almost two years, and there’s still not much understanding about how parents and students should best adapt. So here is a summary.
The deadline for applying to U.K. universities for Fall 2018 admission is coming up fast, on January 15, 2018. That’s also the deadline to apply for deferred admissions for Fall 2019. LifeLaunchr’s recent webinar “Applying to College in the U.K.? Meet the January 15 deadline!” helped parents and students by providing expert advice on U.K. college admissions from LifeLaunchr coach Amy Garrou.
LifeLaunchr now has a way to help parents and students to ace the SAT and ACT, through it’s partnership with Aspire Education Project. For over a decade, Aspire Education Project’s expert tutors have led the highly competitive San Francisco Bay Area tutoring market, helping students reach their college goals at schools including Stanford, Cornell, Duke, and the University of California, Berkeley.
At many high schools, counselors don’t start engaging with students about planning for college until spring of junior year.
But if you’re a parent or student, waiting till spring of junior year makes college planning harder for many reasons. In fact the best advice for parents is to start early: as early as possible, in freshman year if you can. College planning really starts the first day of high school, since its when all the work your teen will do starts making a difference.
Parents I speak to often ask “What’s the best university to study engineering?” or “Where is the best place for my daughter to study biomedicine?” There are many ways to answer this question. The answer I always give is: “It depends on your child.” I tell them to focus on fit, not rank.
For teens starting out in life after high school, or parents helping them, remember: your first gig after college doesn’t have to be your final “true passion,” but it does have to pay the bills so you can keep searching. So find a way to balance pragmatism and passion in your choice of college and major.
College can cost upwards of $80,000 a year. Maximizing financial aid and qualifying for scholarships is critical. Here’s how the system works.
Jane Hirschhorn offers practical tips for moving through the college essay writing process with ease and confidence.
In the spring of senior year, students receive decisions from colleges. Here are LifeLaunchr’s tips for making your college decision wisely.
Researching colleges systematically and carefully is critical to building a list that genuinely fits the student.
Explaining a student’s extracurricular activities is an integral part of the holistic admissions process at U.S. universities. Here’s what you need to know.
Student loan debt in the U.S. now exceeds $1.5 trillion dollars. Parents and students need to know how college financial aid works.