Choosing a College Archives - Helping Your College Student Succeed

Is Summer Service Right For Your Student?

Leave a Comment / Choosing a College, How Colleges Work / fjtalley

Summer is more than just a break from academics—it’s a tremendous opportunity that high school students can use to engage in meaningful summer service activities. These service activities can significantly enhance their college applications, and provide them with life-changing experiences. Grades, test scores, and crisp admissions essays will always matter, but participating in significant service […]

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Making Their College Choice

Choosing a College / fjtalley

Finally, your student has been admitted to college. Yay! One challenge though, is they’ve likely been admitted to more than one college. They now have to make a critical decision: where they’ll attend. As a parent, your role during this stage is crucial—not to make the decision for them, but to support, guide, and help

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Using the Family Vacation for College Visits

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work / fjtalley

Family vacations can serve a dual purpose if you have a student thinking about college. Combining your family vacation with college visits can be an enjoyable way to explore potential schools while spending quality time together. Here’s how to make the most of your family vacation for college visits. Why Summer While summer may not

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Your Financial Aid Plan B

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work, Paying for College / fjtalley

Are you wondering why your student hasn’t received their financial aid package yet? Actually, if you’re involved in this process, you may already know. The FAFSA—the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is—to put it mildly—out of whack this year. Here’s what’s gong on behind the scenes and what being done to fix it. Why

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Should Your Student Apply Early Decision?

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work / fjtalley

It’s that time! High school students are scrambling to submit their early decision and early action applications to college. Perhaps your student is doing the same, but should they? Are there advantages to applying early versus applying later? Definitions Early decision and early action are two application options in which students apply to college in

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Make the Most of Summer

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work / fjtalley

Parents often ask me how their students can become more competitive for college admissions. My answer? They should make the most of summer. The Strategy I don’t want your student engage in some kind of cloak and dagger subterfuge to get into their college of choice. Rather, I’d like them to be as competitive as

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Are SAT and ACT Prep Classes Worth It?

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work / fjtalley

Students who are applying to college, are faced with taking either the SAT or ACT. Many also worry about getting the highest scores possible on these tests, and may turn to SAT and ACT prep classes to help them. The question is: are these classes worth it? Why Take SAT or ACT Prep Classes? Sometimes,

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showing what colleges want to see in an essay

What Do Colleges Want to See in an Essay?

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work / fjtalley

As a former Dean of Enrollment Management, I see the admission essay as a chance to get to know a prospective student off the page. This includes what makes this student tick, and why would bringing them to campus help the university? Which begs the question: what do colleges want to see in an essay?

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How to choose the right college campus pic

What’s This College Really Like?

Choosing a College / fjtalley

You and your student have read all the printed materials on the website, you’ve visited campus, and they’ve applied and been accepted. You believe this may be the college they choose. But there is that lingering question: what’s it really like at this college? To answer that, we have to go back and discuss not

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financial aid student choosing the right college

Where Should My Student Go To College?

Choosing a College, How Colleges Work, Paying for College / fjtalley

This is the time! Your student has been admitted to one or more colleges for the following year! This is a time for celebration, but also of stress, because now they have to decide, and you’re wondering what college should they choose? It’s all about the Fit I’ve addressed this in my post “It’s All

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