Personalized College Admissions Counseling
What To Do When:
10th grade,
late fall or winter
The timeline for standardized testing has moved up from the fall of the junior year to the spring of the sophomore year for an increasing number of students. Between November and February of the 10th-grade year, there is sufficient time to develop a testing strategy. This begins with scheduling diagnostic practice ACT and SAT exams in the spring to determine which test best suits your child. Then, test prep will run from late spring through the summer to sit for an exam in the fall of 11th grade.
If your child is not ready to begin test prep by the end of 10th grade, the majority of students are successful waiting to begin test prep in late fall of 11th grade, taking the exam in late winter or early spring.
Darren is happy to recommend a test prep provider.
11th grade,
early fall
The junior year is when the inquiry or search phase of the college process takes center stage. Understanding the theory and purpose behind building a balanced college list, as well as learning how to research colleges and approach campus visits, are crucial.
Through self-reflection, your child will identify and articulate their preferred college experience and which institutions offer the best fit.
11th grade,
late spring
As your child’s college list begins to take shape, it is time to turn their attention to developing their Personal Statement or Common Application Essay*.
Late spring is also when a student should ask two academic teachers for letters of recommendation and begin developing their Activities List.
*With the purchase of the Essay Writing Package, Darren will also support your child's application writing.
Summer between
11th and 12th grade
The summer before the senior year is when your child should work to complete the bulk of the Common Application, continue to visit campuses, and, if necessary, conclude their standardized testing preparation for an exam in the summer or early fall.
By having much of the application filled out when school resumes in the fall, your child’s energies can be devoted toward completing their Activities List and strengthening and solidifying their Personal Essay and any School-specific Supplements they may be required to submit.
12th grade,
early fall
The senior year begins with an intense push to complete the application, especially if your child is comfortable submitting any early applications: Early Decision (ED), which is binding, and/or Early Action (EA), which is non-binding. The majority of early application deadlines are November 1st or 15th, but some institutions have deadlines as early as October 15th.
When a student is working toward an early deadline, ideally, the Personal Essay should be completed by mid-to-late September, so that any School-specific Supplements can be the focus of early October.
The aim is to have the early applications ready to submit a week or so before the deadline.
If your family will be applying for Financial Aid, now is the time to prepare to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and the CSS Profile, which, alongside the FAFSA, is also required by many institutions.
Though Darren has expertise in supporting families applying for aid, he is happy to suggest an advisor who specializes in this area.
12th grade,
late fall
The college list for Regular Decision (RD) should be finalized by Thanksgiving. By establishing a complete and well-balanced list now, the focus can shift to completing any School-specific Supplements before the winter holiday break from school and, if applicable, the receipt of any ED or EA decisions in mid-December.
It is also a good idea to identify an Early Decision II (EDII) school at this time. If your child is not admitted to their ED school, the emotions that accompany receiving such news often make thinking clearly difficult. Therefore, having a plan in place before receiving any early decisions is paramount.
The goal is to have all RD applications complete and ready to submit several days before the winter holiday break from school.
12th grade,
early winter
ED admissions decisions are released in mid-December, whereas the majority of EA decisions are released in late January.
Because RD applications are due on January 1st or 15th, unless a student has applied to one of the few institutions that release EA decisions in mid-December, it is unlikely that the plan for RD will change in response to an EA offer of admission.
If your child applies EDII, they will receive their admissions decision in mid-February.
12th grade,
spring
RD admissions decisions are released in mid-March, and Admitted Student Events run through April, giving your child sufficient time to decide where to enroll by the May 1st deposit deadline.
When students apply to a well-balanced group of institutions, they often reap the benefits of having many options to choose from.
Should your child be interested in deferring their enrollment to pursue a Gap Year, Darren is happy to recommend an advisor who specializes in this area.
8th grade,
late spring
When your child is completing middle school, it is the right time to discuss how to make the most of the high school experience. In 9th grade, students discover what kind of learners they are and what they are passionate about, in and out of the classroom. Therefore, the impact of the transcript and extracurricular activities on the college application will be the focus.
It is during the first year of high school that your child should prioritize developing the time management and study skills that will enable their academic success.