Supporting Deferred Students
Deferrals are more common than ever as colleges manage record application volumes. This post helps counselors guide students through next steps with clarity, perspective, and a simple checklist they can use right away.
Three Quick Wins to Help Seniors Before Break
Seniors are stretched thin in December, and counselors often have limited time before break. These three quick tasks help students stay organized, check their portals, and prepare for January deadlines without adding stress. A simple, student ready checklist is included.
January 1 Deadlines: A Simple Guide for Counselors and Seniors
January 1 deadlines can be challenging since most counselors are on break. This post gives seniors a simple, self guided checklist to review applications, set up portals, and stay on track even when schools and colleges are operating on holiday schedules.
Regular Decision: Helping Seniors Finish Strong Without Burning Out
Regular Decision still offers real opportunity for seniors. This guide helps counselors support students with list building, stronger applications, midyear grades, and portal management. Practical talking points and a student ready checklist make January less stressful for everyone.
Understanding Admissions Decisions – Fall Edition
Students receive all kinds of decisions in December and early January, from admits to referrals to incomplete applications. This guide gives counselors clear, calm language and practical steps to help students understand each outcome and plan their next moves.
After Applying: The College Portal
After students hit “submit,” their work is not over. This post helps counselors teach seniors how to use college portals to confirm materials, track missing items, and take responsibility for their applications after submission.
Supporting Students Who Haven’t Started Yet
Every counselor has a few seniors who reach late October and still haven’t started. This post offers an empathetic, realistic plan to help those students get moving… with reminders that Regular Decision is still a strong option and that it’s better to submit one thoughtful, complete application than several rushed ones.
The Myth of “Apply Early or Miss Out”: Application Series Week 1
Early deadlines create pressure for students and families, but “apply early” isn’t always the best move. This post helps counselors guide seniors through Early Action and Early Decision wisely, clarifying when it truly helps, when to wait, and how to protect students from financial and emotional stress.
Surviving Recommendation Season
Recommendation season is here. Four practical strategies plus a free copy-and-paste college recommendation letter template to help counselors stay organized.
Building a College List That Works
There’s the occasional moment in a junior meeting where I can see the pressure mounting — students staring at a blank college list, parents eager to suggest the alma mater or the “top” school they read about in U.S. News, and me trying to bring the focus back to fit. Because the truth is: A […]