The Class of 2023 is starting to wrap up their applications in the coming weeks. Many state universities have already started sending out acceptance letters and students have already received admission to private universities by applying early via Early Action and/or Early Decision. If your student didn't get the results they wanted, they still have time to apply to a few more colleges. That's the benefit of applying early — you still have time to find some more good-fit colleges.
The reason we spend a lot of time (and I mean a LOT of time) on creating the college list is to make sure that the schools my students are applying to are a great fit — both socially and academically. We round out the list by checking financial fit as well, ensuring that families have good choices when it's time to decide. The last thing I want for my students and families is to have 5 or 6 acceptances that are too expensive and financially out of reach.
A lot of planning goes into applications. We want students to apply to the schools they're the most excited about early and use their best energy in those applications. In some cases, the bulk of the reach schools can wait until December, after students have finished applying to their target schools and have heard back from some of their EA/ED schools.
Good luck to your students as they finish their finals! Take time to unwind and unplug during the school break because when January comes around, the kids will hit the ground running.
Class of 2023 - Keep those grades up! Senior year grades matter, so keep an eye on your GPA and do the best you can in your first semester finals. Take the
time to write thank you notes to your teachers and school counselors for the letters they've written on your behalf.
Class of 2024 - I like to onboard my juniors around November. This gives us a chance to get everything in order before finals come around. If you're interested in the Junior Jumpstart package, please reach out to me in the coming weeks, as this will allow us to make the most of January and February. Each student is different and so depending on their needs, we will move into researching majors, aptitude testing, college fit, and summer plans (among other things).
Class of 2025 - Planning one meeting each semester helps keep things on track. Please plan to schedule our next meeting in January or February to plan your junior year classes/schedule. This is also a good time to think about SATs and whether that's something your child wants to pursue. I'll be sending out a reminder email to my families in mid January. If you would like to be on my internal mailing list, please email me with your information — your name, your email address, child's full name, child's high school, and grade.
Class of 2026 and beyond - I love meeting new families and the younger siblings of my current students! I hope 9th grade is treating you all well. Just like my older students, please plan to meet in January or February to plan out your 10th grade classes. Making a three year plan helps you better understand your progress and we can discuss the pros and cons of different electives. It will also give us a chance to go over your extracurriculars and any concerns you might have about them.
Middle school students are also welcome to come in for an hourly session. It's never too early to understand the path to college and what needs to be done for a smooth high school journey.
Have a wonderful holiday season, I wish you all happiness and good health in the new year. Happy 2023!