Updated Information on All Things College Admissions

Navigating college admissions can be confusing, especially with so many myths circulating. From the misconception that perfect grades guarantee acceptance to the belief that knowing someone at the college will get you in, these myths can steer students off course. In reality, admissions officers value authentic engagement, commitment, and growth over any "secret formula." By focusing on what genuinely matters—initiative, impact, and a clear sense of self—students can build applications that truly stand out.

Parents want to give their teens good advice about college and careers, but that job has never been harder. The rise of artificial intelligence is changing what the future looks like and what skills will matter most. Roles that once felt safe are being reshaped, and new ones appear every year. It can feel impossible to know how to prepare your teen for a world that refuses to sit still.

It is that time of year again. Students are logging into their College Board accounts, seeing a wall of numbers and percentiles, and wondering what it all means. The PSAT has arrived, bringing equal parts excitement and confusion. For many sophomores and juniors, this is their first real taste of a national standardized test. Parents are often left trying to figure out how much it really matters.  The PSAT does offer valuable insight, but not always in the ways families expect. Here is what your student’s score truly reveals, and what it does not.

There’s a pattern in every successful UT Austin application. It’s not the perfect GPA, the mountain of AP classes, or the alphabet soup of club acronyms. The real secret that separates admitted students from the rest is something much quieter, but far more powerful: fit to major.

Don't hit submit just yet! Before you finalize your Common App, make sure you’ve avoided these common pitfalls. From adding unnecessary essay titles to sending extra recommendation letters, simple errors can affect how admissions officers see your application. November deadlines are approaching fast—double-check everything now to make sure your application shines.

As your student prepares for college, one of the key decisions they’ll face is choosing between the SAT and ACT. With the SAT now fully digital and the ACT offering online testing options in 2025, students have more flexibility than ever. Both exams are widely accepted by colleges, but they differ in structure, scoring, and regional popularity. Understanding these differences will help you guide your child toward the test that best suits their strengths and goals. Choosing the right test depends on your child’s strengths—whether they excel in analytical thinking for the SAT or prefer the content-focused approach of the ACT.

In recent years, test-optional policies have gained momentum, offering students the option to apply to college without submitting SAT or ACT scores. While this flexibility has been welcomed by many, it’s important to remember that “test-optional” doesn’t mean “test-ignorant.” For students aiming to attend top colleges, submitting strong standardized test scores can still significantly enhance their chances of admission.

Midterm grades can be a wake-up call—either a reminder that you're on the right track or a nudge to make some changes before the end of the semester. Whether you’re feeling satisfied or a bit stressed about where you stand, your midterm report offers an important opportunity to refocus and turn those grades into a plan for success. Here’s how to use your midterm grades to guide your strategy for the rest of the fall semester.

LGBTQ History Month is about honoring what has been built, but it is also about seeing what remains unfinished. Recognition in the 1960s was groundbreaking, but equity in 2025 still demands vigilance. The work continues, especially as political climates change and rights are debated again in legislatures and on campuses.  Students will keep pushing, universities will keep being tested, and history will keep unfolding in classrooms, dorms, and student unions. Celebrating trailblazers is not about nostalgia—it is about remembering that change is possible when people refuse to stay silent.

Every September, the new U.S. News college rankings arrive and families treat them like gospel. A school climbs five spots and parents cheer. A school slips seven and families start crossing it off the list. The trap is thinking those numbers reflect what your teen’s actual experience will be. They don’t. 

When test-optional policies became widespread, many families assumed the SAT and ACT no longer mattered. “If it’s optional,” parents asked, “why put my child through the stress?” The reality is that scores still matter—a lot. At many colleges, students who submit test scores are admitted at much higher rates than those who don’t. The question isn’t whether tests matter. The question is whether your teen’s scores will strengthen or weaken their application.

Most families think of public universities as the affordable choice. For in-state students, that is usually true. But once you cross state lines, the story changes.  Out-of-state public universities often charge $60,000 to $75,000 a year with little or no merit aid. In many cases, these bills are higher than private colleges that look more expensive on paper but reduce costs through scholarships. Families who do not run the numbers can be caught off guard, paying more for less selective public options than they would for selective private ones.

When families see a college’s admit rate, it looks simple. If a school reports an admit rate of 15%, you might assume your student has a one-in-six chance. At colleges that offer Early Decision (ED), the reality is much different. The overall admit rate blends two very different pools: students admitted through binding Early Decision and students admitted through Regular Decision. Because a large portion of the class is already taken in November, the students who apply in January are competing for far fewer seats. That’s why the number that matters most is the effective Regular Decision admit rate —the real odds once Early Decision students have already filled their spots.

Colleges are paying more attention to test scores again, and that makes them an important part of your application. The most helpful scores are in the top quartile, since they back up your grades, improve your chances of getting in, and can lead to scholarships. If you are thinking about majors like computer science, engineering, or business, high math scores matter even more. Admissions officers want to see that you are ready for tough college-level math. Aiming for the 75th percentile or higher is smart, but remember that essays, activities, and who you are as a person also play a big role. 

When families talk about careers in business, finance and consulting usually take center stage. But retail is one of the largest and most dynamic industries in the world, shaping everything from what we wear to how we shop online. For students who love fashion, customer experience, or supply chain strategy, retail can lead to a fulfilling and profitable career. The challenge is that families often think only of big-name fashion schools in New York or luxury design houses in Europe. In reality, many excellent colleges across the country quietly prepare students for retail leadership. These hidden gems combine strong academics with industry access, giving graduates a clear path into buying, merchandising, e-commerce, and beyond.  Here are ten colleges where students can study retail in a way that prepares them for long-term career success.

As parents, it’s easy to feel like college admissions is one big game of telephone. Advice gets passed from neighbor to neighbor, from older siblings to younger ones, and across every parent Facebook group. Some of it’s true. A lot of it isn’t.  You’ve probably heard the classics: applying in-state always gives your student an edge, the most expensive schools are out of reach, and merit aid is everywhere if your teen works hard enough. But the actual data tells a very different story. Three surprising admissions stats stand out—and each one flips a common myth upside down.

Every fall, families face one of the biggest decisions in college admissions: Should my student apply Early Decision? The appeal is obvious. Early Decision can increase the odds of admission at a dream school. At the same time, many parents are hoping for scholarships to help with cost. But here’s the hidden tradeoff that doesn’t make it into the glossy brochures: schools that offer a true Early Decision advantage almost never award merit scholarships. And the colleges that give out generous merit aid usually don’t rely on binding Early Decision.  Understanding this divide is essential before your student checks the “ED” box.

When families think about financial aid, assumptions often take the place of facts. Parents expect that good grades, strong test scores, and standout extracurriculars will automatically bring scholarships at any college. But the truth is that aid looks very different depending on where a student applies. Highly selective colleges tend to focus entirely on need-based aid, while many broad-access colleges use merit aid as their main tool to recruit students.  Let’s break this down by looking at three of the most common myths families believe—and the reality behind each one.

When families start building a college list, the first number they often see is the sticker price. A college that lists tuition, room, and board at $70,000 or more can feel completely out of reach. It is easy to assume that the only affordable choices are the ones with much lower published prices.  But sticker price doesn’t tell the whole story. What really matters is the net price—what your family will pay after financial aid and scholarships are applied. And here’s the surprise: some of the most expensive colleges on paper can sometimes actually be the most affordable once aid is factored in.

Parents often think the college process is about test scores, rankings, and financial aid packages. Those things matter, but they are not what most families hold dearest. At the heart of so many households are values like faith, personal growth, family, helping others, and volunteering. These are the anchors that have shaped teenagers for years, and they can also guide the path to college.  When families double down on these values in the admissions journey, they remind their teenager that the real goal is not prestige. It is choosing an environment where the values they live every day can continue to flourish.

For families everywhere, the phrase Early Decision raises as many questions as it answers. Is it a golden ticket into selective colleges? Or is it a gamble that limits financial options too soon? The truth is that Early Decision (ED) is both a boost and a barrier. It increases the odds of admission at many colleges, yet it also requires families to make binding commitments before they can compare aid offers. The data shows clear patterns that can help you decide whether this strategy is right for your student.

Families assume that applying in state gave students an automatic admissions advantage. It felt like common sense. Public universities were created to serve local residents, and many parents carried that assumption into their own children’s college search. But the data shows the picture is more complicated. In some regions, being an out-of-state applicant can actually improve the odds of admission.

AI is no longer just a buzzword. It is in classrooms, homework routines, and even college applications. Recent surveys show that 26 percent of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 used ChatGPT for school assignments in 2025, up from 13 percent in 2023. Another study found that 35 percent of high school students used AI to solve homework problems, while 66 percent used it for study support.

An estimated 15 to 20 percent of high school and college students are neurodivergent, including many with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia. These students bring creativity, focus, and unique problem-solving skills to the classroom, especially in STEM fields. Yet too often, traditional classrooms have not been designed with their needs in mind.  AI is beginning to change that. Surveys show that more than 70 percent of neurodivergent college students say AI-powered reading tools significantly improve comprehension and persistence. Studies indicate course completion rates improve by up to 40 percent when adaptive AI platforms are in use. One in three neurodivergent students reports that AI provides greater independence, stronger planning, and higher motivation to complete assignments.

Here is the uncomfortable truth: AI does not always know what it is talking about. Sometimes it nails the answer. Other times, it makes things up, mixes details, or delivers nonsense with total confidence. These mistakes are called hallucinations. If you do not catch them, your homework and studying can take a wrong turn. 

AI tools like ChatGPT are now part of high school life. Pew Research found that 26% of teens ages 13–17 used ChatGPT for school assignments in 2025, double from just two years earlier. Other surveys suggest more than half of students use AI in some way for studying. The real question isn’t if teens will use AI, but how. There’s a big difference between copying an AI-written essay and using AI as a tutor. The secret is writing strong prompts that guide AI to support learning. That’s where the P.A.C.E. framework comes in.

High school is about more than grades and test scores. Activities give students the chance to discover new interests, refine skills, and grow into themselves. They also play a major role in how admissions officers evaluate applicants. When colleges review applications, they read activities alongside transcripts, test scores, essays, and recommendations. The goal is not to see who did the most, but to understand who a student is and what they might bring to a campus community.  Every student will have a different path, and every activity list will look unique. The key is not to try to “game” the system, but to build a record that reflects genuine interests and growth. Let’s take a closer look at how activities are read in admissions and what families should keep in mind as students shape their high school years.

The phrase “dream school” carries an almost magical pull. Families whisper it like a secret password, as if a single admission letter can guarantee happiness, prestige, and success. But here is the uncomfortable truth: most of what parents believe about dream schools is built on myths. And those myths can drive choices that leave students stressed, overlooked, or burdened with debt.  Here are the five biggest myths about the dream school—and the one reality that every family needs to hear.

Many families assume that the most selective colleges offer the best return on investment. The Ivy League and top public flagships carry powerful names, and it is natural to believe they guarantee success. Yet the reality is that students can often find equal or even stronger outcomes at schools that admit more students, offer generous scholarships, and provide greater access to faculty.  Return on investment in college is not about turning education into a transaction. It is about matching cost with opportunity so that your student can graduate with freedom, confidence, and choices. Here are five supportive ways to look for colleges that may offer better long-term value than the most highly selective schools.