Guides

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• Highly Selective Colleges Applying to a highly selective college can be daunting, but if your student has their heart set on one, there are some guidelines they can follow to help them stand out from the crowd. This guide discusses what highly selective colleges look for in students, how to achieve "depth" in activities, and the importance of having a specific application strategy for the most selective schools.
  
  Download this Guide Highly Selective Colleges
• College Readiness for Neurodiverse Students Supporting a neurodivergent student through the college admissions process can feel overwhelming, but with proper planning and the right college fit, your teen can thrive in higher education. This guide helps you understand how to evaluate your teen's college readiness, navigate the transition from high school to college support systems, and find the best college environment for their unique learning needs.
  
  Download this Guide College Readiness for Neurodiverse Students
• Campus Tours Touring colleges can be a great way to get a feel for what a specific school is like, but because these visits are brief, it's crucial to go into them prepared. In this guide, we provide a college tour checklist, a list of not-to-be-missed campus destinations, and tips for making the most of your college visits. With this guide in hand, you can focus on taking advantage of this special time together with your student.
  
  Download this Guide Campus Tours
• High School Course Selection Students want to challenge themselves, but they also want classes that will allow them to thrive. This guide will help students evaluate what classes to choose for the coming academic year, and includes information on evaluating class rigor, the differences between curricula, and decisions on classes that are crucial in the college admissions process.
  
  Download this Guide High School Course Selection
• Summer Planning For many of today's college-bound high school students, the summer is no longer nine weeks of total relaxation, but rather an opportunity to spend time actively working, learning new skills, or diving deeper into an area (or areas) of interest. This complete guide to summer planning walks you through the various types of summer opportunities — from volunteer work to independent projects, and everything in between — and offers tips for how your student can take their involvement up a notch during the summer.
  
  Download this Guide Summer Planning
• Activity Planning The most successful college applicants have engaged in activities that are based on their interests, aptitudes, and motivations. This guide presents our i4 framework and walks you through how your student can optimize their interest, involvement, initiative, and impact to successfully engage during high school and develop into a strong college applicant.
  
  Download this Guide Activity Planning
• College Planning for Juniors Colleges consider junior year important for admissions because it's the last full year they see on a transcript and can evaluate academic preparedness and potential success. This guide for parents of rising juniors offers valuable insights to help you and your student make the most of this time. It covers all the essential areas to set your student up for success.
  
  Download this Guide College Planning for Juniors
• Researching Colleges The college research phase of the process is so crucial: it’s an opportunity for students to explore outside their existing knowledge and discover the breadth of options available to them. This guide includes suggestion for developing a college criteria, top list-building resources, using the college website and social media for research, and suggestions for family discussions of the college list.
  
  Download this Guide Researching Colleges
• Applying to the University of Texas at Austin It's hard to believe that a school as large as the University of Texas at Austin actually reviews every part of every student's application. But it does: UT is deeply committed to the holistic review of its applicants. This guide covers all required essays, as well as provides detailed information on the expanded resume, letters of recommendation, and evaluating fit-to-major and honors programs.
  
  Download this Guide Applying to the University of Texas at Austin
• Applying To Texas A&M University This year, we’re excited to share the first edition of our College MatchPoint Guide to Applying to Texas A&M. The school has seen more than 20% increase in applications over the last 3 years, with engineering majors assuming a national profile. This guide covers all required essays, as well as providing detailed information on the resume, evaluating fit-to-major, and honors programs.
  
  Download this Guide Applying To Texas A&M University
• Exploring College Majors Choosing a major is an exciting journey, and it's one to go into prepared—the choice of major will not only determine what they study for the next four years, but also has the potential to impact the rest of the student's likelihood of admissions to many schools. This guide offers suggestions for how to navigate the process, important stats about majors and their career tracks, information about how a major choice will affect your student's high school years, and much more.
  
  Download this Guide Exploring College Majors
• Demonstrated Interest This guide explains what demonstrated interest is and why it matters in college admissions. The guide provides tips on effective ways to show interest such as visiting campus, meeting professors, interviewing, attending college fairs, and communicating with admissions. It also includes a worksheet to help students track their demonstrated interest activities for each college.
  
  Download this Guide Demonstrated Interest
• College Athletics Recruitment Understanding the landscape of college athletics is an important first step in moving forward in seeking your best-fit college experience. This guide walks you through creating a recruitment plan throughout high school, tips for communicating with college coaches, creating athletic resumes and highlight reels, and an overview of the governing bodies of athletic recruitment.
  
  Download this Guide College Athletics Recruitment
• Informational Interviews This guide will help your student prepare for their informational interviews. It offers space to jot down potential questions and provides structure for taking notes during the interviews and following up after.
  
  Download this Guide Informational Interviews
• Applying to the University of California System Applying to the renowned University of California (UC) system can feel daunting. This guide provides strategies for navigating the system's requirements, selecting campuses and majors, and crafting a compelling application. With details on the 9 UC campuses, A-G course requirements, and holistic review process, this resource equips students to maximize their chances of admission to their dream UC school.
  
  Download this Guide Applying to the University of California System
• Writing Authentic College Essays that Beat the AI Bot This guide equips students to write an essay showcasing their unique personality, values, and experiences. By tapping creativity, mining memories for vivid stories, and connecting passions to goals, students can craft an essay that resonates with admissions officers, not bots. 
  
  Download this Guide Writing Authentic College Essays that Beat the AI Bot
• AP Exams As AP exams become increasingly important in college admissions, particularly in the test-optional era, this handbook serves as a complete resource for understanding and preparing for these crucial tests. The guide provides detailed breakdowns of all AP exam formats, scoring patterns, and preparation strategies, along with expert advice on creating a sensible testing plan and accessing practice materials.
  
  Download this Guide AP Exams
• College Admission Testing This comprehensive guide empowers families with expert insights on today's complex standardized testing landscape. It addresses critical questions about test-optional policies, digital SAT transitions, and strategic testing timelines that directly impact college admissions outcomes. The guide covers personalized testing strategies, accommodation application processes, and essential information about SAT, ACT, PSAT, and AP exams.
  
  Download this Guide College Admission Testing