In this week’s edition of the Brilliant College Planning Newsletter, we bring you:

• 🚨 Upcoming Milestones/Deadlines

• ✏️ Insider Insight

• 📰 News on College Admissions/Financial Aid

• 💡Your Questions, Answered

Read Time: 4 minutes

Parent Fall Priorities

Senior Parents

• The first applications are in. The next Early Action deadline is Nov 1st for many colleges.

• Remind your student that getting help on the essay doesn’t have to be from you.

• Book a session with a pro if your student feels stuck (or hasn’t started).

Junior and Sophomore Parents

• Help your student start a LinkedIn account as soon as your student turns 16 to follow prospective colleges and post pictures of student accomplishments.

Freshmen Parents

• Have your student take a practice SAT and ACT.

  -Colleges don’t have a preference between the two tests anymore, so find out which test your student naturally scores better on before starting intensive prep.

Updates:

• The Dept of Education says FAFSA will open around mid-December. We predict it may be closer to January 1st.

• The CSS Profile (required by most Private colleges and some Public) will open on Oct 1, 2023. It is free for families making less than $100k.

• Remember that even if you are high-income, you should submit these forms to be considered for merit (think academic and talent) scholarships.

Will applying to too many colleges hurt my chances of getting in?

When it comes to applying to colleges, the ideal number to apply to can vary for each student. While some may argue that applying to a large number of colleges increases the chances of acceptance, it is important to strike a balance between quantity and quality. Applying to a moderate number of colleges, historically between 6 to 10, but post-Covid is often 8 to 12 allows students to carefully research and select institutions that align with their academic and personal goals.

This approach ensures that students can invest sufficient time and effort into crafting strong applications tailored to each college, rather than spreading themselves too thin.

Additionally, applying to a manageable number of colleges allows students to focus on their top choices and engage in meaningful interactions with admissions officers, attend campus visits, and complete relevant supplemental essay research. Ultimately, the ideal number of colleges to apply to is one that allows students to make well-informed decisions and present themselves as strong candidates for their chosen institutions.

Parent Question: I’m worried about Demonstrated interest. How can we show we are truly interested in a college and not just applying to see if they can get in?

Good question. This is worth getting right.

And no college wants to think they are a student’s “safety school”. This is why over-qualified students get rejected from schools where they are above average with GPA or SAT.

One way for high school students to show demonstrated interest in a college is by attending information sessions or virtual events hosted by the college. This shows that the student is actively seeking out information about the college and is genuinely interested in learning more. They are absolutely keeping track.

Another way to show demonstrated interest is by reaching out to admissions counselors or faculty members with thoughtful and specific questions about the college or its programs. This demonstrates that the student has taken the time to research and engage with the college on a deeper level.

Most colleges (check out this example of Wake Forest connection page) will have someone on their team specifically dedicated to your geographic region but few students ever reach out. Be one of the few.

Connecting with their appointed admissions officer shows a student is not afraid to take initiative and use resources…one of the traits that colleges want in their students.

Students should also make sure to interact with a college on Social Media where they can interact with college representatives and learn more about the institution. Parents often feel wary of SM but LinkedIn is a great place to connect with schools.

By actively engaging with the college and seeking out opportunities to learn more, high school students can effectively demonstrate their interest as well as gain important intel on what admissions offices want.

These admissions officers are paid to interact with prospective students and give them pointers on what they need to get in, USE THEM!

I love what I do and appreciate your feedback! If you have questions you want answered or specific topics you want covered, email me.

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