Finding Help with the College Process, Part 1 🎓🦅
Who knew there were so many options...
The complexity of the modern college admissions process is enough to strain the skills of even the most experienced professionals. So why do so many families choose to go it along? But first the news…
COLLEGE NEWS
FAFSA flood: The high school class of 2026 has completed a collective 1.6 million federal student aid applications for the 2026-27 school year as of Jan. 23–about 52% more than the class of 2025 by the same date. It’s too soon to determine whether this is attributed to the earlier FAFSA release date or maybe rampant economic panic.
Looking to the East: Looking for a college that ranks highly in terms of scientific impact, collaboration, gender diversity, and sheer number of scientific papers? According to the Leiden Ranking 2025, you’ll probably want to study in China, as only 4 of the top 20 schools are located in the Americas. Time to brush up on your Mandarin…
Handsome Dan discount: Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Yale will offer free tuition to students whose families earn less than $200,000 a year and also cover all costs of attendance for families with incomes below $100,000. Just one catch: you have to get into Yale.
We are all judged on the words we use, especially when we take high-stakes exams that use vocabulary mastery as a leading indicator of reading acumen. The free Roots2Words Word of the Day is just the beginning of learning to unlock the English language word by word and root by root. PRO TIP: Parents can also subscribe to randomly test their teens on the latest words!
BIG IDEA
My friend, colleague, and expert IEC Jodi Rosenshein Atkin recently recorded a Tests and the Rest podcast conversation about when a college consultant is needed, and the general consensus was that turning to a trusted professional to help with complex processes usually helps. Obviously, the road to college requires a lot of personal introspection and prioritization, which is to say that nobody can tell a teen what they should plan to do with the rest of their life. But while parents and students engage in the heavy emotional lifts, maybe letting someone else keep the machinery of myriad application tasks moving forward is a good idea. That assumes, of course, that you know what kind of professional you need and how to evaluate them.
What kind of professional do you need with the college process?
Most college-bound students already have school teachers and counselors helping with at least some aspects of the application process. However, while some school counselors do have the opportunity and resources to actively support students through every step of choosing and applying to schools, most counselors have far too many other competing responsibilities on their over-full plates. By the same token, just because a school offers a small test prep program or access to some online resources doesn’t mean that students are going to hit their score goals.
Consider all the different components of a competitive college application. Every one, no matter how specific, has an associated professional completely dedicated to its successful completion:
ACADEMICS
Subject tutors
Test prep tutors
Executive function coaches
Learning specialists
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Specialized sports coaches
Club league coaches
Athletic recruiting consultants
NCAA eligibility advisors
COLLEGE APPLICATION & ADVISING
Independent educational consultants (IECs)
Specialized consultants (e.g, music, military service academies)
College essay coaches
Major and career consultants
Specialized program advisors (e.g., pre-med, pre-law)
College match specialists
Gap Year consultants
Portfolio review consultants
FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIP
Financial aid advisors
College financial planners
FAFSA consultants
CSS Profile advisors
Scholarship consultants
This basic list doesn’t even include all the high school, college, and community-based resources different students may draw on. And while many of the functions seem similar, they often diverge substantially in ways that are not apparent from the outside. For example, not every math subject tutor is the right choice for test prep, and vice versa. IECs who love helping students find their ideal fit schools are not always equally excited by the process of crafting a compelling college essay. Even within particular roles, many professionals niche down even deeper to help families with very specific goals, needs, or circumstances.
So, the first step in getting help with the college admissions process is recognizing how many options are available. The second step, which we’ll cover in the next newsletter, is to ask the right questions to find the professional that you can trust and rely on.
NAME THAT SCHOOL
Think you know a lot about colleges? Try to guess this institution of higher education. (Find the answer at the end of the newsletter.)
Founded in 1888 after a prominent politician bequeathed his estate to create a public agricultural and mechanical college
Started as an all-male military school and required military training for all students until 1955, at which point the school became co-ed
Known for its 37/43 rule, a residency requirement stating that students must complete a minimum of 37 of their final 43 credit hours at the school to graduate
A popular lake adjacent to campus was created in the 1950s as part of a massive federal flood-control project
Before every home football game, players rub a rock and run down a hill!
APPLICATION ACTION STEPS
🎓 Take a free third-party practice SAT.
🎓 Dive into free FAFSA resources at NCAN.
🎓 Understand the good and bad about the Classic Learning Test.
🎓 Apply to the Four-Year Full-Tuition Cameron Impact Scholarship (plus the Math Gift Scholarship if applicable).
HOTLINE
Do you have any burning questions to ask or want to share an issue, article, or resource our readers should know about? Dial up the College Eagle hotline through this easy form. We appreciate you!
NAME THAT SCHOOL ANSWER
Clemson University has been in the news recently for some not-so-hot reasons, namely a measles outbreak on campus. Go Tigers?