VIDEO: HS Juniors! Three Things To Do NOW To Ensure Strong Teacher Rec Letters

Juniors have experienced online learning and cancelled or shortened extracurricular activities as a function of the pandemic.  Many report that they tell they hardly know the teachers who have taught them this year, and worry that their core teachers don’t know enough about them to write great letters of recommendation. Don’t despair!  CIT Consultant Robin…

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Finding Meaningful Summer Activities by CIT Consultant Paige Feldman

While we just finished winter, spring is in the air, but our minds turn toward summer. Over the next few months, CIT consultants will be discussing summer plans with our clients to demystify and provide some encouragement to students & families looking to make summer count.  In terms of college planning, summer is a golden…

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“How Many AP or IB Classes Should My Child Take?”

It’s that time of year: high school students are arranging their class schedules for next term.  One of the most common questions we hear is:  “How many AP or IB classes should my child take?” Q:   Kelly will have completed four AP classes by the end of this year, as a junior — AP US…

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Test Optional or Not? A Q and A with CIT  College Testing Policies Whiz Tiffany Kolb: What You Need To Know Right Now About College Applications and Test Optional Policies 

    Should your senior apply to a particular college ticking the Test Optional box?  In this interview, CIT Consultant and testing policies whiz Tiffany Kolb addresses college testing policies and family choices around test optional admissions — including possible impacts on Early Action or Early Decision applications and merit aid     Q: Under…

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Understanding the Common App COVID question

Common App student wearing mask for COVID

The Common App has added optional COVID-related writing sections for students and their school counselors to allow them to share with colleges and universities how they have been affected by the pandemic. The addition of the questions is clearly designed to provide a separate space other than general essay sections for students to write about…

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What does test-optional really mean?

    The list of test-optional schools has expanded quite a bit recently, mostly because of the difficulties students are facing for test opportunities. ACT and SAT cancellations have been rampant due to COVID-19. Colleges, not wanting students to have to exclude them from their college lists, have decided to go “test-optional;” some as a…

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Navigating the college process in the new COVID-19 world slides

The already complicated college process just became more challenging for families in the wake of COVID-19. Campus visits are cancelled, ACT test dates are postponed and more changes every day. How does a family conduct a search and choose a college in this new environment? Our team at College Inside Track is actively monitoring these…

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Insider tips for the week of Oct. 22, 2018

5 things parents need to know about prepping for the SAT or ACT – Grown and Flown has a helpful article covering both what you should know about standardized tests and how to find the best test prep for your child.   Don’t miss – Deadlines for merit aid may be earlier! – Many families…

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6 Steps to Admissions Success online course

Do you have questions about applying to college? Taught by CIT’s Dr. Matthew Andrews, our free course helps students and parents walk through the essential steps to prepare and apply for college. The course introduces 6 steps with instructions, worksheets, and lectures that explain how to apply for admission to college. Information in this course includes hyperlinks to resources,…

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