Blog Posts

Are you the type of person who marvels at new buildings? Do you consider yourself artistic, and someone who works well in environments that allow you the freedom of self-expression? Are you curious, investigative and thrive when you have free time to be alone in your thoughts? Have you found yourself absorbed in museums or cities as you travel?

You’ve done it all—put in countless hours for tutoring and studying, taken more than a few practice tests—and now you find yourself in the gruesome twenty-four-hour stretch leading up to your test. Preparing for these tests is no small feat, and even if you know the test front-to-back, it’s imperative to spend the last day leading up to the test getting yourself in the proper headspace to do your absolute best. 

While not all schools offer them, interviews are sometimes part of the college application process. Some people are comfortable with interviews, while others find them daunting. Either way, interviews can absolutely be worth doing. Admissions officers read and sift through hundreds, if not thousands, of applications every year, so this gives you a chance to set yourself apart.

In this digital age, the landscape of learning has never looked more different. In the past, students relied on bulky binders and heavy textbooks to aid their studies. Now, they have access to an endless repository of study resources on the internet, making traditional materials obsolete.

In the post-pandemic world, the landscape of education has transformed significantly, revealing a host of challenges for students across all grade levels. Whether your child is in elementary school, middle school, or preparing for the rigors of high school, tutoring has become an essential tool to bridge the gaps that have emerged in recent years.

Developing efficient and effective study habits is crucial to student success. When students enter high school, it is assumed that they have developed a studying regimen that keeps them up-to-date with the course material and primed to make the connectio...

The biggest story in NCAA sports this year has been the change to the college athletics model following multiple lawsuits against the NCAA. The battle over Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payments was finally resolved on July 26, 2024, when the final rulings from the federal court judges were made public.

ACT, Inc. just announced it will be making significant changes to the ACT test. Additionally, more information has become available from Inside Higher Ed, which conducted an exclusive interview with ACT CEO Janet Godwin. Here is what we know so..

The biggest mistake people make in seeking extended time or other accommodations for learning differences is waiting until the last minute to do so. Not only can the process be difficult and involve many steps, but the testing agencies often require months (even years) of documentation of a student’s disabilities and challenges. It is therefore imperative that you get informed and organized as soon as possible. Among the items you’ll need are documentation of diagnoses, recommended treatments, and progress from a medical professional, as well as proof that the student has been given special accommodations by his/her high school.

Since 1994, the College Board has encouraged students to bring a calculator to the SAT. This recommendation went hand-in-hand with changes to the test that made the Math sections less about simple operations and more about critical thinking. If you’ve taken the SAT or are currently studying for it, you’ve likely noticed how few one-step math problems there are. The College Board does this intentionally to better assess your mastery of concepts as advanced as what you’d find in an Algebra II class.

So, the time has finally come. You’ve filled out your applications, written all of your essays, thanked your teachers and counselors for writing their letters, clicked ‘submit’ with a flurry of anxiety, and now you have started opening your portals and letters to see your admissions decisions. This may feel like the end of a long road to the next chapter of your life, but whether you’ve been accepted, waitlisted, or rejected, there’s still more to do!

While colleges and universities have developed a lot of great virtual opportunities to engage with them, in-person campus tours are absolutely crucial in deciding where to apply and, eventually, where to enroll. 

The biggest mistake people make in seeking extended time or other accommodations for learning differences is waiting until the last minute to do so. Not only can the process be difficult and involve many steps, but the testing agencies often require months (even years) of documentation of a student’s disabilities and challenges. It is therefore imperative that you get informed and organized as soon as possible. Among the items you’ll need are documentation of diagnoses, recommended treatments, and progress from a medical professional, as well as proof that the student has been given special accommodations by his/her high school.

At Great Expectations, we talk a lot about the Four Pillars that hold up a strong, competitive College Application. The first, GPA and Test Scores, gets your application looked at, but the other three are what set you apart. These include Developing Unique Interests, Making a Community Impact, and Showing Depth of Academic Exploration. These are what we emphasize when we discuss Narrative Building.

The digital SAT has officially arrived, marking the permanent transition from the traditional paper version. The discontinuation of the paper SAT means that this digital version is now the sole option for test-takers. Notable changes in timing and format distinguish this new exam from the 2015-2023 paper version, while other elements, including math content, remain nearly identical. This post aims to provide a concise overview for individuals contemplating a choice between the digital SAT and its primary competitor, the ACT.

Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are an integral part of a student’s academic journey. In many ways they constitute a summative assessment of what a student has learned throughout middle school and highs school. Moreover, studies show that these tests predict not only college grades but also various forms of post-college success.

So, you’re thinking about becoming a doctor. Maybe you aspire to be like a family member in the field, or maybe you are really good at science and have always loved helping others. Maybe you had an experience with a health professional who inspired you to want to do the same for someone else. Whatever your motivation, as Meredith Grey said in season two of Grey’s Anatomy, you have to be in the know. So, what does the educational path to becoming a doctor entail, and how do you, as a high school student, even begin?

Did you know that approximately 2 billion dollars in grants and 1 million dollars in scholarships go unclaimed each year? You heard that right—this means that there are large quantities of money left on the table each year that could be going towards your college education.

Your head may be spinning with terms like “early decision,” “early action,” “restrictive early action,” and even “early decision II.” You’ll likely apply to some schools by their early deadlines and to others by their regular deadlines — but even within those classifications, the dates of those deadlines vary. Additionally, some schools offer on-campus interviews only after receiving your application, while others require you to sit for a local alumni interview before submitting your application. Still others will even require you to submit “Part One” of their application months before the posted deadline. How do you decide which deadlines are right for which schools? How do you know if you should apply Early Decision, Early Action, or mix and match to get the best of both worlds?

The term “test optional” has been around for decades. The first college to institute a test-optional admissions policy, Bowdoin College, did so in 1969. It wasn’t until 2020, however, when the coronavirus pandemic forced it out of obscurity, that it became known to more than just admissions industry insiders. Suddenly, test-optional policies were brought to the forefront as one of many temporary measures implemented by universities to navigate unforeseen challenges of the pandemic—namely, limited testing options for students. The net effect of the proliferation of these COVID-induced practices was to relieve students, for a time, of the need to submit SAT or ACT scores for admissions. 

One of the most common questions a college counselor gets is whether a student should apply undeclared/undecided if they don’t know what major they want.

As we all know, the college application process is a doozy no matter what schools/majors you’re considering. There are college visits to make, standardized tests to take, essays upon essays to write, and applications themselves to fill out and submit – all while balancing a full high school course load. It goes without saying that starting this process in your junior year is highly advisable, but that holds even more true if you’re applying to theater programs. The vast majority of the theater departments you’ll want to apply to will require you to not only audition in person with multiple monologues and/or songs, but they will also require you to audition via video before you are granted an in-person audition. This first step is called a “pre-screen,” and many of the preeminent theater programs require it of prospective students as a way to weed out those who the faculty do not feel are ready to compete in a talent pool of their peers. Prospective applicants must find out what specific pre-screen material is required for each school by visiting each school’s respective website. Then, after much preparation, they must perform this material on tape and submit the video to the school per the pre-screen instructions. 

Applying to MBA programs is an exciting yet time-consuming process, often requiring more research and storytelling than an applicant might initially expect. While there are numerous factors that make a candidate attractive to an MBA program, many applicants can’t help but agonize over their undergraduate GPA and GMAT (or GRE) score and the amount of quantitative experience they have under their belt.

A question high-school musicians often ask themselves as they turn their eye to college: should I pursue a career in performance at a music conservatory or attend a more traditional college? Especially if a student has academic interests outside of music, the choice of which path to take isn’t always straightforward. Let’s break down what your educational path could look like, as well as what it takes to apply to college as a musician.

If you’re a student trying to make your transcripts look better for college but who is wary of APs, an AP History course could be a good fit — and actually may be a better experience than standard history! Why? Here are several reasons:

If you’re a student trying to make your transcripts look better for college but who is wary of APs, an AP History course could be a good fit — and actually may be a better experience than standard history! Why? Here are several reasons:

Welcome to high school! The next four years of your life are going to be packed with assignments, exams, extracurricular activities, exciting new social opportunities and – most of all – a LOT of expectations. Many people will give you lists upon lists of all the things to do in high school to create the best college application, but what about what NOT to do? The following list of “DO NOTs” will hopefully provide a guide to help tackle all that high school has in store.

One of the most frequent questions I get as a test prep tutor is: how many times should a student plan to take either the SAT or the ACT? Neither ACT, the non-profit organization that administers the ACT exam, nor College Board offer clear-cut answers to that question. Students aren’t likely to get much guidance on how often to take standardized tests from their high schools, either. Schools are much more invested in making sure students take the exam at all, and only the most attentive counselors might offer suggestions for test-taking strategies.

Any time you learn a new skill, whether that’s ballet, Spanish, self-care, or the ACT, you move through four stages of competence

If you want to study Performing Arts in college, the first question to consider is, “Do you want to get a BA (bachelor of arts) or BFA (bachelor of fine arts)?” The answer to that question will dramatically change your admissions process, yet many students do not know the difference and are unsure which is right for them. Though they may sound the same, in practice they offer two distinct experiences. Here, we’ll distinguish between them so that you can make the choice that best aligns with your goals!

Some colleges require an essay on why you would like to attend their school – as many college counselors call it, a “why us?” essay. In asking this question, admission officers are trying to determine how much research you’ve done on their school, if you’re truly excited about attending their college, what you would contribute to their campus, and ultimately, if you would attend if offered admission. Schools want to know if they’re your #1 top choice or if they’re just another school on your list. They want to know who you are and if you two are the perfect fit to accomplish your respective goals.

A STUDENT, 17, sits at a desk pondering life. As she clicks on the link to her dream school, we CUT TO a close up on the wide smile spreading across her face as she hears a college counselor’s voice in her head.

Applying to veterinary school can seem very far away when you are in the midst of SATs and undergraduate applications. However, if you are considering that path, there are a few things to keep in mind early on to set yourself up for success.

Choosing where to go to college is one of the most important decisions of your life. According to a 2021 study by the Institute of Labor Economics, "graduates of top colleges earn 50 percent more than graduates of typical colleges" (Sockin, 2021). But with rankings constantly shifting and schools becoming increasingly competitive, how does one determine which schools to apply to?

It’s never too early to consider pursuing graduate school after finishing your undergraduate education. Graduate school is often associated with higher earnings and can be necessary to gain access to upper-management jobs in certain fields. Graduate school also gives you the opportunity to dedicate time to studying specific topics not offered in sufficient depth at the undergraduate level or to set yourself up for a career change later in life.

It is impossible to deny the growing (and merited) stigma against Greek life that has spread over the past decade. From wild parties to hazing, many chapters have cast a dark shadow over Greek life as a whole. For incoming freshmen, this begs the question: is Greek life still worth it?

Personal statements offer the best opportunity to humanize yourself to the admissions officers, so it’s vital to take advantage of them. Readers already know your statistics and have seen your list of extracurricular activities, so the essay is not a chance to brag about something you’ve done or accomplished; it is a chance to give colleges a glimpse of who you really are—not as a student, but as a person.

Thinking about pursuing a college experience with our friendly neighbors to the north? Canadian universities are an excellent choice for students who thrive in cold climates, appreciate expansive campuses, and are confident in their chosen major. However, Canadian universities offer a different campus experience compared to their U.S. counterparts. Most Canadian students, for instance, don't rely on clubs or school sporting events for their social lives; instead, they turn to the surrounding city for opportunities to connect with classmates. 

Whether before or after submitting applications, some students may feel anxious about what is next to come — they may not feel ready to start college right away, or perhaps they didn’t get the admissions results they were hoping for. These students may want to consider exploring a gap year as an alternative to jumping straight from high school into their college lives. 

So, you’re a strong athlete at the high school level... maybe you even participate on a club team or in a development league. Now you think you may want to continue playing at the next level. The recruiting process can seem daunting, given the nearly 2,000 schools offering athletics at the college level and so many moving pieces and rules.

A successful art school portfolio demonstrates an applicant’s technical skills, artistic style, interests, and overall development while also conveying why they are applying to a particular program. In order to create a fantastic portfolio, you will need a wide selection of artworks to choose from, so it is extremely important to begin as early as possible. ‍

A former USC admissions counselor once explained why she liked reading transfer applications: each had a unique journey and experience to share. Some were predictable and straightforward stories of students who had attended their local community college and, after a year or two, decided it was time to transfer to a university. Other stories included students attending multiple colleges, switching their major numerous times, or even several career changes.

When you think of your ideal college experience, do you imagine yourself following a straight academic track, or do you want the flexibility to design your own course load and explore different subjects? Do you picture yourself attending large lectures or small seminars, where the professor knows you by name? Do you want to live on a sprawling campus that can be mistaken for a small city, or a smaller one with a student body size of an average public high school? If you found yourself gravitating to the latter options, you should consider applying to a liberal arts college. 

It’s never too late to realize you want to go to a good college! Whether you’re in the middle of high school, about to finish, or have already graduated, there are great options to consider.

Deciding between an art school or a liberal arts program can be tough! Art schools, or conservatories, require students to spend most of their time in their artistic disciplines, while liberal arts schools offer plenty of options to try new things and also give students flexibility to change course. Luckily, many universities have their own conservatories or art majors, so it’s also possible to find the best of both worlds!

You’ve spent countless hours in dance studios. You’ve given up your weekends for dance competitions and dream about getting corrections from your ballet teacher. You’ve dedicated your life to the wonderful feeling of being on stage and performing for an audience.

In 2019, there was a flood of outrage over the individuals who conspired to steal coveted spots from deserving applicants at top universities in what became known as the Varsity Blues Scandal. While some may find it inconceivable that anyone would resort to fraud to gain college admission, from our end, it was unfortunately not entirely surprising. We cannot tell you the number of times that parents ask us, “What can I do to get my child into X school?” While this well-intentioned question seems innocent enough, especially given today’s competitive landscape, it is indicative of two broader issues that need to be addressed: