All Things Admissions

Every year, the roughly 7,600 applicants who are named National Merit Scholarship recipients will have waited about two years to see whether they would be chosen. It’s a long process begun annually by about 1.6 million contenders looking for the answer to a simple question: How do you become a National Merit Scholar?

If you’re like many students making post-high school plans, you’re probably agonizing over how to choose a college major. You face a dizzying number of choices, your family keeps pestering you, and you’re not entirely certain how the degree will lead to a career you love. But here’s some good news: Your major won’t necessarily dictate your career success or future happiness.

If you’re considering dual enrollment classes, you’re probably aware of some of the immediate rewards, such as an early dive into college-level academics and the chance to tackle topics you won’t explore in high school. But the benefits of dual enrollment classes extend well beyond high school. Taking dual enrollment classes supports your undergraduate degree, graduate studies, career, and more.

Since the COVID-19 shutdowns, more than half of the 3,300+ four-year colleges and universities in the United States announced they would not require applicants to submit standardized test scores, and 85% of the top 100 liberal arts colleges have gone test-optional. It’s not clear if schools will make the test-optional change permanent, but if you’re a high school student, the only thing you want to know is this: Should you still plan to take the SAT or ACT, and will your choice help or hurt your chances of getting into college?

As you prepare for your first college semester, you might be feeling different emotions: excited to start a new chapter in your life, sad to leave your friends behind, or nervous to attend college. Although there isn’t a one-time solution to guarantee you’ll have the best first semester ever, here are three healthy habits for college students that can help you maintain your overall wellness.

Senior year is winding down and you’ve made your college decision. Yay, you! There’s just one more rite of passage to complete before you fly the nest: college orientation. Whether you’re waiting for it with bated breath or dreading it more than a trip to the dentist, our college orientation tips can help you get the most out of the event – and dare we say, enjoy it!

If you’re a high school student, every adult in your life is likely pushing you to attend college. However, student loan debt is skyrocketing, and the average cost of college tuition has more than doubled in the last 30 years. This may have you wondering: Is college worth the cost?

In most cases, the answer is “yes.” But making good choices is key to ensuring you benefit financially from a bachelor’s degree.

You’ve put in the hard work, and the college acceptance letters are rolling in. Congratulations! Now comes the toughest part – reviewing your choices and deciding which one checks the most boxes on your college priorities list. From academic opportunities to cost of attendance to location, here are the top items to consider as you evaluate your options.

You’re in the second semester of your senior year. It feels like the final stretch of a journey you started more than a decade ago. Maybe you’ve even been admitted to your dream school. If so, congratulations are in order! But before you get too carried away, remember that your high school journey is not yet over; the weeks remaining still matter. Read on for the top five reasons to finish high school strong and safeguard your academic and financial future.

Getting accepted to college is an exciting time. However, once you’ve been admitted, there are still a few things that need to be done before you can start classes. One of the most important is to register for college orientation. If you have questions about when this process starts, who should attend, or how much it costs, read on to find out how to register for orientation.