Winter break is coming up, and your teen may have grand plans to live on the couch while binging reality TV. As fun as that may be, winter break is a really good small chunk of time to do some specific college prep. Encourage your teen to take the occasional break from doing nothing to make some gains on planning for the future. Read my latest blog for suggestions on how to do college prep during winter break by high school grade.

The month between fall and spring semesters in college can be a little bit awkward for many college students. It’s a little too much time to completely goof off, but the options for productivity are limited. Take a look at my latest blog on making the most of your winter break from college.

As a young professional, free employee lunch could be the key benefit to accepting a job offer. Anything that makes it easier to eat while managing living expenses and student loans is a huge perk. But does free always really mean free? Read my latest blog to consider the benefits of your workplace perks.

The Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this summer regarding affirmative action opens the door for additional consideration and debate, but it will not likely turn college admissions on its head for this cycle. Read my last blog to learn more.

Now that you’re into the homestretch of moving your child off to college, you may think that all the paperwork and signatures are behind you. Well…not so fast. Before you pack the car, it’s important to handle a few more paperwork tasks.

Have you ever taken a personality test to see what job you should be doing? It can be an eye-opening experience! Beyond education and skills, some personality types are simply better suited for a given profession. In my latest blog, I review some of the different personality attributes that will help you narrow down your ideal career choices.

People who take time to learn about the way their own mind and emotions work often have an easier time setting and achieving goals. Self-knowledge helps us have better self-control when facing life’s challenges and successes. This self-knowledge is also important in building relationships.

Among my high school student clients, choosing a college major is considered a serious milestone. This single decision will determine many of their plans for the next several years, and it may have a profound impact on the rest of their lives.

The most successful people are generally very self-aware. They know what makes them tick, what they are good at, where they need to delegate, and what motivates them. That kind of self-knowledge is powerful!

There are literally hundreds of millions of dollars available to students in the form of private scholarships, but it takes time and effort to apply. Read my latest blog for some tips to help you prepare successful scholarship applications.

Whether the reason for the transfer is academic, social, or emotional, students need to beware that their problems could simply follow them to the new school. While preparing for a college transfer, students should take time to reflect on their experience and consider what they can do to make their fresh start a good one.

Transferring to a new college is a huge decision. Not only will it be expensive, but you could lose credits and have to extend your time in school. Transferring may or may not be the best course of action, but the only way to find out is to look critically at the issues driving this idea.

What can you do when you discover that what you thought was your chosen field just isn’t the right fit? You poured so much time, effort, and money into learning these skills, and the feeling that it was all wasted is overwhelming. First and foremost, don’t despair. While transitioning into something new may come with costs, you are most definitely not back at square one.

The key to writing an effective cover letter is convincing the reader that you are uniquely qualified to meet their needs. When you highlight your experience and accomplishments, do so with pride. Don’t be afraid to share how you contributed to the success of an organization.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of study abroad, but you’re not quite sure it will work with your personality, finances, or academic goals, other options are available. A study away program is an off-campus semester in the United States. A short term or summer abroad program still takes you out of the country, but not for a full academic semester.

Divorced, or never-married, parents of college-bound students often wonder how financial aid will be determined. It’s common for families to ask me if one or both parents need to complete the financial aid applications, including FAFSA and CSS Profile. The answer is actually a bit more involved than one might expect so let’s walk through it.

I’ve been working in academia or college coaching for my entire career, so a big part of my role has always been to interpret all of the new terms until my clients are equally fluent. The most common terms we need to define in this context are: Need-blind vs. need-aware admissions and Need-based vs. merit-based financial aid. Learn the differences in this article.

Many people confuse work-study programs with on-campus part-time jobs. While work-study may involve working in a campus role, there’s much more to it than that.

Learning how to network is a crucial career skill, and the relationships you build through networking can open more doors than you ever imagined.

One of the major applications strategies I work through with most students involves application timing. Should you apply for Early Decision (ED), Early Action (EA), or Regular Decision (RD)? Let’s review each type of application and what they mean.