I’ve not found it to be the case for choosing colleges and starting on applications and essays. But it is the case for standardized testing. A well-advised plan is to start test prep in the summer after 10th grade, building toward finishing the SAT and/or ACT just before the PSAT. That plan works particularly well for strong math students, who get too far away from SAT/ACT math by junior and senior year. And in the days of the subject tests, parents needed to be on top of getting those taken care of right after the relevant classes.
As for the original questions…
- About 240 students covered by 7 counselors.
- Mostly remote, like everything else. Kids will likely be behind on apps and essays this year.
- Didn’t factor into the decision for us.