With application season starting in less than a month or so I figured what were some good general, not school specific, tips I wish I knew when my kids class of 2025 and 2027 were applying
Ill Start with one
Make a separate email account and use it for all college correspondence.
That way kids and parents, if involved, can check on a dedicated account all school correspondences in a centralized place without any other emails and also give your kids space, privacy, with their personal email accounts.
They can be happy at. This is sometimes hard because some top students have it in their minds that they can’t like certain schools - but that’s more a mind block.
Bottom line, everyone needs schools they can attend if things don’t turn out as they hoped - from either an admission or cost POV - especially with falling rates at the most popular schools and price increases (and continued shifting of merit aid to need aid).
On college visits, write down notes and snap photos of the bulletin boards in the student center & academic buildings. This will give you an idea of the clubs, research opportunities and activities students are involved with at the school- also makes it easier to write those “why us” essays.