Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep and the FAFSA is open. FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and it's your first step for getting things like loans, grants, scholarships, and work study to help you afford…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep and college acceptances are starting to come in. If you applied early through rolling admissions, Early Action, or even Early Decision, we're starting to see a trickle of those acceptances. That's going to…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep and today we're talking about what to do before and after any college visit. Visiting colleges is a great way to learn more about the schools you're interested in and see if you'd…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep and PSAT scores are starting to come out. This year, earlier than ever. As soon as October 24th if you took the PSAT from October 1st through 11th. For those of you who…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today I'm answering the question: Should you fill out the CSS profile? The CSS profile is the College Scholarship Service, and it's like the FAFSA (the free application for Federal Student Aid),…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're answering the question: When will I get my SAT or ACT scores? If you take the SAT on one of the seven national test dates throughout the year, scores typically…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about why you might get rejected to your safety schools and what you can do about it. When you apply to colleges you should build a balanced list of…
Today we're talking about two optional essays in the Common App. If you click on the Common App tab and click on the writing section, you're going to see an area that says “Additional Information.” In there, there are two…
Today we have to talk about college acceptance rates and how they can often be misleading. When you see a college with an acceptance rate of 50% or 20% or 5% of the students who've applied it doesn't mean it's…
Today we're talking about letters of recommendation for your college applications. Specifically, we're talking about the other recommenders that some colleges are willing to look at. Most schools want to see letters from two teachers plus your guidance counselor. But…
Today I am talking to parents about 5 right ways and 5 wrong ways to help your students apply to college. Parents should help students build and winnow down a list of best fit colleges. This is a family decision…
Today I'm talking directly to students who just took their first SAT after having completed a course, answering the question: What do you do between now and your next SAT? Everyone should plan to take the SAT at least 2…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about the most important rule of writing your college application essays. It's also the most important rule of public speaking or telling jokes, and that's: Know Your Audience. Think:…
Today we're talking about the different resources you can look forward to at college. Moving away to college is a big transition: you have to be responsible for yourself and maybe independent in a way you've never been before. Colleges…
College applications are open and now you have to answer the tough question: should you submit your SAT or ACT scores to the colleges you're applying to? Well, that depends on whether or not the colleges you're applying to are…
Today we're talking about your activities. In the Common Application, and many other applications, there's space for you to list up to 10 activities. And what is it colleges are looking for exactly? Well, they're looking for your passion and…
The ACT is changing. They just announced earlier this week that effective spring of 2025 (so we expect that to be the April ACT coming up), they're going to be making some changes. Maybe big, maybe small. We're going to…
AP scores are in. If you took an Advanced Placement class in the last school year, it likely ended with a great big AP exam scored on a scale of 1-5. And your teacher probably told you that if you…
We have to talk about your grades. High school grades are the number 1 qualifier most colleges consider in determining which students to accept and which to decline. But it's important for you to understand how the colleges you're applying…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about four ways students fail the assignment of writing their college application essays. One is by writing about their grades, trying to explain away bad grades, or say why…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about why some colleges that accept the Common App also request or require their own school specific application essays. They want to get to know the applicants who are…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep. Today, we're talking about five things to avoid in writing a “Why This College” essay. A lot of colleges in their application ask, “Why do you want to go to our college?” This…
Hey guys, it's Eric at Solution Prep, and today we're talking about the three step process to writing a winning college application essay. And that's: written first, good next, and length last. In your first step, you just have to…
Hi guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and today we’re discussing whether you should consider religiously affiliated colleges; even if it’s not your religion, or if you’re not religious at all. Some colleges have their faith at the center of…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and if you know me, you know that making college affordable for students and families is something I focus a lot of my time on. But today I want to dispel a myth…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about how the reading and writing questions are different now — on the new digital SAT — compared to how they were on the old paper and pencil test. The…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about summer programs at colleges for high school students. These can be a great opportunity for you to learn more about topics you’re passionate about, or to look more into…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. And as we get closer to decision deadlines the number one question I’m getting from parents and students is how do I get a little more money out of the colleges I’m considering…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep and today we’re discussing how sports culture impacts your college selection. Yes, it’s fun to go to a big rah-rah sports school and have that culture on campus, and have games to go…
Hey guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. We talk a lot about what to do in preparation for your SAT or ACT, and especially during the test. Today, we’re discussing what to do directly after you take the SAT or…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep and today I want to talk to you about things that really don’t matter on a college visit. I have visited hundreds of colleges, and there are things I hear all the time,…
Hey guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep and now that college acceptances are in its time to answer the tough question: what if you were rejected by your top choice college? Well, fear not because there are some steps you…
Hey guys, it’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re discussing how to graduate college on time. Here are three ways to ensure timely graduation. in America graduate public universities on time — which means in four years or fewer. Those…
Today, we're discussing what if you're accepted to your top college but not as expected. Let's explore three ways to navigate this situation. are three ways we're gonna talk about today. One is, but not for your preferred starting term…
Let's discuss letters of continued interest. They're crucial if you've been deferred or waitlisted from the regular round. You may still be able to get accepted, and one thing that could help is a great letter of continued interest. Some…
Today I want to talk about the four-month journey that will be your college application project. Yes, it will take four months. Underestimate it and procrastinate about it at your peril. I have done this for so many years, and…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and today we’re talking about how to apply to college for free. Submitting a college application can cost anywhere from $35 all the way up to $95 for a single college. So if…
Hey guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. And today we’re talking about the Digital SAT timeline. Junior year is testing year and you want to get all your SATs done by the end of it. That way you can move…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep; and we have a problem. Typically the FAFSA — that’s the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — opens on October 1st, and I spend all of October helping families fill out their…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about sending SAT and ACT scores to colleges. If you’ll be submitting your scores — either because the college requires them or because they reflect your best academic abilities —…
Hey guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep. Today we’re talking about the two most important — and toughest — parts to write of any college application essay — that’s the beginning and the end. For the beginning, so many students…
October is College Fair season! Twice a year — once in the fall, and once in the spring — college reps make the rounds to college fairs for your state, your county, your district, or even your high school. And…
Today we're talking about what changes are coming to the PSAT. This year, high schools will have from October 2nd to October 31st to administer the PSAT on whatever day or days they choose. This PSAT will be a totally…
Hey, guys! It’s Eric at Solution Prep, and today we’re talking about that massive pain in the butt that is manually entering all of your courses and grades in college apps when looking to apply to college. Yes… your guidance…
The college reps are coming! Fall is travel season for college admissions reps; so in addition to attending college fairs in the evening, they might also be visiting high schools during the daytime to meet students, and they might be…
We’re back with five more words to avoid in your college application essays. The first is “we”. So often students write “we” did this, or “we” did that; but “we” are not applying to college — you are. So focus…
Today we’re talking about major-specific college visits. When you take a general college visit you’re going to learn a lot about amenities like the food, and the dorms, and the sports facilities. Your tour guide might even tell you about…
Today we’re talking about short college application essays. Everyone knows the Common App will allow you to submit an essay of up to 650 words; then each college might have their own school specific supplemental essays that are just for…
A question I get a lot is whether it’s better to submit SAT or ACT scores to colleges. Right now, a lot of colleges have "test optional" policies, where if you don’t submit scores, it’s not supposed to hurt your…
Today we’re talking about the changing PSAT and your testing timeline. Historically, high schools have had three dates in October to choose from to administer the PSAT. Either the second Wednesday in October, the most common one. The Saturday after…
Hey guys. It’s Eric at Solution Prep. And today we’re talking about applying “undeclared“ for your major. Some colleges consider applicants by major or the school within a school to which they apply. There are only so many seats. But…
With a lot of our students heading off to college this month, today I’ve got 6 great ways to save money off the cost of college textbooks. Students spend up to $2,000 a year on these according to the College…
Today we’re talking about the non-calculator math section on the SAT. A lot of students hear about that and they get very nervous; they’re like, “oh no! The calculator is where my brain exists!” Well let me assure you, the…
One of the biggest mistakes students fail to avoid when they write their college application essays is writing someone else’s story. If you’re writing an essay about your background — or your gratitude — it’s very common to write about…
Today we’re talking about building your best college list. Getting into top colleges has gotten tougher each year. There are a lot of reasons, but here are two of the biggest culprits: First, students are just applying to so many…
Today we’re talking about hooks: a hook is a reason why a college might notice and pick you over other qualified candidates. Now there are some hooks you can control but other hooks you can’t. You can’t control if you’re…
This week we’re talking about how to take self-guided tours of college campuses during your visit. Sometimes your availability doesn’t fit the college’s calendar but you can still go on your own and see a lot of things. Find the…
We’re back today to discuss how another Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruling is affecting college students, both present and past, in regard to student debt. President Biden made a campaign promise of reducing student loan debt for borrowers. And in 2022,…
Today I want to give you five reasons not to use ChatGPT to write your college application essays. AI writing tools are more accessible than ever and the temptation is real to just copy and paste that prompt in, let…
Today we’re talking about the recent Supreme Court decision that effectively bans colleges from considering race as one factor in a holistic review of students’ college admissions applications. For decades, colleges have endeavored to create diverse student bodies, including “people…
The Common App is down. Oh no! What does that mean? Well, the Common Application is accepted by over 1,000 colleges, and with over 3,000 colleges in America, that makes up about one-third of our schools, though many of them…
This month we’re talking through some of the most common prompts colleges assign for those school specific supplemental essays. And one that we’ve seen a lot more lately is the diversity essay where a college asks why is diversity important…
This month we’re talking through some of the most common prompts colleges assign for those school specific application essays. One that we see a lot is: tell us about an extracurricular activity, or tell us about a community service activity…
This month we’re talking about the most common prompts colleges assign for those school-specific supplemental essays, with one of the most common being the “Why this college?” essay. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest and show them that…
This month we’re talking through some of the most common college essay prompts colleges assign for those school-specific supplemental application essays. And probably number one on the list is the “why this major?” essay; they want to know about your…
Today we’re talking about college ranking lists. August 1st is coming, and that’s when most college applications open. So ideally, you want to finish your college search and bring down your list to about five to ten colleges by then…
Today we’re talking about one of the biggest changes coming to the new Digital SAT. Back in 2022, the College Board — that’s the folks that make the SAT, along with a number other products like the APs, GRE, and…
Today we're talking about how to spend your work-study money. If you filled out the FAFSA, your award letter from college may include an amount of money labeled work-study. That's a job you can work while you're in college that…
It’s a new year and it’s important to talk to our juniors about important upcoming 2023 dates. First, the last SAT and ACT of the school year are the June 3 SAT and June 10 ACT. Junior year is testing…
There are college opportunities for high school students that can increase their chances of getting into your top choice college. And, it’s possible you’d graduate earlier and save some money. One option is a summer program, which most colleges do…
One question I get from parents is asking if they qualify for the FAFSA, and the answer is yes! Every American citizen and green card holder meets the FAFSA qualifications and can fill out the free application at FAFSA.gov. The…
The exciting of process college acceptance letters has begun! With them comes the pressure from each college to get you to commit and send in that deposit. If you apply for Early Decision, you will likely have to pay that…
The October PSAT scores are finally in! You can check your results on CollegeBoard.org. You’re going to see three scores: Evidence-based Reading and Writing, Math, and the sum of those two for your overall score. These subjects are scored from…
Today we are discussing how the SAT coming in March 2024 will change the testing timeline for today’s sophomores. Generally speaking, junior year is testing year. You have all school year to take the SAT two to three times to…
Last week we discussed the four numbers to consider when looking at colleges, and today we are talking about the four numbers to ignore when looking at colleges. The first number is their SAT and ACT score ranges. Colleges show…
Today, we are talking about the four numbers to consider when looking at colleges. The first is acceptance rate. If that number happens to be high it’s not a very selective college, and if that number is very low it’s…
Today, we are discussing the Superscore. About 90% of colleges will Superscore your SAT and, if you took it more than once, got your best-evidence reading and writing on one day and your best math on another day, these colleges…
Today, we are discussing college visits. Fortunately, most colleges are back to giving in-person tours and you definitely want to jump at the chance to go. But keep in mind when visiting colleges, they’re going to show you the best…
Today I am going to tell you how Financial Aid may impact admissions at some colleges and dive into Need Blind vs Need Aware. Some schools are what’s called “Need Blind”, which means the Admissions and the Financial Aid offices…
Today, we are discussing creativity. Some college applications specifically ask if you have an art portfolio or any curating experience you can link or upload. Sadly most students ignore this because they think it has nothing to do with their…
Today we’re talking about Early Decision vs Early Action college admission options, which are typically due November 1 or 15, and occasionally a little earlier or later. Applying early gives you a number of advantages in terms of getting accepted…
It’s PSAT Week! Most high schools will have their 10th and 11th graders take the PSAT during school on the week of Wednesday, October 12th. However, some high schools may add a handful of freshmen and some schools will have…
Today we have to talk about email, especially for sophomores. That’s because this is when you take the PSAT, start attending college visits and fairs, and eventually sign up by email for the SAT and ACT. All of these things…
Today, we are discussing Honors Colleges. Most four-year colleges have something called: Honors College. Some colleges call it a Fellows Program, Scholar School, but most call it Honors. In most college applications they ask if you’d like to be considered…
Today we're talking about five words to cut out of your college application essay. The first is you. Students often describe their activities like, "you go to meetings and you do community service," but you is the reader, and that's…
Today we're talking about an important piece of the college admissions puzzle at many colleges that most students tend to overlook, and that's demonstrated interest. That's how you show a college that you are specifically interested in their school and,…
Today, we are discussing registering for the SAT and ACT with testing accommodations. If your student has an IEP, 504 plan, or other disabilities they may be eligible for testing accommodations. This includes extra time, extra breaks, or whatever they…
Today we are discussing Work Study, a job you have in college while you’re enrolled. Federal Work Study specifically is federal dollars given to your college to employ you based on what you filled out in your FAFSA and you’ll…
Today, we are discussing Community Service. That’s one of the many qualities colleges like to see in their prospective students because you’re going to be a part of campus life and that greater area. They want to know if you’re…
Today, we are going to discuss the three reasons to make a college admissions resume. An admissions resume is different from a job resume. A job resume is typically black-printed on one white sheet of paper listing your employment and…
Now that the college bill is due, it’s time to talk about the difference between Subsidized vs Unsubsidized student loans. If you filled out the FAFSA, you’re offered $5,500 in a direct loan that is often called the “Stafford Loan”,…
August 1st means the Common App is open! This is a great time to get to work on specific parts of your school's applications for the colleges on your list. Some schools will be late, but most are right on…
Today we’re talking about if you should apply to colleges “test optional,” which is an option some colleges offer but other colleges don’t—so make sure to read their requirements carefully. On most colleges’ websites, you can find their interquartile range,…
One question I get asked a lot is, “What if I’m not sure about my intended major?” It’s okay if—at 16, 17, or 18 years old—you’re not sure what you want to do for the rest of your life. In…
Today I want to talk to 10th graders about what they can be doing right now to build a great application resume for when college admissions time comes. One of the biggest myths is that colleges are looking for the…
Today we’re talking about student loans. New student loan rates are in for the ‘22-’23 school year, and like everything else these days, they’re going up. On the federal side, the Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loan, often called the…
Today I want to give you some do’s and don'ts about writing your college application essays. DO write on a topic you care about: your passions and your intellectual curiosity. DON’T write an essay on the topic you think colleges…
Today we’re talking about bad topics for college admission essays. Last week we did a video on what makes good essay topics, so if you haven’t watched that yet, do watch it next. The worst essay topic that’s gonna wind…
This week we’re doing a two-parter: this week and next week. This week we're talking about good topics for college essays. We’ve talked before about how grades and scores are what qualify for college, but at the end of the…
Today I want to tell you about two essays not to submit as your Common App essay. The Common App is going to give you seven prompts from which you can choose to write about one for your essay. But…