I couldn't help myself. I had to sneak a peak.

She had just wedged herself in to the tiny middle seat beside me and we exchanged the usual pleasantries. I learned that she was a college swimmer flying home to Michigan with the rest of her team after a big meet in North Carolina. 

Normally, I would jump at the chance to talk to a college student about her experience--after all, my job is helping high school stude...

Applying to college can be stressful--but not just for students. Parents often feel the pressure of the college process, but there are ways to be involved while not being overbearing. Here are 5 tips that can help you, help your child make the most of the college search and application process.

1) Be a strong support person, sounding board, and cheerleader...but allow your child to take ownership of the college process. Le...

What's the best way to research colleges?...VISITING!

Here are ten ways to make sure that you're getting the most out of these all important visits:

1. Sit down with your parents and craft a list of colleges of interest. If you're not sure where to go, plan local visits and try to find a mix of different types of colleges (large, small, urban, rural, research, liberal arts, etc.).

2. Call or check online for tour times or...

Guest Blog Post by Cassie Kosareck--Private Tutor and Writer for Varsity Tutors

Remember when you were in the third grade and wanted nothing more than to be a better soccer player or dancer? And remember how you didn’t master kicking that ball back and forth or rhythmically tapping those tap shoes until you had kicked and tapped a thousand times? Preparing for the ACT follows the same principles of “getting better” as you lear...

You may be shaking your head...why is Leah writing about helping middle school parents talk to their children about college, isn't that a bit too early? The answer is NO! And no, I don't mean have your 8th grader begin drafting college essays now; however, I do want to share some words of advice for helping your child begin to prepare for the college search and application process.

1)  —Encourage your child to pursue activitie...

Essays? Grades? Test scores? Activities? What matters most when an admissions officer sits down to review your application for admission? I often get this question from families and many are surprised by the answer. 

So what matters most? According to the National Association of College Admissions Counselor’s 2011State of College Admission report, the three most important factors (as rated by admissions officers surveyed...

1. Organize yourself. Make a place where you will keep all of your college materials--this also means starting a folder in your email and desktop to keep all the information you’ve gathered. Begin writing all application deadlines on a calendar. Also, collect crucial information about you and your parents, including: social security #, address, parent’s occupation, standardized test scores and your transcript from high school—...