Many families skip financial aid forms in the first year because they assume their income is too high to qualify, or because applying feels like unnecessary paperwork for aid they may never need. This is worth reconsidering. Some colleges will not consider a request for institutional aid in later years if the student did not submit the required forms as a freshman or transfer applicant. Others require a waiting period of at least a full academic year before a student who skip

Business is one of the most popular majors, and a new Validated Insights report (Higher Ed Insights, August 2025), drawing on National Student Clearinghouse data, confirms it's the top bachelor's field in the country. In Spring 2025, about 1.63 million students at four-year colleges majored in business-related fields (across all class years), up 4.8% from the year before. The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) alone accounts for 646,747 of them. Finance and Accounting

What Does an Educational Consultant Actually Do? The road to boarding school or college has many moving parts. Schools to research, tests to schedule, essays to write, and deadlines that seem to arrive all at once. It's normal for families to feel a little overwhelmed. It's also worth remembering what this process can be. Done well, it's a chance for your student to learn more about who they are, what they want, and how to manage something big and important on their own. That

Every October, sophomores and juniors across the country sit down for the PSAT. Families often have the same questions: Does this count? Do we need to prep? What happens with the score? Here's what you need to know, broken down by grade level. Understanding the PSAT: A Guide for Families For Freshmen The PSAT isn't typically offered until sophomore year. However, this year is crucial for building foundational reading and math skills. Focus on regular coursework rather than te

Choosing the right college is a significant chapter in a student’s life. It’s a journey that requires thoughtful reflection, clear priorities, and a focus on readiness for both college and life beyond. The process can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable parts helps students and families own the process with confidence and clarity. One effective way to approach this is through a college choice framework centered on the 5 C's. This framework offers a calm, e

Every year, college rankings generate headlines and create anxiety among families who want their child to attend the “best” college. A school climbs five spots and celebrates; another school drops a few notches and parents start to wonder if something's wrong. But before giving rankings too much weight, it's worth asking what they're actually measuring. Consider this: If Naperville, Illinois, is ranked as the #1 place to live in America, would you move there? Probably not. Ma

If you are fascinated by the nature of living things, enjoy conducting experiments, and like math and science, a major in biology may be right for you. As a biology major, you will study the beginnings of both plant and animal life forms and analyze their structures, functions, and traits. The study of biology has many areas of specialization, allowing students multiple career paths in a wide variety of fields after completing the major. What a Biology Major Looks Like The bi

College admissions can feel confusing, stressful, and complicated at times, but for most students, things ultimately work out well. However, your journey to college will likely go more smoothly if you avoid these seven common mistakes. 1. Lying on your college applications. When you're worried about getting into college, it can sometimes be tempting to stretch the truth on your applications. Maybe add a few extracurriculars that you haven't really actively participated in, or

Applied mathematics is the study of mathematical methods and how they're used to address problems in science, engineering, business, and other fields. It sits between pure mathematics and the applied disciplines that use math as a tool. Students build skills in calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, probability, and computational methods, then learn to apply those to real-world problems. Most programs encourage students to develop depth in a second subject. This gi

The financial side of college comes with a vocabulary all its own. This A-to-Z guide walks through the terms and decisions families encounter most often, from opening a checking account to staying on track to graduate. A is for the checking account you'll want to open. If possible, choose a bank with locations near both home and campus, and make sure parents can easily transfer money when needed. This makes day-to-day spending much easier to manage. B is for budget. Create a

Most students hear the words “crop and soil science” and picture farms and tractors. Understandable. But the field is far broader, and far more interesting, than many people realize. It connects to professional sports, environmental sustainability, space exploration, and even the foods and drinks people enjoy every day. For students who love science, problem-solving, and hands-on work, it is a major worth knowing about. The Science Behind Professional Sports When millions of

A Month-by-Month Guide from Spring of Junior Year Through Decision Day The college application process can feel like one enormous, undefined task sitting somewhere in the future. But it becomes far more manageable when you break it into clear, time-bound steps. If you are a junior, the work ahead of you is very doable when you can see the full picture. This guide walks you through every major milestone from this spring through National Decision Day, so nothing catches you off

It’s decision season. You open your email or log into a college portal to check your admissions status. And the message begins with “We regret to inform you…” If that school was at the top of your list, this is a difficult moment. There is no way to sugarcoat it, and you do not need anyone to try. A denial from a school you cared about is a real disappointment, and it is okay to feel that. But before you let that feeling define what comes next, let’s put this in perspective.

Community Service Is Not a Line Item In a time when college admissions can feel like a competition, it’s easy to think every activity needs to “look good” on an application. Community service often falls into that trap—reduced to logging hours or checking a requirement. The truth is, most colleges do not require community service. And the real value of service has very little to do with how it appears on a résumé. The true value is the impact on your community—and on you. Why

Most students add a few likely colleges to their list almost as an afterthought. They focus their energy on Reach and Possible schools and assume the likelies will simply be there if needed. But that mindset misses the point. A well-chosen likely school should never feel like a backup plan. It should feel like a place you would be genuinely excited to attend. Start by identifying the characteristics you are seeking in your college experience. Are you looking for strong academ

If your student is fascinated by why people think, feel, and act the way they do, psychology might be a major worth considering. Psychology is the scientific study of the connections between the mind, behavior, and environment. Students explore how decisions are made, how relationships form, and how internal and external factors shape behavior over a lifetime. What Do Psychology Majors Study? Because psychology is grounded in research and data, most programs begin with found

Congratulations on choosing your college! Making that deposit is a huge milestone in your educational journey, but it's just the...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the world, changing how we work, learn, and make decisions. Universities are responding by...

529 Plans: A Smart Strategy for College Savings As college costs continue to rise, parents of college-bound students are increasingly...

There are roughly 311 different languages spoken in the United States alone, with more than 6,500 languages spoken worldwide....