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

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