Barbara Sams, Managing Partner
Ah, August. The season of sharpened pencils, unopened planners, school supply aisles that somehow cost $200, and parents everywhere wondering, “Didn’t we just celebrate the last day of school?”
Every year, students promise this will be the year they stay organized. Every year, parents vow they won’t wait until 10:30 p.m. on a Sunday to ask, “Do you have any homework?” And every year, someone discovers an entire science project the night before it’s due.
The beginning of the school year isn’t just about finding your locker or figuring out the shortest route to third period. It’s the perfect time to build habits that make the college planning journey much less stressful down the road.
Here’s our grade-by-grade game plan.
Freshmen: Relax…But Pay Attention
Congratulations! You’ve officially entered high school. No, colleges are not evaluating whether you wore mismatched socks on the first day.
Your biggest job this year isn’t worrying about college rankings or building the “perfect” résumé. It’s discovering who you are.
Try something new. Join a club you’ve never heard of. Audition for the play. Run for student council. Attend that robotics meeting. Volunteer. You don’t have to love everything you try-but you’ll never know unless you show up.
Parents: Resist the urge to ask about college every other Tuesday. Ninth graders need room to explore before they specialize.
One more tip: Learn how to use a calendar. Future you will be incredibly grateful.
Sophomores: Time to Build Momentum
Sophomore year often flies under the radar, but it’s secretly one of the most important years of high school.
Academically, challenge yourself appropriately. Continue exploring activities but start noticing which ones genuinely excite you. Colleges love commitment far more than collecting twenty club memberships where your primary responsibility was eating pizza at meetings.
This is also a great year to become familiar with standardized testing. If your school offers you the opportunity to take the PSAT, do it. It’s also a good idea at some point this year to take a SAT or ACT practice exam. There are plenty of ways to take a free exam. The point here is to decide which test works best for you. That way, next summer, you will know which test to focus on as you prepare for your actual testing in your junior year.
Parents: Let your student own more of the process. If you’re still emailing teachers about missing assignments, it may be time to loosen the reins. Colleges expect independence, and that learning starts now.
Juniors: Welcome to the Main Event
Junior year is where things get real. Coursework gets harder. Testing enters the picture. College visits become actual research instead of family vacations disguised as “just driving through campus.”
Start building a balanced college list early. Visit colleges if you can. Attend college fairs. Meet admissions representatives when they visit your high school. Ask questions.
Now is the time to take the ACT or SAT, preparation starts earlier than you think. Most students perform their best after gaining some familiarity with the test, and leaving everything until the spring can create unnecessary stress.
This is also the year to start thinking about recommendation letters and what makes you, not your résumé, interesting.
Parents: Your role shifts from project manager to coach. Offer guidance, keep everyone fed, and remind yourself that your student’s dream school does not have to be your dream school.
One more tip: Parents, NOW is the time to consider what is realistic for your family to pay for college. Take advantage of the free tools available to assess what colleges may expect you to pay. Complete a few Net Price Calculators at different schools your child may be considering. (Just go to a school’s website and search for the tool.) Have an honest conversation with yourself and with your student about what resources you can commit.
Seniors: Breathe. Then Double-Check Everything.
Senior year is exciting, emotional, and occasionally powered entirely by caffeine. Organization becomes your superpower.
Create a master calendar with application deadlines, scholarship deadlines, financial aid forms, audition dates, portfolio submissions, and testing dates if needed. Missing a deadline because “I thought it was next week” is not only a terrible strategy, it also could cost you an opportunity or even a scholarship!
Proofread everything. Then have someone else proofread it. Colleges appreciate thoughtful essays. They are less impressed by essays that accidentally refer to another university. Speaking of essays, colleges want to hear from YOU, not AI, not your parents, not your best friend’s second cousin who “knows what to do.” Write your own essays. Authenticity matters.
Remember that applying is only part of the process. You’ll also be making financial comparisons, attending admitted student events, and eventually deciding where you’ll spend the next four years.
Parents: Senior year is full of lasts. The last football game. The last orchestra concert. The last first day of school. Take the pictures. Celebrate the milestones.
One more tip: Set a schedule with your senior for conversations about college. We encourage it to be no more than once a week. Believe us, your senior is being questioned about college all the time.
For Everyone
A successful school year isn’t about perfection.
It’s about showing up consistently, asking for help when needed, staying curious, and remembering that growth rarely happens inside your comfort zone.
The college admissions process can feel overwhelming, but here’s the good news: it doesn’t begin senior year. It begins with everyday choices, doing your homework, exploring your interests, challenging yourself academically, and learning from setbacks.
So sharpen those pencils, charge the Chromebook, locate the backpack that’s been hiding in the garage all summer, and embrace the fresh start.
Here’s to a year filled with curiosity, confidence, a little less procrastination… and hopefully no forgotten science projects discovered at bedtime.
Happy Back-to-School Season!