Applying to College
College Planning Tips
Thrive in High School: What you do in high school — in and out of class —matters to colleges: it all adds up to show who you are.
Stay Motivated: To succeed in high school and college, you have to do your best at all times. But sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, even when you really care about the work you’re doing. Learn about ways to stay on the right track.
Stand Out: Activities outside the classroom can give you new skills and perspectives. They also reveal things about you that grades and test scores can’t.
Get Advice: From advice on classes to college applications, see how your school counselor can help you navigate high school and the college planning journey.
College Planning Timeline and Activities by Grade Level
2022 Guide to the College Admissions Process
ACT/SAT Prep & Registration
More Recommended Reading:
Taming Admissions Anxiety
Opinion | How to Survive the College Admissions Madness
So You're Bummed Your Favorite College Said No
The Order of Things: What College Rankings Really Tell Us
“So if your very bright, hard-working son or daughter has to ‘settle for’ Boston University because they were turned down by Harvard and MIT,” Becker says, “point out to them that they’ll have more top-5 percent math students at B.U. than at the other two universities combined. . . ." The notion that attending a slightly less selective school means going to college somewhere that there won’t be lots of other students who match up well with you intellectually is simply not true.