Class of 2024
My class of 2024 is full. If you still need assistance, I do offer a package with three meetings and access to a College Kickstart account. College Kickstart is a fantastic program that will sort your college choices into categories: unlikely, reach, target, and likely. It will then grade your list, and you can add or subtract suggested schools based on your criteria until you get an “A” grade. The program also has information on which schools value demonstrated interest, recommend interviews, and offer good merit-based financial aid. In addition, if your list includes any schools that offer higher admission rates to early applicants, it may tell you how much it will boost your chances. Many other features offer a good return on investment. If you want to learn more about these options, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.
Class of 2025
I fully appreciate you may not be thinking of college at this point. But for tax purposes, your parents definitely should be! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) requires tax documentation. Because it is due October senior year, and taxes run on a calendar year, you will likely be using taxes from 2023. That means by September of your sophomore year, it’s a good idea to understand the implications of how you hold any assets and make any changes if that’s an option. For most people, it won’t make a difference, but if you own your own business or have rental properties, I strongly encourage you to consult a tax specialist.
I do work with people before junior year and am already working with some of your peers. Please contact me for information if you are in the class of 2025 and anticipate needing help with the college application process. We kick into high gear in January of your junior year, but I may fill my limited client list before then.
Class of 2026
I can almost hear the incredulous thoughts of “Seriously, Holly?!” I completely understand the sentiment. While I do have a few first-year students, it’s not something I typically emphasize. The advantage of signing up early as you can run your schedule by me and ask all the questions you like about what classes to take, what to do with your summers, and anything else college related. Including what to do if grades are not going according to plan or mental health becomes an issue. It locks in your rate as well.
PLEASE NOTE: Even if you work with a college advisor since birth, no one can mold a student into the “perfect” candidate for highly rejective schools. Optimize your odds, possibly, but when schools can fill their classes twenty times over with stellar students, there is no single “magic formula.” There are more than 4 million students who graduate high school each year. Four hundred thousand of those are in the top 10% of their class. They all look quite similar in terms of their impressive achievements. Less than .5% (note the decimal point!) of students will get into the Ivy League schools, Stanford, etc.