Our head tutor Marissa U just got back from a conference where a rep from the College Board shocked the crowd with little known revelations about the brand spanking new digital SAT.

After Marissa told me about the first one, I interrupted and said, "We need to do a webinar for our list!"  

So that's what we decided to do, tomorrow night.  Marissa will run through the latest information you need to know before deciding to take the SAT.  

Or deciding not to take the SAT.

She'll cover the funky way that they now "adjust" the test based on how a student does in the first section (it's weird);  plus tips and tricks on how to get more answers correct, and score as high as possible!

Here's where to sign up -- please share this invite with anyone you know who could use it:

Sign Up Here..

- Andy Lockwood

P.S.  I'm also hosting an actual live (not a webinar) event in our brand new office, at the end of the month.  Details to come.

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

*How to Ruin a Financial Aid Appeal

*The "Secret" Skills College Kids Need (but don't get)

Tune In!

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

Let me get right down to business.  We're closing out registration for our Get College Ready Bootcamp tonight, midnight.

COUPON CODES BOOT-10 / BOOT-10EZ for the one-pay and payment plan options.

If your son or daughter is struggling with the answer to the question, "Why should a college accept YOU?", this opportunity is for you.  And her.

Most kids can't answer this question. 

Or they come up with a non-answer that sounds like something they think admissions officers want to hear (but could pertain to every college applicant):

"I have a 94 GPA."  

"I'm in National Honor Society."

It's not their fault.  High school students have zero training on how to capture admissions officers' attention, hearts and minds and PERSUADE them why they should be admitted to the school of their dreams!

That goes double for parents, who are even more in the dark than their kids. 

You can get the full workup on this summer-long event here, but here are the highlights:

• Two (2) instructional sess
...

Summer is a good time for rising seniors to finalize their college list.  But this is easier said than done.

Most kids are in the dark about how to create a BALANCED list of colleges.  This happens for two reasons:

1. Kids and guidance counselors rely on misleading software like Naviance or SCOIR, neither of which take into account the 20-25 factors admissions officers consider beyond GPA and standardized test scores (and compare you only to others in your high school, when your TRUE competition is across the country, even out of the country)

2. Kids and parents typically aim high, filling their list with Ivy League and near Ivy colleges, without understanding their TRUE chances of acceptance, when compared to actual data based on ALL of the students admitted in the previous year, across 25 academic and non-academic factors.

Related:  there's an assumption that, if your son or daughter manages to get into an Ivy or equivalent, they're all set and the rest of their lives will be smo...

Top of the morning!  

I'll be quicker than a Maryland felony gun charge jury today, because I know you're busy.

I just talked the lovely Pearl Lockwood into offering a Fast  -- Early -- Action bonus for anyone enrolled in our Get College Ready Bootcamp that runs all summer:

FREE preparation of your FAFSA!

(That's the financial aid application required by all colleges.)

This past year's "simplified" FAFSA overhaul and rollout was anything but simplified...

It was one giant pile of horse poop.  So much so that the bureaucrat in charge, Richard Cordray, lost his job over it.

I hope and pray that next year's FAFSA isn't beset by the same or new problems, or "glitches" as the Department of Education called them.  But I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

That's why this Early Action bonus is so valuable - you'll avoid costly mistakes, and save time and stress by having the Financial Aid Warrior herself, Pearl Lockwood, in your corner, walking you through all the ins and outs, glitches, str...

Six or seven years ago, I was having a sit down in the old office with my bootcamp student.  We'll call him Eddie (not his real name).

Eddie (still not his real name), his mom and I were discussing his college list, which was full of competitive colleges, including two or three Ivies.  Eddie was that type of student:  super high academic credentials and very, very strong, atypical extracurricular activities throughout his high school career.

We arrived at the topic of which college he wanted to apply Early Decision to (that's the binding one, although it's not truly binding.  That's a discussion for another day.).  Eddie had decided on Penn, which, according to our software, estimated his chances of acceptance at 50%.  Not bad.

"Hold on," I said.  "What's the latest thinking on what you'll major in?"  Eddie had been waffling between two.

"Computer Science," he said.  

"OK, that might change things a bit," I replied, plugging that last variable into our program.  "Let's re-run the ...

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

College Essay Mistakes; and

The College List and Magical Thinking

Tune In!

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

Can your English teacher help you write a winning college essay?

On one hand, If your high school English teacher (or guidance counselor, for that matter) is a former college admissions officer, then he is absolutely qualified to help brainstorm, strategize and edit your son or daughter’s essay.

Otherwise, he's just guessing.

College essay writing is different than the expository or other type of (boring) papers students write in high school.

Which is why your typical, garden variety English teacher has NO CLUE what a winning college personal statement or supplemental essay should look like, because she's never been inside an admissions office, deliberating the pros and cons of thousands of applicants.

In my 20+ years of college advising experience, I’ve employed several former college admissions officers from the University of Chicago, known for its quirky supplemental college essay topics (“Define X”) and other competitive colleges.  Plus I’ve read every book I could get my hand...

Tonight, if you asked your child  to answer the question, "Why should a college accept YOU?", how would they respond?

Most kids have no clue. 

Or they come up with a non-answer that sounds like something they think admissions officers want to hear (but could pertain to every college applicant):

"I have a 94 GPA."  

"I'm in National Honor Society."

I'm an extremely "hard worker." 

And "passionate," of course.

Yeah.    

“Get me the hard working, passionate kid with the 94 average!” said no admissions officer, ever.

A average?  The A is officially now the most popular grade in high school.  Grade inflation is RAMPANT from coast to coast.  There are no C students anymore.

Honor Society?  Welcome to the top 70% of your class.  Can you say "Academic Participation Trophy?"

While I’m on this mini-rant, here’s my new pet theory:

EVERYONE applying to college is a "leader."   They're all in charge!  There are no followers applying to college.

I'm being facetious, but you get the poin...

Good morning!

We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

Pearl describes yet even more, frustrating FAFSA glitches (unreported);  and

Child behavior we'd like to change (PSA)

Tune In!

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

P.S.  Class of 2025 Rising Seniors:  We have 5 spots left for our 10th annual Get College Ready Summer Bootcamp.  

If you don't want to be the one screaming at and threatening your child all summer to get their essays and applications done, the bootcamp is exactly what the doctor ordered.  Here's the page that describes it all.

GET 10% OFF

Coupon code BOOT-10 or BOOT-10EZ for the one-pay and payment plan options before we sell out.

LockwoodCollegepPep.com/bootcamp