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Crafting Successful College Essays

A Q&A with College Solutions’ Stephanie Coberly Pluta (Col ’07) College Solutions leverages their admission expertise to help families get a leg up in the college admission process to find their perfect college fit, submit stellar applications, write essays that stand out, secure scholarships, and achieve their dreams. Read on for a Q&A with College Solutions’ […]

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5 College Search Tips for Sophomore Families

Many families start feeling anxious about the college search process as their children enter high school. This pressure likely intensifies during the 10th grade year—but it is also the perfect time to develop a plan! Setting a solid foundation for the college application process will ease the stress of this otherwise tumultuous time, make some […]

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What Does “Test-Optional” Mean?

Test-optional is a college admissions policy that gives applicants the choice to include or exclude their standardized testing scores in their application. Essentially, submission of a standardized test score is not a requirement of admission and students are not penalized for not including SAT or ACT scores in an admission decision. Many schools, including UVA, […]

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7 Ways Applying to College Has Changed

It’s no secret that the college application process has changed over the last thirty, twenty, and even two years. Applications used to be sent by mail but are now submitted online. Standardized testing used to be a key metric; now, students must be well-rounded academically and personally beyond their test scores. But what else about […]

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Debunking College Financial Aid Myths

The information in this article is provided courtesy of Chris Doran in UVA’s Student Financial Services Office. Myth: My parents don’t make much money, so I can’t possibly afford to go to XYZ University. Fact: This is simply not true. Many wonderful schools (including UVA) have committed to meeting 100% of a student’s demonstrated need, […]

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Common Myths About UVA Admissions

Myth: Rigor is measured by the number of A’s or AP courses on a student’s transcript. Fact: UVA admissions prefers to see high school students who are willing to challenge themselves academically and work hard. Rigor and performance are often illustrated through a student’s academic record, also known as their transcript. At first glance, a […]

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Tips for College Tours

College tours are a great opportunity for parents and their children to explore and learn more about colleges in which they are interested. Since your college visits will probably be on the shorter end, it’s important to be thorough and efficient with whatever time you are able to spend there. Here are five tips to […]

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Parenting During College Applications

Application season is an exciting time for students and their families! Students may feel the pressure of juggling applications on top of senior year and extracurricular activities, and parents may feel the angst of trying to provide guidance to their student without overstepping. Here are three tips for parents to help their children as they […]

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International Applications to UVA

College applications, and high school in general, in the U.S. may look a little different than what you’re used to depending on where you live and what your school system looks like. No matter where you’re looking for higher education, one of the most important things you can do is learn as much as you […]

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The Common Application

UVA, Harvard, Rollins, Fordham, UCLA. What do these schools all have in common? They use the Common Application! The Common Application, or Common App as it is commonly known, is a website which you can use to apply to over 900 different colleges and universities in the US. The beauty of the Common App is […]

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