Public school districts across the U.S. made the difficult decision to end the Spring 2020 semester early due to the challenges of distance learning imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For safety reasons, some schools are considering the option of pushing back the start date of the Fall 2020 semester and/or moving fall classes online. 

Both of these choices mean that many students will have a much longer summer break than usual, which has caused parents, students, and educators to ask: How will a longer break from formal education affect students’ learning? 

This article tackles this question by explaining how an extended break from education can negatively affect students’ learning over time. To help students and parents combat the negative effects of extra summer vacation, this article also provides: 

• Five resources for bridging the gap in learning this summer
• Four tips for students who want to continue their education independently, and
• Three tips to help parents support summer learning till school’s back in session

There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get started. 

College students are eagerly awaiting an answer to the question, “What’s going to happen on college campuses this fall because of coronavirus?” Although colleges and universities are working hard to plan for the fall semester, the truth is that most universities haven’t finalized their COVID-19 policies for the fall. 

While what happens with college this fall is out of your hands, we’re starting to get a sense for the possible changes to college life students can expect. 

In this article, we’ll go over six ways college may be different in Fall 2020. We’ll also help you assess how these changes could impact your life and help you figure out how to tackle these challenges! 

So let’s dive in. 

With so many aspects of the college application and admissions process being postponed, reformatted, or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students who plan to apply to college in Fall 2021 are wondering if getting into college will be easier or more difficult during the next year. 

To help you understand the possible advantages of the 2021/2022 college admissions situation, we’ll cover the following in this article:

• Explaining the most important changes to college admissions 
• Analyzing the aspects of the 2021/2022 college admissions process that may make it easier to get into college 
• Five tips for applying to college during the 2021/2022 admissions cycle

Let’s jump in! 

High school students have been dealt a lot of curveballs with the coronavirus pandemic and transition to e-learning. If the spring (and potentially fall) 2020 semester haven't gone quite the way you wanted, the Common Application is giving you the opportunity to address that in an optional essay. This guide will cover everything you need to know about the Common App COVID essay, including why it was added, what the actual prompt is, if it's a good idea for you to answer it, and what you should and shouldn't include in your response.

The Coalition Application can make applying to colleges much fast and easier, but only if you know how to use it. In this in-depth guide to the Coalition Application, we explain every part of the website you should know, what the best strategies are for using it, and how to decide if you should make use of the Coalition Application during your college application process.

Each year, high school seniors from all over the U.S. enter their independent, original scientific research in The Regeneron Science Talent Search (formerly called the Westinghouse Science Awards). The competition invites the most promising applicants to showcase their research projects in Washington, D.C. and compete for big cash prizes. 

Are you a budding scientist looking to earn some extra cash for college? If so, then you should consider entering the Regeneron STS! 

To help you put together a top notch Regeneron STS application, this article will: 

• Explain how the talent search works
• Give you a step-by-step breakdown of the application and competition judging criteria
• Provide examples of winning STS research projects
• Walk you through four tips for creating a winning application

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

What is the Accuplacer test? Are you a new college student who needs to take the test for your school? Are you a school administrator who's heard the Accuplacer can help ensure students get placed in the correct classes? The Accuplacer is different than most other standardized tests, and it's important to understand what the test is for, what the testing experience will be like, and what Accuplacer scores will mean. We cover everything you need to know about the Accuplacer in this guide, including who should take it, what it covers, how you sign up for the test, and what Accuplacer scores mean (and why it's impossible to pass or fail the test).

Are you the type of person that marches to the beat of their own drum? Do you blaze new trails for yourself and others? Are you a bit of a creative genius? If so, you might be an Enneagram Type 4, also known as The Individualist! 

In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about Enneagram Type Fours, including:

• The typical Enneagram Type 4 personality, and how to know if you’re a 4
• The top five things you need to know about Enneagram Type 4s
• Enneagram Type 4s in relationships 
• The best career choices for Type Fours
• The Enneagram Type 4 wings 

Let’s get started!

Taking the ACT is stressful—some test you've never seen before will affect where you go to college. As a high school student, I felt anxious taking the ACT because I hadn't done any practice and had no idea whether I'd reach my target score.

One way to mitigate nerves surrounding the ACT is to try to predict your ACT score. If you find out your estimate is close to your target score, you'll feel relieved. If it's low, at least you'll know you need to do more preparation before taking the test.

What is the best ACT score predictor? What should you do with your estimated ACT score? In this guide, I'll walk you through the different ways to predict your ACT score and explain the pros and cons of each. I'll also let you know how to use your estimated score to your advantage.

There are a variety of reasons why you might want to take online AP courses. Maybe your school doesn't offer all the courses you want to take. Maybe you're homeschooled. Or maybe you want to do a little extra academic work to show colleges what you're passionate about.

But there's a lot to consider before you take the plunge and possibly drop a few hundred dollars on a class. I'll take you through the basic information about online AP courses, some pros and cons, who should consider them, and how to choose classes if you do decide to take an AP course online. Finally, I'll offer some brief blurbs on some of the most popular courses out there.

There's one thing that every student studying for the ACT definitely needs: practice tests that are almost identical to what you will face on test day. No matter how you study, we've found that most students really benefit from taking a full ACT practice test several times in as close to official test-taking conditions as possible. This is the best way to get comfortable with the pace, timing, and format of the exam, and to work on both your endurance and stress-management techniques.

So how do you get your hands on enough ACT tests to put yourself in the hot seat for practice? In this article, we'll link to all the official tests and question sets released by ACT, Inc. and give you suggestions on where to find others so that you have more than enough practice materials to get ready for this important college admissions test.

Have some $2 bills lying around and wondering if they're your ticket to a life of wealth and luxury? Before you start planning how to spend your riches, read this article to learn how much is a 2 dollar bill worth. This FAQ guide will answer all the common misconceptions about $2 bills and explain the crazy history behind them.

Have you heard about how impressive the Regeneron ISEF (previously called Intel ISEF or the Intel Science Fair) is and want to know if it's true? Can it really be a ticket to acceptance at top schools? Yes, the Regeneron ISEF is a highly-competitive science fair that attracts top high school students from around the world. Read this guide to learn how to get into ISEF, what a top project must have, and how you can put yourself in the best position to win this competition.

If you’re looking for a relaxing way to spend an evening that won’t break the bank, consider adding some 2 person card games into your rotation of activities. Two person card games are a great way to exercise your brain and have fun in the process!   

This article will explain how you can play 15 of the best 2 person card games for kids, adults, and families--and all you need is a standard 52 card deck. For each game, we’ll explain: 

• What age group the game is best suited for 
• How to play each game 

If you want to try out a themed card game for two, we’ve also found 5 specialty card games that will have you shuffling and dealing on repeat. 

Ready to play? Then let’s dive in. 

Engineering schools don't look for the same things on a college application that the average school does. I would know -- because I have an engineering background and spent substantial time studying the process of getting into Caltech and MIT, and then I did it. Here, I reveal how they're different.