A lot has changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and college admissions are no exception. If you feel uncertain about what to expect from college admissions this year, you’re not alone. 

This article will help clear up the confusion! We’ve brought together the latest college admissions news in one easy place to bring you up to speed on the most important changes to college admissions 2021. In this article, we’re going to cover two main things: 

• The top four trends in college admissions 2021
• The three main things you need to be prepared for in the college admissions process as the COVID-19 pandemic slows down

Now, let’s get started!

Applying for college is a complex process with a lot of moving parts. However, the process doesn't need to be confusing! While technically your application is made up of a few required materials, it's actually shaped by what you do and accomplish throughout all four years of high school.

By learning about each step and starting early, you can navigate your applications like a pro. This comprehensive guide will go over the ABC's of how to apply to college, from each requirement to what you can be doing as early as freshman year to start planning. We'll go over:

• Getting an early start on the application process
• Making the most out of your high school career, including choosing extracurriculars and doing well on standardized tests 
• Putting together your college list
• Gathering materials and writing your college applications 
• Actually applying for college and keeping track of application deadlines

That's a lot of ground to cover, so let's get started! 

For many high school students, taking standardized tests has been one of the key requirements of applying to colleges. However, with the rise of test-optional schools and other ways of evaluating college applicants, do you have to take the ACT?

This guide will answer that question by explaining circumstances when the ACT is required, why fewer students need to take the ACT these days, and how you can decide what to do. By the end of this guide, you'll be able to know for sure whether or not you should take the ACT.

Every year, many international students receive conditional admission to colleges and universities across the U.S. But what is conditional admission exactly? And how can it benefit you?

In this article, we explain how the conditional admission process works for international students. We also give you a lengthy list of U.S. schools offering conditional acceptance as well as a few key tips on when to consider accepting or rejecting a conditional admission offer.

For many students and their parents, the college application process is a source of tremendous anxiety. Fear not. If you familiarize yourself with this process and devote enough time to it, I’m confident that you’ll be able to make it through unscathed and end up at a quality college.

In this article, we'll go over the college application deadlines you need to know. More importantly, we'll give you a complete college application timeline, detailing what you should be doing at each point in your high school career to ensure that you can submit exceptional college applications.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably seriously considering getting a college degree because of how it can benefit you in the long run. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with a Bachelor’s Degree or higher have 3% lower unemployment rates and 40% higher median weekly earnings than people with a high school diploma. The job market is also getting more competitive: According to the US Census Bureau the percentage of Americans over 25 years old with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose from 29.9% to 36.0%.

But because of academic, financial, familial, or other reasons, maybe you don’t feel ready to go to a four-year university just yet. In these instances, it might be a good idea to study 2 years at community college then transfer to a four-year school later. In this article, we’re going to examine all the ins and outs of transferring from community college to university, including: 

• The benefits of transferring from community college to university
• When you should transfer community college credits to university 
• How to go about transferring from community college to university
• How to decide which university would be best for your needs

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Transferring colleges can be a very difficult decision to make, but you need to find the college that is the right fit for you even if it means transferring. Whether you're trying to transfer from a 2-year school to a 4-year school or from one 4-year university to another, this article is to help you on your journey to transfer!

According to the Institute of International Education, more than a million international students studied at colleges in the United States last year. If you’re hoping to be one of those students, then this guide is for you.

To help you through the college application process, this guide will go over all the steps you need to take, from translating your transcript to taking the TOEFL. Before jumping into the process of international student admissions, let’s review how your application process is the same as a U.S. student's and how it’s different.

Demonstrated interest is one of the trickier parts of the college admissions process. Knowing what demonstrated interest is and how to use it to your advantage can help boost your admissions chances, especially at competitive schools. 

In this article, we’ll answer all your questions about demonstrated interest, including: 

• What demonstrated interest is, including the basics of how to show interest in a college
• Why demonstrated interest is important to the college admissions process
• How to show interest in a college in four ways 
• How to demonstrate interest in a college to maximize your chances of getting into your top schools

Ready? Let’s dive in. 

Have you heard of the CLT exam and are wondering which schools accept it? The CLT has been growing in popularity every year since it was launched, and currently it is accepted by nearly 200 colleges. What colleges accept the CLT test? This guide lists every school that accepts the CLT, and we also give an overview of what the CLT is and why certain schools accept scores from it, while others don't.

Did you put the wrong major on your college applications? Maybe you changed your mind about your major after you submitted your applications, or maybe you just clicked the wrong major and didn't realize it until it was too late. What now? Will it impact your application? Will you be able to change your major later? If you're thinking, "I put the wrong major on my college application," don't worry. This guide is here to solve your problem.

Over one million high school students use the Common App each year to apply to colleges. The Common Application website can seem confusing at first, but we're here to simplify things. Looking for Common App instructions? Want to learn how to add colleges to Common App profiles? Just want to know what the Common App looks like before you dive in? We answer all those questions and walk you through each section of the Common App so you can create the strongest college application possible.

Asking someone to write you a letter of recommendation for your college applications can be nerve-wracking. However, having a "brag sheet" to hand your recommender can make them more likely to accept. It may also encourage them to write about awards and personal strengths you want colleges to know about. 

Brag sheets are a great tool that not enough high school students make use of. But we're here to help! This guide includes everything you need to know about brag sheets, including what you need them for, what they should include, and an example of a great brag sheet.

Have you been asked to provide a "parent brag sheet" for your child's guidance counselor? Have you heard of other parents completing them and are wondering if they're required for college applications? Parent brag sheets are becoming more popular, but many parents don't get much guidance on how to complete them. We created this guide to explain what a parent brag sheet is and what they're used for. We also go over common parent brag sheet example questions and explain how to answer them. 

If you have researched the college application process, you may have heard about the concept of a "target school." What is a target school or college? Simply put, it's a college that you are likely—but not guaranteed—to be admitted to based on your qualifications.

In this article, I'll define and explain the concept of a target school. Furthermore, I'll discuss how to identify your target colleges and determine how many of these schools you should apply to.