Chapter 2 - SAT, PSAT, GPA and Academic Profile

   • Don’t Take the PSAT Until You Watch This!   - All about PSAT    • From 1440 to 1570 on the SAT: A Family’s J...   - Out SAT Journey College Application Process 101 — A Parent’s Perspective When my son started the college application journey, I realized how little we actually knew about the U.S. college admissions process. We knew academics mattered. We knew extracurriculars mattered. But we didn’t fully understand when to start, how to build a college list, Reach vs. Target vs. Likely schools, Public vs. Private universities, SAT/ACT, AP/IB courses, essays, recommendations, Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, scholarships, financial aid, and ultimately how to choose the right college. And by the time we started learning all of this, we were already playing catch-up. So I decided to share what I learned—not as an admissions consultant, but as a parent who went through the process. In this 8-part series, I’ll walk through our family’s journey and the lessons I wish I had known when my child was in 9th or 10th grade. 📌 In this series, we’ll cover: • Where to start with college planning • 9th & 10th grade — building the foundation • Academics, AP/IB, SAT/ACT & extracurriculars • Public vs. Private universities • Rankings, college fit, major & location • Building a college list • Reach, Target & Likely schools • Early Decision, Early Action & Regular Decision • Common App, essays & recommendations • Tuition, scholarships & financial aid • Comparing college offers • Making the final college decision • And most importantly—what I would do differently if I could start over Our journey ultimately led my son to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, rather than staying in Texas. Looking back, there are many things I wish we had understood earlier. I went through it. I learned it the hard way. Now I’m sharing it so you don’t have to. This series is for parents and students who are beginning—or preparing to begin—the college application journey. ⚠️ Disclaimer: This series reflects our family’s personal experience and my perspective as a parent. I am not a college admissions consultant or counselor. College requirements, policies, deadlines and financial aid rules can change, so always verify current information directly with each university. #CollegeAdmissions #CollegeApplication #CollegeApplicationProcess #CollegePlanning #ParentsGuide #HighSchoolStudents #CollegeSearch #CollegeTips #CollegeAdmissions101