Being competitive for a UC starts EARLY, not the fall of senior year. Course placement is a big factor, as is the rigor in your teen's schedule. Summer is the perfect time for activities that will showcase their readiness for a major.

UCLA's freshman applicant numbers this past year? 146,276 with a 9% overall acceptance rate. Computer Science? 4%. Mechanical Engineering? 3%. Social Sciences? 9%. Transfer rates weren't much better per major.

So if you want a smooth, stress-free senior year (for both of you!), now’s the time to get moving. Need help? Let’s chat: mymarchconsulting.com/services/

The families I work with start early, break the process into manageable steps, and have everything done by August—so their teen can actually enjoy senior year instead of drowning in applications. And bonus: they end up with way more options and scholarship money!

I see it all the time: teens put it off, scramble to meet deadlines, and miss out on scholarships and great programs just because they ran out of time. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Creating a PLAN for the SAT, including the best time in your teen's schedule to take it, spend time studying, and PURPOSEFUL study, will make all the difference.

Did I mention your teen can earn scholarships with higher test scores? Who doesn't like a little more money in their pocket?

(That means more than just buying a book and flipping through it a few times).

Would you take any test unprepared? Worst, why would you PAY to take a test unprepared?

Staying current will help you guide your teen through the admissions process with confidence!

You're not still using dial-up internet, are you?

College admissions are more like technology updates: what worked a few years ago is outdated today. Requirements shift, competition changes, and new strategies emerge.

Is UT Austin a great school? Yes. For some students, it may be more great than others. But if you're judging the quality of a school by the amount of applications received, look no further than how Northeastern has gamed their rankings in recent years: www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/08...

Focus more on the environment each school provides and how that would fit your student, rather than focusing on name and rankings (which are crazy flawed, by the way). If you want more on that, you can read Malcolm Gladwell's article that's still relevant: www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...

Sure, their football team is great. Sure, everyone knows their name. But will you thrive in that environment? How big are their classes? Are you a student who is assertive and can handle the bureaucracy of a massive school?

Knowing how hardcore Longhorns can be about their school, I don't want to risk their anger in the comments. However, I encourage parents and students to think not about the ranking of a school but rather, is this a good fit for you? Rankings are deeply flawed.