College Guidance

02/27/2026

Time to come up with a plan for your Common App essay! Summer is a perfect time to work on this important piece. Prompts have been finalized for the class of 2027 and workshop dates have been set. We'd love to help your student!

The Common App essay prompts offer a flexible range of topics to help students distinguish themselves in their own voice. During the most recent cycle, the most popular option was "Topic of Your Choice."

02/07/2026

This book is a must-read for any family starting the college admission process.
This author describes Dream School as “a ticket out of the admissions arms race.” 🙌🏻

How do you find the college that's right for you? A review of Dream School through the perspective of a former college president, comparing her own college choices.

11/09/2025

There is so much misinformation out there. Love this admission officer’s take on social media posts.

Check out this video, "uc admission reacts to tik tok"

With so many influencers out there talking about how to get into UC, it can be tough to know what's true and what's just plain wrong. UC admissions director Robert Penman sets the record straight. *LINKS:* - More tips from UC admissions experts: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/whats-most...

09/04/2025

Choice of major is an important consideration when applying to colleges. Some schools admit by major, and gaining a spot in a popular major (like computer science) can be very competitive.

Some colleges offer schoolwide admission; others admit applicants based on chosen majors. Admission rates can vary dramatically from one major to the next.

07/04/2025

UNC has released the essay prompts for the class of 2026. Summer is the perfect time to get a head start on your applications.

Your essay and short answer responses help us get to know you.

04/29/2025

With College Decision Day just around the corner, we're celebrating our seniors who will be attending the following schools:

Auburn University
Clemson University
Duke University (2)
North Carolina State University
University of Alabama
University of Georgia (2)
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (5)
University of St. Andrews (Scotland)
University of Tennessee (2)

02/28/2025

Common App prompts for the class of 2026 are out! A few spots remain in our writing workshop where we’ll tackle this important piece of the application.

https://www.commonapp.org/blog/announcing-2025-2026-common-app-essay-prompts?

The Common App essay prompts offer diverse topics, inviting students to share personal stories, challenges, growth, and meaningful experiences. Discover what has changed and remained the same for the 25–26 prompts.

02/03/2025

Do you have a plan for tackling your Common App essay? Heidi Giffin and I would love to help during one of our week-long workshops this summer. Contact me for more details or to register!

01/21/2025

Schools, including UNC Chapel Hill, are already using AI in the admission process. 👀

“There is no legal obligation to require and/or read essays for undergraduate application review,” Media Relations Manager Beth Lutz wrote in a statement to The DTH. 

11/08/2024

College acceptances are coming in! 🥳 Congrats to my clients who have been admitted to Alabama, Ole Miss, Loyola, App State and Auburn. Applying to a school with rolling admission deadline 📆means students hear back sooner. 🙌🏻

07/18/2024

The Common App refreshes on August 1 but we are already starting to get some intel on the college-specific essay prompts.
Potential Tarheels, 🐏 this one is for you. 😊

Your essay and short answer responses help us get to know you.

07/17/2024

Big changes are coming to the ACT including making the science section optional and the test itself shorter. 🙌🏻

ACT is a mission-driven nonprofit organization. Our insights unlock potential and create solutions for K-12 education, college, and career readiness.