Now that you have your grades, test scores, activity lists and interests, where should you consider applying?  We will help you find a set of schools that meet your needs.  We are problem solvers and can find great options for any student, no matter what the circumstance.  

Think you can’t afford college? Worried that test scores or grades don’t reflect actual abilities?  Want to apply to the most elite institutions?  Interested in special career paths? We can find the solution that works for you.

Call us now to schedule a consultation and let us help you find best-fit colleges for you!

As some students are taking their ACT exam this weekend, here are some tips and tricks to remember.

1. Keep calm and carry on.
On test day, relaxation is the key...but this is easier said than done, right? Take it easy and plan to give yourself plenty of time to wake up and get to the test center. Remember, breathe! Eat breakfast.

2. Stay positive.
Tests are boring, but think positively. Try smiling while you're taking your ACT test. Belief affects behavior, so it'll work if you stay positive.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice.
If you want to be good at something, you have to practice.

4. Come prepared.
Bring your admission ticket, cells phones are NOT allowed, bring a watch to keep track of time, your photo ID, calculator, and No.2 pencils.

5. No blanks.
You will not be penalized for guessing, but before you go crazy with that No.2 pencil, try to narrow down at least one or two answers that are definitely wrong.

For last minute ACT review, schedule a CRAM session (1-hour) now with an ACT expert today! Contact us for more information.

Creating an #SAT or #ACT study schedule that allows you to pace yourself will help you avoid burnouts.

For many students entering their junior year of high school, one of the most stressful parts of preparing to apply to college is taking the SAT or ACT. When students are inundated with so many different test-taking tips, strategies and services, it can be quite challenging to sift through them all.

One of the most important things for students to do in preparation for the SAT or ACT is to map out exactly when they will take the test and how they will study for it. The following are three tips for designing such a timeline. 

1. Sign up for a test date far in advance: The SAT is offered seven times per year nationally; the ACT is offered six. Once you determine which test you will be taking, the first thing you need to do is look at the upcoming test schedule and decide on a date to take it. Make sure that you avoid all possible conflicts in the time immediately preceding it. Don't let things that you can control interfere with your preparation during that time. 

2. Take the test early: While it would be great if you could reach your target score the very first time you take the test, you will most likely have to take it once or twice more in order to attain the score you want.  Improvement comes naturally through repetition. No matter how many practice tests you take, it is difficult to simulate test day conditions before actually experiencing what it's like to be sitting in that test-taking room.  It will be impossible to take the SAT or ACT multiple times prior to applying to colleges if the first time you take it is late in the fall of your senior year.  With plenty of time left in your junior year, you leave yourself ample time to take the exam once or twice more.

3. Simulate testing conditions: Reserve the last two weeks in your studying schedule for taking a full sample exam, and make sure to simulate test day conditions as much as possible. 

The closer you can get to feeling exactly what it is like to take the test, the less stressful the real experience will be.

For more tips on how to set up a study plan timeline for yourself, get in touch with our experts.

As you prepare to start the new term, you will need new college semester success tips whether you are coming back or are new to college. Getting ready to start the semester, you are filled with optimism and you are maybe a bit nervous. If you are starting out you feel that you were well prepared and made the right choice and are ready.

You want to start with a clean slate. New notebooks for each class or new folders in your computer—ideally both. You will need to save the syllabus for each course. Review the syllabus carefully and use it to do the following things:

• Order or access books and reading material needed for assignments so you have all you need when you need it.
  
• They will ask questions that assume you have done the reading, and if class participation is required, then you will be in trouble if you are called on and don’t have a clue about what is being discussed.  The midterm or final exam will likely include references to the lecture or seminar discussion and to the readings.
  

Fill your calendar or planner. Time management is one of the toughest things that students face and it is a key life skill. You use the planner for planning. Planning is not simply recording when you have a dinner date or a paper due.  It involves looking ahead and also back. 

You look ahead to see, for example, when your paper is due, then look back to see where you have blocks of time to work on the paper.  You not only impress your teacher, but keep yourself from procrastinating.  Other assignments, such as reading a novel for your literature class, may be done in small time chunks.  

Find out when and where you can find your professor. You want to get to know them so they can be helpful to you. Use office hours. The students who do the best also have the best relationships with their professors. Faculty enjoy the interaction with interested students and helping those who may be struggling to get better. Getting ready to start the semester begin by making a friend of your professor.

Find out how the grades are structured. Sometimes there may be quizzes, papers, exams, projects or class participation.

See where you are going to have to apply the most effort to get the grades you want. If you know you will need help plan to schedule time at the tutoring or writing centers. Sometimes they are first come first serve and so making an appointment while you are getting ready to start the semester is smart.

Doing all these things at the beginning of the semester will assure a good outcome at the end.

Stephenie Lee is the founder of Lee Academia Educational Consulting, consultant and the author of "Writing a Compelling College Application Essay: Workbook" and other College series workbooks. She is also an expert on test taking strategies, study skills and college admissions strategies. Find out more about Stephenie at website.

Contributed by Joyce Mei, Hunter College HS (Class of 2015)

College freshmen, worried about forgetting something, always tend to overpack on the countless essentials that all seem to be needed, However, there are certain things that are better left at home:

• Unapproved Appliances - Every college has a different set of unapproved electrical appliances that are forbidden, including toaster ovens, lava lamps, and slow cookers.
  
  
• Extra Clothing - Although students may want to bring just about all their clothes, it is unnecessary to pack every outfit and impossible to fit it all in the small, allotted dorm space. Instead, students should pack some essentials and maybe one special outfit.
  
  
• Potentially Dangerous Equipment - Most colleges will prohibit items that pose risks to student safety, including weapons or even candles. Students should check their individual college’s policies before bringing such items.
  
  

In addition to the aforementioned items, it is also important to coordinate with other roommates before purchasing larger items like refrigerators to save space. Students should check their college’s housing regulations and guidelines for further information on what to bring and what to leave at home.

For more details about the transition to college, contact Lee Academia experts.

Why engage the services of a private college consultant?

Independent college consultants are

• Available. Consultants aren’t tied to a school, a school district, or a school calendar. They work with students in the immediate neighborhood or across the world thanks to readily available technology. Not surprisingly, consultants do much of their most important work over the summer months getting seniors ready for the admissions process, and many work long weekend and evening hours. Lee Academia's experts worked 24-7 for the past 10 years, and have never complained about their hours, as their dedication to work with students always comes first.
  

• Responsive. It’s part of the business model. Consultants have to respond promptly to emails, phone calls and other forms of inquiry or they’re quickly out of business. Deadlines are everything in the world of college admissions and no one is more aware of time constraints and the need for immediacy than independent educational consultants.

• Knowledgeable. Consultants spend significant time visiting college campuses and attending professional workshops or conferences. It’s no secret that colleges have different personalities and management practices. But it’s virtually impossible to get a feel for these personalities or keep up with changes in programs and facilities without visiting on a regular basis. Lee Academia's experts visit over 80 schools each year to update their knowledge about campuses firsthand, despite the availability o
  

• Credentialed. Reputable independent educational consultants maintain memberships in organizations such as the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) or local NACAC affiliates—each of which sets individual membership requirements demanding years of specialized experience, education and training, and a firm commitment to continuing education.

• Ethical. As members of the above-mentioned organizations, consultants subscribe to specific Principles of Good Practice governing the actions of consultants in their relationships with students and families, schools and colleges, and with colleagues.

• Parent-recommended. Anyone in the consulting business will tell you no amount of marketing will ever bring in as many clients as simple word-of-mouth. Informal surveys of educational consultants suggest that as many as 90 percent of families seeking college consulting services are referred by other families. The best consultants are well-known in the community and are respected for the service they provide. It’s as simple as that. So ask to speak with our satisfied clients and former students or check out the Testimonials.
  

Contributed by Douglas Lee, Case Western Reserve (Class of 2016)

By far, the most challenging part of the college application is the college essay. You might ask yourself, “How can I possibly fully convey my individuality and personal value in 650 words or less?!” but read these tips for some help on how to take on this daunting task.

1.      Finding a Topic – This is the big first step in this process. Start by brainstorming some ideas and try to find an instance in your recent life, whether an important event in your life or a smaller one, that displays your thought process and how you can handle challenging situations. The way each individual’s mind works is different, and in this essay, you want to show why your mind is distinctive and an asset to the college community.

2.      First Draft – If necessary, you may want to write multiple first drafts about different topics. When you write these drafts, just let your ideas flow onto the page and it is fine if it comes out to three pages long. You can edit out the parts you don’t want and fix up the grammar and diction in later drafts.

3.      Be Yourself and Be Specific – Don’t just write about what you think others will want to hear. Be specific about how the story you are telling relates to your personal qualities and how the angle you’re taking is reflected. The story is only as good as how you spin it in your favor.

4.      Illustrate your Story and Be Vivid – I’m sure you’ve heard this countless times from your fifth grade teacher, but “show, not tell” is the name of the game here. You can claim that you are smart, courageous, determined and all that, but your readers will never be convinced unless you show them how you displayed those desirable characteristics in concrete examples. In your essay, write about how the particular instance you have chosen has impacted you and why it is compelling. Give details that show your story is likable and that you are personable.

5.      Show that you are Goal-Oriented – Let your reader know that you strive for success and that you want to contribute something of value to your environment. But at the same time, you do not need to list your accomplishments or include any humble-brags. There is a separate section of the application to do just that!

6.      Get a Second Opinion and Rewrite – Your essay is one of the few aspects of your application that show what your personality is actually like. You know exactly what you mean when you write down those words, but perhaps those words may not convey your message fully to a second reader. Sure the words make sense in your head, but a stranger who is reading your essay does not have the same background knowledge that you do. Having a teacher or a friend look over your essay may help you deliver your message clearer, provide other aspects of your personality to display, and give your essay a better direction to follow.

For more guidance with the College Personal Statements or Essays, contact our experts for more advice.

Contributed by Douglas Lee, Case Western Reserve (Class of 2016)

College visits are an essential part of the important college decision process. By visiting a college campus for an afternoon, you can attain much more information about that school than by spending endless hours researching it online on sites like College Prowler. You can never fully grasp the unique environment each college provides behind a computer screen! In addition, online student submitted reviews are often biased, unreliable, or outdated. The dynamic of a college campus is constantly changing, and these changes may not be reflected online.

Sure, a top ranked school may have all the qualities you are looking for: a strong program in the academic field you are interested in, numerous research opportunities, smart and ambitious students, and even a critically acclaimed dining hall! What’s not to like? However, without visiting this school, you miss out on many facets of student life; the qualities that determine whether or not you will enjoy your next four years at the school.

College fit is an underrated aspect of the college decision process. When visiting a college, we recommend that you take a quick drive around the nearby city or town, interact with actual students, talk to faculty, sit in on a class, and tour main buildings such as the dining hall, recreational facilities, and library. Current students, professors, and admissions officers may provide much more valuable and insightful information that you may not be able to find elsewhere.

By visiting a college, you may learn to appreciate a school that you had not even considered to be a top choice, or, you may learn that a previous top choice was just not the right fit for you.

While sites like College Prowler, Unigo, USNews, and even Reddit may provide plenty of useful information, we only recommend that you use these sights as a starting point, and not the only sources you have to base your college decision on.

Additional Tips:

• Be prepared – Look online to see if the college you are visiting provides campus tours, or even better, overnight stays with current students. Some schools require reservations.

• Also, email a professor beforehand to see if sitting in on a class is a possibility.

• Take notes – Notes will help you remember unique characteristics or points when comparing between colleges. Also, these notes may become very useful when writing supplemental essays later.
  
• Check out popular student hangout spots on and off campus. These are the places where you see what the student body is really like.

For more college visit consultations, contact Lee Academia.

So for all the art students, art school admissions is a competitive business, one that requires not just an academic application but an art portfolio as well.

It's important to get an outside assessment of a student's work, so be sure to check out National Portfolio Day, a free public event that invites would-be art school applicants to meet with college representatives and have their portfolios evaluated. This event is specifically for visual artists and designers.

To get your art portfolio together, contact us at Lee Academia and our art school specialist will prepare you for National Portfolio Day.