Plan the Application - Once a student has a college list, there is still a lot to figure out. Which applications should come first? Does Early Action make sense? Is Early Decision worth considering? When should teachers and counselors be asked for recommendations? And how do you keep all of the deadlines, forms, essays, and requirements from getting away from you? Ridgeline Advising helps students build an application strategy and timeline, keep the process organized, and make thoughtful choices about how and when to apply. The goal is to keep the application process moving without letting it take over your life. 

Tell the Student's Story - Grades, courses, and activities tell colleges part of the story, but they do not always show who the student is or what they might bring to a campus. For many students, figuring out what to say about themselves is one of the hardest parts of the application. Ridgeline Advising helps students brainstorm ideas, identify experiences worth talking about, and develop essays that sound like the student—not like a parent, counselor, or college advisor wrote them. I can help students think through their ideas, provide feedback, and review the completed application, but the student's story and writing remain their own. 

Natigate Costs and Decisions - An acceptance letter is exciting, but it does not always make the decision easy. Financial aid offers can look very different from one college to another, merit scholarships can change the real cost considerably, and the true cost of each option is not always obvious at first glance. There may also be waitlists, changing circumstances, or difficult choices between several good schools. Ridgeline Advising helps families compare offers, look at the real cost of each option, understand what may still be negotiable or worth asking about, and think through the academic and financial tradeoffs before making a final decision.