Choosing a college is one of the most significant decisions in our students’ academic and professional journey. While many students focus on campus life, location, or reputation, there is an often-overlooked resource that can make a big difference: a college’s strategic plan.

Junior year marks a major turning point in high school, when academic demands increase, conversations about college become more serious, and hopefully, your student is taking on more personal responsibilities for their success. It is both an exciting and scary time, so this is Essential College Coach’s best advice to help your family maximize your students’ outcomes and minimize the stress and uncertainty.

While students should take courses in all core subjects, including math, English, science, social studies, and language but more attention needs to be paid to math and a student’s progression through it to determine college readiness.