As the sun sets on summer vacation 2021, some of you may be getting ready to return to high school, and others are off to college. But as you begin your school year, the EA Team would like you to think about this question: "If when I was in ninth grade, I knew what I currently know, how much would that information have helped me? "Of course, if you are honest with yourself, you answer that the knowledge would help! Unfortunately, we usually don't have it, hence, the adage, "If hindsight were foresight, we would all be geniuses." Now, take a moment to think about all the wonderful decisions you have made, which helped you achieve academic success, and simultaneously accept that you could have done some other things that would have made the process easier. Our team says this because by looking at the college process from various perspectives, you can find the path that is best for you.

If you are in high school, envision yourself in your ideal college. Think about what it might look like. Is it in a city or the country? Are your classes large or small? Be very specific! If you are in college or high school, think about what you would like to be doing when you graduate from college. Once more, be very specific! If you are too general, you won't be able to envision your future. For example, if you want to be a teacher, indicate what grade you want to teach. You might even want to indicate where you want to teach and how much money you want to earn. Write this information on a piece of paper next to the year you plan to graduate from college. In addition, write each year until the current one. For instance, if you plan to graduate from college in 2025, you should have 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 on your paper. Now think about how each year represents approximately 365 days that you have to accomplish your goal. If you only made one tiny step each day to achieve your goal, you would definitely accomplish it.

So why not start now?

If you are entering your junior year in high school, this will be a year filled with activities that will propel you toward the college of your choice. Some of you might be thinking, I hate to plan, or why plan? Things change all the time. However, if you don't have any plan, then it won't be easy to
Our first suggestion is for juniors. If you are entering your junior year in high school, this will be a year filled with activities that will propel you toward the college of your choice. YOU WILL NEED A PLAN. Some of you might be thinking, "I hate to plan." or "Why plan? Things change all the time?" However, if you don't have any plan, then it won't be easy to get into the college of your choice. The EA Team suggests that you get a large size calendar and hang it on the wall in a prominent place, and then put the following information on it.

·      Every date that the SAT and ACT can be taken and circle the preferred test date
·      Dates to visit colleges (Although students may not have chosen a college, planning dates to visit schools makes the process seem real.)
·      Dates to meet with the high school college counselor regarding "reach, target, and safety" school recommendations
·      Dates to meet with a tutor or take a course to prepare for the SAT and/or ACT
Once this is accomplished, place the calendar in a prominent place so that your child can review it. Then, write additional college-related activities. For example, when the high school hosts a College Night. Each time you write on the calendar, you are focusing on your goal of attending your ideal college. If you are a senior, the most critical aspect of applying to college is to begin the college application essays. Don't forget to add that to your calendar!

Here's to enjoying the last days of summer vacation with an eye towards an upcoming year as beautiful as the sunset pictured in this blog.

There is a storm brewing, and I am not talking about the one in the sky. As the end of August approaches, you may be feeling unsettled, overwhelmed, stormy. You have a lot on your plate with school starting and college applications looming. It may feel like there are not enough hours in the day to prepare it all. I don't know about you, but when I feel that way I become paralyzed and am unable to accomplish anything. You are not alone.   Stop and take a breath. You will get it done and this time next year you will be packing up to head off to your dream school.
​Today, make a list of your to-do's. I suggested starting a spread sheet with all of your colleges. Include additional writing, due dates and other information that you want to keep. What is housing like? Greek life? Clubs ? If you are still decided on a school, this information will be invaluable in March when all the schools blend together.
Then, get out your calendar and schedule time for each part of the process. The Common application takes about 4 hours to complete. It is mostly drop down menus. Email your counselor and get class size, your rank and your GPAT. That will be needed for the Education section. Finally, begin your writing.  Writing is a process, so start with your ideas and just write. You can go back and edit and finalize later. Most importantly, remember that the best way to combat a storm is to be prepared. 

Welcome to our first blog entry on College Admissions and Transitions. We can’t believe that EA Test Prep’s first class was held in 2012. We created EA Test Prep because many parents and students have told us that we really helped them. Judy and I were so excited to have our dream actualized when we first met with students in small groups at the Studio Around the Corner in Brewster. The studio let us rent space for a minimal fee, so we could charge parents less money for our programs, which prepare students for the SAT and ACT. We feel that throughout our time together that we have remained committed to honoring individual learning styles as we offering the highest quality instruction at reasonable prices, while we help students and parents understand the college process. We have remained true to our values, which are at the core of every EA Test Prep program as we transitioned to tutoring on Zoom.
This summer while we reminisced about our students, we began to fully understand that while we were teaching specific skills and strategies, we were also helping them discover their strengths and how to use those strengths to achieve their goals. In order to formalize our training, we have received training from Certified Coaches Federation. We have now started a new division of Educational Awareness called Power Coaching to improve our skills to guide young adults on their educational journeys. Now we have the enhanced tools to help young adults discover the best path that a student and his or her parents are really seeking as they determine the ideal college, which is a time of life that can be so confusing.  Additionally, we are expanding beyond the high school college transition to helping students and families negotiate the first year of college and beyond. 
We are hoping that once families become part of the Educational Awareness community that they will take full advantage of our programs and guidance from finding your ideal colleges, preparing for the ACT and SAT, working with your high school guidance counselors, completing the Common Application including the essays, and directing you to available scholarships. Once in college, we can provide information on a successful first year experience, dorm living, finding a major, career choices and networking opportunities, and how to prepare for life after college.
It is our hope that you will your experiences with friends and family. We most recently have started this blog to convey essential concept about the college process, so that you will have easy access to our thoughts and you can communicate your questions and ideas about college related issues.