Picture this: you’re sitting at the kitchen table with your high schooler. They just received an email that their ACT score has been released. They log in, pull up their results, and there it is: the number. But as you both stare at the screen, you’re not entirely sure how to feel about it–because neither of you actually knows what ACT score your student needs. It’s one of the most common questions families ask about college admissions: What ACT score does my student actually

The Temptation to “Wait and See” The beginning of a new school year often comes with a natural “wait and see” period. New teachers, new routines, and more challenging material all take time to adjust to. A little frustration or an occasional struggle is normal - and certainly doesn’t automatically mean a student needs tutoring. It can also be tempting to view the new school year as a fresh start after a difficult one. Maybe last year’s teacher simply wasn’t a good fit. Maybe

Every summer, parents ask the same question: Should my student take the September ACT? The answer depends on your student’s grade level, current score, college goals, and application timeline. For some students, September is the ideal opportunity. For others, waiting until October - or skipping the ACT altogether - may make more sense. Here are five questions to help you decide. Is your student a junior or a senior? For rising seniors, September is often one of the final

The backpacks are packed, the school supplies are purchased, the calendar is organized, and the alarms are set. Families are preparing for another school year, checking off supply items, completing paperwork, and attending back-to-school events. But for parents of incoming kindergarteners, one important question often remains: Is my child ready for kindergarten? Many parents immediately think about academic skills like recognizing letters, counting to 20, or writing their

Dyslexia is a common word used in discussions about children who may be struggling to read. While the term is often part of the conversation, dyslexia is more complex than simply a child being “behind” in reading. When working with families, I’ve found that few people have a true understanding of what dyslexia is and what is means for a child. What is dyslexia and what are the symptoms? Dyslexia is a specific disorder that affects language processing. It is not a vision iss

In the post-Covid world, the college admissions process has become increasingly more confusing to students and parents. Terms like test-optional and test-blind entered the admissions landscape when access to ACT and SAT testing was limited or unavailable. While many colleges adopted these policies as a response to the pandemic, many have remained in place long after testing centers reopened. Adding to the confusion, universities continue to adjust their policies from year to

Crawling, walking, talking. For most of us, those things all came naturally and without explicit instruction. We watched others doing it,...

I’ve heard countless times, “I’m just not good at math.” While I’m a firm believer that everyone has different skills and proficiencies,...

We all know reading is good for our kids. The science, studies, evidence, and anecdotes are all very clear – kids should be reading. A...

Tomorrow is National D.E.A.R. (drop everything and read). Day! A day dedicated to spending time reading together as a class or a family....

Educators have been discussing the “summer slide” for over a century. The term refers to the learning loss that can happen when students spend long periods of time away from academic practice during summer break. While summer should absolutely include rest, fun, and family time, research consistently shows that many students lose academic progress over the summer months—especially in reading and math. According to developmental pediatrician Dr. Adiaha Spinks-Franklin of Texas

I recently read a U.S. News article that reported that 49% of students began the 2022-23 school year at least one grade level behind in...