College applications with less stress &
better results.
Getting into college is more competitive than ever. This guide will help you understand
- All five parts of a college application
- Exactly what colleges really look for in each part
- How your student can strengthen their application from Freshman to Senior year for maximum impact with less stress
Access your free college application checklist now.
Sarah Bergin
Director of College Consulting, Senior College Counselor
Meet Your College Support Expert
Sarah Bergin helps students and parents stay organized, confident, and clear at each step of the college application process.
Sarah is an experienced educator with over 15 years of supporting high school students through academics and social-emotional growth. For nearly a decade, Sarah has worked with Evolved Education Company, building strong relationships with students and families while guiding them through key milestones from 9th–12th grade, including extracurricular planning, summer programs, course selection, and early college exploration.
Frequently asked questions about the college application process
How early is too early to start thinking about college applications?
Some families start preparing as early as middle school to begin building a strong application. The timeline depends heavily on how ambitious your education goals are and how your student learns.
This guide starts in freshman year because we believe pacing out the work creates a better overall experience for your student and for the parents supporting the process.
Are test scores and grades still the most important part of the college application?
Grades, testing, and essays tend to get the most attention, in part because they’re the most visible, and in part because there’s an entire industry built around them.
But colleges evaluate every application across all five areas of the application, and strength in one doesn’t compensate for weakness in another. We think that the work of high school is figuring out how to fulfill each part of the application in a way that’s true to that particular student.
As a parent, how can I best support my student through the college application process?
Parents agree that they want their children to gain the skills, self-awareness, and confidence to make good decisions once they leave the nest. We believe those skills start to build now, when a student is in high school and learning to take ownership of their education goals. Our advice: provide the scaffolding your child needs to stay on track, but avoid the temptation to step in and do it for them.
The Complete College Application Checklist will provide a great resource you and your child can review together, year after year, to set a plan of action and help them stick to it!
