Hi, Reader!

April is almost over, which means summer is closer than it feels — and the college prep clock is ticking (although admittedly a little louder for some of you than others).

To help turn "to do" into "done," I put together a quick grade-by-grade checklist of what's most useful to do right now and over the next few months. Find your grade (or your student's), and take it one step at a time.

9th Graders

• Start building a summer reading list. Fiction, nonfiction, whatever you'll actually read — the habit matters more than the genre right now. (Some supplemental essays even ask for a list of the books you've been reading, so that's even more reason to make that list!)
• Consider keeping a journal this summer using these writing prompts as a jumping-off point. Strong writers make strong applicants.
• Download this activity log and update it at the end of each school year so you don't forget what you've done.

10th Graders

• Add a biography or memoir to your summer reading list — they're great for understanding how people tell the story of their own life (hint: that's what a college essay is).
• If you're going on any family trips this summer, see if you can work in a casual college visit or two. Even a walk-around gives you a gut-check on what kind of campus feels right. You can grab this free College Comparison Worksheet from Appily to take notes.
• Take inventory of your extracurriculars. What do you want to deepen? What are you ready to let go of? What do you want to try?

11th Graders (Rising Seniors — This One's for You)

• Ask for recommendation letters before school ends. Your junior-year teachers are the best candidates — they know you now, and asking before summer gives them time to write something thoughtful. Don't wait until September when they're swamped with new classes and a pile of other senior requests. (Pssst. I just updated my blog and included a copy-paste email you can send to teachers for that request!)
• Brainstorm your Common App essay topic. The 2026-27 prompts are out, and they're the same as last year. Whew! You don't have to write anything yet — just start a running list of moments, experiences, or qualities that feel like you. The College Essay Guy Values Exercise is a great place to start.
• Block summer writing time now, before the calendar fills up. Feel like you're wanting a partner in the process? Sign up for the College Essay Guy's summer application program. Bonus: You get 10% off if you register using code JULIA10. And if you let me know you signed up, I'll send you free access to my Student Resume course and ebook! (A $97 value!)
• Think about financial fit. As you build or refine your college list, run schools through their Net Price Calculator to get a realistic sense of cost. It's free and takes about 10 minutes per school.

12th Graders (Current Seniors)

• Keep applying for scholarships — there's no deadline on free money.
• If your financial aid package wasn't what you hoped, it's not too late to appeal. A polite, well-documented letter can make a real difference.
• May 1 is Decision Day. If you haven't committed yet, now's the time. Congratulations on making it through — this is a big deal.

As always, if you have questions about any of this or want a second set of eyes on where your student stands, just hit reply.

In Other News

• Students considering a medical career will be interested to learn that Michael and Susan Dell have donated $750 million to the UT-Austin campus to fund a new AI-driven medical center and research campus aimed at improving patient care and expanding healthcare access. The project, expected to break ground soon and open in 2030, will include a hospital, cancer center, research facilities, and support for scholarships and advanced computing.
• Learn from Access College America whether letters of recommendation still matter for college applications.
• Register for this free webinar from College Matchpoint on May 4: Inside 2026 College Admissions: A Deep Dive into the Data and the Students Behind the Results. In it, they'll unpack what the 2026 admissions cycle actually revealed — from academic rigor and testing to summer planning, leadership, and meaningful engagement.

Happy almost-May,

Julia

​​​​

​Interested in Coaching? Let's Talk! | ​View My Resources | Need Help? Open a Support Ticket.​

This email may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a percentage of the sale in commission, but using these links doesn't affect the price you pay. I recommend only products I use myself and believe in. Thank you for supporting me! Read more: Privacy Policy​

You're receiving this email because you opted in to my mailing list or because you're a current or past client. Don't need (or want) this information anymore? No hard feelings. Just use the links below to adjust your subscription.

• ​Unsubscribe From All: To stop receiving all communication from me, including emails related to any purchases. (Coaching clients will still receive service-related emails.)
• ​Unsubscribe to Newsletter: To unsubscribe from my newsletter but still receive updates on any purchases you've made.
• ​Update your Profile: To fix your name or update your email address.

If a friend has forwarded you this email and you'd like to subscribe, come join the party by clicking here.​