July Newsletter

Hi friends,

July is the quiet middle of summer: far enough from the school year that the pressure has lifted, close enough to fall that a little intentional work now pays off in a big way come August. This newsletter is organized by your rising grade level, so scan down to your section and dig in.

I have also added two new features this month: a fun fact about a tuition program many families in the West do not know about, and a college highlight that puts that program into action. 

Wishing you a Happy 4th of July!

Rising 12th Graders

Seniors

You are in the home stretch of the heaviest lifting. Everything below I recommend you complete by August 1, so treat July as crunch time and let August be for refining and supplemental essay writing, not starting from scratch.

Due by August 1

  • Complete your school's brag sheet form so your letter of recommendation writers have what they need.
  • Finish your UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs).
  • Finish your Common App essay.
  • In College Planner Pro, note Major 1 and Major 2 in the "Application Outline" section.

Also this month

  • Make sure you're signed up for your SAT/ACT exams through fall, as needed. In my area, test sites are already booked up for August and September!
  • If needed, book extra summer meetings with Rya. Getting ahead now means real breathing room once senior year starts.
  • Determine your early application plan. Will you be utilizing ED1, ED2, REA?
  • Run the net price calculator for any school you are seriously considering, but uncertain you can afford. Ten minutes now can save heartache later.

Rising 11th Graders

Juniors

Junior year is the most important academic year on your transcript, and the work you put in this summer sets the tone for it.

  • Engage in PSAT prep for the October exam.
  • Start thinking about which two 11th grade core subject teachers you might ask for a letter of recommendation in March 2027.
  • Start honing in on your preferred academic focus or major in college.
  • Consider a career assessment. Reach out to Rya for ideas on where to start.
  • Consider visiting three very different schools to get a feel for what you like and do not like. Make those tours official by registering rather than just wandering campus.
  • Start thinking about a regular day and time you would prefer for meetings with Rya beginning January 2027.
  • Plan on a November or December check-in to discuss how fall semester is going and to review your PSAT results.
  • Request a meeting in August if you would like a check-in before school starts.

Also worth doing

  • Draft a comprehensive version of your activities list, with approximate hours and any leadership or recognition. We will refine it together.
  • Stay committed to your current activities and pursue new ones with intention. Depth and longevity matter more to admissions readers than a long list of short-term involvements.
  • If you anticipate testing in spring of 11th grade, light SAT or ACT familiarity over the summer can be useful alongside PSAT prep.

Rising 10th Graders

Sophomores

This summer is less about tasks and more about paying attention to what genuinely interests you. That awareness becomes the foundation for everything later.

  • Continue collecting information on achievements and activities in a single document. We'll refine in junior year.
  • Start looking for opportunities to take on extra responsibility or find ways to make a real impact in your current activities.
  • Focus on the things that genuinely bring you joy.
  • Aim for consistency of involvement across all four years of high school rather than constantly switching activities.
  • Begin thinking about majors and careers from a low pressure mindset. Reach out to Rya for ideas here, but there is no need to have this figured out yet.

A note on testing

There is a chance the UCs will reinstate the SAT or ACT for the class of 2029. There is nothing for you to do right now, but it is worth getting into the mindset that you may want to engage in PSAT prep after 10th grade ends, with official test planning kicking into gear in fall or winter of 11th grade.

Also worth doing

  • Take a strengths or interest inventory and notice which subjects or activities genuinely hold your attention.
  • Read broadly this summer: nonfiction, journalism, or a book in a field you have never explored. This quietly builds your voice for essays later.
  • Look into a summer program, volunteer role, or job in an area of real curiosity, not resume-building for its own sake.
  • If you find yourself near a campus of interest, stop in for a tour. No plan needed yet, just impressions.

Rising 9th Graders

Freshmen

Welcome to high school! 

  • If you are doing community service this summer, make sure you use your new school's community service form to document it.
  • Enter high school with a mindset of curiosity, engagement, and exploration.
  • Get involved and pay attention to what brings you the most joy.
  • Start collecting information on achievements and activities now. It is easy to forget these details as time goes by, so a simple running list will save you a lot of scrambling later.
  • Aim for four years of the five core academic subjects: English, math, science, social science, and a language other than English.

Also worth doing

  • Try out a few clubs, sports, or activities in the first weeks of school. While it may feel awkward at first, it's a great way to expand your network and add joy to the learning experience.
  • There is no need for a college list, test prep, or a defined path yet. Just open-mindedness and curiosity.

Fun Fact

The Tuition Hack Hiding in Plain Sight: WUE

If your family lives in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Hawaii, Alaska, or one of a few U.S. territories, you may already qualify for one of the best kept secrets in college affordability: the Western Undergraduate Exchange, or WUE.

WUE is a tuition savings program run by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) that allows residents of participating Western states to enroll at more than 170 public colleges and universities outside their home state while paying no more than 150 percent of that school's in-state tuition rate, rather than the full out-of-state sticker price. For students dreaming of the out-of-state experience without the out-of-state bill, this can mean tens of thousands of dollars in savings over four years.

A few things worth knowing before you build it into your list:

  • WUE only applies to public colleges and universities. Private schools do not participate.
  • Every participating school sets its own WUE eligibility criteria, available majors, and number of seats, so the deal is not identical everywhere.
  • Some flagship campuses have scaled back WUE in recent years in favor of their own merit scholarships for nonresidents, so it is worth checking each school directly rather than assuming the discount applies.
  • WUE is not stackable with every other scholarship a school offers. Schools typically award whichever option is the better deal for the student.

If you are living in a qualifying state, hoping to get out of state without an out-of-state price tag, WUE is absolutely worth exploring. 

College Highlight

Montana State University, Bozeman

Aerial view of Montana State University's Bozeman campus in summer, with mountains in the background

Montana State University is a great example of WUE in action, and a school worth a look for students who want big outdoor energy alongside impactful academics. MSU is a public land-grant research university classified among the nation's highest tier for research activity, set on a 1,170-acre campus in Bozeman, a college town of around 60,000 that is regularly named one of the best small college towns in the country.

While MSU participates in WUE, it is competitive! 

Mountain bikers resting near a trail sign outside Bozeman, Montana