The College Sage

Change. Change. Change.

More updates regarding the 2026-2027 application cycle have been released in the past month. The College Sage wanted to share this information as the Common App opened on August 1st and college application season has truly begun!

Vanderbilt will require ACT or SAT scores starting in the fall of 2029. For applicants applying in fall of 2026, 2027 and 2028, it is still test optional.

Tulane University announced their Campus Preview Day will be on Saturday October 10th. This is a great way for students to learn more about Tulane through tours and panels, and show demonstrated interest. If Tulane is a top choice, consider attending the event to learn more.

And finally, Georgetown is now on the Common App leaving the UCs as the main additional application platform outside of the Common App.

More schools have decided to remove their supplemental essays for the 2026-2027 application cycle. Georgia Tech, University of Vermont, and High Point University will no longer require a supplemental essay for admission. University of Georgia, University of North Carolina, Tulane University and University of Miami announced they were removing their supplement earlier this summer.

Several schools announced new supplementals or made changes to their previous ones. You can find a list of the schools with new updated supplementals on our thecollegesage.com/blog.

Feeling overwhelmed? We’ve got you! Contact thecollegesage.com! We’re here to keep you organized, on track, and upbeat during this application cycle. Just read our testimonials :)

Each fall, several states hold college application day, week or month for residents. This opportunity encourages more students to apply to colleges and universities, due to the programming and support. Some states waive application fees, causing no financial barrier to applications. This opportunity applies to both public and private universities, depending on the state. Check out today’s The College Sage blog .com/blog to see a state by state outline of information for the 2026-2027 cycle. ❤️

For students drawn to spectacular mountain settings, the University of Colorado Boulder offers one of the nation’s most dynamic college experiences. Nestled against the Flatirons, CU Boulder combines the energy of a major public research university with an adventurous outdoor culture. Students have access to nationally recognized programs in engineering, aerospace, environmental sciences, business, and journalism while enjoying an active campus filled with Division I athletics, research opportunities, entrepreneurship, and a vibrant college town. Boulder itself becomes an extension of the classroom, encouraging hiking, skiing, cycling, and innovation in equal measure.

While both CU Boulder and The University of the South (see prior insta post) occupy beautiful mountain campuses, the student experience is remarkably different. Sewanee emphasizes an intimate liberal arts education on a secluded 13,000-acre mountaintop where close faculty relationships, residential traditions, and a tight-knit community define daily life. CU Boulder, by contrast, delivers the excitement and scale of a large research university in a thriving city. Students benefit from extensive academic choices, major athletic events, diverse student organizations, and immediate access to internships, startups, and outdoor recreation. Families choosing between these two mountain campuses should recognize that the scenery may be equally inspiring, but the educational environment, pace, and opportunities are fundamentally distinct.

Which mountain campus might you prefer? Contact thecollegesage.com to learn more about these exciting opportunities!

We’ve been in search of cooler air this summer and found two awesome mountain college campuses you’ll want to know all about! These two college experiences are about as different as can be. Can you guess where we’ve been?

The University of the South (Sewanee) is our first stop! Read all about it below and check our Instagram tomorrow to see a very different mountain college experience!

Tranquil. Idyllic. Relational. If these adjectives appear at the top of your “desired college attributes” list, Sewanee: The University of the South is worth a serious look. Situated on 13,000 beautiful, wooded acres atop Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, Sewanee offers a highly residential, highly personal liberal arts education to just under 2,000 students. It’s a place where things move a bit slower, and we mean that in a good way. Students here live together on a verdant, welcoming campus. The peaceful surroundings allow community members to focus on their studies and on truly getting to know one another. Folks are exceptionally friendly and love extending southern hospitality to visitors. (But if you crave a change of pace, the neon lights, honky-tonks, and big city amenities of Nashville are just 1 hour, 15 minutes away.)

We were also impressed by the Sewanee Pledge, entitling each student to funding for a summer internship or fellowship, access to semester-long study abroad programs at no extra cost, and a “graduate in four years” guarantee.

See yourself at an exceptional liberal arts institution in a friendly, southern small town? Contact The College Sage for more information on how you might become a Sewanee Tiger.

Check out today’s blog .thecollegesage/blog on AI and the Future of the College Classroom and hear what The College Sage Intern Marina Duff has to say about her experiences watching AI unfold during her pivotal college years!

As a rising senior at Washington and Lee University, I have seen how artificial intelligence has impacted the educational landscape. From simple tasks to more complex assignments, resources like ChatGPT and Claude are used on a daily basis. Every professor includes a section for use of artificial intelligence in their syllabus, outlining what breaks their code of cheating. It has become a great resource for students, and there are many ways our generation has an educational advantage since information is available in seconds, but I definitely worry about the impact down the line. Are college students learning and understanding the same amount of material they learned 15-20 years ago?

On the flip side, it is crucial for students to know how to use artificial intelligence effectively. Most industries have been impacted by AI and students need to know how to use it to be valuable employees. Many schools have introduced, and are still introducing, programs for artificial intelligence so students can really learn these programs. I feel that these programs are great and will provide many job opportunities for students, especially those who are interested in fields that require a lot of computer skills. However, I do think it is important that colleges and universities require that all students take one class in artificial intelligence, since most industries use it.

I am a Sociology major and Education Studies and Policy minors, and I took a Data Science class my junior fall. It was required of my major, but I wouldn’t have chosen to take it otherwise. I am really glad that I took the class and it was one of the classes I learned the most in. The skills I learned in that class will help me in my future career, and have made me approach artificial intelligence with more confidence.

Overall, I think there are benefits and downsides to artificial intelligence, but it is crucial that educators teach students how to use it for good.

We’ve got big news! We’re growing! We are beyond thrilled to announce that Sheila McGrory has joined our team as a College Sage Consultant. Sheila and I go way back to our Wake Forest college days, and I’m so pleased she is joining The College Sage with a satellite office in the Washington DC area. Sheila has had a long career in education, most recently at The Madeira School, where she taught English (mostly juniors and seniors), was a Class Dean, and worked in College Counseling, supporting students throughout their college application process. During her nine years at Madeira, Sheila helped many students achieve success and pursue their dreams beyond high school. You can contact Sheila at thecollegesage.com or directly at [email protected]. Welcome Sheila!

We had been waiting on this tour of Fairleigh Dickinson’s Vanderbilt mansion for a long time!

Originally built in 1897 as the lavish country estate of Florence Vanderbilt Twombly and her husband, financier Hamilton Twombly, the Vanderbilt-Twombly Mansion is the architectural centerpiece of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Florham Campus in Madison, New Jersey. Designed by the renowned firm McKim, Mead & White, the 100-room mansion showcases stunning marble halls, elegant fireplaces, grand staircases, and beautifully restored formal gardens that transport visitors back to the Gilded Age.

Since Fairleigh Dickinson acquired the estate in 1958, the mansion—now known as Hennessy Hall—has been thoughtfully adapted for student life while preserving its historic character. Students attend classes in former family bedrooms and reception rooms, meet with faculty and administrators in the mansion, gather in lounges, pick up mail, and enjoy events, lectures, performances, and celebrations in the magnificent Lenfell Hall. The surrounding gardens provide peaceful spaces for studying and relaxing, making the mansion not simply a museum, but a vibrant academic and social hub where history enriches the everyday student experience.

Want to learn more about Fairleigh Dickinson? Contact thecollegesage.com now!

On a summer visit, the University of Delaware has a way of surprising you. At first glance, it feels like the classic American college campus, tree-lined walkways, striking Georgian architecture, and plenty of spaces to invite students to gather on The Green, but spend an hour here and you begin to appreciate its uniqueness and why so many students fall in love with it.

What makes Delaware special is that it offers the opportunities of a major research university without feeling overwhelming. Future engineers, business leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and healthcare professionals have access to cutting-edge labs, nationally recognized faculty, and research experiences that many universities reserve for graduate students. The Horn Entrepreneurship program adds an exciting creative energy, encouraging students to turn big ideas into real companies. The Biden Institute connects students with national leaders through policy discussions, public service initiatives, and distinguished speakers, offering exceptional opportunities to explore leadership, civic engagement, and real-world policymaking.

Outside the classroom, Delaware knows how to deliver the full college experience. Blue Hen pride is everywhere—from football Saturdays to more than 400 student organizations, club sports, concerts, and traditions that make campus feel alive year-round. Newark’s Main Street is packed with restaurants, coffee shops, and ice cream stops, while Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. are all easy trips for internships and weekend adventures.

If you’re looking for a university that combines academic excellence, school spirit, career-building opportunities, and a campus that simply feels like “college,” the University of Delaware deserves a place near the top of your list.

Touring the University of Mary Washington on a sweltering summer day only reinforced why this institution stands out to The College Sage. Even under the Virginia 117 degree “feels like” heat, the campus’s beauty and welcoming atmosphere were impossible to miss. The stately red-brick Georgian buildings, shaded walkways, and classic campus green create an environment that feels both timeless and personal.

Mary Washington excels by offering the strengths of a respected public liberal arts university without the overwhelming size of many state flagships. Students benefit from small classes taught by professors rather than graduate assistants, allowing for meaningful relationships and individualized academic support. The university’s honors opportunities, undergraduate research, study abroad programs, and strong internships—bolstered by its proximity to Washington, D.C., and Richmond—provide outstanding preparation for graduate school and careers.

Despite the intense summer temperatures, it was easy to imagine the campus buzzing with energy during the academic year.
For students seeking rigorous academics, exceptional faculty access, outstanding value, and a beautiful residential campus where they won’t be lost in the crowd, the University of Mary Washington deserves a place high on any college list.

Each year 150 Coca-Cola scholars are selected based on their achievement in leadership, service and commitment to their schools. Founded in 1986, the Coca Cola Scholarship Foundation has supported over 7,200 students nationwide through $90 million in scholarships. Each Coca Cola scholar receives $20,000 towards their undergraduate tuition. The top five colleges attended by Coca Cola Scholars are Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Yale and Princeton. The top career paths are in business and finance, education, healthcare, arts, entertainment and sports, and law.

The foundation publishes biographies about each scholar to celebrate their accomplishments. At the College Sage, we analyze the biographies as a resource to identify winning scholarship activities and other opportunities for students throughout their high school years.

Want to know what it takes to be a Coca-Cola Scholar? Read our blog .com/blog now! And contact thecollegsage.com to make the most out of your high school extracurriculars.