College Planning Center

Read here: https://collegeplanningcenters.com/this-week-in-college-admissions-august-13-2026/

Most families are worried about the wrong twenty schools — the other four thousand are worried about them.

This Week in College Admissions — August 6, 2026 Chris Parsons breaks down what actually matters this week in college admissions — the Common App opening, 'direct admission' scholarship offers, FAFSA's real-time upgrade, and a legal ruling every family should know about.

4 days to go! ⏰ The Common App opens soon. Is your child ready?

⏰ Only 8 days until the Common App opens. Is your child ready?
The countdown is on. Families who start planning before applications open have more time to make thoughtful decisions, strengthen their applications, and reduce last-minute stress.

If you've been searching...
🔎 How to prepare for college applications
🔎 How to help my child apply to college
🔎 When should my child start their college essay?
🔎 College admissions counseling
..you're not alone.

At The College Planning Center, we provide personalized college counseling to help families navigate every stage of the admissions process—from college planning and essay coaching to interview preparation, financial aid guidance, application strategy, and more.

👉 Swipe through to discover how our services can support your family before the Common App opens.
⏳ Only 8 days left. Don't wait until the Common App opens to start planning. Book your FREE 30-minute consultation today and help your child apply with confidence.
📅 Book your FREE 30-minute consultation today:
https://buff.ly/UmYO8w5
📘 Get your copy of The College Admissions Playbook:
https://buff.ly/wDvrbn9
📱 Join the College Arena waitlist:
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Are you making these college prep mistakes?

Summer feels like a break — but for a 9th or 10th grader, those 10–12 open weeks are the single best window to build the kind of résumé colleges actually notice.

Admissions officers pay attention to what a student does when no one is assigning it. The most common missteps? Treating summer as just time off, waiting until junior year (by senior year the résumé is mostly written), going wide instead of deep, skipping a simple SAT/ACT baseline, and assuming the experience has to be far away and expensive.

Wherever your student is starting, a clear plan beats a last-minute scramble — and if you're starting a little late, don't worry, we help those families all the time.

Book a free 30-minute consultation and we'll map your student's next step. No commitment, no pressure — just a clear path forward. 💛
📖 Read more: https://buff.ly/nN4YV4y
📕Get Your Copy now: Entering the Arena: https://buff.ly/vDC77Nv
🚀 Try College Arena (early access): https://buff.ly/S0wleFc
🔗 Book a free consultation: https://buff.ly/8anccBX

🙌 “The rules around the game shift constantly. The fundamentals never do.”
👇 Click the link to know more.

This Week in College Admissions — July 15, 2026 All eight Ivies now require testing, supplemental essays disappear, federal loan rules change, and a new grants rule raises legal questions. Here's what South Carolina families need to know this week.