Advantage College Planning

Advantage College Planning Advantage College Planning helps Triangle families navigate all aspects of college planning.

Don’t overlook the small colleges and hidden gems when you’re building your college list. 💎Jamie visited Presbyterian Co...
09/03/2026

Don’t overlook the small colleges and hidden gems when you’re building your college list. 💎

Jamie visited Presbyterian College on her way home from vacation, and quick visits like this can be a great way to learn about new colleges.

PC is a small college where the experience is built heavily around hands-on learning, faith, community, and service. Its motto, "While We Live, We Serve," gives you a pretty good sense of what the college values.

Even if a smaller college isn’t currently on your radar, visiting one can teach you a lot about your best college fit.
✅ How does a campus of fewer than 1,000 students feel compared with a university of 20,000?
✅ Do you like the idea of small classes and a tight-knit community?
✅ Or does the visit confirm that you want something bigger?

As you travel this fall, take a look at what colleges might be along your route. A quick detour could introduce you to a school you hadn’t considered, or simply help you get clearer about what you want from your college experience.

09/02/2026

Want to strengthen your college apps before senior year?
➡️ Focus on junior year.

For many applicants, junior year is the last complete academic year colleges will see when they first review an application. And because your transcript is one of the most important pieces of that application, what happens in the classroom during junior year matters.

Colleges aren’t just looking at your GPA. They’ll consider the courses you took, how you performed in them, and your academic trends overtime.

That doesn’t mean you need straight A’s or the hardest possible schedule. It means you should take appropriately challenging classes and put yourself in a position to do well in them.

Juniors, there’s plenty of college planning ahead. Right now, doing well in school IS college planning. ✅

Planning a college visit this fall? Try to attend an open house! ✅Open houses can give students a much fuller picture of...
08/31/2026

Planning a college visit this fall? Try to attend an open house! ✅

Open houses can give students a much fuller picture of a college than a standard campus tour. They often include opportunities to explore academics, student life, admissions, and more!

We pulled together upcoming fall open house dates for some popular colleges across the Southeast. Swipe through September, October, and November, then save this post as you plan your fall visits.

Don’t see a college on the list? Google the college name + fall open house to see what they have planned.

(And if UNC Chapel Hill is on your list, note that they do not offer a fall open house. 👀)

Make sure to register early through the college's website. Open houses can fill quickly, and you don’t want to build a whole campus-visit weekend around an event only to find out it’s full!

08/30/2026

Senior families: Do you know what needs to happen between now and application deadlines?

If the answer is “mostly,” this Live is for you. �

We’ll cover the big application-season milestones, from essays and recommendation letters to applications and financial aid, plus practical ways to stay organized without letting college applications take over senior year.

We’ll also talk about the parent role during this season: when to step in, when to step back, and how to keep everyone moving in the same direction!

Senior families: Tonight, we’re making a plan for fall. ✅School has started, applications are open, and fall deadlines a...
08/30/2026

Senior families: Tonight, we’re making a plan for fall. ✅

School has started, applications are open, and fall deadlines are getting closer. If your family is starting to wonder how you’re supposed to manage all of it at once, we're here to help!

At 7 PM ET, Gina is walking parents and students through The Ultimate Senior Fall Checklist, including:
✅ The major milestones ahead
✅ Simple systems for managing the work
✅ Ways to make application season a little less stressful for everyone involved

Bring your senior.
Bring your questions.
And join us LIVE tonight on Facebook or YouTube!

Seniors: You don't need to finish you college applications this week.➡️ But you DO need to know what’s coming next. ➡️A ...
08/28/2026

Seniors: You don't need to finish you college applications this week.

➡️ But you DO need to know what’s coming next. ➡️

A little organization now can make a big difference once school gets busy and application deadlines start creeping closer.

✅ Put all your deadlines on a calendar where you can easily see them
✅ Break the process into small weekly goals
✅ Communicate with your recommenders with plenty of notice before your deadlines
✅ Give yourself deadlines that are earlier than the real ones

And remember: college applications are important, but so is senior year. Don't forget to have some fun!

Save this one for some relief when your to-do list starts feeling a little too long.

08/26/2026

Consider this your reminder to celebrate the milestones, not just the decisions at the end.

Submitting the first college application might not come with an acceptance letter or a college sweatshirt, but it represents a LOT of work.

We think that’s worth celebrating! ✅

These treat boxes are headed to our seniors as they hit submit on their first application of the year. Because the college process has plenty of big moments, and we don’t want students rushing past all of them on the way to an acceptance letter.

Class of 2027, the boxes are stacking up! 🎉

Senior families: Do you know what needs to happen between now and application deadlines?If the answer is “mostly,” this ...
08/25/2026

Senior families: Do you know what needs to happen between now and application deadlines?

If the answer is “mostly,” this Live is for you. ✅

On Sunday, August 30 at 7 PM ET, we’re bringing back our LIVE conversations with The Ultimate Senior Fall Checklist.

We’ll cover the big application-season milestones, from essays and recommendation letters to applications and financial aid, plus practical ways to stay organized without letting college applications take over senior year. 🎓

We’ll also talk about the parent role during this season: when to step in, when to step back, and how to keep everyone moving in the same direction.

Parents and students are both welcome. Join us live on Facebook or YouTube!

Our Wake County students go back to school tomorrow! 🎉Remember: the first weeks of senior year don't have to become an i...
08/23/2026

Our Wake County students go back to school tomorrow! 🎉

Remember: the first weeks of senior year don't have to become an immediate sprint toward college applications.

But now is a good time to put a few systems in place that will make the next several months easier for the whole family. ✅

There is plenty of work ahead, but there should be plenty of senior year left in senior year, too. 🎓

Are you stuck on your personal statement? Don't scrap the whole thing yet!Getting stuck doesn't necessarily mean you've ...
08/21/2026

Are you stuck on your personal statement? Don't scrap the whole thing yet!

Getting stuck doesn't necessarily mean you've chosen the wrong topic. Sometimes you just need a different way into the story.

✅ Try talking instead of typing.
✅ Figure out what you want the reader to understand about you.
✅ Zoom in on one specific moment.
✅ Give yourself 20 minutes to write without editing.

There isn't one "right" way to write a college essay.

Swipe through these 5 strategies, choose one, and see what happens when you stop trying to make the essay perfect and just start writing.

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