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Find the latest college admissions news, tips, resources and more.

2025 Common App Changes You Should Know

Get ready! We’re breaking down everything you need to know about the Common Application changes and key updates for the 2025 cycle.

What Makes Empowerly Counselors Different

Ever wondered what exactly makes an Empowerly counselor different from other teachers? Let’s go behind the scenes, where the magic happens.

UC Irvine: Behind-the-Scenes Admissions Statistics

Dive into UC Irvine's admissions statistics, acceptance rates, and key data. Together, we’ll discover what it takes to get into UCI.

Boost Your 2025 SAT Admissions Prep — 10 Essential Tips

Ready for your 2025 digital SAT? Discover 10 expert strategies to prep smarter, raise your score, and achieve your college goals.

How to Pick a College: Part 6 The Best College Decision

At Empowerly, our students use a detailed approach that leads to an informed decision. And an informed decision is your best college decision in the end.

How Many SAT II Subject Tests Are Recommended?

Many parents and students come to us at Empowerly and ask us a few questions about SAT II subject tests, from how many to which ones.

What Does a Private College Counselor Do?

But, what does a private college counselor do? For those of you just starting out, we're here to give you the basics.

How Many SAT II Subject Tests Should You Take?

Some students have never heard of the SATÂ Subject Tests and others take five or six in an effort to impress college admissions officers. In reality, most students need to take two to three SAT Subject Tests. Having helped thousands of students get into college, we find this is one of the top 5 questions students ask, especially high school juniors and seniors.

Top Arts Summer Programs

To give you ideas on where to start, we'll review the top 9 arts summer programs out there.

The Four Types of Activities for College Admissions

We've developed a mental model we call the Activity Matrix to think about the four main types of activities to boost your college profile.

How to Pick a College: Part 5 Special Collections

Academic life changes greatly from high school to college. Think back to the difference after transitioning from middle school. Topics and assignments grew more refined and specialized. The same jump will occur because of the vast intellectual offerings and facilities that can support academic inquiry. At Empowerly we encourage in-depth research to uncover all of the unique collegiate opportunities. College decisions should weigh academic potential between universities.

How to Pick a College: Part 4 Research Support

Original research, the hallmark of academic study and a staple of graduating with honors, serves as the cornerstone of the academic world. Universities pride themselves in the groundbreaking discoveries their professors and other researchers contribute to the zeitgeist. The U.S. government itself invests in the research and development at these institutions. Sometimes high school students even try their hand by competing in science competitions like Intel and Siemans. Mentorship is key and often accessible by emailing professors who are experts in the field. Your college decision should weigh institutional support as a factor.

How Important Is Standardized Testing For College?

One of the most frequent questions we get at Empowerly is how important standardized testing is for college admissions.

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