Parent Information

1. Ask questions to prompt self-discovery and encourage agency. 

2. Help them learn how to research schools. You will be able to suggest schools to them through SCOIR. Encourage them to think broadly and not just about the school names they are familiar with or "know" because a friend or family member attended. Learn more about the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) group.

3. Look at the school calendar to determine days when your student (and you, if you're able) can attend a college tour and empower your student to be the one to register. Here are some tips that can be helpful in this process.

4. Brainstorm potential college essay topics with your student and think about how you can encourage them to start drafting. 

5. Complete the FAFSA and CSS profile if required by the colleges where your student is applying. You can learn more about financial aid in the Paying for College section. If finances will play a role (at all) in your student's college options, have open conversations early and often. You may want to help your students identify institutions that are known for their generous financial aid packages or their generous merit aid programs.

• September 20th - Compass Prep webinar offered for students and parents to give an overview of the SAT vs. ACT. To register, click here.

• October 11th - 9th-11th graders take the PSAT at Trinity during the school day. You do not need to register your student for this PSAT.

• November 4th - Trinity offers an in-person practice ACT proctored by Mindspire. To register, click here. 

• November 11th-12th - Compass Prep offers the practice- ACT through their Online Testing Center. To register, click here.

• Stay tuned for more resources about how to analyze the results of the PSAT and practice ACT and compare the two tests.

Testing policies are varied and school-specific. For a quick overview of the difference between schools that are test-optional, test-blind, and test-flexible, click here to read more. Another great resource is the Compass Prep College Admission Testing Guidebook. 

One way you can help your student is to create a testing plan. Once your student receives PSAT and practice ACT results, sit down and ask how they felt about the tests to determine which one they prefer and would like to invest time in studying for when they take the actual tests typically beginning in the spring of junior year. You can help them with the registration process by going to act.org to register for the ACT or collegeboard.org to register for the SAT. If you think your family may qualify for a testing fee waiver, please contact the Director of College Counseling who should be able to provide you with one.

In addition to the services offered through Trinity's College Counseling department, some families hire an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) to help their child/family navigate the college admissions process, build a college list, etc. IEC's can provide additional one-on-one support that is helpful for some students and families but often comes at a great cost and/or time commitment. This can be nice but not necessary if your student is proactive in utilizing and leveraging services already offered at Trinity. There are many ways (and benefits) to research your options for additional support.

The test prep industry is bustling and in addition to free resources, many Trinity families utilize outside services to help their students learn the test-taking strategies and content covered in the SAT and ACT. Marigold Prep has a free parent academy with short videos covering the following topics:

1. • What is the SAT and how does it adapt? What is the ACT nad how is it changing? What is the difference between the SAT and ACT?

   • How important are grades for college admissions? How can I support my student in choosing which classes to take? What are APs and why do they matter?

   • What are executive functioning skills? How can I support my student with effective planning and prioritization? What are study skills and how do they differ from executive functioning skills?

Additionally, some parents use essay writing coaches to help their students brainstorm, draft, and get feedback on their personal statements and supplemental essays. That is something that is offered free to you as part of your Trinity tuition through the College Counseling team. Here's a resource that explains the pros and cons of hiring someone else. The Matchlighter Scholars Program is a wonderful free resource for those who qualify. Also, be sure to check out these FREE college application tools.

If you think your student would benefit from additional support in navigating these or other parts of the college admission process, here is a list of area tutors used by Trinity families in the past. If you have worked with an Independent Educational Consultant, test prep company, essay writing tutor, etc., and would recommend that their information be added for other families to reference if needed, please email the Director of College Counseling.