Welcome to this week’s edition of College Admission Secrets, your go-to resource for navigating the college admissions journey with clarity and confidence.

In this issue:

• 💭 Coach Tony's Thoughts – Middle School Language Courses: Do they affect high school GPA? Get the facts straight about how those early foreign language classes impact your college applications.

• 📅 Weekly Action Plan – Grade-by-grade tasks to help students stay on track with college planning.

• 🏫 Insider College Spotlight – UC Davis: Explore why this Northern California university is known for environmental leadership, research opportunities, and a supportive community atmosphere.

• 💰 Scholarship of the Week – Bayar Fellowship: $2,000 for students from marginalized communities interested in business and community improvement.

• 🔥 Quick Admissions Tip – Top 10 College Application Tips: Discover key strategies top students use to craft standout applications that capture admissions officers' attention.

• 🎯 Hidden Opportunity – Starting a Virtual Club: How creating an online community can showcase leadership and initiative on your application.

• 📺 Must-Watch Training – Financial Aid 101: Learn how financial aid works, avoid common mistakes, and navigate important forms to maximize your college funding.

No matter where your student is in the process, we are here to help. Let’s dive in!

💭 COACH TONY’S THOUGHTS

Do Middle School Classes Count Toward High School GPA?

We recently received this question from a concerned parent:

"My son is a freshman in the Bay Area and is currently taking Spanish 3. He completed Spanish 1 and 2 in 7th and 8th grades, but had a B in Spanish 1 in one semester. His friends told him that Spanish 1 and 2 grades will count towards his GPA and will be considered by universities. He is dejected that there is no way he can have an unweighted 4.0 GPA now. Is that correct? We did not know that FL from middle school would count towards his GPA."

Here's the truth: If you took a class in 7th or 8th grade, the grades do NOT transfer over but the credit does.

That being said, here are 2 quick lessons:

Lesson #1 - Don't listen to friends who have no clue about the admissions process! There's a lot of misinformation out there, and even well-meaning peers can spread incorrect information.

Lesson #2 - We encourage families NOT to look at GPA as the main metric. A lot of our students get into top UCs and even Ivy League colleges WITHOUT perfect As.

It's because GPA alone is NOT the most important factor when it comes to the admissions process (or even the academics section for that matter). Colleges look at the whole picture – including course rigor, extracurricular involvement, essays, and more.

Quick Tip: Focus on doing well in current classes rather than worrying about middle school grades. Admissions officers are much more interested in your high school performance and trajectory.

📅 WEEKLY ACTION PLAN

Week of April 22nd

9th Grade

• Begin thinking about sophomore year course selections, balancing challenge with realistic workload

• Explore and commit to one summer activity that aligns with your interests

• Start a digital document tracking extracurricular involvement and achievements

10th Grade

• Register for AP exams if enrolled in AP courses

• Research and plan college visits for the summer months

• Consider SAT/ACT prep plans if you'll be testing in fall of junior year

11th Grade

• Complete FAFSA/CSS Profile if you haven't already

• Finalize summer plans and notify teachers if you'll need letters of recommendation

• Schedule remaining standardized tests and college visits before senior year

12th Grade

• May 1 decision deadline approaching! Compare final financial aid packages

• Send thank-you notes to recommenders and those who helped in your process

• Commit to your chosen college and complete housing forms

❓ PARENT QUESTION OF THE WEEK

How Important Are AP Classes and Test Scores?

While AP courses demonstrate academic rigor, students should be strategic about which ones they take. Choose AP classes that align with your strengths and interests rather than loading up on every available option. Quality over quantity matters more to admissions officers.

As for test scores, for schools that are test-optional, strong scores can still boost your application, but they're just one piece of the puzzle. Colleges are increasingly looking at the whole student, including extracurricular involvement, essays, and demonstrated interest.

Bottom Line: Take challenging courses where you can excel, but prioritize mental health and balance. A student with slightly fewer APs but stronger involvement and leadership often stands out more than someone with perfect scores but little else.

📢 INSIDER COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

UC Davis

University of California, Davis is known for its strong programs in agriculture, environmental sciences, and veterinary medicine, but offers excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Located in the vibrant college town of Davis in Northern California, UC Davis provides students with a collaborative learning environment on its sprawling, bike-friendly campus.

Why Consider UC Davis?

• Environmental Leadership: Consistently ranked among the top schools for sustainability and environmental sciences

• Research Opportunities: Over 70% of undergraduates participate in research, with numerous funding opportunities

• Agricultural Excellence: #1 ranked agricultural program in the nation with hands-on learning facilities

• Supportive Community: Known for its collaborative rather than competitive atmosphere and strong student support services

Financial Aid Perk 💰 UC Davis participates in the UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, which covers full tuition and fees for California residents with family incomes under $80,000. The school also offers the Aggie Grant Plan, providing additional aid to middle-income California families.

💰 SCHOLARSHIP OF THE WEEK

Each week, we handpick a favorite scholarship that is currently accepting applications. Here is this week's scholarship:

Bayar Fellowship

• Award Amount: $2,000

• Deadline: May 30, 2025

• Eligibility: Open to high school students from marginalized communities and low-income backgrounds who are interested in utilizing business principles to improve their communities. Applicants must be in grades 9 through 12 at the time of application. The fellowship seeks individuals passionate about public service and business.

🔥 QUICK ADMISSIONS TIP

Top 10 College Application Tips…

Many families miss key strategies that can dramatically strengthen their applications, resulting in rejections from dream schools. It's not enough to just have good grades and test scores – the most competitive schools are looking for how you present your entire story.

What most students don't realize is that there's a method to crafting standout applications that capture admissions officers' attention, from academics to extracurriculars to essays.

Common pitfalls include choosing the wrong essay topics, underutilizing the additional information section, or failing to highlight true impact – simple mistakes that can cost admission to top-choice schools.

The key is approaching every component of the application strategically to build a compelling narrative that makes you a stronger candidate. When done right, even students with less-than-perfect profiles can stand out in the admissions process.

Want to learn the exact strategies top students use to get into elite colleges? We're hosting a free training this Thursday that walks you through it all.

You'll discover how to present your academics, extracurriculars, and essays in a way that captures admissions officers' attention, the biggest mistakes to avoid, and how to build a compelling narrative across your entire application.

🎯 HIDDEN OPPORTUNITY OF THE WEEK

Starting a Virtual Club Shows Initiative & Leadership

In today's digital world, starting a virtual club is an excellent way to demonstrate leadership, organization, and initiative on your college applications. Here's why it matters:

• Demonstrates Initiative: Colleges value students who create opportunities rather than just participating in existing activities. Starting a virtual club shows you can identify a need and take action.

• Global Reach: Unlike traditional clubs limited by geography, virtual clubs can connect members worldwide, showing your ability to build diverse communities.

• Tangible Impact: A successful virtual club provides concrete results to highlight on applications - from membership growth to specific projects completed.

• Accessible Leadership: Virtual clubs offer leadership opportunities that might not be available at your school, especially for students in small schools or specialized interest areas.

• Technical Skills: Managing online platforms and digital communication tools demonstrates valuable 21st-century skills that colleges appreciate.

Want to learn how to start a successful virtual club? Check out our comprehensive guide on Discord server setup, member engagement strategies, and growth tactics. This initiative could be the perfect addition to your extracurricular profile!

📺 MUST-WATCH TRAINING

Financial Aid 101: What You Need to Know

Navigating financial aid can feel overwhelming — but it doesn't have to be. Many families leave thousands of dollars on the table simply because they don't understand how the process works or miss critical deadlines.

Understanding the differences between need-based aid, merit scholarships, and grants can make a huge difference in your college affordability. But most families make common mistakes when applying that drastically reduce their aid packages.

The forms themselves—FAFSA, CSS Profile, and institutional applications—have specific requirements and deadlines that, if missed, can cost your family significant funding opportunities.

Did you know that small changes in how you report assets or time your financial decisions can dramatically impact your expected family contribution? These strategic moves can mean the difference between a manageable college cost and overwhelming student debt.

On our special training, you'll discover how financial aid really works, the biggest mistakes to avoid, and step-by-step guidance for navigating all the important financial aid forms to maximize your funding.

Don't leave money on the table! Learn how to make college more affordable with proven strategies from financial aid experts.

ONE QUICK FAVOR

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