Consulting · The roadmap
Two-year college planning timeline
From the July before junior year to May 1 of senior year: 18 meetings with Ben, month by month, each paired with what the student does next. The plan starts in July so the first meetings happen before school starts in August. It's the roadmap the Comprehensive package follows, and Ben adjusts it for each family.
Step 0
Spring of sophomore year
Before the July kickoff, two things are worth settling.
- SAT prep. The best time for it is the summer after sophomore year: Algebra 2 is usually done, and there's a full year left to improve. Prep is optional. If you want it, choose it by May so it can run in June and July. Two of the packages include it, one with the live SAT course and one with 1-on-1 tutoring.
- The free consultation. Spring is a good time to meet with Ben, in person in Las Vegas or online, since that's when families choose a package.
Part 1
Junior year, from the summer before
| When | Meeting with Ben | What the student does |
|---|---|---|
| Jul | 1. Kickoff | Bring your junior-year schedule, a list of your activities, and any test scores. Go over where you stand with Ben, including any SAT prep so far, and set a target score and test dates. If you haven't prepped, talk through your options. Leave with a calendar for the next two years. |
| Aug | 2. Know yourself firstAn hour with the student, then an hour with the parents | Do a self-assessment of values and priorities (size, location, academics, culture, distance from home), write down what it means for the college list, and pick a few colleges to start researching. |
| Sep | 3. Have the money conversation earlyParents attend | Talk as a family about what you can pay each year and how much borrowing you'll accept. Run net price calculators for two or three colleges. |
| Oct | 4. Interests, majors, and careers | Take an interest inventory and talk through the majors and careers it points to. Take the PSAT, and plan which colleges to visit, in person or online. |
| Nov | 5. Fit vs. match | Decide what matters most to you in a college. For each school you're researching, write down why it fits you, then note how your grades and scores compare with the students it admits. Check your latest SAT score against your target. |
| Dec | 6. PSAT results and the testing plan | Go over your October PSAT results with Ben and decide on your next SAT dates. Start an activities résumé: what you did, for how long, and what you were responsible for. |
| Jan–Feb | 7. Your options and senior courses | Bring your first-semester grades and talk through the full range of colleges you could consider. Choose senior-year courses (rigor matters, and senior grades count). |
| Mar | 8. Essay brainstorming | Brainstorm Common App essay topics. Learn which kinds of help are ethical, including AI: it can help you brainstorm and catch errors, but the writing must be your own. |
| Apr–May | 9. A first college list | Bring your research and visit notes, learn how Early Decision and Early Action work, and settle on a first list. Ask two teachers for recommendations before summer, and fill out a brag sheet for your counselor and recommenders. |
| Jun | 10. Build a balanced list | Put each school's admission likelihood next to its net price. The list needs a financial safety as well as an admission safety. Plan the summer, create a Common App account, and start a deadline tracker. |
Financial-aid prep for juniors (no FAFSA yet)
- Run net price calculators and the Federal Student Aid Estimator on StudentAid.gov to get a rough Student Aid Index (SAI).
- Create StudentAid.gov accounts for the student and each parent who will sign the FAFSA. Identity verification can take a few days.
- Find out which colleges on the list require the CSS Profile. It's a separate form with its own deadlines.
- The FAFSA uses "prior-prior year" taxes, so the tax year that ends in December of junior year is the one that counts. Keep those records organized, and know that big financial moves that year (selling assets, unusual income) will show up on the FAFSA.
Part 2
Senior year, from the summer before
| When | Meeting with Ben | What the student does |
|---|---|---|
| Jul | 11. Personal statement and activities | Draft your Common App personal statement and your activity descriptions (10 slots, with character limits). Ben reads every draft and asks questions, and the writing stays yours. |
| Aug | 12. Choose admission plans | Check the list for balance: reach schools, likely schools, and a financial safety. For each school, choose Early Decision, Early Action, or Regular Decision, and decide whether to send test scores. Binding ED carries a cost risk because you can't compare aid offers. |
| Sep | 13. Supplements and interviews | Draft the supplemental essays each college asks for, and practice interviewing with Ben. |
| Oct | 14. FAFSA and CSS ProfileParents attend | File the FAFSA and any CSS Profiles soon after they open (FAFSA dates are below), since aid follows the admissions timeline. Use a checklist of forms and deadlines for each school. |
| Nov | 15. Submit early applications | Do a final review with Ben and submit early applications. Then check every portal, and confirm that scores and transcripts were sent and received. |
| Dec–Jan | 16. Early results and regular deadlines | Go over early results and plan next steps. Finish the regular-decision applications, and keep senior grades up, since colleges can rescind offers if grades drop. |
| Mar–Apr | 17. Compare aid offers | Separate grants from loans, check renewal conditions, and appeal if your circumstances warrant it. Take waitlist steps for any college where you want to stay in the running. |
| Apr | 18. Decide by May 1 | Use a decision checklist, then submit your deposit by May 1. |
| May–Jun | Success in collegeOptional | One more meeting before you leave: planning the first semester and knowing where to find help on campus. |
FAFSA timing for the current cycle (as of October 2026)
| Class | Grade now | Starts college | FAFSA year | FAFSA opens | Tax year used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2027 | Senior | Fall 2027 | 2027–28 | Sep 23, 2026 | 2025 |
| Class of 2028 | Junior | Fall 2028 | 2028–29 | By Oct 1, 2027 | 2026 |
Students file the FAFSA again every year they're in college.
Want someone walking this with you?
The Comprehensive package covers every meeting above, in person in Las Vegas or online. It starts with a free consultation with Ben.
Free consultation with Ben
A no-pressure conversation about your student's college plan, in person or online.
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