August 2025 Checklists

Establishing your fall semester presence and the official start to college application season

At a glance… 

Upcoming ACT deadlines:

• 8/1 registration deadline for 9/6 test — TODAY!

• 9/12 registration deadline for 10/18 test — remember, you might not get these results back in time for most early deadlines

Upcoming SAT deadlines:

• 8/8 registration deadline for 8/23 test

• 8/29 registration deadline for 9/13 test

• 9/19 registration deadline for 10/4 test — you might get results back in time for early deadlines

Other:

• 📢 The Common App, Coalition App (Scoir), UC portal, etc. are open as of TODAY!

• My office hours are open to ALL subscribers on Thursday, August 7th, at 2:00 PM EST. Join me in the Substack chat then!

Critical topics:

• Finalizing college lists

• Planning for leadership

• Getting organized and setting goals

9th graders

If you’re a rising freshman, then your jobs this month are:

• Wrap Up Summer Assignments: Finish any remaining summer reading, assignments, or projects so you can start the school year with a clean slate.

• Set Intentional Goals: Think about what you’d like to achieve this year—both academically and personally. Set 5 goals for your first month, 5 for the first semester, and 5 for the whole year. These can include things like making new friends, joining a club, or improving your time management.

• Explore + Get Involved: Take a look at your school’s clubs, sports, and extracurriculars. Make a list of activities that interest you—and plan to try a few! Freshman year is the time to experiment and discover what you enjoy.

• Mark Key Dates: Check for deadlines around orientation, club sign-ups, and fall sports. Put important dates in your calendar now so nothing slips through the cracks.

Parents of rising 9th graders:

• Stay Connected: Sign up for parent portals, email lists, and school newsletters so you don’t miss key updates or opportunities.

• Encourage Exploration: Support your student in trying new things—whether that’s a sport they’ve never played, a club they’ve never heard of, or a subject they’re curious about. Freshman year is for sampling widely.

• Tech Check + Digital Safety: Ensure your student has access to the tech they’ll need (laptop, tablet, school platforms). Review expectations around screen time, academic integrity, and online safety together.

• Confirm Orientation & Paperwork: Double-check all required forms: health, transportation, extracurriculars, emergency contact, tech permissions, etc. Make sure everything is submitted before school starts.

• Promote Independence: Talk with your child about how they’ll manage their time, assignments, and responsibilities. Offer support—but let them take the lead in building habits that work for them.