Before the Application

Why do so many capable high schoolers fail to earn coveted college acceptances and scholarships? Why are a lot of competent teenagers not prepared for the transition to college level work? The answer is simple: most students (and their families!) do not realize that they must carefully plan from the beginning of ninth grade in order to attain an impressive profile for their college applications, and have no idea what colleges are searching for in a candidate until it is too late. This detailed, practical, and uniquely structured book provides an effective & proven roadmap for fostering college readiness with a comprehensive, step-by-step timeline to follow throughout each year of high school.


Geary Woolfolk has navigated his family through the college admissions & scholarship process several times with overwhelming success, and shares the “secrets” to his sons' academic achievements through knowledgeable insight and with an amiable and collegial style. Based on in-depth research and his own experience with guiding his children and teenagers in his community, Geary reveals his approach to creating a highly competitive college profile from the perspective of a family who has been there before. In these pages, you will discover:
• How to plan and track your progress from the beginning of high school through becoming a freshman in college
• How to develop essential skill sets that enable you to thrive in high school and truly become “college-ready”
• How to identify your best-fit colleges and enter into a strong position to earn admission to dream schools
• How to greatly improve your chances of earning top scholarships
• How to plan and organize during the college application season.
• How to transition into “college mode” and be ready for success immediately upon graduating from high school


This well organized and thorough guide will provide students and parents with concrete strategies for identifying what colleges are looking for in an applicant, developing a resumé to meet these expectations, and vigilantly planning each year of high school to achieve key acceptances, earn valuable scholarships, and ensure college readiness.