PARENT RESOURCE HUBFree resources for every stage
of the college journey.
Guides, frameworks, and recordings organized by where your student is right now. No signup required — just take what's useful.
FOR ALL FAMILIESStart here
The fundamentals that apply regardless of grade level. If you're new here, start with the webinar.
WEBINARWhy Strong Students Still Get Rejected From Top Colleges (And How to Fix It in 90 Days)
The session Matt runs for new families. Covers the positioning mistakes that quietly sink otherwise qualified applications — and what to do about them at any grade level. 45 minutes. Worth watching in full.
GUIDEWhat is Early Decision, Early Action, and Restrictive Early Action?
The differences between application rounds explained clearly — when each makes sense, what you're committing to, and what families get wrong about the tradeoffs.
GUIDESkip the SAT? Understanding Test-Optional Policies
What test-optional actually means at different schools, how admissions officers really treat missing scores, and how to decide whether submitting helps or hurts your student.
GUIDEWhy Researching College Majors Before Applying is Crucial
How major choice affects admissions strategy, which schools evaluate applicants by intended major, and why this conversation needs to happen earlier than most families think.
GUIDEYour Ultimate College Search Starter Kit, Part 1
A step-by-step framework for building a college list from scratch — how to think about fit, reach, and the factors families consistently overlook.
GUIDEYour Ultimate College Search Starter Kit, Part 2
How to research schools beyond rankings, evaluate financial aid, and build a list your student will actually be excited to apply to.
BEFORE 9TH GRADEEarly planning
The decisions made before high school starts matter more than most families realize. Resources coming soon.
PDF GUIDE10 Questions Every Parent Should Answer Before 9th Grade
Before high school changes everything, make sure you know the answers to these — they reveal more about your student's readiness than any activity list.
COMING SOONWhat colleges actually look for — and when to start thinking about it
A realistic, jargon-free overview of what selective admissions actually evaluates.
9TH GRADEFoundation year
Freshman year sets the foundation for everything that follows. Resources coming soon.
COMING SOONFreshman year academic roadmap
Course selection, GPA strategy, and the habits that compound over four years.
COMING SOONExtracurriculars in 9th grade — what to join, what to skip
How to build a meaningful activity profile from the start rather than backfilling it later.
10TH GRADEDevelopment year
Sophomore year is when direction starts to matter. Resources coming soon.
COMING SOONMajor exploration worksheet
A structured exercise to help your student discover genuine academic direction before junior year.
COMING SOONHow to find and evaluate summer programs
What makes a summer program worth applying to — and how to identify the ones that fit.
11TH GRADEPositioning year
Junior year is the most consequential year before senior year. The decisions you make now shape the application you submit.
PDF GUIDEJunior Year College Prep Checklist
Every milestone, decision point, and deadline from September through spring that junior families need to be tracking this year. One page. Print it out.
GUIDEHow to Ask Teachers and Counselors for Letters of Recommendation
Who to ask, when to ask, how to make the request, and what to give them so they can write the strongest possible letter.
GUIDEWhy Researching College Majors Before Applying is Crucial
Especially relevant now that junior spring is when the college list starts taking shape. How major choice affects where and how you apply.
GUIDEYour Ultimate College Search Starter Kit, Parts 1 & 2
The right time to build your college list is junior year. This two-part guide walks you through the full process from scratch.
12TH GRADEApplication year
Senior year moves fast. Everything in this section is designed to help your student make the most of the time they have.
GUIDEMastering the College Activities List: A Beginner's Guide
What the activities list is, what admissions officers are actually looking for, and how to approach it strategically rather than chronologically.
GUIDEHow to Show Leadership and Impact in Your Activities List
Grades and test scores are table stakes. How you frame what your student has done outside the classroom is what differentiates them.
GUIDE4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Activities List
From burying the most important activities to wasting the character limit — the errors Matt sees most often and how to fix them.
GUIDETop Tips for Prioritizing Your Activities List for College Applications
You can only list ten activities. How to decide what makes the cut, what order to list them in, and how to think about the story the list tells as a whole.
GUIDEHow to Write Strong Descriptions for Your Activities List
The character limit is brutal. How to write descriptions that are specific, impactful, and make the most of every word available.
GUIDETop Action Verbs to Strengthen Your College Activities List
The language you use matters. A curated list of action verbs that make descriptions stronger, with examples of how to use them effectively.
STAY INFORMEDGet resources matched to
your student's grade level.
New guides, frameworks, and recordings added regularly. Sign up and I’ll send you the first thing you should start with: a recording of my workshop “Why strong students still get rejected”. After that, I’ll send resources directly to you — organized by where your student is right now, not a generic newsletter.