College is expensive. With U.S. student loan debt at $1.7 trillion as of August 2020, students are stuck wondering whether the risk of going into debt outweighs the benefits of seeking higher education. However, overwhelming tuition costs can be made much more affordable by applying for financial aid. Filling out the FAFSA is the first… Continue reading A Student’s Complete Guide to the FAFSA
Senior year is the most critical year thus far in your high school career. On top of balancing existing extracurriculars and academics, you have to keep track of scholarships, college applications, and letters of recommendation. To ensure that you have a smooth senior year and meet all your deadlines, follow this month-by-month timeline! Summer Before… Continue reading The Complete Guide to Senior Year
As a high school student with little to no formal work experience, applying for your first job can be pretty intimidating. How do you market yourself as the best choice for the position without any experience? Here is some advice on how to get your first job: 1. The Career Objective When writing a resume… Continue reading High School Resume Tips and Examples
A common misconception among high school students is that they have to wait until their senior year to begin applying for scholarships. While some scholarships require you to be a senior to be eligible, countless merit, financial need, interest, and talent-based scholarships are currently open to juniors. Why not get started now so you can… Continue reading 30 Scholarships for the Class of 2021
As stay-at-home orders remain in place through summer break to limit the spread of COVID-19, many students are left wondering as to how they will continue their extracurriculars, or how they can bolster the resume. Without the ability to gather for sports practices, volunteering events, and summer programs, enhancing your activities list seems to be… Continue reading Extracurriculars to do from Home
Thinking about the road to college in your first year of high school seems intimidating and somewhat unnecessary. However, having an early start on the college application process will immensely reduce stress in your junior year of high school. Colleges look at all four years, so you can slowly and steadily begin laying the foundation… Continue reading A Checklist for Freshman Year of High School
One of the most stressful things about applying to schools is writing the college essay. If you think you have average grades and lack extracurriculars, then there is pressure to write an unsurpassable essay that stands out from the thousands of applicants—all with their own compelling stories. However, this anxiety can be alleviated by brainstorming… Continue reading How to Brainstorm for the College Essay
In my home state of California, some 40 million people are ordered by Governor Gavin Newsom to "stay at home" to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus. But what does this mean for Californians and other states in lockdown? A stay-at-home order permits essential businesses such as grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, and restaurants offering… Continue reading 14 Ways to Make the Most of Quarantine
Within a matter of weeks, the coronavirus transformed from a foreign crisis into a terrifying domestic threat: as of March 30, 2020, the United States has 140,000 cases of the virus. As schools continue to shut down by the thousands, millions of students remain housebound without the familiarity of their classrooms, extracurriculars, and friend groups.… Continue reading Motivational Quotes for Quarantined Students
My school sells 50-cent cookies during our lunch break, and they are good. Last year, I woke up late and in my waking state, left my lunch at home. By fourth period, my stomach was roaring. I imagined the cookie’s crisp, rugged edge, and sinking my teeth into its soft, warm center. I watched the… Continue reading Earning Money When You’re 16 and Broke
The High School Grind 