• Home
  • About
    • Brand College Consulting
    • Jolyn Brand
  • Press and Awards
  • Client Testimonials
  • Make a Payment
  • Contact

Brand College Consulting

College assistance for families

Student Dashboard

Schedule an Appointment

  • College Admissions
    • College Consulting
    • College Consulting Registration Form
  • Blog
  • Pro Bono Advising
  • College Students

Can my ACT score get me a scholarship?

June 22, 2019 By Jolyn Brand

Guest post by: David Recine, Magoosh The link between ACT scores and getting accepted into school is obvious. Meet a school’s expectations, and you’ll get in. But what about the connection between ACT scores and paying for school once you’re accepted? That is never quite so obvious. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at how your ACT score can translate into money in your pocket… or at least, money applied to your tuition bill. Which … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACT and SAT Tagged With: ACT, college acceptance, college advice, college financial aid, scholarships

When should you submit those college applications?

May 17, 2019 By Jolyn Brand

The short answer: as soon as possible. Most colleges start accepting applications August 1 or during the Fall semester of senior year. Even for colleges with Spring deadlines, it is strongly encouraged to submit applications during the Fall semester in order to be considered for scholarships. Plus, students who apply early are usually the ones who get a decision early! New Announcement: The Apply Texas application will open July 1st instead of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, For Seniors Tagged With: college, college acceptance, college admissions, college advice, college applications, college counselor, early action, early decision, regular admissions, rolling admissions

What AP Score Do I Need?

April 19, 2019 By Jolyn Brand

Many students who take AP classes and exams are asking this question: Is my AP score good enough? The answer is complicated. AP scores are on a simple 5 point scale, but colleges are allowed to decide for themselves what score is required to get credit. The College Board defines the scores as follows: 5 - Extremely well qualified to receive college credit 4 - Well qualified to receive college credit 3 - Qualified to receive college … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For Juniors, For Seniors Tagged With: AP exams, college acceptance, college admissions, college advice, college consultant, Houston colleges, Houston universities, Texas A&M, University of Texas

Questions to Ask before Studying Engineering

March 23, 2019 By Jolyn Brand

Do you want to study engineering but not sure which college is best for you? Here's a list of questions from college admissions experts from members of HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association) and IECA (Independent Education Consultants Association). Admissions/Prerequisites/Profile Info Is the engineering program direct admit?   What level of math should competitive applicants have completed in high school? Do students … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Upcoming Events

Which students were accepted to Texas A&M?

February 27, 2019 By Jolyn Brand

Incoming Freshman Class Profile- Class of 2019 Texas A&M University received 41,757 applications from the Class of 2019, and admitted 23.730 students. About 10,750 students accepted and enrolled for August 2019. About 51% of those admitted from the top 10%, automatically. The middle 50% range of SAT scores for accepted students was 1190-1370. The middle 50% range of ACT scores for accepted students was 24-30. The incoming class is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Upcoming Events

Student’s and Parent’s Responsibilities in College Planning

November 24, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

Responsibilities of Students and Families While working with the college consultant, families and students have certain responsibilities in order to help the process run smoothly.  The consultant's job includes guiding the student and family through selecting colleges, applying to those college, through the financial aid process, and to assist with college essays and scholarships. It is not within the consultant's services to write essays, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, For Juniors, For Seniors Tagged With: college acceptance, college advice, college applications, college consultant, college counselor, University And College Admissions

Assured and Automatic Admissions at Texas Colleges

October 13, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

In 1997, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 588 – also known as the Texas Top Ten Percent Law – guaranteeing automatic admission to all state-funded universities for Texas students in the top ten percent of their public high school class. This law was later amended to allow universities to cap their admissions to the Top Ten Percent students as 75% of their freshmen 'seats'. This has allowed University of Texas Austin campus to restrict … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, For Juniors, For Seniors Tagged With: admissions for University of Texas, college, college acceptance, college admissions, college advice, college applications, college consultant, college counselor, college help, SAT scores for UT Dallas

Jolyn was interviewed for U.S. News Education

August 27, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

Jolyn Brand was interviewed by U.S. News Education reporter for her article titled "Use AP Credits to Graduate from College in 3 Years"  Public institutions tend to be more flexible in allowing AP credits. "I have found that public universities are more accepting of AP and dual credit courses for credit than private universities," says Jolyn Brand, a Houston-based educational consultant. Brand also has a son at Purdue … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, Testimonials

UT Austin Changes Admissions Requirements

August 2, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

UT Austin announced changes to its admissions process and requirements for students in the class of 2019.  These students can begin applying August 1, 2018 using the ApplyTexas application. Essay Requirements All freshman applicants will be required to submit one essay -- Topic A -- in ApplyTexas. Other long-form essays in ApplyTexas (B, C, D, S, etc.) will no longer be needed for freshman applicants to UT (but may be required for other Texas … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's Tagged With: college acceptance, college admissions, college advice, college applications, college consultant, college counselor, college essays, University of Texas

Houston College Search Series

May 3, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

College Search Series will be in the Houston area on June 19, 20, 21, and 25 to speak with high school students about colleges.   … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, For Juniors, Upcoming Events Tagged With: baylor, colleges, Houston colleges, Texas Tech, University of Houston

College Acceptances for Class of 2018

April 30, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

Yay! All of our college admissions decisions are in and all of our clients have selected their college for next school year. We assisted 24 current seniors, class of 2018, through the college admissions process. They received a total of 112 college acceptances. Some great stand-outs at out of state universities include: Two admits to Case Western University One accepted at Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, and NYU Two students accepted to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, Testimonials Tagged With: class of 2018, college acceptances, college students, scholarships, Texas A&M, University of Texas

How to Improve SAT or ACT Reading Scores

March 20, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

Vocabulary isn't as critical on the SAT/ACT anymore, but to improve reading comprehension and speed, I usually recommend kids do 2-3 of the items on this list for several months before the test: Read the New York Times (or other higher-level newspaper) once a week. You can get Sunday delivery or order digital access online. Students should highlight words they don't know, look them up, then read it again, then explain the news to someone … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACT and SAT Tagged With: ACT reading, SAT, test prep

Want to Study Abroad in College?

March 5, 2018 By Jolyn Brand

Studying abroad may be one of the most beneficial experiences for a college student. By studying abroad, students have the opportunity to study in a foreign nation and take in the allure and culture of a new land. Here is a list of the top 10 reasons to study abroad! See the World The biggest reason you should consider a study abroad program is the opportunity to see the world. By studying abroad, you will experience a brand-new country … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Upcoming Events Tagged With: college admissions, college advice, college counselor, college students, international education, study abroad

How Safe are Texas Universities?

November 21, 2017 By Jolyn Brand

Parents are always worried about college and student safety. Unfortunately, many families only base their information on the reputation of the college, its location, or rumors. To help families make more informed decisions, we conducted a data search of Texas 4- year universities with student bodies of more than 5,000 students, excluding for-profit colleges and those without residential housing, for a total of 35 universities. This data was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's Tagged With: college crime, college students, Texas A&M, Texas colleges, University And College Admissions, University of Texas

What is a good SAT or ACT score?

November 15, 2017 By Jolyn Brand

Well, it depends. It depends on the colleges you're applying to, the majors you're selecting, and scholarship goals. Here are average SAT and ACT scores for a few colleges: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACT and SAT, FAQ's

« Previous Page
Next Page »
Press and Awards
Recent Articles

Google Reviews

Brand College Consulting
Brand College Consulting
5.0
Based on 5 reviews
powered by Google
review us on
Joel Delgado
Joel Delgado
16:37 27 Sep 19
Our experience with Jolly Brand was exceptional.
Jacob Gunter
Jacob Gunter
04:27 06 Jul 19
Shannon Robbins
Shannon Robbins
16:26 14 Apr 17
Our experience with Jolyn Brand was exceptional. She was very responsive to us and offered valuable guidance throughout the college preparation and application process. My daughter got in to all of the schools in which she applied, even her stretch school. We credit Jolyn with helping us to make sure her resume, application and essays were top notch.
Marylee Olson
Marylee Olson
00:29 08 Mar 17
Brand College Consulting was GREAT for our son! We met Ms. Brand when my son was in 7th grade! We saw her for an hour consult yearly to help him select his classes, plus a little algebra tutoring in high school. He was ahead of others course-wise and we were able to get 21 hours dual credit in high school, he made the Dean's List, Phi Theta Kappa, and Natl Society of High School Scholars. We are a family of Texas State Bobcats and it's very competitive now to get in but he did and we are thrilled! I recommend Ms. Brand and her services! Marylee Olson, Silverlake, Pearland (Dawson High School)
Chaplain Forever
Chaplain Forever
23:49 05 Oct 16
My youngest daughter attended tutorial services with Ms. Brand. Due to the exemplary, SAT preparation services, my daughter was accepted into several top colleges including the University of Houston, Texas State, Lamar University, and Sam Houston. As a college student, she received scholarships and has been on the Dean's list every semester. Ms. Brand instilled confidence in my daughter. I will be forever grateful.
See All Reviews
js_loader

Client Testimonials

avatarJolyn helped me realize that I had a lot of academic potential. Her SAT Prep helped me flip a decent SAT score into a score in the 95th percentile. She guided me through the entire application process, helped me create a strong schedule for senior year, and provided assistance with college essays. With Jolyn's help, I gained admission into the engineering programs of Texas A&M University and University of Texas. I also received a full-ride scholarship to Lamar University. Jolyn will get college-bound students on the right track.

Nick Treybig
Friendswood High School student, class of 2013
Read more››

About Jolyn Brand

Jolyn is a certified teacher who holds a Doctorate in Higher Education from Northeastern University. After years of experience teaching high school and college students, she began assisting with the college process. She's the founder of Brand College Consulting and works with families across the country virtually. A note from Jolyn: I started working with low-income high school students in … More...

Article Categories

  • ACT and SAT
  • Essays
  • FAQ's
  • Financial Aid
  • For Juniors
  • For Seniors
  • Grad Schools
  • Seminars
  • Testimonials
  • Upcoming Events

Recent Articles

  • Spring To Do List For Juniors
  • Timeline for Taking the SAT or ACT
  • Does the PSAT Matter? Should You Prepare?
  • Creating Your Student Resume for College Admissions
  • 10 Things to See and Do on a College Tour
  • Law School Applications Surge
  • After College Applications
  • Open House Days at Texas Colleges

Brand-College-Consulting-header-02.jpgDr. Jolyn Brand

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 | Brand College Consulting