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Spring To Do List For Juniors

January 1, 2023 By Jolyn Brand

While most seniors are happily done (or almost happily done) with completing and submitting their college applications, now it’s time for juniors to get engaged. Below is a checklist of some of the things that juniors and their families should be thinking about, discussing and doing over the next few months. Start talking!  If you haven't already, now is the time to start conversations about the next steps after high school.  … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For Juniors Tagged With: college admissions, college advice, college consultant, college counselor

Timeline for Taking the SAT or ACT

September 10, 2022 By Jolyn Brand

The SAT and the ACT are very different college entrance exams and most colleges are now accepting both. This has led to most students taking both the SAT and the ACT tests, although that is not required or suggested by many professionals in the college admissions field. Junior and senior year of high school are already very busy times so planning ahead really helps! When should my child take the SAT or ACT? While it looks like there are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACT and SAT, For Juniors, For Seniors Tagged With: ACT, college acceptance, college advice, SAT, scholarships

Creating Your Student Resume for College Admissions

January 15, 2022 By Jolyn Brand

  When you apply to college, admission officers look at more than just your grades — they also take note of what you have done outside the classroom. Your extracurricular activities, such as jobs, sports, clubs and volunteer work, give colleges a better sense of who you are and show them what you can bring to their campus community. Remember that college folder you were supposed to be collecting throughout high school? The one stuffed with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For Juniors, For Seniors Tagged With: college, college admissions, college advice, college applications, college counselor, college financial aid, college help, college letters, college students, essays, financial aid, scholarships

10 Things to See and Do on a College Tour

December 6, 2021 By Jolyn Brand

Students and parents should plan college tours starting in 9th grade. That should give high school students enough time during freshmen, sophomore and junior years to visit several different college campuses, take the official college tour, and narrow down their preferences and final college list before senior year.  Most colleges offer daily walking campus tours during the week and some also offer these on weekends. You can search "visit" plus … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, For Juniors Tagged With: college, college admissions, college advice, college counselor, college students, college tour, college tours, college visits

Open House Days at Texas Colleges

September 12, 2021 By Jolyn Brand

Open houses, like campus tours, provide students with a unique opportunity to get information so they can decide whether or not to apply to the school. A college open house is an event where visitors are allowed access to a campus in order to learn more about it. During open houses, you can expect to see a number of important and knowledgeable people associated with a college. Deans, professors, coaches, admissions counselors, safety … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Upcoming Events Tagged With: college advice, college visits

5 Things to Do the Summer Before Going Off To College

December 5, 2020 By Jolyn Brand

Congratulations! You've just graduated from high school and have been accepted to a university (or several!) You've worked hard and should enjoy your last summer at home before going off to college. You may feel like being "lazy" before classes and your busy freshmen year begins; by all means, relax, but there are several things that you should concentrate on over the summer, while you still have time! 1. Get organized. If you don't already … [Read more...]

Filed Under: For Seniors Tagged With: college, college acceptance, college admissions, college advice, college consultant, college students

Parent Quiz: Are You Financially Prepared for College?

November 3, 2020 By Jolyn Brand

Students are going back to school and parents are again thinking about the future. Between  AP classes, sports, extracurricular activities, and community service kids, these days are very busy. Parents are also worried about how to pay for all of those things plus the upcoming college costs. Are you preparing your family correctly? Take this quiz to see! 1. Have you set up a 529 or college savings plan? 2. Have you calculated the future college … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, Financial Aid, For Juniors, For Seniors Tagged With: college advice, college counselor, college financial aid, college help, college students

How to File the FAFSA

October 28, 2020 By Jolyn Brand

8 Steps to Filling Out the FAFSA Form Need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form but don’t know where to start? I’m here to help. Let’s walk through the process step by step. 1. Create an account (FSA ID). Student: An FSA ID is a username and password you need to sign the FAFSA form online. If you don’t have an FSA ID, get an FSA ID here. It takes about 10 minutes to create an FSA ID. If this will be your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, Financial Aid, For Seniors Tagged With: college admissions, college advice, college financial aid, FAFSA, University And College Admissions

Rising “Hidden Costs” for College

September 25, 2020 By Jolyn Brand

More and more Americans are going to college. According to data from the Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 1980, 50% of high school graduates between the ages of 16 and 24 were enrolled in college; in 2016, it was 70%. In 2016, 19.3 million undergraduate students were enrolled in higher education institutions. 70% were enrolled at public schools, 23% at private non-profits schools and 7% at private … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, Financial Aid, For Seniors Tagged With: college, college admissions, college advice, college applications, college consultant, college counselor, college financial aid, college students, college visits, financial aid

I got offered Blinn TEAM at A&M but what does that mean?

March 16, 2020 By Jolyn Brand

Texas A&M is releasing final admissions decisions soon for students who applied for Fall 2018. If you got accepted, congratulations! There are also several other pathways that might be offered: Aggie Gateway to Success is a summer provisional admission program that gives students a unique chance to gain full admission to the university the following fall semester. This is a rare offer in which Gateway students who successfully complete … [Read more...]

Filed Under: FAQ's, For Seniors Tagged With: college acceptance, college admissions, college advice, college applications, college consultant, Houston colleges, TAMU, Texas A&M, Texas blinn

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Joel Delgado
Joel Delgado
16:37 27 Sep 19
Our experience with Jolly Brand was exceptional.
Jacob Gunter
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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.
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Client Testimonials

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My daughter enjoyed prepping for her SAT test with Jolyn. I really appreciated the personal attention she was given. I have known Jolyn on a personal level as well for a couple of years and would highly recommend her to work with your children.


Note: Beth's daughter was accepted to Texas A&M University!


Beth Kessler
Friendswood parent, Class of 2014
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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...

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  • 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
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