College Planning of Westchester in Armonk, New York, specializes in SAT/ACT tutoring and college counseling for students interested in continuing their education after high school. Our services are designed to prepare students in all areas related to the college planning journey.  Sessions can be scheduled in person in our Armonk office or virtually via Zoom.

MEET THE STAFF

ACADEMIC READINESS

Can your child manage the difficulty of studying for midterms, finals, and AP exams? Help your student assess their academic goals and address any gaps in their courses and curriculum.

Encourage them to make adjustments to ensure they are on the right path to get into the colleges of their choice. Schedule tutoring to improve any academic issues and build study skills.

RESUME BUILDING & DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS

Clubs, sports, jobs, community service, and interesting hobbies are all important parts of your child's college application. Colleges seek candidates who are not only good students in the classroom, but also well-rounded and passionate about their outside interests.

Students should choose activities that excite them and continue to build on them throughout their high school years—but don't overdo it. Colleges would rather see several activities where they have participated fully and excelled than a list without much substance.

With so many colleges and universities going test-optional, a digital portfolio can add depth and breadth to your child's application and resume - and help your child stand out among other applicants. At CPW, we recommend using LifeStream Digital Memory Box because it not only enables an applicant to quickly and easily create a custom digital portfolio, but the LifeStream platform provides a quality baseline of information for all the work we do with your student at CPW from the Activities section, to the essay, resume, and interview. You can find out more and sign-up for the service at www.LifeStreamDigital.com. 

COLLEGE SEARCH

Make the most of your travels. During the high school years, it is helpful and often convenient to visit schools that are along your route when visiting family or on vacation.

Exposing your child to schools in different cities, states, and settings helps narrow their choices. Many families get their college visits into high gear during the second half of junior year, after PSAT scores arrive.

Use the provided list of colleges as a building block. Fine-tune your list based on interests, possible majors, geographic preferences, GPA, and test scores.

APPLICATIONS

The common application now accepted by many of the most recognized colleges is available beginning August of senior year, which is also the right time to begin the application essays. All parts are important and should be filled out with extreme care. The application essay is given special attention by college admissions officers, as it helps them differentiate between students with similar academic statistics.

PAYING FOR COLLEGE

Have you calculated the total cost until college graduation? If your child plans to attend a private college, be prepared to spend upwards of $250,000 and even higher if they transfer or change majors.

Most colleges offer need-based financial aid to qualified applicants and often extend financial incentives to attractive candidates at higher income levels.