College Coach

College Coach Registration

New to the benefit? Visit: https://passport.getintocollege.com and create your unique user name and password.

Get Expert Guidance:

• Schedule a free one-on-one session with an expert to discuss your family’s unique situation. 
• Receive up to five phone counseling sessions and five essay reviews per student per school year.
• Questions? Call (888) 527-3550 or email [email protected].

The Spring and Summer 2026 Webinar Series runs from January to July.

You must register for the College Coach program to have access to the webinar. Previous webinar recordings can be found on the College Coach homepage.

Topics include:

Writing Your Best College Essay

Thursday, July 9, 2026  |  7 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

The college application essay plays a critical role in admissions success. And with the competitive admissions process looming ahead, you and your student might be wondering what it takes to craft a stand-out essay. Join us for a live, interactive session to get expert advice on:

• What makes a strong, appropriate, and engaging essay topic
• Strategies to brainstorm, methods for writing, and tips for editing
• How to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls
• Insight into our former admissions officers' favorite essays
• How to get the most out of your free essay review benefit

This topic is suggested for rising 12^th grade students and their parents/guardians.

College Admission Tests: When and How to Start

Tuesday, July 14, 2026  |  12 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

If you have a high schooler, figuring out when to tackle admissions test can feel like a puzzle. Do we take SAT or ACT? When do we register? What’s the best way to schedule the SAT/ACT around AP exams? How long does it take to prepare? How early is too early? This workshop will teach you how to map out a step-by-step timeline customized for your family. You'll learn:

• When your student should take the diagnostic tests
• The best time to start test prep
• How and when to schedule the PSAT, SAT and ACT as well as AP and IB exams
• Deadlines for students with learning disabilities and accommodations
• When bills will be due and the consequences of not paying on time

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 9^th – 12^th grade students.

Senior Summer: The Successful Transition to College

Thursday, July 16, 2026  |  2 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

Colleges will require a number of forms, payments, and other assorted paperwork related to medical, financial, and academic standing long before your child arrives on campus. This webinar will share what parents need to know to help smooth the transition to college in the fall:

• What forms will be required and why
• When bills will be due and the consequences of not paying on time
• Why final high school grades are still important
• How to submit the final high school transcript, transfer coursework, and AP/IB scores for credit evaluation
• How to prepare for creating a home away from home
• How to empower your student to become a self-advocate on campus
• Where to get answers to lingering questions

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 12^th grade students.

The High School Plan

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 |  12 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

High school is a critical time in your student’s education journey, and it’s important to find ways to maximize their potential for success in college and their future career. This workshop will show you how to help them effectively plan for high school academics and extracurricular activities, as well as post-high school. You'll get strategies for:

• Selecting the appropriate type and level of courses across the curriculum
• Choosing extracurricular and summer activities (including jobs) to support growth and wellbeing
• Setting actionable goals, talking about interests and strengths, and aligning them with post-high school plans

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of of 8^th – 10^th grade students.

This event has passed.

SAT & ACT: Which is Right for My Child?

Thursday, March 5, 2026  |  12 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

Most schools accept both the SAT and ACT. So how do employees know which one their student should take? This workshop will offer employees the facts about this important decision. They will learn about the tests, understand the differences, and find out how to use their student's learning style to make the most informed decision for the best possible result. Parents will learn:

• Steps they can take to determine the right test
• Key identifiers to help choose
• Test dates and timeline options

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 9^th – 10^th grade students.

This event has passed.

New Era of Digital Exams: Changes to the SAT, ACT and More

Tuesday, March 24, 2026  |  12 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

The SAT is now a digital, adaptive test—and the ACT isn't far behind. For those who have a child applying to college, knowing about these changes and other key shifts are essential to admissions success. This workshop will help you understand the current landscape and prepare your child for a new generation of test policies. Key topics covered include:

• The format of the new SAT and PSAT
• How to prepare for a digital test
• Changes coming to the ACT, AP and other admissions exams
• Which colleges are dropping testing requirements and what to do about it

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 9^th – 12^th grade students. 

This event has passed.

Alternatives to a 4-Year Degree

Thursday, April 16, 2026  |  2 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

Is the four-year college degree the only pathway to success? Could your student benefit from something different? There are a variety of options available to students today, but the key is knowing which is best for your child. In this webinar, you'll learn:

• What academic, career, and other pathways exist for high school graduates
• When a student should consider a gap year and how to research options
• How to identify the best options and set goals based on your student's strengths and interests
• Tips for establishing a timeline and action items for your student

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 9^th – 12^th grade students.

This event has passed.

Selecting Best Fit Colleges

Tuesday, April 21, 2026  |  3 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

The goal of this workshop is to help families understand how to narrow their options and ultimately select the right college. Families will learn how to:

• Identify their children's strength and interests
• Utilize their children's academics, activities and extras to put together the strongest college list possible
• Match their children with the colleges that are the best fits

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 11^th – 12^th grade students. 

This event has passed.

Admission to the Ivies and Other Highly Selective Schools

Tuesday, May 19, 2026  |  3 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

In today's competitive admissions world, having top grades and the highest standardized test scores is no longer enough to be admitted to the nation’s most selective colleges. Join our webinar to learn:

• What "highly selective" really means
• How applications are reviewed at the country’s most selective schools
• Which application elements most impact acceptance
• What students can do to improve their chances of admission

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 9^th – 11^th grade students. 

This event has passed.

The Fall 2025 Webinar Series runs from September to December.

You must register for the College Coach program to have access to the webinar. Previous webinar recordings can be found on the College Coach homepage.

Topics include:

Preparing College Applications

Thursday, September 25, 2025 |  3 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

The college admissions landscape is more competitive than ever before. And trying to figure out how to go about that process is likely weighing on your mind, especially since a good application is key to success. This webinar will go over the process in detail and highlight how you can help your student create the best application. You'll learn:

• Common application components and how to tackle each one
• Tips for writing an essay with maximum impact while avoiding common mistakes, pitfalls, and tricky topics
• How to be proactive with requirements and deadlines for a lower-stress application process

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 12^th graders. 

This event has passed.

Navigating the FAFSA and Other Financial Aid Applications

Thursday, October 16, 2025  |  12:30 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Services (CSS) Profile are the two primary financial aid applications required by many colleges and universities. This session is designed for parents of 12th graders and college students and will:

• Provide an overview of the entire financial aid application process
• Review the FAFSA in detail and compare/contrast the FAFSA and CSS Profile
• Identify unusual circumstances and how best to discuss personal situations with the aid offices
• Offer tips to make the process of completing the forms more efficient and less stressful

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 12^th graders. 

This event has passed.

Paying for College

Tuesday, October 21, 2025  |  3 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

While students are working diligently to get into college, parents are facing the daunting question of how much college will cost. This workshop provides a comprehensive overview of the various resources and strategies families use to cover college expenses. Families will learn:

• Where financial assistance comes from and how to maximize eligibility
• How aid eligibility is determined, and tricky caveats hidden in the fine print
• The most effective way to appeal the initial financial aid award or negotiate for more funds
• Effective strategies to employ when spending assets on college
• Key considerations when selecting the right education loan

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 9^th - 12^th graders. 

This event has passed.

Saving for College

Wednesday, November 12, 2025  |  3 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

Stressed about saving for college... and intimidated by this incredibly important investment in your child's future? There isn't a one-size-fits-all savings plan - instead, this workshop will give you the tools you need to set (or readjust) course so that your savings plan aligns with your family's educational and financial priorities. You'll get an overview of the college savings landscape and learn how to:

• Chose a college savings plan that meets your needs
• Save in a tax-efficient manner
• Reduce the financial aid impact of college savings
• Set appropriate savings goals
• Identify untapped resources for college savings

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of newborns - 8^th graders. 

This event has passed.

PSAT - What a Score Means, Why it Matters

Thursday, December 11, 2025  |  3 p.m. ET  |  Live Webinar

Understanding the PSAT and how to interpret and use those scores are important first steps in the standardized testing process. Students can set themselves up for maximum success on the SAT or ACT by preparing for and taking this standardized practice test, which in turn will help them fare better in the college admissions process. This webinar will offer your employees insight into the PSAT and why it is important to their children. It will share information about the following:

• How to convert PSAT scores to predict a student’s score on the SAT or ACT
• Making sense of the SAT and ACT and choosing based on the PSA
• Comparing your child's PSAT score to other students in their state
• National Merit Scholarship opportunities for high-percentile students

This topic is suggested for parents/guardians of 8^th – 11^th graders.

This event has passed.

The Columbia University – College Coach Annual Report summarizes utilization metrics, including user registrations, webinar registrations and personalized assistance services.

Consult with College Coach admissions and college finance experts in private phone sessions tailored to your needs. You can discuss your family and student’s application questions, discuss strategies for saving and paying for college, create plans for high school and more.

You can schedule up to five phone counseling sessions per student per school year. It is recommended to utilize the Quick Questions feature for answers to more general questions and to consolidate your inquiries into fewer scheduled appointments. Changes or cancellations to your phone counseling session must be made 24 hours prior or it will count as one of your sessions.

Register for Phone Counseling

^{Note: you must register for College Coach before registering for phone counseling.}

Simplify the college search process with a custom list of colleges and universities based on your student’s preferences, interests and academic record. The list is created by a College Coach admissions expert based on a detailed student questionnaire and features a brief informational profile and estimated chance of admission for each school.

Help your student craft their best application essays with exclusive written feedback from College Coach experts on college application writing supplements and activity resumes. Each eligible student can receive up to five essay reviews per school year.

College Coach will provide written answers to your specific questions through the Quick Questions tool within two business days. This tool is ideal for questions that clarify facts rather than require strategic responses or a lot of individual context.

Send Quick Questions

*You must register for College Coach before you can send questions.

Hear what your Columbia University colleagues have to say about College Coach:

• “This benefit is such a stress relief. I feel the college search and application process is a full time job and it is so hard to learn everything necessary. This benefit saves so much time and allows me to feel more confident in decision making and how to most efficiently continue college planning.”
• “Not only was my college expert knowledgeable, but she also had a lot of empathy for seniors and families going through the stressful process of college admissions and navigating waitlists. I appreciated not only the information and helpful tips, but also her understanding of the feelings that arise and how to gain perspective.”
• “We have saved thousands of dollars thanks to this benefit. Having access to various experts has been incredibly helpful in identifying trends that will give my child more options. It’s been a fantastic experience!”
• “The Paying for College webinar gave me the guidance that I needed. I feel much more prepared than I did before the webinar. This is a great benefit given by Columbia University!”
• “This benefit practically eliminates the time consuming effort to help my children prepare for college.”

At some schools, a financial aid application may negatively the student’s chances for admission, while at others, it will not. Many schools are “need blind” and do not review the financial aid application, if there is one, during the admissions decision process. Others are “need aware,” and, in one way or another, may favor the admission of non-aid applicants, or students from high-income families.

In general, needing financial aid is a much smaller factor in the admissions process than the other data from the admissions application. Many need-aware colleges admit almost all of their classes on a need-blind basis, and reserve a small fraction of admissions, perhaps 10%, for students who do not need financial aid. Others allow finances to play a minor role in the evaluation of all candidates.

In any case, if you need financial aid to afford a college, you should apply for it by the college's deadline. There is no use getting into a college you cannot afford to attend. If you have questions about whether a financial aid application may benefit your family, schedule a personalized counseling session with a Bright Horizons College Coach finance educator.

There is no specific number of colleges to which a student should apply. We recommend applying to a balanced list of schools representing varying levels of selectivity and predictability in the admission process. An evenly-balanced list would consist of around two “probable” schools, where the applicant’s academic performance is stronger than that of the typical admitted student; three “possible” schools, where the average admitted student’s academic performance is equivalent to the applicant’s record; and two “reach schools,” institutions where the average accepted applicant's profile is stronger than the applicant’s record. Applicants might choose to balance their lists differently based on their values or priorities; one student might apply to five “probable” schools to try and maximize scholarship awards, plus three “possible” schools, and two “reach” schools.  Another student might apply to two “probable” schools, three “possible” schools, and five “reach” schools because they want to try for a few highly selective colleges with unpredictable admission processes. As such, this is a great topic to discuss in a personal counseling session.

The essay can be very important because students have the opportunity to share details about their personality, interests, and achievements not reflected on the transcript or in standardized testing. The essay is an opportunity for the student to add a third dimension to the application. Generally speaking, the more selective the college, the more important the essay will be. At all colleges requiring an essay, it is usually very important for borderline students and scholarship consideration, therefore, significant time should be spent brainstorming, drafting, and editing.

One way to motivate students to focus on school now is to expose them to the doors their high school education will open later. Visit a college campus to see what life there is like; arrange a job shadowing opportunity in a career of interest; set up an informational interview with an adult your child respects or a professional whose job aligns with your child’s skill set. During and after each experience, discuss what will be required to pursue a similar path. The ability to attend the college of their choice or pursue a career of interest is one very important reason to take school seriously. Many students are also not aware that, even if college is not an immediate option after high school, a strong academic performance will still make them more attractive to potential employers.