No call tonight — here's what to work on this week

The 2nd Monday of every month is our College Prep Execution Calls for families with 11th graders. We won't have a live call tonight — instead, please complete the tasks below with your student this week.

If you have a rising junior in high school and next year will be your first time going through the college application process, it is imperative you get familiar with the Common Application now and start building your college list. The three videos below will help you do exactly that.

If this is not your first time going through the process, we encourage you to start your Common App now as well — and to start building your college list right alongside the families who are doing it for the first time.

Your Tasks This Week

We don't leave the bag to the 17-year-old.

Create your Common App account

If you have a rising junior — meaning next year will be your student's first time going through the college application process — this is the week to get familiar with the Common Application and start building your college list. Watch video 1 below to walk through account setup, the Profile section, and the Family section.

Complete the Education & Testing sections

Watch video 2 to learn how to report high school info, coursework, GPA, class rank, honors, and test scores accurately and strategically.

Start building your college list

Watch the replay from College Success Coaching Shereem Herndon-Brown on building the perfect college list — the framework applies whether this is your first time through the process or not.

Watch These 3 Videos

Common Application Walkthrough + Building Your College List

Video 1

Common Application Walkthrough: Starting the Common App

How to create a Common App account, set up contact details and preferences, complete the Profile section (demographics, geography, languages, citizenship, fee waiver), fill out the Family section, and understand what colleges actually see — plus how optional questions like race/ethnicity and pronouns are used, and tips for avoiding common Common App mistakes.

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Video 2

Common Application Walkthrough: Education & Testing

How to complete the Education section — reporting your high school, entry and graduation dates, GPA, class rank, and grading scale — plus reporting senior year courses, honors and awards, and ACT/SAT/AP/IB scores, including guidance for test-optional applicants and international students.

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Watch the Replay

Building the Perfect College List

A practical framework for building a balanced, strategic college list — reach, target, and likely schools that fit your student academically, socially, and financially.

By College Success Coaching — Shereem Herndon-Brown

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Start Your Common Application →

Stuck On Something?

Ask Walter AI while you work through these tasks

Ask Walter AI is available 24/7 at waltermpearson.com. Here are a few questions worth asking as you get started this week:

"Ask Walter, what documents and information do I need to gather before I start my student's Common App account?"
"Ask Walter, how do I fill out the Family section of the Common App if my student's parents have different last names or living situations?"
"Ask Walter, what's a realistic and balanced college list — how many reach, target, and likely schools should we include?"
"Ask Walter, should my student report their SAT or ACT scores if they're applying test-optional?"
"Ask Walter, how do I know if a college is a good academic and financial fit for my family before we add it to the list?"

Ask Walter AI Now →