CEP CEP College Planning Process & Timeline 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When should a student ideally begin working with a Certified Educational Planner on college planning?
- During senior year fall semester
- At the start of junior year
- In 8th or 9th grade (Correct answer)
- After receiving SAT/ACT scores
Correct answer: In 8th or 9th grade
CEPs recommend beginning college planning in 8th or 9th grade to allow time for course selection, extracurricular development, and exploration of options.
Question 2: Which standardized test timeline is most advisable for students seeking college admission as recommended by CEPs?
- Take SAT/ACT only once in senior year
- First attempt in spring of junior year, with opportunity to retake in fall of senior year (Correct answer)
- Take only the SAT, not the ACT
- Wait for PSAT results before registering for SAT
Correct answer: First attempt in spring of junior year, with opportunity to retake in fall of senior year
A first attempt in junior year spring allows students time to review results and retake in senior year fall before most early application deadlines.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a college list 'balance' strategy used by CEPs?
- To ensure geographic diversity
- To categorize schools into reach, target, and likely tiers based on a student's profile (Correct answer)
- To limit applications to no more than five schools
- To prioritize schools with the lowest tuition
Correct answer: To categorize schools into reach, target, and likely tiers based on a student's profile
A balanced college list includes reach, target, and likely schools so the student has realistic options across different admission probability levels.
Question 4: Which activity is most critical during a student's sophomore year in a comprehensive college planning timeline?
- Submitting early action applications
- Requesting teacher recommendation letters
- Exploring interests, taking the PSAT, and identifying academic strengths (Correct answer)
- Finalizing a college list
Correct answer: Exploring interests, taking the PSAT, and identifying academic strengths
Sophomore year is ideal for self-exploration, taking the PSAT for practice, and beginning to identify academic and extracurricular strengths.
Question 5: A CEP advises a student to visit colleges before finalizing their list. What is the best type of visit for authentic insight?
- Virtual tour only
- Scheduled open house with a campus tour and class sit-in (Correct answer)
- Drive-by view of campus buildings
- Review of the college's Instagram page
Correct answer: Scheduled open house with a campus tour and class sit-in
An in-person visit with a campus tour and opportunity to sit in on a class gives the most authentic sense of campus culture and fit.
Question 6: What does a CEP typically recommend regarding college application essays?
- Recycle the same generic essay for all schools
- Begin drafting essays in summer before senior year and tailor supplemental essays per school (Correct answer)
- Focus only on listing achievements without personal narrative
- Keep essays under 100 words for brevity
Correct answer: Begin drafting essays in summer before senior year and tailor supplemental essays per school
Starting essays in summer allows ample drafting and revision time, and tailored supplemental essays demonstrate genuine interest in each school.
CEP CEP College Planning Process & Timeline 1
When should a student ideally begin working with a Certified Educational Planner on college planning?