New year, same game.
College Admissions Landscape: January 2026
Welcome back to our monthly newsletter about what students should be working on this month, important news in higher education, and other resources we feel are important to share. Enjoy!
Class of 2027 January Task List:
Define Your “Fit Formula”: We’ve provided currently enrolled juniors with two worksheets to help them begin to process and define what College Fit means for them. This includes considering finances for college, size of a school, academic culture, majors/minors, location, and campus culture (amongst other, more detailed items students can explore as they start generating their college list).
Begin Formulating a College List: The College List is the list of schools to which a student plans to apply. We anticipate students having a fairly finalized college list by June, when we begin the essay writing process, so there is no need to rush. As a reminder, there are over 4,000 colleges in the USA alone, and most students will apply to somewhere between 8 and 12 of them. Students who work with Virtual College Counselors are expected to build a balanced college list, including likely, target, and reach schools. Regardless of which category each school falls into, every school on a student’s list should be one they would be excited to attend.
Stay Engaged in Extracurriculars: Extracurricular engagement is the easiest way to stand out in a sea of qualified college applicants at any institution. We never want students to participate in activities because they think it “looks good for college.” Rather, we would like to see students engaging in meaningful activities that provide opportunities for growth. In college interviews, and in some supplemental essays, students are often asked to describe one or two of their activities and why they were important to the student. As juniors continue participating and exploring activities, we encourage them to consider why they find the activity meaningful or enjoyable. Here are some tips to get a head start on developing your activities list.
Senior Year Class Selection: Most high schools have students sign up for their senior year courses sometime in February or March. We will discuss with each individual student the options they have for senior year, but in general, colleges want to see students continuing with their rigorous course loads as a senior. Remember, we only want you to take the most rigorous courses that you can do well in!
Create a College-Appropriate Email: If you haven’t created a professional-looking email address yet, now is the time to do that. We strongly recommend that students create/use a gmail address for all things college-related, including applications, scholarships, and correspondence with schools. Many students gravitate toward utilizing their high school email addresses because it is the one they check most often, but those addresses cease to exist the second you graduate, and we want to be sure that colleges are able to reach you when needed. We recommend an address that includes some semblance of your name (specifically last, if not first and last) and some arrangement of meaningful numbers. Oftentimes, your contact information can be the first impression you leave on an admissions representative, so soccercutie98@aol.com isn’t the most appropriate email to use. And it should go without saying, but please start checking this new email address daily and update any accounts that may be using a less appropriate or school email address.
Register for the SAT/ACT: Even though many schools will remain test-optional, we strongly encourage all students to take the ACT and/or SAT at least once in order to keep all admission and scholarship doors open. This blog can help you understand college testing policies. If you are interested in utilizing our self-paced test-prep software, please reach out to discuss how to enroll in this a la carte service.
Class of 2026 January Task List:
Complete Spring Semester/Regular Decision Applications: If you still have outstanding applications, Regular Decision/spring deadlines are fast approaching. Please communicate with us so we can best support you as you finalize these last applications.
Write a Letter of Continued Interest: If you were deferred or waitlisted by a college or university, now is the time to craft your Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI). Be sure to follow each school’s specific instructions for drafting and submitting your LOCI! Here is some guidance on how to write an effective LOCI, and please reach out if you need help brainstorming, developing, or would like a professional set of eyes on the LOCI before submitting.
Digitize Your College Admission & Financial Aid Offer Letters: Please remember to send us PDFs or screenshots of your college admissions notifications and financial aid offer letters as you receive them. Students are encouraged to upload these digital documents to their Virtual College Counselors Work Folder in Google Drive. When we meet later this semester, we will utilize this information to help you make informed college decisions, and also help to negotiate for more aid when needed.
Keep Us Updated: It likely goes without saying, but we want to keep hearing from you about all decisions. We are here to celebrate the offers of admission, and to navigate deferrals and waitlists. We are also here to support you if you hear less favorable news from your schools. In any case, we are so proud of the work seniors have put into this process, and we know you all will have many incredible options on the table by the time you’re tasked with making a final decision in April. Here is some advice to understand college decisions and next steps.
Plan to Visit Top Choice Colleges: Lastly, once you’ve narrowed down your top few choices, if you haven’t had a chance to yet, it’s time to plan a visit to the campuses. Getting a chance to explore the campus, try their food, and ask questions in person can help students determine which school may be the best fit for them. Often, these final college visits help make the decision process easier. Here are some tips on how to plan your college visits.
Class of 2028/2029 spring semester task list:
Engage in Meaningful Extracurricular Activities: Freshman and sophomore years are when students can build strong foundations for their application narratives by pursuing extracurriculars of interest. This can include sports, school clubs, learning an instrument, working, volunteering, and any other activity that enables personal development and growth.
Develop Your Study Skills: Study skills are critical to hone in the early years of high school. Consider how you learn best, how you perform on different kinds of exams, and any opportunities for growth you can identify. Now is the time to start creating systems and habits that maximize your academic performance.
Consider Touring Local Colleges: It’s never too early to start touring colleges! Visiting college campuses and attending their information sessions and campus tours can be a great way to get inspired and begin to identify what you may be looking for in a college experience.
Maintain Good Grades (and Ask for Help when Needed): Prioritizing doing well academically in the first couple years of high school will best set students up for academic success later on. GPAs are, by definition, grade point averages, so if your grades begin to slip in the early years of high school, it will become increasingly challenging to improve your GPA over time. If you’re struggling in a class, remember you can always ask for help!
Virtual College Counselors in the Media
The College Talk Show: How Admissions Officers Read Applications
Sawyer recently joined Chris Bell on The College Talk Show to discuss what actually happens when an admissions officer reviews a college application. Drawing on his experience as a former admissions officer and Independent Educational Consultant, they unpacked holistic review, institutional priorities, and where essays, transcripts, and activities truly fit into the decision-making process.
This episode is designed to help students and families worry less, focus on what they can control, and approach college admissions with greater confidence.
▶️ Watch the episode here:
College Admissions: Is This the Beginning of the End for Early Decision? Jess spoke with journalist James Murphy about Early Decision application plans and the impact on students and families.
Higher Education in the News
Selective Colleges Enroll Record Numbers of Low-Income Students Many top universities are aggressively recruiting Pell Grant–eligible (low-income) students. The Associated Press reports that at 17 highly selective colleges the number of Pell students is at or near record levels. For example, Princeton’s incoming class is now about 25% Pell-eligible — a dramatic jump from under 10% two decades ago. Colleges have expanded programs (like free tuition for families earning below roughly $200,000) to attract a broader socioeconomic mix. These efforts come amid federal emphasis on economic diversity and have led to double-digit increases in Pell enrollment at schools such as MIT, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Amherst College (some reporting 20–40% year-over-year growth in Pell recipients).
Education Dept. Reviews Brown University After Campus Shooting On Dec. 13, 2025, a shooting at Brown University killed two students. In response, the Department of Education announced a formal review of Brown for potential safety lapses under the Clery Act. The review will examine whether Brown provided timely campus alerts and adequate safety measures. Education Secretary Cardona stated that all students “deserve to feel safe” on campus, and the department is “initiating a review” of Brown’s federally-funded programs to protect student safety. This federal action comes after concerns that delayed or ineffective emergency alerts may have worsened the tragedy.
UC Berkeley Sees Record Enrollment, Bucking Trends The University of California, Berkeley broke records by enrolling a larger first-year class despite national declines in some groups. New data show UC Berkeley’s international freshman enrollment jumped 43% this year (2,363 students), in contrast to a 17% drop in international freshmen nationwide. Overall undergrad enrollment hit a record 46,151 (up from 45,882). Berkeley credit its prestige – top students worldwide still want to attend – and intentional recruitment of out-of-state and underrepresented groups. In fact, the system has state agreements to admit more California residents (who have increased to 26,670) in exchange for budget support.
Wave of College Closure Announcements Late 2025 saw many colleges warning of imminent closure. Inside Higher Ed tracked at least 16 nonprofit institutions that announced they will shut down after this year. This matches the number of closures last year and exceeds the count for 2023. Notably, all seven of the public college closures were small Pennsylvania State University branch campuses. The other announced closures (roughly nine) were mostly small private or religiously affiliated colleges. These institutions typically had low enrollment (some under 100 students) and mounting deficits. Credit agencies now warn 2026 will be even tougher, citing declining demographics, new federal loan caps, international student hurdles, and potential funding cuts.
University of Alabama Updates Admissions Review Process “For those who begin applying in August 2026 as first year undergraduate students who will start their studies in 2027, a standardized test score, either ACT or SAT, will be required for those whose cumulative high school GPA is below 3.0. All students who begin applying in August 2027 as first year undergraduate students who will start their studies in 2028 and beyond will be required to submit a standardized test score.”
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Virtual College Counselors believes every student and family should have access to expert advice on the college search and application journey, regardless of any financial or time constraints. By signing up for our newsletter, in addition to monthly college search and application updates, you will also receive a Free College Search Starter Kit containing the following guides:
- The College Application Timeline
- Discovering College Fit
- College Essay Tips
- Common College Essay Pitfalls
- Introduction to Financial Aid 101
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