As a student athlete, Reese Fry sought a school that would challenge him both academically and athletically, leading him to apply to seven schools that fit those criteria before settling on Brown University. It was initially difficult to find a blend of the two, especially when he had to talk with wrestling coaches at different colleges on top of the usual application workload. However, “after rigorous research and communication, I found the perfect opportunity for me at Brown University and am proud to call myself a bear,” Reese explains.
Applying to prestigious schools is no easy feat. Reese’s advice: apply Early Action and Early Decision. “I believe this makes you stand out along with having a balance in extracurricular activities and working hard in school because it shows the institutions that they are near or at the top of your list,” Reese asserts.
To apply early in the application season like this requires preplanning, often with experts to guide the process. “Parros College Planning is an outstanding service that has people who care and want to help you in the best way possible. I probably would not have gotten as far in my college planning without them, especially without the essay help. Parros was amazing at helping me hone in on my strengths and find what I did or did not like about a university and used that to recommend schools that matched my interests. I would recommend the Parros College Planning service to anyone pursuing a college education.”
Getting ahead of the application game and finding a school that matches your interests like Reese did starts before applications even begin. Once you figure out which universities you’re interested in, you can plan campus visits that will help determine which schools you actually apply to and get started right away. “My advice to seniors is visit universities early and once you have selected the ones you want to apply to, get your applications done as soon as possible. If you wait until the due dates and your high school courses are unloading homework on you, it will be extremely stressful to balance both,” cautions Reese. “If you apply earlier, you get that off your plate for the rest of the school year.”
As a result of his efforts over the years and the time he spent with Parros College Planning, Reese is off to an incredible school and looking “forward to the opportunity to compete as a division one athlete and attend such a prestigious university as well as studying in the pathobiology field.”
On behalf of Parros College Planning, we are so excited for him to pursue his passions at a collegiate level, and so glad that we were able to help him get there. Let us help you too! For our juniors, the time to strategize for college applications is now. Schedule an appointment with us this summer to position yourself as a competitive applicant this fall.
