Early Deadlines…The FAFSA is Open…Tailgate Season…

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It’s officially that time of year when the college calendar starts moving very quickly. And as the mom of a high school senior, it’s moving TOO QUICKLY!

The first Early Action/Early Decision deadlines are October 15, with many more coming November 1. If all the application acronyms are starting to blur together — EA, ED, REA, SCEA — we’re sharing our COLLEGE APP TERMS CHEAT SHEET to help keep it all straight.

We’re also featuring some of the stories that caught our attention in the news this week — from the growing investment in the college visitor experience and the latest debate over test-optional admissions to rising college costs, FAFSA mistakes to avoid, and the brand-new 2027 U.S. News rankings.

And it’s not all applications and deadlines. Campus visits are in full swing, and believe it or not, the first college acceptances are already starting to roll in. Which also means… bed party season is around the corner!

And of course, it’s also tailgate season! We’re excited to launch our new CORNER CHECKLISTS, where you can shop all of our favorites and check things off as you go.

Lots happening at the Corner. As always, we’ll help you keep up with it — one Corner at a time.

Xoxo,
The College & Dorm Corner

✨ Make sure to follow us on INSTAGRAM for daily tips, trends, and must-know moments along the college journey!

IN THIS ISSUE

🗓️ College App Terms Cheat Sheet
🏫 The Big Business of Campus Visits
📝 The Latest on Test-Optional Admissions
💰 College Costs Top $100K
💸 FAFSA is Open! 6 Mistakes to Avoid
🏆 2027 U.S. News Best College Rankings
🎉 Bed Party Season Is Coming
🏈 New! The Corner Tailgate Checklist
👀 Sneak Peek: The Corner Club

CAMPUS TOURS HAVE NEVER BEEN BIGGER
Rides in shiny, branded shuttles. Personalized parking spots and goodie bags. Free flights and hotel rooms across the country. Multithousand-dollar scholarships, and multimillion-dollar welcome centers. These are some of the ways colleges and universities are investing in campus tours and visits, in the hopes that new and improved experiences will convince more prospective students who visit to eventually enroll. Campus tours have long been an important way for institutions to capture the interest of students and parents. READ MORE HERE

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN COLLEGES MAKE TEST SCORES OPTIONAL
Debating the value of the SAT is something of an American pastime. The latest kerfuffle is happening at the University of California, a massive system that no longer considers test scores in college admissions after critics raised concerns that tests limit opportunities for disadvantaged students. Now, though, some UC professors and others contend that external testing is needed to maintain academic standards. Many test supporters have also advanced a more surprising argument: The SAT and ACT actually help disadvantaged students get a leg up in admissions. “Administrators say the test scores are especially useful at identifying strong students from low-income communities,” opined the New York Times editorial board in July. READ MORE HERE

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT COLLEGE COSTS
It’s the question just about every parent has when their kids start looking at colleges: How much is this really going to cost? Too often, families struggle to find a clear answer because college pricing is opaque, said Phillip B. Levine, a professor of economics at Wellesley College. More than a dozen colleges advertise a $100,000 price tag and others are on the cusp, even though few students pay that amount. Meanwhile, an increasing number of schools are offering some families free tuition. Still, financial aid can be confusing because every school calculates the final cost differently and students don’t see that until they are admitted, given the increasing use—sanctioned and not—of artificial intelligence. READ MORE HERE

FAFSA IS OPEN! 6 FAFSA MISTAKES THAT COULD COST YOU YOUR FINANCIAL AID
The U.S. Department of Education made the official announcement earlier this morning, rolling out the 2027–2028 form ahead of schedule. This marks the earliest launch in the program's history. Each year, more than a third of undergraduates take out federal student loans, according to the Urban Institute. By the time they graduate, 70% of students with a bachelor’s degree will have education debt. The first step in accessing financial aid is completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA has been streamlined for the new season, with a total of about 36 questions instead of the usual hundred-plus. But even small mistakes can delay aid or cost students thousands in lost grants and scholarships. READ MORE HERE

THE 2027 BEST NATIONAL COLLEGE RANKINGS ARE OUT
The annual U.S. News Best Colleges rankings were released yesterday, with a large portion of ranked schools changing categories compared with previous editions due to the 2025 update of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Here's a look at the top-ranked schools in their respective ranking categories in the 2027 edition of the BEST COLLEGES.

National Universities:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (No. 1)
Princeton University (No. 2)
Harvard University (No. 3)
Yale University (No. 4)
California Institute of Technology (No. 5, tie)
Stanford University (No. 5, tie)

WHAT ELSE COUNTS AS AN ACTIVITY ON THE COMMON APP?

Not every meaningful responsibility happens at school. New Common App data highlights the “RESPONSIBILITIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES SECTION,“ which gives students a place to share what they do outside of traditional activities like sports, clubs and volunteering. That can include caring for or driving family members, translating, helping pay bills, working on a family farm and more. It’s a good reminder that colleges want to understand how students spend their time — even when it doesn’t fit neatly into the traditional “activities” box. LEARN MORE HERE

ACCEPTANCES ARE STARTING TO ROLL IN!!
Some acceptances (like PITT) are already hitting your inboxes, and more schools are close behind. If your senior just got the news, congrats! Our AMAZON STOREFRONT is stocked and ready with all of your celebration must-haves, so you can shop the moment it's official.

ACCEPTANCES ARE STARTING TO ROLL IN!!
Some acceptances (like PITT) are already hitting your inboxes, and more schools are close behind. If your senior just got the news, congrats! Our AMAZON STOREFRONT is stocked and ready with all of your celebration must-haves, so you can shop the moment it's official.

TAILGATE SEASON IS HERE 🏈

College football is back — and so is one of our favorite parts: the tailgates!

Our NEW Corner Checklists make game day easy, with everything you need in one place. From chairs and coolers to snacks, games and game-day décor, our Tailgate Essentials Checklist has you covered.

Just check it off, pack it up and GO TEAM!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP THE LIST

👀 THE CORNER CLUB
We've been working behind the scenes on something designed to make the college journey a whole lot easier. Here's a little glimpse...it is in beta testing now! Click HERE to sign up and enter “COLLEGE” at checkout for the first month free.

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