Sophomore year is the perfect time to start identifying what excites you—academically and personally—and begin building a high school experience that reflects your strengths and interests.

‍

Join ESM College Counselor Stuart Easton as he shares strategies to help sophomores identify their strengths, deepen their involvement, and set the stage for future success.

‍

Every year, families ask the same question: Which summer programs will actually help with college admissions?

In this free webinar, we’ll cut through the noise and focus on what matters most. We’ll explain why summer experiences matter, what colleges value most, and how different options—pre-college programs, on-campus summer programs, online classes, internships, jobs, volunteering, and independent projects—actually show up in your student’s application. We’ll also look at how colleges really evaluate these experiences and how to build a summer plan that develops confidence, independence, and genuine admissions impact.

Is your student taking AP courses this year? These classes move quickly, cover more material, and require a new level of academic discipline—even for strong students. Success starts with knowing what to expect and how to prepare.

‍

In this webinar, ESM AP subject experts will share practical strategies to help your child thrive in AP courses and stay on track for a strong performance on the AP exams in May.

College admissions are shifting faster than most families realize. In this webinar, we’ll share eight key predictions for the 2026 cycle—including the move from test-optional to test-preferred, rising competitiveness at flagship publics, and how AI is changing essay evaluation. You’ll learn what test scores mean in a world of straight As, how major choice can reshape a college list, and why live writing and video may matter more in the AI era. We’ll also cover emerging regional trends and the growing importance of skills and outcomes—along with clear next steps for your family.