Runway

Written by Casey Near and Arun Ponnusamy | 9.8.20

Today, Collegewise launched something we’ve never done before (we’re really embracing the “unprecedented” theme of 2020): a comprehensive collection of free on-demand resources for high school students and all the adults who help them on their path to college.

It’s called Runway, and (as the name suggests) it’s a place we’ve built to help students land, launch, and shine.

We’ve long published guides (in fact, the long-awaited COVID-updated Common App guide arrives tomorrow!), written regular blog posts, and shared many of our resources. But this year (obviously) felt different. Many students and counselors were feeling stretched thin before the school year even began, and that energy has continued into the fall for many. With application deadlines approaching, test-optional policies changing, and everything feeling a bit uncertain, we knew we had the capacity to distill what mattered, to gather our counselors quickly, and to build something impactful. So, that’s what we did.

Within Runway, amongst many other things, we have built a course for seniors on how to apply to college this year, a guide for educators on how to write effective letters of recommendation, and an entire database for high school students to navigate the many paths to college. We brought together our best and brightest counselors to share their collective wisdom on everything from finding good value colleges to addressing what testing looks like this year to navigating fee waivers.

As much as we would have loved to, we couldn’t cover every possible scenario of a college-going student. We kept our focus on explaining core elements, as well as highlighting additional resources. We’ll also continue to add to and tweak the material through the fall, and we’re adding in the latter half of the senior course by October 6^th.

Our hope is that while we couldn’t build everything for everyone, there’s something for everyone in Runway – whether it’s to move forward, to gain clarity, or to build enthusiasm for the path ahead. It’s our small and confident corner within a world of internet resources that so many have poured effort into this disruptive year.

Students, families, and guardians: make sure to check out the separate courses for seniors, as well as for younger high school students.

Counselors, teachers, and other educators: share out the student courses with your communities and check out the course just for you and the resource library, too.

We hope you find some measure of solace, wisdom, and focus within it all.

Onward we go!

About Us: With more than twenty years of experience, Collegewise counselors and tutors are at the forefront of the ever-evolving admissions landscape. Our work has always centered on you: the student. And just like we’ve always done, we look for ways for you to be your best self - whether it’s in the classroom, in your applications or in the right-fit college environment. Our range of tools include counseling, test prep, academic tutoring, and essay management, all with the support of our proprietary platform, leading to a 4x higher than average admissions rates.

View full post