Warren Buck

For families with a high school junior, spring can sneak up fast. One minute you’re settling into second semester, and the next minute you’re realizing, with mild panic, that the SAT and ACT are suddenly right around the corner. Junior year is the most common year for teens to take their first official test, which means now is the moment families often feel a strange mix of urgency and confusion. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In fact, with just a few small decisions made now, you can...

For Parents of the Class of 2027 If you have a high school junior right now, you’re probably feeling the quiet rumble of the college process approaching. Not the loud, chaotic senior-year stuff you’ve heard other parents talk about. More like the subtle warning hum: “Something important is coming, and we should probably do something before it becomes a crisis.” But here’s the good news: the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s might be the best  time all year to get your teen on track....

(Part One of the “Beyond Rankings” Series for Parents of the Class of 2027) Imagine buying a house without ever stepping inside. You’d pore over glossy photos, obsess about the neighborhood’s reputation, and compare square footage numbers online, but you’d have no clue how it feels once you’re standing in the living room. That’s exactly what most families are doing with college rankings. You wouldn't buy a house without going inside. The glossy lists from U.S. News & World Report , Forbes ,...