August means it’s almost time for students and counselors to head back to school for another academic year. Seniors are about to start the college admission process, juniors have upcoming AP classes and standardized tests, sophomores will work to find their high school niche, and ninth graders are embarking on a brand-new journey. The end of the summer is the perfect time to set a solid college prep plan for student success over the next nine months. Start planning now with monthly to-do’s, important deadlines, holidays, and more.
General college prep and planning
- 9th grade: It’s almost time for an exciting new high school adventure! Ensure students are prepared with Our Best Advice for Your First Year of High School, covering everything from extracurriculars to grades to early college prep and more.
- 10th grade: Sophomores can also prepare for the upcoming year with their own survival guide, Our Best Advice for Sophomore Year of High School, featuring tips on avoiding the sophomore slump, studying for the PSAT, starting the scholarship search, and more.
- 11th grade: Junior year is when the college process starts to feel real. To help students start thinking about standardized tests, brainstorming college essays, and formulating a list of colleges they’d like to visit and apply to next fall, share Our Best Advice for Junior Year of High School.
- 12th grade: This is it—the last year of high school and when your students will hopefully make it into their dream colleges! Our Best Advice for Senior Year of High School walks students through applications, essays, scholarships, standardized tests, and so much more to help them prepare for their next academic journey.
Month-long observances and events
- National Family Fun Month: Before getting too wrapped up in back-to-school planning, students should take some time to have fun with their families before everyone gets busy again.
- National Back to School Month: We’ve already been talking about it—but August is officially National Back to School Month! It’s the perfect time for students to start getting ready for a new academic year and all the excitement and challenges ahead.
Tuesday, August 1
Start prepping for the SAT
Today is the recommended date to begin studying for the December 2 SAT test.
Free college planning webinars
Moon Prep is hosting a free College Planning: High School Students recorded webinar over Zoom to help high schoolers start the process early. It will take place from 7:00–8:00 pm ET on Tuesday the 1st, so encourage them to register ASAP!
If your students are looking for specific admission essay help, Moon Prep’s 8-Day Crash Course: Learn How to Write an Effective Personal Statement webinar will also be available to access starting August 1.
Live OnDemand course for college counselors
If you want to better help your students with college costs, check out College Essay Guy’s OnDemand course on How to Make College Affordable. School-based counselors and educators can tune in from 7:00–8:30 pm ET on August 1, 8, 15, and 22 (or watch the recordings later) to learn how to master financial aid and scholarships. (If you’re an IEC, there’s a separate course for you just ahead!)
Wednesday, August 2
SAT live online trial class
The test prep platform Kaplan is hosting free SAT trial courses in August to help students start prepping for the exam. They can sign up for the first session on Wednesday the 2nd from 2:00–4:00 pm ET.
Thursday, August 3
SAT live online trial class
If students miss the session from the night before, they can sign up for the second free SAT trial session on Thursday the 3rd from 8:00–10:00 pm ET.
Live OnDemand course for college counselors
Independent educational consultants can register for their own college affordability OnDemand course from College Essay Guy on August 3, 10, 17, and 24 at 7:00–8:30 pm ET. Please note these webinars aren’t free, but there is a pay-what-you-can option for counselors with limited budgets.
Friday, August 4
ACT Regular registration deadline
Today is the Regular registration deadline for the September 9 ACT test date.
National US Coast Guard Day
Happy National Coast Guard Day! If your students are interested in spending their lives on the sea, they should check out schools that can get them there with our article on Maritime Colleges: A Valuable Road Less Traveled.
Saturday, August 5
ACT live online trial class
For students taking the ACT, Kaplan is offering ACT live trial classes as well—the first taking place on Saturday the 5th from 12:00–2:00 pm ET.
Monday, August 7
SAT live online trial class
Students can also sign up for one of two free SAT trial sessions on Monday the 7th from 1:00–3:00 pm or 7:00–9:00 pm ET.
College Essay Guy LIVE boot camp
College Essay Guy’s LIVE boot camp will cover How to Write the College Application and Supplemental Essays. This program is free for students, but schools and counselors can also sign up with different prices according to your budget. You can choose to watch the three sessions live or recorded, with a choice of 1:00–2:30 pm ET or 7:00–8:30 pm ET on August 7, 9, and 11.
Tuesday, August 8
Scholarship search crash course
Moon Prep isn’t just helping students with the college search and applications this month—they’re also sharing their knowledge on scholarships with their free 9-Day Crash Course: The Search for Scholarships webinar. Students can register now for this pre-recorded series that starts Tuesday the 8th from 7:00–8:00 pm ET.
Wednesday, August 9
National Book Lovers Day
Share your love of books with your students by giving them some awesome reading suggestions with our “book recommendations” tag!
ACT live online trial class
Students can also register for an ACT live trial class on the 9th from 6:00–8:00 pm ET if they miss the other session.
Thursday, August 10
National S’mores Day
Summer break is coming to a close! Squeeze in some classic summer fun with a (safe) fire and some s’mores.
Friday, August 11
SAT late registration deadline for international students
Today is the deadline for international student registration, changes, and cancellation for the August 26 SAT test date.
Sunday, August 13
Left-Handers Day
Big shoutout to all our Southpaw friends! Did you know there’s even an official Left-Handers Club and scholarships for left-handers?
Tuesday, August 15
SAT late registration deadline for US students
Today is the domestic student deadline for changes, cancellations, and late registration for the August 26 SAT test date.
Wednesday, August 16
Free SAT/ACT score webinar for parents
Prep Expert’s Dr. Shaan Patel is offering a free parents webinar on 10 secrets to raising standardized test scores and winning big scholarships to top colleges at 3:00 pm ET on Wednesday the 16th.
Selective colleges online course
College Essay Guy is also hosting a live online video course for high school students and their families led by a former Pomona College admission officer. Students can register for Applying to Highly Selective Colleges & Universities and watch the sessions live on the 16th, 23rd, and 30th or access the recordings after.
Friday, August 18
ACT late registration deadline
Today is the late registration deadline for the September 9 ACT test date (late fees apply).
Saturday, August 19
National Aviation Day
This day is celebrated to honor aviation pioneer Orville Wright’s birthday! If you know students who are considering aviation engineering as a career, they can start searching for schools with our featured science college lists.
National Honey Bee Day
Today celebrates the important pollinator while promoting beekeeping and educating the public about environmental concerns. Save the bees and save the planet!
Tuesday, August 22
College application webinar
Moon Prep is offering another free webinar this month to help students with their college applications. They can register for Crash Course: A Step-by-Step Guide for Applying to College taking place on Tuesday the 22nd from 7:00–8:00 pm ET.
Qixi Festival
Also known as the Qiqiao Festival, the Qixi Festival honors Chinese mythology through worship of natural astrology.
Saturday, August 26
SAT test date
Today is an SAT test date for students around the country and internationally.
Women’s Equality Day
Today commemorates women gaining the right to vote in the US in August 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified.
Wednesday, August 30
Supplemental essays webinar
Moon Prep’s last free webinar of the month walks students through a Crash Course on How to Write Supplemental Essays for college admission. It will be available starting August 30 from 7:00–8:00 pm ET.
Thursday, August 31
CollegeXpress Summer Song deadline
Starting August 1, students have a chance to win our $1,500 Summer Song Scholarship if they register on CollegeXpress (or log back in) before Thursday the 31st and let us know what song they love rocking out to during the summer.
Have your students joined the CollegeXpress community yet? Refer them here! You’ll be entered to win our $250 Refer-a-Friend contest, and after they create a free account through your unique link, they’ll have a chance to win not only our easy monthly scholarships but our annual $10,000 scholarship contest as well.
