Wow… it’s been a wild couple of days in the wake of the federal indictment against parents, sports coaches, a phony admissions consultant, and phony SAT/ACT proctor. It’s the Justice Department’s largest ever college admissions prosecution.

Well, not surprising, we have a few things to say about that. A lot, actually. Here’s the latest.

So many tests, so little time. When it comes to standardized testing for future college applicants, there are some decisions you have to make before fall of Senior year in high school to help you maximize your options when the time comes to apply. But there are ways to "work smarter, not harder."

Sometimes, even under the best of circumstances, you find an error in your applications after you've submitted them. Ouch. If you do find a mistake after you've already sent them off, don't panic. There are things you can do to set things right again.

If you have applied early to one or more colleges, the decision letter you received might not have contained a final decision. Instead of being admitted or denied, you might be notified that you have been "deferred."

You applied early and the notification deadline has come and gone and... silence. Ugh.

Here's what you should (and shouldn't) do to move things along.

1. Confirm that your application was received and deemed complete. Only complete applications get read and evaluated.

Now that your Junior year is well underway, we wanted to lay out some big picture items for you and your parents to think about as you plan out the rest of your school year. 

Early Decision deadlines are coming up, and you’ve probably heard a lot of advice about why it’s a good idea to apply early to college. But there are some circumstances when it’s better not to apply early, and you’re better off applying in the regular round instead.

Have you heard about the lawsuit against Harvard’s affirmative action policies? Anna Ivey gave this interview recently about how race factors into the college admissions process in the US and abroad. Watch the clip here.