{"id":1093,"date":"2026-08-26T18:32:45","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T18:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.class101.com\/waukesha-brookfieldwi\/?p=1093"},"modified":"2026-07-09T23:13:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T23:13:43","slug":"working-on-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.class101.com\/waukesha-brookfieldwi\/2026\/08\/26\/working-on-it\/","title":{"rendered":"If You\u2019re Still \u201cWorking on It\u201d in Late August, Here\u2019s What to Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By the end of August, I usually hear a similar phrase from a lot of students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m working on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes that means real progress. Other times it means things have been started, but not in a way that\u2019s easy to build on yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I meet with families in Brookfield, West Allis, Whitewater, and the surrounding communities at this point in the process, I\u2019m not trying to figure out what should have happened earlier. I\u2019m trying to figure out what matters most right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because even if things feel a little behind, there is still a clear path forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start With the List<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the college list is still moving around, that\u2019s the first place to focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to spend weeks refining it, but you do need a version that you can work from. The student should understand where they\u2019re applying and why those schools are there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything else depends on that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be Clear About Testing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At this point, testing should be a decision, not an open question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there\u2019s one more ACT planned and there\u2019s a clear reason for it, that\u2019s fine. If not, it\u2019s time to move forward with what you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letting testing linger into the fall tends to compete with everything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get the Essay to a Workable Place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The essay does not need to be perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does need to be something that can be worked with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means a clear direction, even if the writing still needs to improve. If the student is still trying to decide what to write about, that\u2019s where the focus should go right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once there is something in place, revision is much easier than starting from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Focus on What\u2019s Next, Not What\u2019s Missing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the part that makes the biggest difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy at this point to think about what hasn\u2019t been done yet. That usually doesn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does help is narrowing the focus to the next few steps that will actually move things forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A stable list. A clear testing decision. An essay that has direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once those are in place, everything else becomes more manageable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What This Means Right Now<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have a current senior in Waukesha, Menomonee Falls, Sussex, or nearby communities and things feel like they\u2019re still coming together, that\u2019s not unusual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key is to be intentional about what happens next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everything needs to be finished this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the right things need to be moving.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Behind on college applications in late August? A Brookfield college counselor explains what seniors should focus on now to stay on track.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":1094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,52,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-common-app","category-senior-year","category-stress"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIf You\u2019re Still \u201cWorking on It\u201d in Late August, Here\u2019s What to Do - Class 101 Waukesha-Brookfield, WI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Behind on college applications in late August? 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