How to Calculate Your GPA: Weighted vs. Unweighted (with Examples)
College Admissions Guide How to Calculate Your GPA: Weighted vs. Unweighted A clear, no-nonsense guide to understanding your GPA, with formulas, worked examples, and what it really means for your college applications. Your GPA is one of the first things colleges look at, but most students have never actually been taught how it works. Whether […]
A Founder’s View: Education in 2026 Is Having Its Reckoning
A Founder’s View · 2026 Education in 2026 Is Having Its Reckoning. Here’s the Question No One Wants to Answer. Five hard truths about AI and learning this year, and the WashU bet that still gives me hope. Read it, then tell me where I’m wrong. By Jeremy M. Fine · Founder of ConnectPrep & […]
K–12 Summer Reading List: Best Books for Summer 2026
K–12 Summer Reading List: Best Books for Summer 2026 | ConnectPrep ☀️ Summer Reading Program The Ultimate K–12 Summer Reading List:Best Books for Summer 2026 A grade-by-grade guide to the best summer reads — books that keep skills sharp, spark curiosity, and make students excited to open a page. ConnectPrep Editorial TeamSummer 2026 Edition12 min […]
JD-Next vs. the LSAT: The New Path to Top Law Schools
For decades, the LSAT was the single gatekeeper to law school. That era is ending. A growing number of top-ranked law schools now accept JD-Next as an alternative admissions assessment, opening a new and more predictable path to a legal education. If your target schools include any of the growing list that honor JD-Next, it […]
Landing a Job in the AI Era: What the Class of 2026 Needs to Know
Here are two facts that seem to contradict each other: roughly 35% of entry-level jobs now require AI skills, and yet hiring for the Class of 2026 is up 5.6%. Both are true at the same time — and the students who understand why are the ones who will stand out. The first-job market did […]
DI vs. DIII Basketball Recruiting: A Side-by-Side Playbook
Division I and Division III basketball recruiting work nothing alike. Here’s what coaches at each level actually want to see — and how to message yourself accordingly.
NCAA Eligibility: The 12-Month Roadmap for Sophomore Families
Most families wait until junior year to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. By then, half the work is harder than it had to be. Here’s a month-by-month roadmap.
How ConnectPrep’s SAT Program Gets Results — And Why Our Method Actually Works
The Problem With Most SAT Prep Most SAT prep programs hand students a thick book, run them through practice tests, and call it a day. The scores go up a little. Sometimes they don’t move at all. Families spend thousands of dollars and months of effort and end up wondering what went wrong. The answer […]
NY State Test vs. NYS Regents: Which Does Your Child Take, and What’s at Stake?
NY State Tests are for grades 3–8 (ELA, Math). Regents are for high school (Algebra I, English, etc.). Different test, different stakes — here’s how to tell them apart.
1580 SAT Score: Is It Good Enough for the Ivies?
A 1580 SAT puts you in the top 1% of test-takers and is competitive at every Ivy. Here’s when it makes sense to retake — and when it doesn’t.