OES July Newsletter
Hello OES community,
A new report from higher-education writer Jeffrey Selingo has a clear warning for families navigating college right now: the old college-to-career playbook is being rewritten in real time, and the students who will thrive are those who understand what's changing.
Here's what you need to know.
The job market your student is entering.
AI isn't replacing college. But it is replacing the entry-level work that once trained new graduates. The question is whether the college your student attends is preparing them for that reality or hoping it goes away.
Jeff Selingo calls what students need "job altitude": graduating with skills that put them above the work AI is already claiming. That means original thinking, judgment, and the ability to evaluate and direct AI output, not just use it. The students who will thrive are those who combine their education with genuine, hard-to-automate capability.
This is worth one real conversation with your student this summer: What are you building that AI can't do?
Juniors: The essay is the one thing AI can't do for you.
Common App opens August 1, four weeks from now. The goal between now and then: a genuine first draft of your main essay. Not polished. Not perfect. Just honest and specific.
The essay works because it's human. Admissions officers read thousands of AI-adjacent essays this past cycle, and they notice. Your student's voice, their real story, their actual thinking is the one thing in this application that no tool can replicate. It's also, increasingly, one of the most important differentiators.
If your junior hasn't started, this month is the moment. Reach out and we'll get moving.
Beach reads that raise test scores.
The best summer test prep costs nothing and feels like a vacation: let your student read for pleasure. A recent episode of Tests and the Rest argued that casual summer reading effectively builds the reading skills that improve SAT and ACT scores.
Focus on engagement over "literary value." A book your student finishes beats an abandoned classic. Contemporary fiction introduces test vocabulary in context, improving fluency, tone, and understanding of complex arguments, skills measured by the tests. Aim for "useful friction": books they understand about 80% with enough challenge to grow.
Some favorites from the episode include Project Hail Mary, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Portrait of a Thief, Check & Mate, and Their Vicious Games. For tougher titles, "tandem reading"- listening to audiobooks while following along in print, improves comprehension and pronunciation, serving as a reading aid rather than a replacement.
Start with what your student watches or plays, then expand.
Test prep: Upcoming SAT & ACT dates.
If your junior still needs to test or retest, there are several upcoming dates this fall. Register early. Seats fill quickly and late fees apply.
SAT — Upcoming dates:
Aug. 22, 2026 — Registration deadline: Aug. 7
Sept. 12, 2026 — Registration deadline: Aug. 28
Oct. 3, 2026 — Registration deadline: Sept. 18
ACT — Upcoming dates:
Sept. 19, 2026 — Registration deadline: Aug. 14
Oct. 17, 2026 — Registration deadline: Sept. 11
Register for the SAT atcollegeboard.org and for the ACT atact.org.
Test prep support: CPP Tutoring
If your student needs structured test prep support this summer, I recommend reaching out to Megan Fitzwater at CPP. Megan's company works with our clients and has in-depth knowledge of the SAT and ACT.
E-mail: megan@satprepct.com
Owner | College Planning Partnerships
Key dates
August 1: Common App opens for the Class of 2027
August 1: Free applications open for Montana State University and University of Montana (MT residents)
August 7: SAT registration deadline for Aug. 22 test
Work with OES
O'Donnell Educational Solutions partners with families on college counseling, career counseling, gap year advising, and boarding school consulting. Whether students are building college lists, exploring careers, considering a gap year, or boarding school, the right guidance makes the process clearer and less stressful.
If you're interested in my services or know someone who might benefit, please have them reach out andbook a free consultation.
Have a great 4th of July with friends and family.
As always, I'm here. Please reach out anytime.
