How is school starting ALREADY?

(Wasn't it June last week?)

Author

Randi Heathman
August 13, 2026

There’s something about August that always feels like the real beginning of the year to me.

Maybe it’s my time working on a college campus, where August meant the return of students, the sudden appearance of parents carrying lamps and storage bins, and the collective realization that summer was, in fact, over.

Or maybe it’s simply that the college process changes gears this month.

For seniors, the things we’ve been talking about forever suddenly becomes very real. The Common Application is open. Essays move from “I have an idea” to actual words on an actual page. College lists become application lists. Deadlines cover the calendar.

For juniors, meanwhile, this is the beginning of an incredibly important year, not because they need to immediately start behaving like seniors, but because they begin to lay the groundwork: strong academics, thoughtful involvement, building relationships with teachers and coaches, visiting colleges when possible, and paying closer attention to what they actually want from the college experience.

And for equestrians, fall brings an entirely separate calendar layered on top of the academic one. (Indoors, anyone?)

College riding teams and equine programs are also announcing fall camps, clinics, prospect days, and other opportunities - there are LOTS listed below. These are valuable ways to experience a program firsthand, meet coaches, see facilities, and get a better sense of whether a particular environment might fit. As always, the trick is choosing opportunities strategically rather than attempting to attend everything.

There’s also an upcoming virtual equine college fair, which offers another terrific way to explore programs without requiring luggage, flights, or six hours on the interstate.

Finally, if your own summer travels didn’t include five universities across England and Wales, I have you covered. My complete blog series from my June UK counselor tour is now finished, with posts covering each stop. I’ve gathered all of those links in this issue so you can explore the universities, programs, at leisure.

So yes: summer may be winding down. But college-search season is most definitely warming up.

For Eventers: USEA’s Feature on Randolph Macon College’s Varsity Program

When students arrive at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, they're joining more than just a USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Team. They're stepping into a community that begins welcoming riders before classes even start and continues supporting them long after graduation.

That sense of belonging has become one of the defining characteristics of the Randolph-Macon (RMC) Eventing Team, which has grown into one of the largest and most recognizable programs in the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing community. Read More

Fall Camps & Clinics

Email directly for information.

Back to School Tips

For Seniors:

  1. Protect your grades. Senior year still counts! Don’t let your applications turn first semester into an academic casualty.

  2. Finalize your list. “Maybe I’ll apply there” needs to become yes or no. Know each school’s deadlines and requirements too - they’re rarely the same!

  3. Finish the essay(s). Also, start them if you haven’t already - a blank page is notoriously difficult to edit.

  4. Know your school’s process. Find out how your counselor handles transcripts, recommendations, school reports, and internal deadlines.

  5. Keep being human. Continue the things you genuinely enjoy. Colleges are admitting a person, not an application-producing machine.

For Juniors:

  1. Put academics first. Junior-year grades - and the rigor of your courses - will be an especially important part of your college record.

  2. Build teacher relationships now. Participate, ask good questions, show up prepared. Some of these teachers may write your recommendations.

  3. Start paying attention to fit. Big or small? Urban or rural? Close to home or farther away? Riding team? Equine major? Start noticing what matters to you.

  4. Make a testing plan. Decide when you’ll take the SAT and/or ACT and leave yourself enough time for a second attempt if needed.

  5. Go deeper, not wider. You do not need to collect extracurriculars! Invest your time in the activities, responsibilities, work, riding, or interests that actually matter to you.

UK Blog Links

With friends in historic Bath.

Missed any of these posts? I have you covered with these campus visit recaps!

Don’t miss the latest podcast episode - out now!