July Reality Check:

College Lists, Tuition Hikes & a New Podcast

Author

Randi Heathman
July 16, 2026

Welcome to official summer!

Readers, July has a funny way of making the college process feel very far away and also alarmingly close.

For seniors, the coming months are all about applications, college lists, deadlines, coach communication, and the occasional parent wandering into the room to ask, “So…how’s the essay going?” at precisely the wrong moment.

Meanwhile juniors are early in the process, but starting to gain focus and a little more intention. This is the year to figure out what colleges actually fit, to make a thoughtful testing plan, and to begin understanding the different ways riding fits into the college experience.

If you count yourself among the younger students and families reading along, please know you’re not behind. No one at this stage needs a finalized college list, a life mission, or a personal brand. Stick to good academic habits, genuine interests, and increasing independence and colleges will like you just fine when the time comes.

This month’s newsletter is a bit lighter than usual (‘cause it’s summer), but look for:

The first fall recruiting camp on the calendar and an eye-opening story about the latest tuition increase at Duke, which offers yet another reminder that families need to pay attention not only to where a student can be admitted, but also to what attending will actually cost.

There’s also a new NCEA team joining the landscape in 2027, which is exciting news for riders watching the sport continue to evolve and grow.

And finally - I confess, I’m more than a little excited about this one - the first episode of The Road to Rome is officially out in the world.

This podcast has been living in my head for quite a while, and I created it because I wanted to have honest conversations with people whose careers in and around the horse world didn’t follow a neat, predictable path. The first episode is exactly the kind of conversation I hoped this project would foster and I am ridiculously pleased to finally share it with the world.

Now, as I say in my podcast intro, then: Let’s turn down today’s road.

What should students focus on this summer?

Senior Class, now is the time to:

  • Finalize a balanced college list. You need a realistic mix of likely, target, and reach schools, which is not a collection of dreams held together by optimism and a spreadsheet.

  • Get serious about your essay. Brainstorming, drafting, revising: do it now, before school and extracurricular commitments take over your life again.

  • Start your actual application. Create accounts, review requirements, note deadlines, and identify any special materials you’ll need.

  • Make progress on riding and recruitment conversations. Reconnect with coaches, send updated video where appropriate, and be honest about where you stand in the process.

  • Keep the academic foot on the gas pedal. Senior-year grades still matter. Admission offices have not collectively agreed to stop looking just because they admit you.

Junior Class, you should:

  • Begin building your college list. Research broadly before deciding what you love - or what you think you love because of three TikToks and a sweatshirt.

  • Make a testing plan. Decide whether the SAT or ACT makes sense for you and map out preparation and testing dates accordingly.

  • Visit campuses when possible. Big, small, urban, rural, close to home, farther away - the goal is learning what feels right.

  • Think strategically about extracurricular involvement. Depth, initiative, leadership, and genuine interest matter more than collecting activities like Pokémon cards. (And you can’t be president of everything.)

  • Learn the college riding landscape. Understand the differences among NCEA, IHSA, IDA, eventing, and all the rest before narrowing your search.

Underclassmen, you can’t get away without a few reminders too:

  • Focus on becoming a strong student. Grades, course choices, work habits, and intellectual curiosity are the foundation of every college search.

  • Let your interests develop naturally. Not every activity needs to become a résumé line, nonprofit organization, or TED Talk. You’re allowed to…

  • Try things. Clubs, jobs, volunteering, hobbies (yes, hobbies!), summer programs, riding disciplines - your early high school years are for exploration.

  • Learn to communicate with adults independently. Teachers, coaches, employers, and college representatives want hear from students, not parents.

  • Parents: resist the urge to build the college list too early. Ninth grade is not the time to say it’s “Ivy League or Bust.” Everyone breathe. We got this!

Planning ahead for SAT or ACT testing this school year?

The folks at Applerouth are offering free boot camps with their tutors in the month of August. Learn more and sign up here.

College Cost News: Duke’s upcoming tuition increase exceeds that of most of its peers

As students return to Duke this fall, they will notice an increase in the sticker price of their education, one that is higher than most of their peers.

Duke’s Board of Trustees approved a 4.95% increase in the undergraduate cost of attendance in February, pushing the total price tag up to $96,597 for students not on financial aid. Tuition alone comprises $73,740 of the total cost, and the main driver of next year's $4,555 overall increase in cost of attendance is a $3,475 tuition hike, also a 4.95% increase.

Catch the debut episode of my new podcast!

Listen right here or download on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or view on YouTube!