Clark College Consulting Blog by Ryan Clark - expert college planning tips for families

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Why This Blog?”

Hi, I’m Ryan Clark. I’ve helped thousands of families reduce college costs and get their teens into schools they love. This blog is where I share what’s working now — so you can confidently navigate the process with less stress and more savings.

🎓 Explore Our Latest College Planning Tips

Understanding the PSAT: What it Is (and Isn’t)

Ryan Clark

Published on: 10/24/2026

Does it count? Should you prep? We walk through what the PSAT means for each grade, from a low-stakes practice run for sophomores to a National Merit checkpoint for juniors, and how to use the score report as a roadmap.

PSAT

Rethinking Failure and Resilience

Ryan Clark

Published on: 12/06/2025

Students often see failure as a personal flaw rather than a temporary challenge, and that mindset can hold them back. This article reframes failure as a powerful teacher, exploring research from leading psychologists, stories of famous “comeback moments,” and examples from real students. It also highlights how colleges view setbacks—and why resilience often matters more than perfection.

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