Empowering Your College Dreams
A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM
After fifteen years serving high school students all over Idaho, Step Ahead Idaho has
made the difficult choice to close our doors in May 2026.
In our time as a non-profit, we’ve helped thousands of students achieve their dreams of
being admitted to colleges, worked to deliver free summer and evening programming within schools and at the Library, provided over $100,000 in scholarships to students in
need, and helped families navigate the complicated process of college applications.
The decision to step away from this meaningful work is not an easy one. Every day
we’re inspired by the hope and intention of our students, grateful for the educational
village we’ve been a part of and the donors who believe in us, and honored to engage in
our community in this way.
Mindful that students and families will still need college-going guidance, we’re working
to build up more free resources available at this website and also develop a list of
recommended local advisors.
With Gratitude,
The Step Ahead Idaho Team
How We Can Help
Academic Advising
We help you choose classes for the remainder of high school to meet requirements of the most selective schools of interest to the student.
Understanding College Financial Aid and Scholarships
Building a College List
Deciding which colleges to apply to requires self-knowledge and conversations with an expert to help you figure out best-fit options. More about creating a list of colleges!
Focusing Extracurricular Activities
Focus and deepen your energies on school and summer activities around things you care about. Arts Portfolios, Athletic Profiles, and student-built websites highlighting interests can add depth to your application.
Developing an Application Timeline and Organizing System
Essay & Resume Writing
GPAs and test scores don’t tell colleges much about you. Essays are where colleges come to understand who you are and why you want to join their community. We can help you.
Meetings & Events
Fall PSAT/SAT Prep Session is Coming!
Register for Sunday, September 29 session at our Hillcrest Library location!
Free Virtual Zoom or In Person Meetings
We offer in-person and Virtual Zoom Meetings to help students.
October To Do List
Seniors: As a rising senior, now is the time to build a college list, start your Common App, and start writing your personal statement. Free Zoom meetings are open all summer!
Juniors: Rising juniors should try and visit a few colleges: especially check out in-state options like BSU, U of Idaho, and College of Idaho!
All students: Live Drop-In Centers are closed for summer, but you can still sign up for free Zoom sessions.
Student Testimonials
Step Ahead gave me the tools and support I needed to succeed in the college admission process. My advisor made a process that is typically grueling and stressful much easier and more manageable. With her help I was able to find the colleges that matched me as a student and individual. She helped me speak in the language of college applications, write from my heart, and avoid cliches. With regular meetings, deadline reminders, personal help navigating some of the difficult forms and webpages, and essay edits, I showed my best self to the schools I was passionate about, and found (and got admitted to!) the college that makes me incredibly excited for the next chapter of my life.
The single most important thing Step Ahead Idaho did for me was bringing to my attention the idea of “meet need” schools. While not being a school I ended up attending, discovering the existence of these types of universities made me take a longer look at the money I was looking to spend and ultimately guided me away from those that had less bang for their buck.
I will be forever grateful to the open, friendly, and knowledgeable ladies at Step Ahead. The college application process can feel totally overwhelming at times, so it was so nice to have experts who knew what they were doing giving me encouragement and keeping me on track. Step Ahead was the first to introduce me to the idea of “meet-need schools”, which allowed me to widen the net of colleges I was looking at and prevented me from having to take out loans for an undergraduate education. I attended their summer essay boot camp, which is a must for any rising senior. They helped me with almost every part of the application process, and kept me motivated even when spring semester rolled around. Thank you, Step Ahead!
Resources
Preparing for a College Interview
Many colleges, especially the private ones, give students the opportunity to have an interview as part of their application process. These interviews can be on campus, in your hometown in person, or via Zoom. The interviewer might be a member of the admissions...
Thinking About Becoming a Doctor?
Choosing a College for Pre-Health Professions If you’re considering becoming a doctor, dentist, veterinarian, physician’s assistant, physical therapist, or other health profession requiring several years of graduate or professional training after college, there are...