Bell and Arch Blog

College admissions advice, news, tips, and more!

What’s in a Name?

By Jennifer Martin | Feb 11, 2022

How did I land on Bell & Arch Consulting as the name that represents my business? It is tied to the fact that I want every student I serve to find their perfect fit school. My goal for my students is not just to get to college, but to get through college to graduation. Bell…

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Things to Do Over Winter Break: High School Juniors Can Start Preparing Now for College Admissions

By Jennifer Martin | Dec 20, 2021

Fall semester is winding down, and everyone has their eyes on the quickly approaching winter break. Of course, you should use some of your time over the break to relax and recharge after your semester, but high school juniors can also do your future self a favor by spending some time over your break doing…

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What Outcomes Do You Want from Your College Experience?

By Jennifer Martin | Nov 20, 2021

Last week, at the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Fall Conference, I had the opportunity to hear from Dr. Anne Kerr, President of Florida Southern College. Dr. Kerr’s talk focused on the outcomes that colleges measure to gauge the efficacy of their programs. She mentioned some of the things you would expect – retention rates,…

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Don’t Let College Admissions Deadlines Turn You into a Stressed-Out Zombie! Understand ED, EA, RD, and RA Before Your Senior Year

By Jennifer Martin | Oct 30, 2021

Halloween is the turning point where the low simmer of college admissions for high school seniors turns into a full-blown boil. Students applying to Florida schools are scrambling to meet the early November 1 deadlines at most public Florida universities, and students who have their eyes on the other coast are preparing for the California…

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A Continuation of “Who is Teaching This Class?”: Job Titles of Faculty and Contingent Faculty

By Jennifer Martin | Oct 10, 2021

The person at the front of your college classroom can have any number of job titles. The very best students understand the significance of these different designations and how the hierarchy of the professoriate matters. Now that we have shed some light on those pesky honorifics in the first blog in this series, let’s see…

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Who is Teaching This Class?

By Jennifer Martin | Sep 20, 2021

How to Address that Person Standing at the Lectern in Your College Classroom Did you know that the relationships you build with the professors at your college can have a significant impact on your success both in your undergraduate work and in your pursuit of graduate school or a career? I’m here to tell you…

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College Visits Part 2: Getting the Most from Your College Visit

By Jennifer Martin | Jul 30, 2021

College visits are a big business on campuses – in some cases, hundreds of students and their families may pass through the campus on a visit on any given day. Therefore, you need to plan ahead and make reservations and appointments to ensure that you can have all the experiences you want while visiting. This…

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The Basics of the College Visit

By Jennifer Martin | Jul 22, 2021

Summer is a great time to add a college visit or two to your family’s travels. This summer, after over a year of mostly being closed to visitors, colleges are opening again to in-person visits. Virtual tours and webinars are just not the same as standing on the quad of a campus and seeing firsthand…

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The EFC and COA: A College Pricing Primer

By Jennifer Martin | Jul 2, 2021

My dad always had an interesting perspective on pricing that was out of line with the product being offered. On my very first trip to New York City with him, I was incredulous that a bagel at the hotel cost $12 (and this was MANY moons ago). He laughed and told me that price in…

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