college acceptances
This is Not a Personal Statement: A Book Review
It was with great anticipation that I cracked open Tracy Badua’s This is Not a Personal Statement when it arrived on my doorstep after its January 17, 2023, release. I was not disappointed! While young adult literature is not my typical fodder for reading, I was interested to hear how Badua would interpret the current…
Read MoreI Wish I Had Known
I wish I had known. I hear this quite a bit from the juniors and seniors working with me on college admissions. This blog is written to you – high school freshman and sophomores, and even to you – students in middle school or junior high. I want to share with you RIGHT NOW, some…
Read MoreSupplemental Essays: The “Why ____ University?” Prompt
You have labored over 650 words for weeks to get your college essay just right, and it’s finally done! Now, you can hang up your writing tools for the season and coast right through your applications. Except, wait, is that a pesky supplemental prompt that you have been ignoring but is now screaming for attention?…
Read MoreTry Harder! College Admissions Amped
The college admissions cycle can be brutal. Throw some extreme parental pressure in the mix and a school full of high achievers who amp up the competition for grades and activities, and it is little wonder that the 5 students Director, Debbie Lum, follows through their college application process at Lowell High School, an elite…
Read MoreDon’t Let College Admissions Deadlines Turn You into a Stressed-Out Zombie! Understand ED, EA, RD, and RA Before Your Senior Year
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…
Read MoreCollege Visits Part 2: Getting the Most from Your College Visit
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…
Read MoreThe EFC and COA: A College Pricing Primer
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…
Read MoreNow is the Time to Start Thinking about College!
Tips to get a Jump Start on College Admissions Preparing for college admissions is a marathon, not a sprint. Back in my marathon running days, one of my running books asked this question, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer, “One bite at a time!” I would offer the same advice to students preparing…
Read MoreDon’t Let Disappointment Derail You
Well, it is certainly an understatement to say it’s been a year. I think we all need a very deep cleansing breath to move forward into whatever the “new normal” holds for us. Despite the disruptions to our lives, the college admission cycle for the class of 2025 carried on in one of the most…
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