college admission decisions
Why the SAT and ACT Still Matter in College Admissions
I have yet to run into a student who looks forward to sitting for the SAT or ACT with eager anticipation. These tests are anxiety inducing for most students. I admit, I get it. There is the weight of your future attached to these tests that can leave even the most confident student feeling a…
Read MoreA Look at Test Optional and College Admissions
Test optional and college admissions is still in a state of turmoil which I predict will not settle for the next 2-3 admissions cycles. In my opinion, test optional choices have made a byzantine system even more difficult for teens and their families to navigate as they apply to college. While I do believe that…
Read MoreThis 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 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 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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