Tag: college admissions

College Applications: It’s All in the Details

Posted by: admin on September 5th, 2019

College applications are work, plain and simple, no doubt about it. You’ve got to fill in the form details on top of writing all those essays and getting letters of recommendation. You have to manage deadlines and document your activities. Almost all students are aware of these requirements, but what often gets overlooked — whether […]

Understanding the Common Application, the Coalition Application, and Other Options.

Posted by: admin on August 26th, 2019

Senior Year is nearly here, and you are feeling ready! You’ve spent time researching colleges, building a balanced list, and imagining brilliant essay ideas. It is time to move your college process from the theoretical to the actual. It is time … for APPLICATIONS. (For information on the 2021-2022 application cycle and the COVID-19 pandemic, […]

Toni Morrison and the Perfect College Essay

Posted by: admin on August 12th, 2019

(Originally published August 12, 2019) How one of America’s bravest voices teaches us to nail the dreaded personal statement  “I’m a believer in the power of knowledge and the ferocity of beauty, so from my point of view, your life is already artful – waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art,” Toni Morrison, […]

How to Get Great Letters of Recommendation

Posted by: admin on April 2nd, 2019

A little relationship-building and personal legwork go a long way to move you forward on your college journey. The teen brain is wired to care the most about other teenagers. And yet that instinct can be tricky, because a crucial part of your college process involves communication with adults. Your application package won’t be complete […]

Choosing an Educational Counselor

Posted by: admin on March 31st, 2019

The fundamental role of an independent educational counselor (IEC) is to help students make decisions about their educational journey experience. That responsibility includes helping students explore high school opportunities, college options, and, often, career pathways, in order for them to succeed both academically and socially. IECs don’t get students admitted: they help students by offering […]

What did you REALLY learn from your Standardized Testing?

Posted by: admin on March 19th, 2019

Wait, what? The SAT? The ACT? Why are we talking about these tests again? Those are reasonable questions and — I promise — this is the last time we’ll be talking to you about the SAT or ACT. You’re now likely neck deep in the college application process and have happily, hopefully, left standardized tests […]

Watch the Seniors

Posted by: admin on March 19th, 2019

One great way to learn something new is to watch someone else do it first. You go; I’ll just stand back and watch for a minute! Right? We have all done this when we find ourselves standing before the expanse of the unknown. Looking ahead at the scope of a big change (e.g., going to […]

Well, How Did I Get Here?

Posted by: admin on March 19th, 2019

Just 10 or 15 years ago, before we could rely on our phones and satellites to keep track of us, we had to keep track of ourselves. And we did so imperfectly. At least, my friends and I did. Often, we’d plod along until we registered something recognizable – the Citgo sign by Fenway Park […]

Why Parents Should Act as Consultants

Posted by: admin on March 19th, 2019

You just have to study more. Work harder. That’s it. Just buckle down, put in more time, and you  will  get the grades you want! Right? Perhaps you have heard these statements before. Well, my response is this: “Kudos for your willingness to work hard.” And this: “maybe.” However, the questions remain: Is putting in […]

So You Didn’t Get Immediate Acceptance to Your Early App College

Posted by: admin on March 14th, 2019

Early Decision and Early Action notifications are beginning to trickle out now, with most making their way to inboxes all over the country by Friday, December 10! You’ve probably gone back and forth between truly believing you’ll be accepted right away to deeply questioning whether it was even worth applying. That zig-zagging is totally natural […]