Tag: senior year

How to Write the Supplemental College Essay on Your Activities

Posted by: admin on October 17th, 2021

This blog is part of our series on how to write the college application supplemental essays. Check out our blogs on some of the other commonly asked questions, including those about “why us?,” diversity, creativity, and community. Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities. Discuss its significance or why it’s been meaningful to you. […]

Some of Our Favorite Supplemental Essay Prompts: 2021-2022 Edition

Posted by: admin on June 1st, 2021

A review of essay prompts can be a great way to prepare for the writing process. If you’re anything like me, you might be asking yourself, “I’m supposed to write roughly 650 words — but on what, exactly?” You can head straight for the Common Application prompts and stress yourself out trying to choose the one “right” idea. But […]

How to Adult, Part II

Posted by: admin on April 15th, 2021

When does adulthood start? Right on your 18th birthday? A little before, or maybe even years after? Where is the line? And why does that line have to be so dreadful? Other generations, Gen Z especially, have taken to making fun of millennials and our seemingly incessant need to “kidify” things. Even the term “adulting” […]

Seniors ‘22: Stay the Course

Posted by: admin on April 15th, 2021

Hello, Seniors: You’ve officially moved into the final phase of your college research. Congratulations! The strength and independence you’ve relied on will serve you extremely well in college. With the season of college decisions upon us, now is the time for us to take one more look at your personal college search. Balance and Perspective […]

Mental Math Tricks & Hacks

Posted by: admin on March 31st, 2021

People of a certain age (ask your parents, they’ll confirm) will remember a time when, if students complained about “no calculators allowed” math tests, the teacher would say that “you won’t always have a calculator in your pocket, you need to be able to do without.” Well, the math teachers of yore were completely wrong […]

Preparing for College Interviews, Whether Remote or In-Person

Posted by: admin on November 10th, 2020

Prepare with practice and research. Relax and reveal yourself. Remember to express yourself in writing: write a thank-you note. The college interview rarely makes or breaks an admission decision, but it can be an important component of your application. Before you even begin to get nervous, however, check to see if the interview is a […]

ACT Reading Section: What You Need To Know

Posted by: admin on October 8th, 2020

In our English classes, our teachers have frequently told us to “go deeper” or to “go farther” or to “find our own analysis.” Those are great for English class. Don’t do that on the ACT. While the ability to read and mostly understand short passages is a prerequisite for the reading portion of the ACT, […]

From Public to Private: Managing the College Process

Posted by: admin on September 8th, 2020

Ah, the sound of silence. The unnatural quiet of senior year when, come fall, the college application process kicks into full gear. You and your friends have spent part of the summer brainstorming essay ideas or comparing notes on the activities section. Spoofing or upping each other on outlandish details can be fun. (Activity: Rescue […]

Should I Answer the COVID-19 Question on the Common App?

Posted by: admin on September 8th, 2020

Ask an admissions officer whether you should write a response to the optional COVID-19 question on this year’s Common App, and depending on the college (or the day), you may hear different advice. Some officers suggest a limited approach, saying that unless your or your family’s health or employment was directly affected by the pandemic, […]

How To Get Great Letters of Recommendation (Even During a Pandemic)

Posted by: admin on July 23rd, 2020

As I meet with many seniors this month, I ask a series of similar questions to get a sense of where everyone is on the admissions process spectrum. July is the time when it starts to move from an abstract idea of “Applying to College” to the concrete idea of “Actually Applying To these Colleges […]