Knowing the meanings of laconic, loquacious, or lugubrious does not prove you are smart. Nor does knowing the rules of logarithms, apostrophes, or parallel structure. Not knowing things can feel scary, and it’s easy to mistakenly conflate knowledge with intelligence. But tests, including the ACT and SAT, measure acquired knowledge and skills. You can expect […]
By the time the school year ends, you’ll have spent many months working diligently. Unfortunately, plenty of education research essentially proves that summer learning loss—the decline of academic knowledge and skills over summer vacation—is real. However, the good news is that not only is it preventable, but your time can be leveraged to enhance your […]
Colleges aren’t asking much of you — just to write what is supposed to be the BEST ESSAY YOU HAVE EVER WRITTEN. Perhaps I’m over-dramatizing, but nevertheless, writing a college essay may be more important than you think. Your essays will not solely determine your admission to any one school, but admissions officers do actually […]
The transition from freshman to sophomore year of high school is rooted in refinement of the goals you have set. Decisions and choices reach a little deeper than before. Fine-tune your curriculum and continue developing expertise in your abilities and talents. Reflect on experiences from freshman year and identify academic and personal goals so that you […]
April showers bring May flowers, and May flowers just may bring on allergies. All kinds of environmental stressors and contagions are popping up: APs, research papers, freaked-out friends (and parents!), proms, playoffs, galas, and celebratory outings and activities. Good grief! It’s a lot. As one colleague put it to me, “Do you notice how many […]
I work with a number of students who, at some point in their high school career, think about starting a new extracurricular club. On its face, this would seem to be an excellent example of leadership and an important contribution to the school community. And of course, when done correctly, it is. But any student […]
Building your college list and finding the best college for you begins with self-discovery—getting to know yourself, your interests, your goals, and what’s most important. The following three steps will get you started on building a college list and homing in on which schools are the real contenders. 1. Know yourself. Are you an intellectual? […]