Back in 2004, I sent a book proposal to a literary agent. Three weeks later, she sent me a very polite letter of decline and an invitation to resubmit it with some suggested changes. But the way she closed the letter taught me something. “Of course, if you elect not to send it back, I […]
Read More >Missed messages
In this interview, Jason Fried uses a sleep analogy to explain the importance of having uninterrupted time to get work done. “Working and sleeping are the same. If you interrupted somebody all night long, would you say they got a good night’s sleep? No. If you interrupt people all day long, how can you say […]
Read More >While you’re there
Loyal reader George shared “Dear Penn Freshmen,” a product of Penn professor and author Adam Grant’s Organizational Behavior class. University of Pennsylvania juniors and seniors wrote letters of advice, encouragement, and wisdom to their freshmen selves, knowing that their words would be made available to future Penn classes. I’m sharing the link here for a […]
Read More >The hard part
If you’re a senior who’s worked hard in high school, who challenged yourself and committed to activities and was fully engaged in your college planning, your future is bright, no matter which colleges said yes and which did not. The day the decision arrives is just one day. But all the days leading up to it, […]
Read More >What’s available to you
One of the most desirable traits you can demonstrate to a college is the ability to make use of what’s available to you. Almost any benefit a particular college can offer–from world-renowned professors, to amazing activity options, to a setting in a big city with no shortage of internships available–will require that a student actually […]
Read More >No regrets
The on-campus job I wanted most while I was in college was to become one of five annual coordinators for the summer orientation program for new students. When I applied during my junior year and didn’t get the job, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could do to be a better […]
Read More >What do admissions officers tell their own kids?
All of the advice in this New York Times article, Advice College Admissions Officers Give Their Own Kids, is worth a read. But there were two that I think are particularly useful, one for parents nearing the end of the college admissions cycle, the other for those who are still progressing through it. “When a […]
Read More >Impact doesn’t need a spokesperson
Students (or their parents) often ask us this question about letters of recommendation in college applications: Can I submit a letter of recommendation from someone who’s not my teacher or counselor (like a coach, a boss, a pastor, etc.)? The answer is yes, if a college specifically invites you to do so. But it’s far […]
Read More >An honor or a scam?
It happens to thousands of families every year. A student receives a large envelope in the mail with an embossed, gold-sealed certificate of congratulations for being “selected” to attend a reportedly exclusive summer program. The language lauds the student, claiming, “You and your parents should be very proud of this recognition and unique honor.” Then […]
Read More >Unnecessary drama
When describing the seemingly high number of seniors at his daughter’s school who’d received disappointing news from their top choice colleges, a Collegewise father once said to me, “There’s a lot of carnage in the senior class.” “Carnage” was a troubling word choice, mostly because I knew how many students and parents would likely agree […]
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