A comedian’s audience is less likely to remember a long set full of laughs if the final joke bombs. That’s why great comedians end their set with their strongest joke, the one they’ve practiced and tweaked and perfected until it’s guaranteed to land when delivered well. The last impression is the one people remember, something […]
Read More >Letters of rec: five sources for teachers
If you’re a teacher who writes letters of recommendation for college applicants, here are five sources of information and advice to help you even better support your kids: Two past posts of mine, here and here, each have five letter of recommendation tips. Here’s a reminder that great letters don’t need to be long. This article […]
Read More >Be your own matchmaker
If someone gave you a list of the ten people at your school who will make the best husbands or wives one day, a list based on a complex algorithm factoring in everything from GPA to personality traits to fashion sense, would you believe it? Even more importantly, would you act on it and try […]
Read More >Free webinar: Four Keys to Better College Essays
Our Collegewise counselors are delivering a free webinar, Four Keys to Better College Essays, with four options of times to attend online. Attendance is limited to 200 people per session, and these tend to fill up very quickly. If you’re a senior applying to college, the parent of one, or a counselor who works with […]
Read More >You’ve got four years
One of my good friends from college recalls his father’s parting words to him after he’d moved into the dorm to start his freshman year. “Son, ya’ got four years.” I suspect it was like many things dads say that: 1. Are wise words, and 2. Are largely lost on their kids. At the time, […]
Read More >For parents: no essay hijacking
It’s not uncommon for parents to offer feedback on their kids’ college essays (though I advise against that for the same reason the American Medical Association advises against doctors treating their own children—more on that here). Still, many parents insist on doing more than just correcting grammar and spelling. Some will suggest new material, insert their […]
Read More >Don’t skim past the gems
I try to regularly feature other admissions experts on this blog who 1) know what they’re talking about, and 2) share good information that lessens the anxieties that permeate the college admissions process. Jay Mathews of the Washington Post and Patrick O’Connor of the Cranbrook Schools are in that category, as is Parke Muth who shares […]
Read More >Parents: start fresh this school year
“Most studies point to non-academic factors as being more important to success than things like grades. This is not to downplay grades. It is just to say that your child’s capacity for empathy, ability to collaborate, and integrity are just as likely to make him successful as attendance at any particular school. Socio-emotional skills and […]
Read More >Put the focus on the rebound
Imagine you were interviewing for a new job and had to explain a public smudge on your professional record—a failed project, a dismissal, something that was not an example of your professional best. You might try to explain it away with an excuse: I was going through a difficult time at home… My boss was […]
Read More >The search for strategy: early decision and early action
The search for strategy often works against a college applicant. Applying to early decision and early action programs can be one of those times. Early decision and early action application programs allow applicants to submit a completed application (usually by November 1 or 15) and in return, you’ll get a decision by December 15. While […]
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