Don’t copy the outliers

January 5, 2015 by Kevin McMullin

I’ve seen students who did the opposite of much of what I advise here yet still get accepted to a highly-selective college. They spent more time grade-grubbing than they did learning. They did test prep like it was their job. They chose the activities they believed would be impressive on a resume, not necessarily those […]

How to raise smart kids

January 4, 2015 by Kevin McMullin

According to this month’s Scientific American, the best way to produce high-achievers in school is to help kids appreciate the value of the process rather than just the outcome (something that the author calls a “growth mind-set”). From the article’s summary: “Teaching people to have a ‘growth mind-set,’ which encourages a focus on ‘process’ rather […]

How would you say it?

January 3, 2015 by Kevin McMullin

What’s the surest way to make sure that your email, memo, speech, press release, website, brochure, college essay, or any other written communication sounds more like a human and less like a same-as-all-the-others-before-it piece of writing? Pretend you were saying it out loud to one person. All the filler language will fall away, leaving plenty […]

Senior families, start your FAFSAs

January 2, 2015 by Kevin McMullin

Senior families, it’s time to fill out the new FAFSA, available here. The federal government estimates that it takes most families under an hour to complete the form online, and the sooner you submit it, the more likely you are to receive financial aid. If you’d like some FAFSA help, The New York Times has […]

Resolutions revisited

January 1, 2015 by Kevin McMullin

As we make our New Year’s resolutions, here are two past posts, one for students and parents, one for private counselors, with a few resolution recommendations. And finally, here’s a post sharing some advice from the Heath Brothers on how to get your New Year’s resolutions right. Happy New Year!

Examine what worked

December 31, 2014 by Kevin McMullin

Parents, students, counselors, and other readers here, as you look back on your 2014, what worked? Maybe it was a project that was even more successful than you’d imagined? Maybe it was a goal you were proud to reach, a change you made that improved your life, a success that took you some place you […]

Cut the cords

December 30, 2014 by Kevin McMullin

I saw an article recently in which the author claimed the “one thing” students can do to (1) stand out over the other students with perfect grades and test scores, and (2) gain admission to a highly-selective college is to complete a project that not only demonstrates their passion, but also helps others. The author […]

Parents: inject some celebration

December 29, 2014 by Kevin McMullin

I was at my best friend’s house when he received his letter from Notre Dame during our senior year of high school. He’d already been accepted to all of his other colleges, and when he opened the letter and shared the good news, all his dad said was, “OK. Well, now you have to commit […]

Don’t stretch the truth

December 28, 2014 by Kevin McMullin

A father of a former Harvard student is facing 20 years in prison for falsifying his income in order to receive more financial aid. I’ve never met a family who wanted to go as far as this guy did (he filed fraudulent federal tax returns). But in a second article about this incident, Mark Kantrowitz reminds families that parents […]