Over the last ten years writing this blog, one of the questions I’ve been asked most frequently is, “How do you find the time to write something every day?” Almost every weekday, I find the time to write. Before a weekend, a holiday, or a vacation, I write my posts and queue them up ahead of time. […]
Read More >The magic is in the extra
I’ve just returned from the NACAC conference where I purchased a surprising amount of mediocre coffee from a tiny convenience store in my hotel that somewhat misleadingly called itself a deli. There were plenty of coffee shops within a short walk, from the artisan to the big chain. But every morning (and a few tired […]
Read More >Preparing for college vs. preparing for life
In the years after I started Collegewise and was still counseling students myself, I learned that there were different kinds of high achievers in high school. Some of the kids I’d meet were genuinely curious and interested in learning. They had a favorite subject and teacher. They chose their activities based on what they enjoyed, […]
Read More >Run towards it
Financial Aid expert Mark Kantrowitz shares a timely and very helpful piece, “What is the FASFA?” The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the starting point for accessing need-based aid. It’s the single most important step to acquiring the financial assistance you need. For students applying to college this fall, the form goes […]
Read More >Rethinking meetings
I’m not sure I’ll embrace the specific action Dan Pink recommends in his latest video, a 90-second snippet that shares one company’s method for keeping meetings on track. But I agree with the overarching point that meetings need some drastic fixing. According to Pink’s most recent newsletter, American workers attend 55 million meetings each day. […]
Read More >Living life out loud
This week a story hit the press about an angry Philadelphia Eagles football fan who’d been captured on camera vociferously expressing his in-game displeasure with the referees. That alone isn’t much of a story. But the fact that that apoplectic fan was the Dean of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania? That made it slightly […]
Read More >Asking “Who and/or what is this for?”
I’m writing this from 30,000 feet en-route to Louisville, KY, for the annual NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counseling) conference, attended by over 6,000 counseling and admissions professionals. But I’m not going there just to see what happens. I’ve got specific plans to make the most of my time. I’m presenting a session on […]
Read More >Accessible influence
My daily search for shareable advice over the last ten years has produced more than just writing fodder. It’s also introduced me to two of my personal heroes: Jason Fried of Basecamp and blogger Seth Godin. So much of what I’ve read, listened to, and absorbed from these two greats has impacted and, even more importantly, often […]
Read More >End with the thanks
Yesterday’s post recommended that writers open with the ask when emailing a request for a favor. But with the thank-you, the order is best reversed. Lesson #13 of my final 31 posts: When writing a thank-you note, end with the thanks. I first encountered (and blogged about) this tip in 2016 via an NPR story, and […]
Read More >In email, open with the ask
In the ten-year daily search to notice and share something interesting here on my blog, I uncovered two tips that have saved me hours of email toiling to find the right tone and message. Lesson #12 of my final 31 posts: When asking for something over email, open with the ask. I first found and […]
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