I bought some Microsoft software online today. But when the order arrived, there was no button to download it. Just instructions that said, “Download your software.” Thirty minutes of clicking, searching, and FAQing later, I finally sent a note to the help desk—they’re getting back to me “within 2 business days.” In the meantime, they […]
Read More >Mismeasures
From Seth Godin’s recent post about the dangers of measuring what’s easy to measure, rather than measuring what’s actually important: “Colleges decided that the SAT [scores] were a useful shortcut, a way to measure future performance in college. And nervous parents and competitive kids everywhere embraced the metric, and stick with it, even after seeing […]
Read More >When you need help
Whether you need a teacher to help you with a concept or a tech support staffer to help you fix your computer, it’s almost always okay to ask for help. But how you ask sets the tone for the type of help that you receive. You can put the person on the defensive by saying […]
Read More >Effective applications
Evaluating applications for a job is a lot like evaluating applications to a college. Many are lifeless. They’ve got lists of involvements without explaining what each one actually is. They’re full or jargon, buzzwords, and meaningless phrases. Job applicants write that they, “Set goals, evaluated strategic partnership opportunities, and provided leadership.” College applicants write that […]
Read More >It’s hard for parents, too
I often make the comment that there is no manual for parenting. From the time you take responsibility for a newborn until the day you ship that former tiny miracle off to college, there is no list of instructions for how to do the job perfectly. So let me reassure you that two parental rules […]
Read More >On saying “No”
There’s a lot of evidence that successful people get that way in part by saying “no” regularly. They’ll stop doing things that aren’t working. They’ll turn down opportunities to take on more so they can focus intently on their work that matters. They care more about doing a few things really well and making an […]
Read More >Design a list for success
If I could give one piece of advice to juniors who are about to begin the college search process, here it is—build a college list designed for success. A high school counselor emailed me this morning seeking advice for one of her seniors who wasn’t accepted to any colleges. I asked where the student applied, […]
Read More >What to do when you panic during a test
Cal Newport’s blog is full of great tips to help you be a more successful student. Here’s a good entry on fighting test anxiety. Whether or not you decide to use the specific techniques he describes, the general method is one that all good test-takers use—they go in with a plan, focus their time on […]
Read More >Five summer suggestions for high school counselors
If you’re a high school counselor about to embark on a well-deserved summer break, I hope you enjoy your downtime and a long-overdue chance to recharge your batteries. But given that the vast majority of high school counselors I meet seem to never stop working for—and worrying about—their students, here are five summer suggestions that […]
Read More >How to survive college admissions with a smile
There's no manual issued to new parents about how to do the job right. But experienced parents (and grandparents) can often lend advice about how to do the job right, what to worry about, and most importantly, how to survive the inevitable bumps of parenting that just come with the gig. Jay Mathews of the […]
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