Ten years ago, my college buddy, Sean, convinced me to drive across the country with him in the same car he’d been driving since college—a Geo Prism that topped out at 55 miles an hour and was constantly on the verge of dying or spontaneously combusting. On hills, the Prism felt like it was about […]
Read More >What they don’t ask for
Seniors, when completing your college applications, follow each college’s instructions. Do exactly what they ask you to do. And just as important, don’t do things they don’t ask you to do. A college that doesn’t invite you to submit extra letters of recommendation, a resume or a portfolio doesn’t want those materials. Be mindful of […]
Read More >Treat high school like college prep
I hear a lot of students say that they’re looking forward to the independence of college. But a lot of those students let the college admissions process happen to them, waiting for their parents or counselor to take charge and tell them what to do. Instead, why not: Ask for help when you need it? […]
Read More >A plea for PSAT takers
About 1.5 million students are going to take the PSAT this month. If I could say one thing to them, it is this: please don’t worry about it. The PSAT is just a practice test. That’s all. It was created to let students take a nonthreatening trial version of the SAT before they take the […]
Read More >Which activity has meant the most to you?
A lot of college essay prompts ask you to elaborate about one of your activities. When you answer a prompt like that, don’t just share what an admissions officer already knows—that football is hard, that community service feels good when you help others, or that being on the student government requires leadership skills. Instead, treat […]
Read More >How to maximize financial aid eligibility
Maximizing aid eligibility is a tricky topic. It’s important and needs to be explored, but it can also easily veer into dishonest measures that help affluent families appear poor. I wasn't surprised to find that Mark Kantrowitz's advice is some of the best and most ethical I've seen.
Read More >Where to get the best advice
Allison pointed us to this entry on the University of Virginia (UVa) admissions blog. It references a discussion on College Confidential in which students revealed that, in spite of UVa’s instructions to send one counselor recommendation and one teacher recommendation, applicants were planning to send 5-6 letters because friends told them that doing so would […]
Read More >Use your first as a test drive
Whether you’re… …completing multiple college applications…interviewing for several jobs…scheduling multiple college interviews…or pitching your book to several publishers …if possible, make the first the one you want the least. Your first effort might not be your best. Most students I’ve met are more comfortable on their third college interview than they are on their first. […]
Read More >Two different forms, two different deadlines
The first step in applying for all need-based financial aid for college is to complete and submit the FAFSA. But even the most organized, eager applicant can’t do that yet because the FAFSA isn’t available until January 1. However, about 270 private schools require the CSS/PROFILE in addition to (never in replacement of) the FAFSA. […]
Read More >If you really want to take a career test…
I don’t like when high school kids are made to take career tests (I’ve posted about my dislike before), especially when they’re administered under parental pressure to identify a future career today for a seventeen-year-old. But if a student is genuinely interested in career exploration, it certainly can’t hurt to investigate potential paths. The Princeton […]
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