Some students try to improve their chances of admission to their chosen colleges by emulating what their fellow students at school are doing. If someone else takes a summer class in calculus, they enroll in one, too. If someone else breaks 2000 on the SAT, they sign up for another round of test prep and […]
Read More >Five paths to frustration
Some parents are so worried about their student receiving an offer of admission from a prestigious college that they’ll consider any course of action rumored to help. Here are five common paths I’ve seen parents take that lead to frustration and disappointment almost every time. 1. “We have a connection…”The reported value of connections in […]
Read More >Make it about your audience
Whether you’re selling, giving a presentation, or applying to college, if you want to hold your audience’s attention, make your presentation less about you and more about them. I signed up for a new service through my bank that required me to attend a one-hour training session delivered over the phone today. Although I was […]
Read More >An easier way to find the net price of each college
The US Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center includes a search function that will take you directly to each college’s net price calculator. The net price calculator is an online tool that estimates your financial aid eligibility, subtracts that from the sticker price of your chosen college, and predicts how much you will […]
Read More >If you came down with senioritis…
Raymond Brown, Texas Christian University’s Dean of Admissions, just sent a letter to about 100 incoming freshmen whose final high school transcripts showed a drop in their academic performance. Known informally as the “Fear of God” letter, he asks each student to submit to him as soon as possible “a written statement detailing the reasons […]
Read More >For the family archivists
When families arrive at Collegewise for their first meeting, some parents reveal themselves as their applicant’s archivist. They endearingly present us with a binder containing every award, certificate, newspaper clipping, etc. that their kid has garnered throughout high school. If you’ve designated yourself as your applicant’s archivist, please know two things as you approach college […]
Read More >If you love it, you never tire of it
Author John Irving (The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, and A Prayer for Owen Meany) also has a lifelong interest in wrestling that began as a high school student at Phillips Exeter. Here’s how he compares wrestling to writing (from this NPR story): Many of my wrestling friends find it odd that I’m […]
Read More >You know yourself better than US News does
In 1983, US News and World Report began ranking colleges and publishing an annual list. Today, the US News list is the juggernaut of college rankings. In one month after the 2011 rankings were announced, the US News website got 10 million visitors who found out that Harvard and Princeton tied for the number one […]
Read More >For students doing test prep this summer
I can’t think of something so potentially important yet simultaneously a waste of time as test preparation. Raising your scores can absolutely improve your chances of admission to many colleges—it’s important. But the SAT and ACT don’t test your intelligence, potential to succeed in college, knowledge of geography or Shakespeare or anything else remotely connected […]
Read More >Three Common App notes for the class of 2013
For soon-to-be seniors: 1. The Common App will release its 2012-2013 application on 8/1/2012. Add that date to your calendars. 2. You can preview the app here. Counselors, the preview version highlights the changes from last year’s application. 3. Arun and I will be releasing our new, updated "Collegewise Guide to the Common Application" by […]
Read More >- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 268
- 269
- 270
- 271
- 272
- …
- 380
- Next Page »