I loved everything about Julie Surrat’s piece “In Praise of Mediocre Kids” except the title. “Mediocre” has such a pejorative connotation. But what she’s really preaching, and I agree with, is that we should celebrate those pursuits that make our kids happy even in the absence of extraordinary talent or achievement. No adult achieves at the […]
Read More >For counselors: download our NACAC notes
The annual NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) conference serves up some of the best, most up-to-date information about college admissions. But it’s expensive to attend, and many high schools aren’t able to send their counselors. Since 2009, our Collegewise counselors have shared with high school counselors our notes from the sessions we attended. […]
Read More >Just (let them) make progress
Studies keep showing that helicopter parenting is bad for kids. Back off, don’t run their lives, let them fail and learn, etc. But other recommendations, like those in this article, remind readers that “…a little hovering is just right.” I sympathize with those well-intentioned parents who want to do the right thing by their kids but may […]
Read More >Text talk is for text messages
To the chagrin of language, spelling, and grammar purists everywhere, many best practices in the art of written communication seem to be suspended when writing a text message. Rules and protocols like capitalization and punctuation slow down sending. And it’s hard for many people to justify writing 50 words if 5 are sufficient to get […]
Read More >Enrolling now: “How to Write Letters of Recommendation”
My online course for counselors and teachers, How to Write Letters of Recommendation, is currently open for enrollment. I think you’ll find that this course has the power to transform the way you and your colleagues approach these letters. You’ll give your students an even bigger admissions lift. And you’ll spend less time writing, rewriting, […]
Read More >Monday morning Q&A: the FAFSA and merit scholarships
Samantha asks: Could a decision not to file a FAFSA for need-based aid negatively impact a student’s eligibility for possible merit scholarships? We have diligently saved for college and will not qualify for financial aid, but the cost still won’t be easy with other children at home. My child is a top student with a […]
Read More >Avoidable public speaking mistakes
I’m blessed to work in a company full of public speakers ranging from capable to truly great. But I’ve been cursed by years of attending conferences, weddings, and other speaking-worthy events where well-intentioned speakers repeat the same blunders. You don’t necessarily have to be a natural-born public speaker to get the job done, but anyone […]
Read More >Find your fun
One of the worst symptoms of the college admissions arms race is the disappearance of downtime, frivolity, or anything else that can’t be directly connected to a college admissions advantage. Kids stop being kids and spend all their time resume building, measuring the worth of every potential choice with, “Will this help me get in?” […]
Read More >One chapter
I flew to England last week to attend my brother-in-law’s graduation from Oxford, where he and 300 other overachievers from around the world earned their MBAs. Not surprisingly, the people I met were an impressive collection of varied successes. I met a 23-year-old Rhodes Scholar who was already earning his second master’s at Oxford. I […]
Read More >How to hit the FAFSA ground running
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the starting point to apply for need-based financial aid, becomes available October 1. And while most colleges have admission application deadlines that fall later (many in 2018), the sooner you file your FAFSA after October 1, the better. This Wall Street Journal article shared two great tips […]
Read More >- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- …
- 380
- Next Page »