Jan
24
A high school student’s ideal summer vacation should involve growth, learning, relaxation and fun. Summer is a time for exploration and skill building. It is an opportunity to extend learning beyond the confines of the classroom. Though it’s January and summer seems eons away, students and parents should begin discussing and researching summer options sooner …
Dec
05
I love a good college fair. There’s such an energy in the room as hundreds, sometimes thousands of students, glide from booth to booth charming college reps, collecting mountains of brochures, and rewriting name/address/email/major on dozens of contact cards. As an admissions counselor for a popular selective university, my booth tended to be extremely well …
Nov
29
The story of the Long Island students caught cheating on the SAT and ACT has been a media sensation. Ever since the story first broke in September, the media has focused considerable coverage on all angles– the students who cheated, the payments, their community, their high schools, the standardized tests. Today the last two students …
Nov
22
A roof over your head. Food on the table. Clothes on your body. Access to education. The ability to participate in endless athletics, community service, clubs and organizations. A mind to learn. A body healthy enough to accomplish your goals. Family and friends who nurture and support you. At this time of year it’s easy …
Nov
14
Thank you Tom Petty for providing this week’s blog title. Indeed, if you’ve submitted an early decision application, “the waiting is the hardest part.” So what is a student to do during this roughly one month of waiting? If you think the answer is nothing, you’re wrong. Let me share some tips on what to …
Nov
01
I’ve been committing a big yoga no-no lately. As I’ve been so busy helping students with essay brainstorming and editing, Common Application reviews, and the impending doom of looming deadlines, I’ve been neglecting my focus in yoga. Over the last couple of weeks, as my mind has wandered from downward facing dog, eagle pose and …
Oct
17
Many of you seniors will begin to be contacted over the next few weeks and months about admissions interviews. Here are some no nonsense Dos and Donts to prepare you for your interview. And please allow me the liberty of just one cliche– the best advice of all is to be your wonderful, amazing, fascinating …
Oct
11
This week we bring you the official Getting To The Quad College Preparation Checklist, a comprehensive year by year look at college preparation. If you’ve been wondering, “What should I be doing my sophomore year?” or “How much should I have completed by my senior year?” this checklist is for you. It is not intended …
Oct
04
In years past, there were just a few types of admission plans, and just a few deadlines to watch. Things have really changed! Now there are many variations of the main types of admission plans, and the deadlines vary greatly. Once you’ve narrowed down your list to a comfortable number of reach (a little bit …
Sep
26
More than ten years later I can still rattle off the names of my favorite applicants to Washington University where I worked as an admission counselor for three years. Even those students who ultimately decided to attend another college are still marked in my memory. I can recall how we first met– on campus, at …
