College Goals Blog
Making the Most of a College Fair
Attending a college fair is a great way to connect with schools you are interested in and make a positive first impression on their representatives. However, there are some important things to keep in mind in order to make the most effective use of your time. Be prepared! Register for the event ahead of time […]
A Message for Parents of College-Bound Students
Dear Parents whose sons and daughters are about to matriculate into college – Are you having butterflies in your stomach, and maybe second thoughts?? ” S/he isn’t really mature enough for this . . . how will he handle the self-responsibility? Will she be safe?? Will he get up and get to class, and turn […]
Your Recommendations
You’re back in school, heading into your final year. Your courses are challenging, your extracurricular leadership roles are demanding, AND you will need to move forward every week on your college applications! Where to start, your first days back in school? In addition to grades, personal statements, and activities, colleges also want to know what […]
Tips on Visiting Colleges
I am currently accompanying my daughter Maia, a rising senior, on a tour of colleges and universities on the East Coast. We are finding that these college visits are essential to helping her get a sense of what she likes, and doesn’t like, in a college environment, and to knowing more clearly about the programs […]
CollegeBoard’s New SAT
As many of you have heard, CollegeBoard announced in March that it is in the process of redesigning the SAT. Sophomores and Juniors – the good news for you is that the new changes will not go into effect until Spring 2016, so you are NOT affected by this news! For younger students, you will […]
On Writing an Ivy League Admissions Essay
These days, students applying to Ivy schools find themselves having to wade through a dense morass of conflicting advice about admission. With Harvard, Princeton and Yale denying far more valedictorians than they accept, many students are coming to the disquieting realization that overwhelming academic achievement and stratospheric scores may be not enough. Hence, the hope […]
Dreams deferred, Part II: some comments on being deferred in the early application season
By Andrea van Niekerk PART II: What are student to do when deferred? I spoke previously about the reasons why selective schools may choose to defer a large percentage – in many cases even a majority – of their early applicants. But the question remained as to what this meant for deferred students who find […]
Dreams deferred: some comments on being deferred in the early application season
by Andrea van Niekerk PART 1: Why do schools defer students? Most American colleges and universities these days offer students the opportunity to apply early. Some schools may demand an early commitment, others may merely wish to gauge interest, but all early programs give students the chance to tell a school how much they would […]
