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Why Your Major Matters
One of the most appealing aspects of an American education is the idea that, at many schools, you need not commit to any course of study before the middle of sophomore year. Unlike British universities, for example, where students apply to a specific course of study, applicants to most American institutions will, at most, be asked to state one or two areas of academic interest. This is the very…
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Reflection on Legacy Admission
As our juniors begin to build their application plan and timeline for next fall, we want to update you about the rapidly changing role of legacy admissions.
The Trouble with FAFSA – Possible Waitlists Ahead
Many of you have no doubt heard about the recent troubles with the Department of Education’s rollout of the new FAFSA this year. If your family is applying for financial aid this year, then you have likely already felt some of these…
Passionate curiosity may be the key
What struck me most in these conversations, though, was the passionate curiosity, as Einstein described it, that these young people—by any measure some of the highest achievers in their respective fields in the world—could bring to almost…
To SAT? Or, to ACT? How do you pick?
The stress around standardized testing has not gone away despite the shifts that many schools have made toward test optional admissions. In fact, for some students, the stress around standardized testing seems to have only increased as…
It Always Works Out…..
Unfortunately, the reality of college admissions is that often these visions (this is the “dream school”; this is the “most perfect major”) do not play themselves out in the process. In the face of some schools receiving more than double…
Recommendation Letters and the College Application
As stressful as it is to write college application essays, at least the effort gives students a sense of control, of making a case for themselves by discussing what matters to them and what they believe makes them distinctive and…
AI and the Essay
It is now rare to open a newspaper or listen to a news program without some mention of AI. These discussions often have a slightly apocalyptic tone - the Terminators’ SkyNet lives! In essence, AI confronts us with a real transformation of…
A tale of three college visits – which one fits you now?
...soon, spring will arrive, and high school students and their families will start thinking about embarking on some college visits and campus tours. Your interest may have been piqued by hearing about admission decisions from the older…
Choosing Your Courses for the Next Year
Soon, many sophomore and junior students must make choices about their courses for next year. We know the admission process at very selective colleges is based, above all, on your academic performance, and if your grades are not what the…