Tag Archives: college research

Whether you’re applying to two colleges or twelve, you need to prioritize balance. We’ll tell you how to create a balanced college list that is likely to result in mostly acceptances. We also have some nontraditional advice about how to think about the college list, and it doesn’t include statistics. With a balanced college list, […]

Best case scenario: You’ve got several acceptance letters from colleges that you are excited to attend. You’re overjoyed and overwhelmed at the same time. Whether you have a clear path or are still making a decision, here are some steps for you to take now that you’ve been accepted to college. (Congratulations by the way!) […]

A college visit is like a first date. You’re each so focused on putting your best foot forward that you might not notice some of the details that make the college “real.” While your tour group is being led along a specifically designated path, you should keep an eye out for signs of what the […]

The college visit is your student’s chance to try the college on for size and see how well it fits. But knowing what to ask when you’re there on site and thinking of things you should have asked later, when you’re back at home, are two different things. Use these 10 questions as starting places […]

Short answer: Maybe. Here’s the main argument against using a private college counselor: Why should you pay for a service you could do yourself? Of course, by that logic, you’re one step away from growing your own crops. Not everyone wants to be—or even can be—a DIY college application family. Let’s be perfectly clear: high […]

Writing down your goals makes you more likely to achieve them. The act of putting goals down on paper brings them to life in a way that keeping them in your mind never will. When it comes to your ideal college experience, you certainly want those dreams to become reality. It makes sense that you […]

College interviews can be as important to college acceptance as a job interview is to landing a coveted position in the professional world. If a college offers an interview opportunity (either on-campus or with a local alumnus), you should definitely take advantage of it. Don’t be intimidated! It’s a positive sign of the college’s interest. […]

Finding the right fit for a student with learning differences can feel like an insurmountable challenge. You want a university that will challenge and grow its students but also nurture them, especially if they require accommodations for learning. You want a university that will respect your student’s abilities, not focus on his differences. You also […]

At a certain point, students have to make hard choices about college. Specifically, they have to choose which ones will and won’t make the cut. They also need to make sure they have more than just the most selective colleges on the list. Preparing the optimal college list makes use of the “Goldilocks” principle: not […]

You have 1,001 tasks to accomplish during Thanksgiving Break—and your high school senior has even more. Traveling for the holiday. College applications. Work. Homework. Spending time with friends. Completing senior projects. Black Friday. Volunteering. The list goes on. If your senior checks off only five things this Thanksgiving Break, it needs to be these. 1. […]

You can choose how to spend your summer – endlessly playing video games or wasting time on social media, never making progress toward your future goals – OR – you can choose to include a few meaningful activities that have a chance to impact your life and future. Even if you choose the latter, you […]

If you have not read the last blog, Excitement, Tears, and the Daunting Task of Choosing your College, Part 1: Your Mindset, do not read any further until you do. If you approach this decision in the wrong order, you are more likely to make a mistake. Did you read it? Ok then, now it […]