How to choose classes for next year

Over the next few weeks, students will be filling out their course selection forms for next year. Students should put careful thought into their choices, selecting those that will demonstrate their academic potential and willingness to challenge themselves while not creating a schedule that will leave no time for extra-curriculars – or sleep!

Special Gap Year Programs Benefit Many
Gap year and gap semester programs have always been very popular in Europe and are quickly gaining popularity in the U.S. For some students, this hiatus from the lock step march through their academic careers provides a timely opportunity to tackle new challenges, pursue passions and become more self-confident, self-sufficient and self-aware through travel, work, study and community service. These benefits of a gap program are well-recited, but there are less obvious yet equally compelling reasons to take advantage of this experience.

Does your SAT score end in "90"?

Tomorrow Juniors head off to take the SAT with varying degrees of preparedness and nervousness. While most students will sit for the SAT and/or ACT at least twice, we don’t encourage our students to take these tests over and over in pursuit of that ever-elusive “highest score possible”. Standardized tests are only one piece of the college application. While an important part, they shouldn’t be given undue time or weight.

Good luck, juniors!

Resolutions Worth Keeping
Helping your own child with their college process can be a rewarding, bonding experience – but boundaries have to be drawn. Here’s where I have resolved to draw the lines and I embark upon this process with my own daughter.

The Dos and Don'ts of Graduate School Essays

Marybeth Gasman, who works in the admissions office at Penn’s Graduate School of Education, offers some pointed advice about how to write a compelling essay. While her words of wisdom are directed at graduation students, most of the advice she offers could be well heeded by anyone applying to college. Among my favorite tips: Don’t use the word “love” – ever, and don’t make excuses.

The Social Media Revolution

Social media tools are changing the way teachers teach, students learn, and the classroom is defined.

The Real Price of College: Looking Beyond the Sticker

Over the last decade the averge tuition and fees after adjusting for inflation) at public four-year colleges rose 72% and increased 35% increase at private four-year colleges. But after subtracting estimated average grant aid and federal tax credits and deductions received by full-time students, the average net tuition and fees students are paying are lower in 2010 dollars than they were a decade ago.

Study Abroad's New Focus is Job Skills

We’ve always believed in the many merits of Study Abroad and have encouraged our clients to take full advantage of these opportunities. However, employers have not felt as warmly about these opportunities, often dismissing them as “a few months backpacking through Europe.”

However, that tide is slowly turning and, thanks to people like Cheryl Matherly, the former assistant dean of students for career and international education at Rice University, who are helping students to describe their study abroad experience in terms of transferrable, marketable skills.

Hopefully, more and more employers will see that value that hiring a graduate who has spent time navigating their way through a foreign culture can bring to their companies.

Early Action Could Aid in Admission, Report Finds

With November 1 just a few days away, we’re very busy helping our clients meet Early Application deadlines. However, despite evidence that it might be easier to be admitted in this round of decisions, the choice to apply early isn’t that simple. First, it can be argued that those students who submit early apps are some of the strongests candidates because they dont’ need grades from fall and winter terms to demonstate their full academic potential. Second, while the decision to apply ED must be made with thought and care because it is binding, the decision to apply EA, while non-binding should not be made lightly. To “just get the process over with” is not sufficient justification. We find that students lose momentum after they submit their early applications, which can lead to disasterous results if they are not accepted. And, for many reasons, students may be able to present a stronger application if they wait for the Regular Decision deadlins.

So, while in many cases submitting college applications can be the best choice, don’t go into the decision without giving it careful thought.

Here’s a tremendous opportunity to learn more about boarding schools with making the drive. This weekend you are invited to attend the Boarding Schools Expo from the comfort of your living room. In addition to a virtual tour of the campus, you will have opportunities to as questions of students, faculty an admissions staff. To sign up, go to http://boardingschoolexpos.com/

Boarding Schools Expo
Sunday, October 24, 2010
2:00-8:00 pm Eastern

An opportunity to visit with over 60 boarding schools,
Ask questions of school staff, students & alumni

Don’t miss a presentation on “Choosing the Right Boarding School
& How an Educational Consultant Can Help” followed by a
Live Q&A session starting at 5:45 in the “Auditorium.