Articles
The following is a list of articles that were written and published in the Metrowest Daily News in the College Matters column.
Pulling an all-nighter for the college application
Our goal for many of our college clients is for them to have most of their common application completed by the end of the summer. In July and August rising seniors have more time and fewer distractions so they can fully focus on completing the common app, and completing it well. The Fall is can be a very busy time and students should be focusing their energies on their classwork as this ... more >>
Admissions office probes applicants\' scary depths
It turns out that it’s not just me who thinks that sometimes seniors’ final choice of college is – let’s just say it – whimsical. After a year of visiting, touring, researching, discussing, and agonizing you’d expect a thoughtful, well-reasoned decision when the final college choice is made, but often when I ask them to explain why they made their choice, the reply is simply, “It just felt right.”
It turns out that, when making ... more >>
Top 10 Strengths and Experiences Colleges Look for in High School Students
Just as no two students look alike, neither do any two applications. Here’s a list of the top strengths colleges look for in applicants, but it’s important to highlight your unique skills and interests.
by Allison Matlack/DAILY NEWS CORRESPONDENT
Summer opportunities abound for high school students and this can be the perfect time to take classes, explore career interests, hone athletic skills or become involved in volunteer work.
As with all extracurricular activities, how a student chooses to spend their vacation time reveals a great deal about their passions, talents and leadership skills. Students should carefully choose what it is that they want to do with an eye not toward “resume building” but to finding ... more >>
I truly don’t know what to say to my clients when they receive the dreaded letter telling them they’ve been denied admission to their first choice college. I know I could say that some wonderful schools have admitted them, that thousands of other students are sharing their pain, that years from now their misery will be a distant memory, or that they will come through this experience and be all the stronger for it. But, while all these ... more >>
For most seniors, college applications will be complete and in the mail by the end of this month and the long, sometimes arduous, hopefully rewarding process of applying will be finished. Almost.
While the lion’s share of the work is done, there are still some important details to attend to.
First and foremost, remember that you are not “in” college until you walk through the doors on the first day of school. To make sure that accepted students remain focused on their ... more >>
The post to the US News and World Report blog this morning Parents Read This is a must read for parents of seniors applying to college. Lynn Jacobs and Jeremy Hyman provide 8 guiding principles that are practical and essential. The college application process is already fraught with enough stress and anxiety and the holidays can add an extra layer to that. Oftentimes parents who truly want to helpful can unwittingly add to the anxiety of their child. Reading these principles and following ... more >>
By Allison Matlack GateHouse News Service Posted Nov 11, 2009 @ 12:00 PM
After months of listening to their pleading, I let my children open Facebook accounts with two provisos – that I had to be the first person that they “friended,” and that I had to have complete access to their accounts.
I will say that I am not particularly interested in the fact that a Black Sheep has wandered onto my son’s farm in Farmville or that my daughter is a fan ... more >>
With summer vacation just moments away, juniors are likely daydreaming about long days on the beach, hanging out with friends and sleeping in. And that is exactly how some of their days should be spent this summer! However, the next few months are also a critical time to work on the college process. Fall of senior year is a very busy time for most, and the further along rising seniors are with their college process, the more time they will have ... more >>
COLLEGE MATTERS: Getting a Great Recommendation
Letters of recommendation are an important piece of your college application and can shed light on your potential as a student and as a member of their community that no other parts of your application can. By choosing your writers carefully, providing them with the information they need to write about you, and giving them plenty of time to craft their letters, you stand the best chance of receiving a personal, insightful and positive ... more >>