With applications sent off, the college application moves from the student’s desk to the college admissions office where, for the next two months hundreds of thousands of applications will be reviewed while students across the country anxiously await a decision.

What goes on behind the closed doors of the admissions office is a mystery to most and decisions can seem to reflect more “artistry” than science. In fact, the process varies from school to school and depends on the size ... more >>

Writing the Personal Statement can be a torturous exercise for many seniors. Fears of sounding like a braggart or worse, having nothing worthwhile to say, leave even strong writers paralyzed. While the temptation might be to adopt a distant, academic tone, by making your Personal Statement personal you help the admissions office gain a richer understanding of your unique character and qualities.

Make your Personal Statement about yourself. Don’t write someone else’s biography. Even if your essay is about a person ... more >>

I have yet to meet the student who finds writing their Personal Statement for the Common Application to be the most exciting part of their college process. They whine, they procrastinate, they beg me to write it for them – and I am sympathetic. It’s hard to capture the “essence of who you are” in 500 words. But just as each essay should be as unique as the person writing it, there are some qualities that successful personal ... more >>

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.

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 ... more >>

Building a Better College List

Ideas for our monthly columns come from many different places, but after the umpteenth conversation with my colleague, Tim, about people’s misguided notions that we can “just make a college list”, I decided to write about the considerations that we put in to each of the college lists we create for our clients. In truth, we never get “the list” right on the first try and, in fact, we don’t try do. Figuring out which ... more >>

Does being "President of the Lady Gaga Fan Club" belong on your college resume?

High school students are encouraged to join clubs, take on leadership roles, be involved in community service – not just because these are wonderful opportunities for growth, but because they “look good” on the college resume. But where to draw to draw the line between a real experience and a whimsical hobby? If it is something the student is genuinely committed to, has been involved ... more >>

10 Steps to Writing Your Best Personal Statement

The Personal Statement demands a lot of the college applicant – to present themselves fairly but favorably, to articulate to those things that inspire them, to capture their character and personality, and to do it all in 500 carefully chosen words. No wonder so many find this to be a painful exercise. But with enough time, introspection, and careful editing, students sometimes learn as much about themselves as the reader does.