College Admissions During COVID-19: What Are Colleges Looking For?

By |2020-09-15T16:53:07+00:00September, 15, 2020|College Admissions, College Admissions and COVID-19|

The college admissions process has always been stressful: after spending 3+ years working to get the best grades possible, participating in activities, pursuing leadership positions and other achievements, and studying for standardized tests, students have to figure out how to communicate all of their accomplishments to people they may have [...]

What Does Test-Optional Really Mean?

By |2020-11-08T23:37:54+00:00September, 9, 2020|College Admissions, College Admissions and COVID-19, College Admissions Tests|

For this year's high school seniors, taking the SAT and ACT has proven to be even more challenging than expected.  Beyond the difficulty of the tests themselves, the cancelation of multiple test dates in the spring and summer has added to students' anxiety.  Some seniors took these tests for the [...]

The Impact of Coronavirus on Colleges

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00March, 10, 2020|College Admissions, College and COVID-19, College Visits|

As the coronavirus spreads, its effects are being felt on college campuses across the U.S. and around the world.  The following are examples of recent actions taken by a handful of colleges. Many American colleges have cancelled study abroad programs in Italy, China, and South Korea, pulling students out of [...]

Colleges Reevaluate Legacy Considerations

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00March, 4, 2020|College Admissions|

Students often wonder what they can do to maximize their chances of admission at selective and highly selective colleges.  Some are at an advantage not because of something they themselves did, but rather, because of who their relatives are.  I'm talking, of course, about legacy preference.  At some schools, students [...]

The College Admissions Process is Becoming Even More Complicated

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00February, 25, 2020|College Admissions|

Often, when I meet with potential clients, parents comment on how much more complicated and competitive the college admissions process is now, compared to when they went through it.  They frequently make statements such as, “I only applied to two colleges,” or, "I don't think I'd even get into my [...]

How College and College Admissions Might Change in the Next Decade

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00January, 14, 2020|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, Paying for College|

Since the New Year, several articles have been published that have reflected on the accuracy of predictions for the year 2020, while others have speculated on what will happen in the coming year and decade, in areas ranging from politics to fashion to technology. College and college admissions are another [...]

University of California System Sued Over Use of ACT/SAT Scores

By |2020-08-24T15:52:23+00:00December, 31, 2019|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests|

In a recent blog post on the role of standardized test scores in the college admissions process, I mentioned that a group of  organizations had threatened to sue the University of California system due to its requirement that applicants submit ACT/SAT scores.  Earlier this month, those groups did, in fact, [...]

The Role of Standardized Tests in College Admissions

By |2020-08-24T15:52:24+00:00November, 12, 2019|College Admissions, College Admissions Tests, College Applications, College Preparation|

For many students, one of the most significant stressors in the college admissions process is preparing for and taking the ACT and/or SAT.  Across the country, parents pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for test prep classes and private tutors, and students spend hours upon hours studying for these [...]

Understanding Highly Selective College Admissions

By |2020-08-24T15:52:24+00:00November, 7, 2019|College Admissions, College Applications, College Fit|

I recently had the privilege of hearing admissions counselors from three highly selective colleges discuss their schools' approaches to admissions.  They provided information about and insight into what might appear to be a murky and mysterious process.  By sharing what I learned from these admissions officers, I hope to help [...]

Go to Top