Posts by Andrew Belasco:

How to Get Into West Point: Acceptance Rate & Strategies

Posted on: 30 Oct 2025

During the Revolutionary War, George Washington identified a plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 40 miles north of New York City, as the single most important strategic position in all of nascent America. Despite the best treasonous efforts of Benedict Arnold to hand over the newly-fortified lands to the British, the […]

Case Study: How One Bakersfield Student Earned Admission to Selective Colleges

Posted on: 28 Oct 2025

Families in Bakersfield and Kern County face a college admissions challenge that is worth naming honestly. Bakersfield is the largest city in the San Joaquin Valley and the economic heart of one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. Kern County ranks among the top three agricultural counties in the United States by […]

Top High Schools in the Bakersfield, CA Area: How They Compare for College Admissions

Posted on: 27 Oct 2025

If you are raising a college-bound student in the Bakersfield, California area, you are navigating a secondary-school landscape that is more stratified than many families realize. Bakersfield is California’s ninth-largest city and the hub of Kern County, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. It is also, however, a city with significant […]

How Competitive Is College Admissions for Columbus, Ohio Students?

Posted on: 26 Oct 2025

If you’re raising a college-bound student in the Columbus, Ohio area, it’s easy to underestimate just how competitive the admissions process has become. Columbus doesn’t always carry the national reputation of Fairfield County, Silicon Valley, or suburban Boston. But admissions offices know central Ohio well, and they know the caliber of students coming from schools […]

College Admissions from Annapolis, MD: Strengths, Challenges, and What Families Should Know

Posted on: 22 Oct 2025

Annapolis occupies a distinctive position in the Maryland college admissions landscape. It is the state capital, the home of the United States Naval Academy, and a city with deep maritime history and a rich civic culture. It also sits squarely between two of the most competitive college admissions markets on the East Coast: the Washington, […]

35 Best College Interview Practice Questions

Posted on: 17 Oct 2025

Through much of the college application process, you are defined by your hard numbers—GPA, class rank, ACT or SAT score, the number of rigorous courses taken, AP exam performance, and so on. The college admissions interview, however, presents an opportunity to show off your less tangible attributes, that certain je ne sais quoi unique to […]

Beyond Walmart: Why Bentonville, Arkansas Is a Surprisingly Strong Place to Apply to Top Colleges

Posted on: 16 Oct 2025

Most people outside of Arkansas know Bentonville as the home of Walmart. In college admissions circles, however, the city’s story is considerably more interesting. Northwest Arkansas has transformed dramatically over the past decade. Today it is home to a world-class art museum, one of the fastest-growing tech ecosystems in the South, a cluster of Fortune […]

What You Should Do After Submitting Early Action or Decision Applications

Posted on: 16 Oct 2025

The run-up to the October and November Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) deadlines is, for many students, one of the most stressful times in their young lives. Yet, for all of the unwanted nerves and sleepless nights, there is also a dopamine rush that comes with striving single-mindedly toward an important life goal. […]